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Re: [pct-l] Trail attitudes



In a message dated 1/29/00 10:27:52 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
davstock@tiac.net writes:

> Now I'm most concerned with the 90% mental part -- boredom, depression, 
>  loneliness.  I don't really know techniques or ways to "train" in the next 
>  three months to increase my ability to handle the inner workload.  I've 
>  heard from the CDT hikers about the technique of taking an extra day in 
>  town.  Any other tangible, non-vague techniques, methods, approaches, or 
>  whatever that anyone can recommend from a successful PCT or CDT thru-hike? 
>   I'll carefully consider your suggestions and do my best to "train" with 
>  them for the next three months, along with whatever I come up with on my 
>  own.

At the risk of sounding like some two-bit ($0.25) motivational speaker, 
*wanting* to hike the PCT Trail [sic] is the most important aspect to 
completing it, IMHO. I never found myself particularly bored or depressed or 
lonely because I WAS DOING WHAT I WANTED TO BE DOING. There's no training, 
per se, just the desire to be out There. If you do find yourself bored, 
depressed, or lonely on your thru-hike, then you're prob'ly not doing what 
you want to be doing. You should quit and pursue something else. It ain't 
rocket science.  And if you do quit to pursue something else, BFD; no one 
worth knowing will think any worse of you. 

On the subject of loneliness, I chose to embrace the solitude. How often do 
you *get* to be completely alone in this life? Someone (Henry Beston?) said, 
"Loneliness is the emptiness of spirit; solitude is the fullness of spirit." 
OK, now that is definitely two-bit, hokey, BS, but true for this hiker. 

Damnaste,
Former Attorney General Ed Meese
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