I once had a conversation with a young man at an outdoor store about the Appalachian Trail; he told me that he would never do the Appalachian Trail because one of his friends said it was just a long green tunnel. Nothing could be further from the truth. The Appalachian Trail is a lush green trail with something to amaze you every inch of the way.
For many reasons, there is no better place for a long distance hike than the Appalachian Trail. Going on a long distance hike is an opportunity to live life simply and with clarity. It is a world that moves only as fast as your step. At this pace you can take the time to observe the world around you and see all of its abundance.
The whole idea behind this website and the book The Gentle Art of Wandering is to help one cultivate the mindset to see. It is giving yourself permission to see something that you had nothing to do with and realize that it is a gift for you to enjoy. It is not about racing to the top for a “killer view” but about experiencing everything along the way.
And when you do this, you will find something no matter where you are. If you are fortunate enough to take a long walk on the Appalachian Trail, you will see plenty of bears, moose, and deer. But most of the life you’ll see will be little life such as this red eft.