Why Hike the Appalachian Trail?

   When some adventurers set out to climb Mt. Everest they were asked "why?" Their response was simply, "because it's there." When I set out to hike the entire Appalachian Trail in 1980 I had people ask me "why?" There were a lot of different ways to answer that question. I loved the mountains. I was an Eagle Scout and enjoyed hiking and camping. I like big challenges and the opportunity to do something that is difficult.
   But there was one underlying reason I hiked the Appalachian Trail. I had lived in Georgia most of my life. I was ready for a change. I had just finished my first year of college and decided that I would find another State where I could move and re-settle. I knew that out of State tuition at colleges was often very high, so my plan was to find a State, move there, work some kind of job for a year in order to establish residency, then enroll in a college. That was my plan, although I didn't share it with anyone at the time.
   I was quite surprised to be given the trail name "Georgia" right at the beginning of the trail. And after a little over one week, I left Georgia headed north, looking for the perfect place to move and settle down. The farther I hiked, the clearer it became to me that I had found the "perfect" place for me. It was a State that had mountains and cities and towns and rivers and beaches. It was a State that had lots of opportunity. It was a State that had friendly people. It was a State that was near and dear to my heart. That State was Georgia!
   I set out looking for someplace new and found out how wonderful home really was. Every State I hiked through was unique and had a lot going for it, but Georgia was the place for me. Yes, I was going to finish hiking the trail. By this point 31 years ago I had just finished two months of hiking! But I also looked forward to the day when I would be able to return to my beloved Georgia. Sometimes you have to leave home to find out what really matters in life!
   Here in 2011 I continue my project. Yesterday was busy and I didn't get a chance to blog. This morning I weighed in at 178.6 pounds. I'm going to eat a salad for supper tonight. This morning I went jogging. I think this is going to be a good week to make some significant progress on losing weight. Why do I want to lose weight? Because it's there!  :)