[pct-l] Long distance hikers and $

[Scott Williams]

What great moms!  You Sue, and your mom, Charles.  Congratulations on 1,000
miles Sue.  That is huge, and it's absolutely the time of our lives out
there on trail.  I've got a 95 year old aunt who still kayaks on Puget Sound
and spent her life with her husband trekking Nepal and all over the globe.
 He died quite a few years ago, but it didn't even slow her down.  Two years
ago she did a 5 day kayak trip on the Columbia.  Nevertheless she is my
mentor, and a great adventurous gal still.

Charles, what a marvelous life you and your family have made for yourselves.
 Way to go.  You will love the PCT and all the adventures you've got coming,
and it sounds like you've all be in practice for it for a long time,
physically and emotionally.

As for careers, I became a probation officer just out of hippiedom at age 25
because they payed me to take kids backpacking.  Not very law
enforcementish, but I loved it and found working with messed up kids was
just up my alley, having been one myself.  And Diane, I completely agree
with you, "There are no things you can own that are better than owning your
time."  I never took one hour in overtime pay as money, always as time.
 When I spent a month or more on week long backpack trips with the kids as
part of a summer wilderness experience program I led, I'd save up the time
and spend 10 weeks in Europe in the fall, or just take off on the JMT on my
own.  Time was always much more precious than the money.  The benefits for
hikers of being a PO are eventually having a good amount of vacation, maybe
working in backpacking as part of the job and getting well paid to do it,
and an early retirement. I left at age 54.  And actually, it was fascinating
work, with juveniles and with adults, and in the courts.  Working with
people, especially therapeutically, is just good work.

I am married and have a daughter.  Raising her was way to special to have
missed any of it for a 5 month thru hike, and I wasn't ready to give it up,
so career, marriage and being a dad came first.  Hell I got to be a Girl
Scout Leader!!  I taught them the nature stuff.  Now, my parents are gone,
Sarah's off at Berkeley in the School of Natural Resources (see,
brainwashing does work) and Katie, my wife still has a year or 2 to go
before she can retire.  I now have the time and that's the reason a long
section hike last year turned into a thru hike, and why I'll be attempting
the CDT in 2012.  Katie likes to backpack, but has no interest in thru
hiking other than sending me boxes, so when she retires, I'll want to do
more long trips with her.  But right now is right for long hiking, and I
love it.  I climbed Mt Diablo twice this week and ran 7 miles on the ridges
here on the other two days.  Not bad for nearing 60.

Shroomer