My Adirondack Adventure: Epilogue

I’ve been back for a couple weeks now, my feet have healed (mostly), and I’ve been thinking that I should sum up this experience. Overall, it’s been really positive, and I’m glad I did it. It’s been a challenging couple months for me, and this trip helped me clear my head and decide what’s important. Before I left I’d been struggling with what’s next. The layoff shook my confidence more than I was willing to admit to myself and others. My wife and I have been struggling for a few years now and had decided to separate. Had the housing market been better here we probably would have been a lot farther down that path. It’s the classic story: we drifted apart over the years while we raised the kids, chasing career goals and other things that aren’t as important as they seem in the moment.

I’ve always liked my alone time, and had even convinced myself that I prefer to be alone. Let me tell you, I had a lot of alone time over the course of this trip and it got pretty lonely out there. Evenings in the lean-to were the toughest, and found myself missing my wife most. Through our discussions about separating, I didn’t really fight it, finding it easier to just let it happen instead of trying (and potentially failing) to make things work between us.

I really didn’t know why I had to make this hike, but I felt like there was no other option. I think that’s why I felt like such a failure when I couldn’t go on. I understand now that I needed this trip to help me realize that the real failure is in not trying at all. I hurried from the mountains to tell my wife that she, and our relationship are worth the effort, and that I was willing make that effort. We didn’t get to the brink of separation overnight, so it’s not going to be fixed overnight, either. We’re taking it one day at a time, and I’m excited to see how this new relationship evolves. It could go in some interesting directions, as neither of us is interested in an Ozzie and Harriet deal.

This realization makes it easier to focus on the job search, and I’ve got a few good leads. Given the state of the economy, I’m cautiously optimistic. I’m also tweaking a hot sauce recipe that I think could be big  . So overall, the trip was very positive, although I never would have predicted that things would have turned out this way. Thanks for all the kind comments.

Return From The Woods

I’m back, and I’ve been writing about My Adirondack Adventure. I hope you enjoy the story. It was quite a trip. I’ve posted all the pictures on my facebook.

Into the Woods

I’ve been planning this trip for so long that it’s hard to believe it’s finally here. With the layoff, there were times I thought it might not happen at all. But it is happening, and I leave tonight. Two weeks hiking the Northville – Placid Trail (NPT) in the Adirondack mountains of New York State. I’ve been packed for days. My ride from Lake Placid back to Northville is arranged (thanks Jack!), so I can leave the car at the end and hike back to it. The weather forecast looks OK, a little cool with some showers.

No posts until I return, when I will post a trip report.

Trip Prep

With my in-laws 50th anniversary party complete, trip preparation is now the top priority. This is my first backpacking trip in almost 20 years. Most of my gear is about 20 years old, too, except for the stuff I borrowed. It’s taken some time to collect and inventory all of it, but I think I’m in pretty good shape. I’ve had my equipment and food laid out in the barn for a week, collecting gear and organizing provisions into paint cans and army surplus ammunition boxes to place strategically along the 120 miles of trail so I don’t have to carry two weeks worth of supplies.

I packed my backpack for the first time today. It’s heavy, and I haven’t packed clothes yet. I’ll probably make another pass to see what I can do without. Every ounce makes a difference. I’ll be going out for my first hike with the pack tomorrow if the weather cooperates. I need to get a few hikes in with the pack before I take off next week.

Walking Again

I started walking this spring in an effort to lose some weight and get in shape for a through hike of the Northville Placid Trail (NPT) this fall. I started slowly, but by may I was up to 5-7 miles, four to five times a week. I walked in the rain. The more I walked, the more I wanted to walk. Not just wanted, I needed to walk. Everything seemed clearer after a walk.

I walked on the day I got RIFed (Reduction In Force), but not a lot after that. I had lots to do outside to get ready for my daughter’s graduation party, so I was still getting exercise. The exercise felt good, but it wasn’t the same. After I finished the outdoor projects I didn’t start walking right away, and I got into a bit of a funk. With all the changes going on I was struggling to make sense of things, especially what I wanted to do next. I figured this all out when I went for a walk last Thursday.

I realized that I need to walk. I need that time to clear my head so I can focus on things, working through them one at a time. I have a clearer picture of what I want to do when I grow up, and I’m planning the NPT hike for July (no need to wait for vacation :)).  I’ll be hiking ~120 miles over 14 days in mid-July, and I can’t wait to get started.

That’s all for now, it’s time for my walk.