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[pct-l] Age equals Wisdom



 Only in the U.S. and the last few generations are " Older People" over 
looked . Many countries still hold to the old ways of a certain honor and respect 
to it's more mature citizens.
  Thank you  Robert for the article on REI. I enjoyed reading about the roots 
of the Co-OP and  about the guy that started in 1966. ( REI has over 6.5 
mllion members now) He has sure seen it all!!
   Folks like Bob Norton in Skykomish near Stevens Pass are a wealth of 
history and info and have also " Seen It All". I always enjoy having a cup of 
coffee and listening to Brice ( in his 80's) talk of his past hiking trips and how 
they did this or that in the early 50's  ( He still shows up at the ALDA-West 
Gathwering in one of his favorite " Wool" shirt and green wool pants. ( John 
Muir didn't use fleece  in neon colors and still lived) Marge is another 
experienced hiker who can put hikers half her age to shame and has stronger legs 
than many guys in the gym!  ( Anybody who can lay on a trail with badly broken 
ankle for days has my respect and is no one to mess with!!!) Geezer Bill, 
Lonetrail and of course Roy Robinson are my heros because they are all doing what I 
want to be doing when I retire and all still  hike like crazy five or six 
months a year.Marshall is another hiker who gets out there a ton and has seen much 
over his years on the trail.     
       I remember in the 70's meeting David Green doing the PCT who was 26 
years old and thru-hiking the trail. We all thought he must be on " Genretol" to 
be doing this at his age!! ( He the the oldest thru-hiker I knew in 1977)  
How times have changed!
        Bottom line, Age equals Wisdom which takes a life tim to achieve and 
there aren't any short cuts to get it. People flocked to John Muir in his old 
age for his widsom. Not many flocked around a John Muir in his 20's. Reason??? 
Widsom wasn't yet there!