Freedom is a State of Mind

Editorial Note.  The letter below was written by Rob Harmon on June 11, 2007 after hiking the Appalachian Trail for 54 days.  He has been promising to write a more exciting version of those early days during which he had to test everything - his gear, his diet, his sleeping habits and swap out those that didn't work.  After pressuring him to write that better version without results, I am asking family members to read this 2007 letter and apply more pressure for the unwritten document.

Dear Family,

        I apologize for taking so long to send out an email but it has taken me a while to get the hang of this backpacking thing.  I wanted to send out a mass email right before I left for Georgia but to be honest I was a nervous wreck in the days leading up to my departure and was in no state to write such a letter.  

        Let me bring you up to date: I started my Appalachian Trail thru-hike on April 18th at Springer Mountain, Georgia and have now travelled 622.1 miles over terrain that is mountainous and rugged.  I am currently in the town of Pearisburg, VA where I am taking what hikers call a "zero day" (any day where you don't hike any miles).  Over the previous 3 weeks I have hiked 350 miles and felt that I deserved a day off today.  

        Here are some things that are different about me: (1) I now have my "hiker's legs," in other words I am in my top hiker shape.  I usually hike a minimum of 15 miles a day and my maximum was about 26.  (2) I eat a tremendous amount to keep my energy up both when I am on the trail and in town (I am sure that my daily caloric intake is well over 5000 by now!).  When I go to the grocery store I look for the foods with the highest calories, the highest fat, etc., the exact opposite of what I would do normally!  (3) People call me "Lazy Legs"- it is my trail name.  Everyone down here has a trail name and most of the time you don't know what people's real names are.  My name refers to the fact that I start hiking later than most  and also that I hike late, sometimes after dark.  The motto that I sometimes write down in the trail registers is "Hike Long Hike Late."  My trail name also has a cinematic reference (more on that in a later email).  (4) I now have a beard.

         This trip has been magical so far, it is a trip I have been dreaming about since I was in high school and each day seems better than the last.  I was nervous when I got down here whether I would be able to complete a thru-hike of over 2100 miles but now with every step I am becoming more resolute that I am, in fact, on my way to Maine.  In the past when I approached a large uphill section I used to cringe at the work ahead of me but now I hear a voice which says, "Go climb the mountain!" and I just go do it.  I don't even think about it anymore.  I never would have imagined at one time that I could do the things that I now do everyday. 

        There have been many challenges so far but I have always managed to find a solution to them.  At the end of many days I have felt tired and sore but somehow after a night's rest have been able to go out and hike some more.  Blisters, insect bites, cuts and rashes are constant problems.  I have had many encounters with wildlife but except for insects and mice they have all been benign.  A few weeks ago I saw a mother bear with her 3 cubs, the cubs climbed up in the trees and just looked down at me: they were so cute!  They looked like teddy bears with big eyes and big ears!   It gets lonely in the woods sometimes; I have gone well over a day without seeing anyone.  The camraderie of thru-hikers is amazing: sometimes you've only known a person for a day but you feel as though you've known them for years.  We oftentimes meet up in towns along the trail and share hotel rooms or all go out to a restaurant.  We have a lot of fun.  I miss the movies a lot.  Just catching the last half-hour of "North by Northwest" on TCM a week and a half ago was enough to put the spring back in my step as I hiked out of Damascus the next day.  Vive le cinema!

        I have to go now, let me now how you are doing!  Tell me any movies you've seen recently that were good.  The subject line of this email refers to the fact that I'll be in Shenandoah National Park in another 2 weeks or so so guess what music I'm going to have stuck in my head? (Already do actually!)  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------->Rob