Yes, I’m smiling after all this pain, exhaustion, semi-delirium, dirt, nausea, nose blowing, sneezing and diarrhea.

Why? Because I started this 4 day hike with a cold, and went anyway. Because I smiled and was pleasant to EVERYONE I saw. No matter how I felt. I had a so many quick connections with complete strangers. Everyone smiled back.  I love all of Nature and right now I am my best self. No better or worse than anything out here. With people there is not this freedom. The trees and sky expect nothing of me.

When I was a young man In the summer, I used to practice football then play basketball until it was dark. Afterward we went to the bar. I would order my underage draft beer and just sit and stare at the cold glass, for maybe a full minute. It was to experience that delicious anticipation of the first drink. Maybe even then I knew I liked it too much. Not really the taste, but the reward and effect.

It’s 45 years later. I’m 20 years without the drink now and the temperature has dropped 35 degrees overnight, and going to the bar for my reward is the LAST thing I want to do. Rewarding myself with misery is not my way anymore. How cool is that?

Oh, but I will have a big fat cheeseburger tonight!

And here comes the gratitude. Thank you for supporting me in this craziness my dear friends. Not the craziness of the hike but the pre-hike insanity.

Wow. I was such a mess.

There’s no hurry now. I don’t need to find water today. I don’t want to get to Harper’s Ferry until after lunch. It’s ONLY 5 miles or so. 😊   I remember someone saying to me that 5 miles was a “cute” hike.

Then today, cute hike it is. Bee line to the cheeseburger.