writing style will no doubt give you much to think about :-).
--------------------
Stardate 1.01 Captain's log
With the best of intentions we set off into the wild blue yonder of
Bavaria. We we`re accompanied the first couple of rainy hundred meters
along the road by close family, and some neighbours. I suspect they were
all happy to see us eventually leave as the preparations for departure had
taken days encompassing event planning, party preparation, cooking,
cleaning, cooking again, cleaning again, guest introductions, parties
(numerous), entertainment, pretense of pleasantries, suffering close family
too close for too long, and of course the fears as to would these people
ever actually get underway.
Already downcast from my loss of my brother's house key, I felt that
perhaps starting on a low note could only help me as there seemed no where
to go but up. I was wrong about this. There was to be much further down to
go as we went up, and down, and across the fields towards our first day's
destination. The family waved us away, and the ordeal was embarked upon
with good humor and well wishes.
Thanks be to God that the next major occurrence, Sally's loss of passport,
driver's license, and all the money she had changed so far (thousands? tens
of thousands? $28.50?), took me out of the perceived mental spotlight as I
had already surmised that something untoward was to occur. My subtle lack
of training the last few weeks had put me so far into the portly category
that I could be mistaken for a barge. My once proud muscularity had waned
and my bulk seemed solely to compose of sausage stuck into a human's skin
sack. For some reason, perhaps the daunting prospect of months of endless
hiking, I had been disinclined to do much hiking in preparation. The closer
the event loomed, the less I exercised. As hiking has become one of my sole
forms of exercise, taking it away left me with walking, sitting and lying
as forms of caloric consumption. Topping the scale at over 250 pounds, in
Munich, my performance anxiety fears were soon to be realized. Day 1
however proved to be physical
ly easily accomplished, and the pork I ate for dinner erased all worries as
to overweightedness - food steers blood away from the brain as it brings on
the sensation of satiety. Who can worry when one is full?
Stardate 1.02 First Engineer Scott reporting
Mutiny on the Bounty is essential reading for all hikers. Or please refer
to the recent hit movie, Pirates of the Carribbean. One has expectations as
to the day's hike, and more often than not, these expectations cannot be
met. I was looking forward to a pleasant stroll through the Bavarian hills,
with happy fresh-faced farm folk waving to us and perhaps offering fresh
milk warm from the teat, or a choice pork sausage recently stuffed. Sadly,
as the bulk from my recent zealous "eating with abandon" philosophy of
preparation made itself known to my feet and legs, the path seemed to
stretch further and further in front. I naturally only had myself to blame
for my feelings as to this day's hike. In an effort to get as far away from
all that I know, and practice, as possible, I had once again put myself
solely into my brother's capable hands. To release oneself from
responsibility might be the goal of every vacationing physician, as we are
too often responsible for the lives of all of
those who seek our help professionally. So, in my warped mind, this means
knowing absolutely nothing about what the day holds in terms of distance,
route, destination, weather, etc. I thus travel as the happy idiot, eager
to follow, an elephant holding the tail of the beast in front, wandering
gaily, free from intrusive worry or concern. Somehow much to my chagrin,
loud concerns were raised by various body parts, and as the day stretched
from, when inquired as to length, some few hours, to some few more hours, I
felt betrayed from both within and without.
It is inadvisable to purchase boots on T-1 day of a hike. I know this now.
I must write all the rules of hiking that I discover along the way to help
the future H2H hikers.
I wonder if I turned off the stove back in SLC?
