Downs117 - Pacific Crest Trail Journal - 2012

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Katahdin 2011

Background

Hi, my name is Lemur, and I hiked the Appalachian Trail.

After my thru in 2011, I returned to Pennsylvania and found work at a Volvo Manufacturing plant where I delivered parts to various assembly lines. It was good work, and while at first I entertained the idea of leaving on my own terms and attempting a PCT thru, I ended up giving in to the comfort and conveniance of having a steady job, income, and overal familiarity. In addition, I found myself nearly crippled with injuries, and over the course of the winter came down with lyme disease, runner's knee, and the beginings of tennis elbow (repetitive motions in the warehouse). By the time summer rolled around i had joined a gym and fixed all of my health related short comings, but no longer had any thought's of hiking. And that's when i got laid off.

Naturally, my thoughts returned to hiking, but a quick check online revealed that I was late for a north bound PCT hike, and I honestly didn't care as i wanted to join the air force anyway and become a SERE Instructor, so why not take it easy? But as it turned out, I would not be able to join the Air Force until september due to recent lasik eye surgery, and not go to boot camp until December. Still, I waited, applied for new jobs to pass the time, and grew steadily more and more bored with my life. Then one day my friend Gregg called me and invited me to go swimming at the lake by Pine Grove State Forest, which, for those of you who haven't had the pleasure, is crossed by the Appalachian Trail. I went, and upon seeing the trail felt an indescribible longing in my gut. I mentioned to Gregg that I wished I could hike again, and he said that if I wanted to do some of PA, he would pick me up wherever I ended up.

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