The Call Of Little Hill

A year ago, on the first anniversary of the beginning of my Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike attempt, I posted that I would not be going back to finish the trail.  In the year since I have not been able to get the AT out of my thoughts, especially when I was doing my weekly walks.  It was like my hiking alter-ego Little Hill was calling me.  He left a hole in me that I haven't been able to fill.

The last month or so of my last attempt were incredibly tough.  I always thought the memories of those hard, rocky trails would keep me away for good.  I never considered myself a masochist but neither a quitter and I often wondered how long it takes for bad memories to fade.  Apparently it takes about a year and a half.

I have decided that I will heed the call of Little Hill and return to New Hampshire where I left off, complete the almost three hundred miles to the AT's northern terminus at Mt. Katahdin, and finish what I started.

I'm planning to do this in July/August 2022.  I'm not getting any younger but I want to give time for the Pandemic to work its way through, time to get myself back into backpacking shape, and time for the Wife to retire.

I think it will be a good transition for me from the life before and the post-retirement adventures the Wife and I have planned.  It will also allow me to bring Little Hill home so that hole can be filled once and for all.