Author Topic: long distance hiking, trekking, pilgrimage? (Read 5287 times)

zach · « **on:** February 23, 2012, 07:10:37 pm »

before teh aids, i had plans to hike the appalachian trail. i've always been drawn to transformative journeys, a professor once explained something about a jungian archetype.

at first i gave up on that idea, and alot of lifes dreams. slowly i've been picking up some of those plans i put down. i hope to take a long walk sometime in the next couple of years.

the world is full of long trails, the at, the pct, the cdt, the inca, camino de santiago. its a common human drive many cultures share. i'm wondering if any of you have done something like this? if so what were your motivations? what was your quest? what if anything did you take away from it? for me i want to do something life affirming, prove i'm still the person i was, something transcendent.

Miss Philicia · « **Reply #1 on:** February 23, 2012, 08:53:20 pm »

I have really bad memories of walking that lame thing with my father when I was 10, getting separated from him and crying for an hour until they found me. It's just a walk -- you have to get fancy with "jungian archetypes"?

Solo_LTSurvivor · « **Reply #2 on:** February 23, 2012, 09:47:13 pm »

I prefer astral projection myself.

wolfter · « **Reply #3 on:** February 23, 2012, 10:19:22 pm »

Quote from: zach on February 23, 2012, 07:10:37 pm

before teh aids, i had plans to hike the appalachian trail.

Why oh why...lol So many of us who live in the appalachian mountains seek to hike out of the them there hills. Good luck with your trek.

Wolfie

Jeff G · « **Reply #4 on:** February 24, 2012, 12:47:04 am »

My only walking quest was when I lived in Chicago . I would make myself a promise to walk all the 5 blocks to the Jewel grocery store in the cold ass snow and wind without chickening out and hopping a cab . I was so bad about taking cabs in my neighborhood for a 3 block walk in the winter months and bitching about it to the cab drivers that if they weren't busy and saw me out they would pull over and give me a ride , some time for free .

J.R.E. · « **Reply #5 on:** February 24, 2012, 03:05:01 am »

Quote from: zach on February 23, 2012, 07:10:37 pm

before teh aids, i had plans to hike the appalachian trail.

Your real name isn't Mark Sanford is it ?

( just kidding !! ) If that's what you want to do, go for it

Good Luck----Ray

Buckmark · « **Reply #6 on:** February 24, 2012, 01:51:03 pm »

Quote from: zach on February 23, 2012, 07:10:37 pm

for me i want to do something life affirming, prove i'm still the person i was, something transcendent.

Just something to think about: you're not the person you were before you had AIDS / HIV. And for most of us, that turns out to be good change. Some people, though, have difficulty getting past their diagnosis, and get stuck on proving to themselves that they haven't changed (a sort of denial). I'm not saying you are one of those. I'm just saying you may want to reflect on how you have changed as a person.

That said, there are many different types of transcending, life-affirming experiences. Best of luck with yours!

Henry

Buckmark · « **Reply #7 on:** February 24, 2012, 01:53:05 pm »

Quote from: jg1962 on February 24, 2012, 12:47:04 am

...
I was so bad about taking cabs in my neighborhood for a 3 block walk in the winter months and bitching about it to the cab drivers that if they weren't busy and saw me out they would pull over and give me a ride , some time for free .
...

You southerners are so delicate.

mecch · « **Reply #8 on:** February 24, 2012, 05:03:05 pm »

Any trail that lets me stop at Pigeon Forge and Dollywood is worth a couple of blisters. Course I would stay in one fab motel after another. Oh yeah and rent a car every other day.

sam66 · « **Reply #9 on:** February 24, 2012, 11:41:58 pm »

just finished travelling through Myanmar , didn't walk though , drove

, two thousand year old temples, great , I'm sure
it was good for my soul

, I don't think your journey will do you any harm

Theyer · « **Reply #10 on:** February 28, 2012, 01:51:47 pm »

Your post has prompted a goggle list off walking holidays .

Valmont · « **Reply #11 on:** February 29, 2012, 02:06:57 pm »

Quote from: Buckmark on February 24, 2012, 01:51:03 pm

Just something to think about: you're not the person you were before you had AIDS / HIV. And for most of us, that turns out to be good change. Some people, though, have difficulty getting past their diagnosis, and get stuck on proving to themselves that they haven't changed (a sort of denial).

I desagree, I don´t thing AIDS / HIV makes you being a different person, but for sure, it makes you perceive like in a different way than before, and each person will manage it in a different way. For sure, life priorities may change...

I don´t think proving to oneself we have no changed may be a sort of denial, doesn´t it?

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #12 on:** February 29, 2012, 02:10:05 pm »

Quote from: Valmont on February 29, 2012, 02:06:57 pm

I desagree, I don´t thing AIDS / HIV makes you being a different person, but for sure, it makes you perceive like in a different way than before, and each person will manage it in a different way. For sure, life priorities may change...

I don´t think proving to oneself we have no changed may be a sort of denial, doesn´t it?

Val,

Can you remember what is was like to HIV negative?

MtD

Valmont · « **Reply #13 on:** February 29, 2012, 07:34:55 pm »

Mmmmmm

... For sure no!

I mean, in reality, what can be kept are only apparences, what other people can see and that may not change; about what one feels before and after and the propuse of life......

NY2011 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 29, 2012, 11:28:45 pm »

Hey,

I'm still new to this, but I don't think it's a good idea to stop living out your dreams, especially if you feel like you've got the strength to do it. we don't know what the future holds, so I'm a believer in doing it while you can. I think it just takes more planning than it otherwise would have. A friend of mine has been living with HIV for about four years, and he has been on several one and two week sailing expeditions in the carribean, pacific and off the coast of ireland. I remember when he would tell me about his experiences, and I never stopped to think about the added risks involved, until now, but it's experiences like those that remind us that we are living life on our terms and that we are still alive and well.

I've hiked alot of trails, and I don't plan on stopping. I guess now I'll be more focused on the natural beauty of the surroundings, and living in the moment, rather than turning the hiking trail into an outdoor stairmaster, as I often did. I'll also make sure I have lots of water, snacks, food and backup meds. Who knows..if I continue to feel as strong I do now, I'm sure the temptation to push myself that way again will still be there.

zach · « **Reply #15 on:** March 08, 2012, 10:22:42 pm »

@ ms p, lame?! i'm sorry your first experience was a traumatic one.

@ wolfie, i grew up in these hills, put em in my rear view most of my life, but will never lose my love for the roan highlands.

to the peanut gallery, i love you

and the ones that encourage the idea, thanks for the support

whether or not i ever attempt thru hike the a.t., or choose another path is still a question. since i posted that i've continued to look for other pozzies that have done something similar, and there are some. apparently not here though ;-) alot of pozzies have done the lifecycle ride. there are whole groups of poz marathon runners.

and buck... i'm not in denial man. i have aids. but i'm not going to rewrite myself, i'll edit and revise, incorporate it into my story. anything i do in life, i do it with aids.

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Author Topic: long distance hiking, trekking, pilgrimage? (Read 5287 times)