It has been said that one who has to ask the question wouldn't understand the answer anyway. The desire to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail is hard to explain, and there are as many reasons as there are hikers.
I want to walk, to see, and to see what I see (the purpose of the trail, according to Benton MacKaye, the originator of the AT idea). To challenge myself. To learn. To come face to face with myself without the distractions of everyday life. To ask questions and consider the answers. To experience life at its most basic level: food, water, shelter. To grow. To accept. To open. |
