[pct-l] encouragement

[dsaufley at sprynet.com]

At mile 454.5, I have personally witnessed 70 year olds out hiking college kids; the college kids went too fast and their bodies broke down (in the case that comes to mind it was stress fractures).  The seniors paced themselves and were consistent, and finished the entire trail.  

There is another Lindy who comes to mind, who was somewhat older than you . . . Lucky Lindy who was the first to finish the trail one year (sorry, my geezer brain can't remember if it was '99, '00, or '01 -- they all seem to blend together now).  Lindy's strategy was consistency -- he got up and went steady, and didn't linger too long in towns or get polluted with junk food or alcohol.  While many younger hikers were recovering from their hangovers and lounging around, Lindy had been up before the dawn and was burning miles on the trail.  He came from a position in the middle of the pack and wound up being the first to finish because of what I would categorize as maturity and self-discipline.

There will always be naysayers.  Maybe you can do it, and maybe you can't, but there's only one way to find out.

L-Rod


-----Original Message-----
>From: Linda Bakkar <lbakkar at hotmail.com>
>Sent: Dec 7, 2006 7:08 PM
>To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>Subject: [pct-l] encouragement
>
>For the last 20 years or so, I have spent my summers hiking and climbing in 
>the Pacific Northwest -- a week here, a few days there.  I have had a dream 
>to thru-hike the PCT for many of those years, and I have completed the 
>Washington State section in bits and pieces.  I love the PCT and can't wait 
>to get out on it.  (I am sure you can all relate to that feeling.)  When it 
>is time to leave the trail, I find myself yearning to continue....slowing 
>down on the last day of a section hike to make it last.  My thru-hike of the 
>PCT is planned for 2008, and I have been keeping myself as strong as I can 
>for my age.  You see, I will be 61 when I set out from Campo.
>
>Even though I have no serious physical problems, my doctor used some 
>sarcastic comments near the end of last summer about my wanting to hike from 
>Mexico to Canada, and I am ALMOST 60 YEARS OLD!!!  I was kind of angry then. 
>  After that, instead of telling people I was going to thru-hike, I started 
>telling people "I will hike as much of the trail as my body will let me."  
>And if it turns out that it is the whole trail...........I just want to be 
>out there!
>
>A couple of days ago, a teacher in the high school where I work told me he 
>thinks it is unrealistic for me to plan such a long hike -- even to plan to 
>hike long sections.  But I love to hike in the backcountry, especially above 
>treeline, and even off-trail when I get a chance.  I don't feel 60!!!  
>Besides, what is 60 supposed to feel like, anyway?
>
>I need some encouragement from my trail friends on the PCT-list.  Is age 
>really a factor in whether one should try to hike long distance?  I don't 
>want to buy my rocking chair just yet!
>
>Lindy
>North of Seattle
>
>
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