END-to-END, A Long Trail Journey, by Shirley Harman
Last year while you weren’t looking I wrote a book. Yup, I did. The Proofs are at the Printers. All the bugs are finally worked out, the Tee’s crossed and Eye’s dotted.
It’s been a Long Journey getting here! In fact, that’s actually part of the title of the book: “END-to-END, a Long Trail Journey.” I started working on it in September 2016 when Tina & Lyssa & I went on our own Big Adventure across the country and spent three weeks backpacking the Long Trail of Vermont, from Canada down to the Massachusetts State Line.
On the surface, the book is the story of the hike, walking in the woods for 21 days with 2 dogs, carrying all our food, supplies, and gear, dealing with steep rocky trails, lots of mud, thunderstorms, and all kinds of people along the way. On a deeper level it is the story about dealing with the loss of my parents and honoring their lives. It’s also a story about reclaiming my own life.
When I was thinking about doing the hike I worried a lot about abandoning my job and family for a whole month. Was I being selfish and shirking responsibilities? Would everyone survive without me there to take care of things?
Whenever I’m having trouble making a decision I take a hike down into the canyon to a special place on the creek and have a chat with my inner Dad. (It’s sort of like being in touch with your inner child, but I have an inner Dad. Some people pray, or meditate; I talk to the inner Dad.) I just ask him what he thinks and usually the answer comes pretty quickly.
So in answer to whether it would be okay if I ran away for a month and did this backpacking trip he said yes but you have to write it up. Write a trip report and share it. Write about what you see and learn. I had to pay some dues. Dad was that way, no free rides.
Anyhow it’s finally done and shipped off to the printer. In a few weeks I hope to give you an update and put together a Free Sneak Preview so you can check it out. If you like hiking, backpacking, outdoor adventures or dogs, you’d probably like it. Or maybe you know someone that might like it. Details to come!
Until then I’m taking you back to Patagonia again with Episode 5, in the Torres del Paine, currently under construction.
Thanks for coming along and Happy Trails!
Shirley
