I was still 5 years from my planned retirement. I dared to think about it. What would I do? There were 5 things that came to mind. The trail was one of the items on the list. Four of them could wait, The trail could not! It had fervently become meaningful and necessary. Who knows what the next five years would bring. I gave myself two years to get ready.
Retire isn’t a word I like or accept. It is something you do to end the day. Terminating a long working career is a moment to celebrate for sure, but retirement isn’t an end but a beginning. The joy of celebration may last a few weeks. The opportunity exists for new and exciting personal growth. For me the six months on the trail will require all the lessons learned and effort put forth during my entire working career. It has the potential to be as rewarding and satisfying as well.
I prefer to use the words renew, redevelop, reconsider, and rethink. Renewal of dreams, passion,and focus. Rethink and develop the gifts I have. Reconsider how best I can put them to use. One word stands apart and above all these words. Relationships.
It doesn’t take retirement to redefine my relationships, but that just happens to be where I am in life. There is no way to avoid making this adjustment. As for my coworkers who have played an important part in who I am, I’ll try to maintain our friendship and support. Even now new friendships at work have started since my announcement of the hike. Hopefully some of these will grow and mature. As the date grows nearer, I have started to view this as an opportunity to reconcile old neglected or broken relationships while adding new like-minded ones along the way. The Trail, like retirement, isn’t just the beginning of a new journey. It’s a reset. A chance to grow with a renewed vision full of possibilities to give purpose and meaning to the days ahead. Thinking like that retirement doesn’t sound so bad!
Over 4,000 people are supposed to attempt this hike in 2019. I will only meet a small portion of them. Add to that the section and weekend hikers, people met in towns and hostels. The chance to interact and develop bonds will be plentiful. These short but intense relationships have the potential to exceed others developed over longer periods of time. There is also those back home. Family and friends are essential to the success of such a lengthy time away from home. In times of loneliness or low morale, they can instill confidence, determination, a renewed spirit. Hopefully by sharing the experience, they in turn can be challenged or inspired to try something they thought too difficult to attempt. It might not be hiking but purely a personal goal. Encouraging and energizing each other. Growing the relationship.
This leads to one last point about relationship. My attitude and relationship to the hike. What seems like a sole endeavor or personal achievement is exactly the opposite. To do this by myself, for myself, and then take sole credit for the achievement would be empty and false. Yet to be part of a team gives purpose. A purpose that makes the effort worthwhile. I have been helped by many people to get to this point and give thanks for their blessings. Happiness is elusive when we focus on ourselves. To be part of something bigger rewards everyone involved. I hope to continue growing all these relationships, not only on my hike but throughout my retirement.
“I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.”
Henry David Thoreau
The sun hidden behind a ridge brightened the morning sky with the promise of a better day. For the moment the cold remained so I decided to heat my morning granola using the pot to warm my hands. I ate standing while soaking in the surroundings. I shivered at the thought of those who may have slept the night on top of Max Patch. I was thankful to be where I was and excited about the day. The others awoke and we talked while alternately preparing breakfast and shoving items in our packs. All of us except the lone hiker who hadn’t yet shown any signs of life. Eventually he exited his bag and joined the conversation alleviating my concerns for his health.
We filtered our water and I took a long slug or two before heading into the tent for the night. There was a pretty severe storm that night with wind , rain, and evidently rumbling thunder and lightning flashing in the sky. I say evidently because somehow I slept through it. Frank had to tell me about it the next day. I must have been really tired! I did wake up at some point to gusting winds which came like distant waves. The shaking leaves grew louder and louder with the approaching wind until it passed over us continuing on for miles. This happened over and over again for at least an hour. The half-moon was bright. The clouds blown far away. I went outside and marveled at the power and beauty of nature. Shadows from the moon and leaves danced around making the moonlit earth appear as if it too was moving. A sudden chill made me realize the temperature had dropped, back in the tent and covered by the warm bag I drifted back to sleep.
Eventually we arrived at Roaring Fork Shelter. It was around 4:30. The shelter itself had been hit with driving rains earlier. Water puddled inside yet we found enough dry floor for both our sleeping pads and unpacked for the night. A tarp was left folded in the corner and Frank suggested hanging it across the front of the shelter to keep out the anticipated wind and cold we expected that night. Around supper time a Father and daughter arrived claiming two more spaces. We talked and ate for an hour until the cold forced us into sleeping bags to stay warm. I read from my kindle and fell asleep probably before 8:30. I was awakened sometime before midnight by a voice and steps approaching in the dark. Another hiker had reached the shelter after an all day and part of the night battle with the elements. His pack, sleeping bag, and all clothes were wet. The four of us slid right and left creating a space in the middle and he threw his wet sleeping bag down and climbed in pulling the bag over his head. The temps dropped to 37 degrees. My body was warm but I awakened frequently because my feet were cold and my sleeping pad deflated leaving little insulation between me and the cold boards of the floor. Despite the conditions , for the most part I slept comfortably. Upon awakening at some point I heard the wet hiker coughing and groaning. I could tell he was shivering. Obviously he was unprepared for the weather and conditions. Fearing hypothermia I asked if he was all right. He responded yes and sat up and talked coherently with me for a minute or two. Satisfied no emergency existed I drifted back to sleep. To be continued…