180.4 miles.
Just did ten miles today because some kind of freezing hurricane blew in during the night. Now cozied up in our sleeping bags on the top bunk of a shelter listening to the wind and the rain. This is one of the first chances we've had to sit and reflect and relax during the day. We normally hike until it's just about to get dark, then find a good place to camp, but cuddling up is a way better option on such a nasty day. All this time to sit and think, I naturally turn to the existential questions. I asked Tom what he likes about this AT experience, and he said the following: getting in shape, spending time with his lovely wife (what a nice guy, eh), seeing so many beautiful things, feeling relaxed. I said letting my mind wander wherever it wants to, feeling my body get strong, being surrounded by nature and noticing patterns in the way the birds move and sing, where certain plants grow, watching the flowers begin to bloom.
Then I thought about what I miss being out here on the trail. Sometimes a big comfy bed, being around the people we know and love, intellectual and artisitic things -NPR, music, conversations. Tom misses bed and coffee, cooking, friends and dinners.
Then I asked what's the point of this slow, long journey. What are we out here for? To relax, to endure, to accomplish a goal, to see our country, to be in the wilderness, to grow, to know each other better, to learn more about myself, to feel at peace, to appreciate what we have -health, nourishment, shelter, and then all the other stuff we don't need but sure is nice to have -the comforts we miss but have learned we can do without.
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