Perception

I look out across the water watching the turtles, fish and birds. The tall pines and oak trees sway in the breezes. On the porch I hear the hollow sounds of the bamboo wind chimes and watch the prayer flags flap in the wind.

All the while, I’m gathering up the gear for our new adventure on the AT. Packs, sleeping bags, tent and water filter begin the pile.

I’m going to miss that view out our condo window, and all the other comforts of home that go with it. But it’s time for another adventure. Back to the hills, as Earl Shaffer used to say.

In a few days we will give up our condo life, for time on the road and then back to the AT, rejoining it where we jumped ahead to get out of the crowd.

Back to the trail town of Hot Springs, to visit old friends. Plus a visit to Elmer’s. A treat we’re both looking forward to.

In Maryville, Tennessee, Sandy will spend time at the Trail Dames Summit. While they’re comparing notes between women hikers, I’ll find a way to keep myself entertained. I probably couldn’t keep up with any of them anyway if the invited me along.

From there a couple of days layover, exploring the back side of the Smokies. Then back to the white blazes of the AT. Damascus, here we come!

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John Keatley

A native Floridian from the Space Coast, John Keatley grew up on the water and in the woods. Co-author of a dozen guidebooks, he's an avid cyclist and paddler, sometimes covering those topics jointly with his wife Sandra Friend.