[at-l] A Noobie's Introduction (long)

[Barry Watson]

I'm going to just sit back and read for a while and try to build up my
stamina and endurance for the day that I will be able to start on the AT.
But I did want to introduce myself.
I'm Barry Watson.
Military brat who is now retired from 20 years in the military myself.
I'm a computer programmer for the state of Texas in Austin.
 
My father taught me to water ski when I was a Boy Scout.
 
Then in high school, our senior class took several trips.
Hiking down into the Grand Canyon, spending the night and back up 
the next day.  Another trip was to a working ranch where we set out 
milk we got from a goat in the snow over night and then took the 
cream off in the morning to make into butter.  It was great!
Another trip was to make a nature trail for the blind with plaques 
in brail, along a rope trail.
I also learned to snow ski while in high school.
 
In the past few years, I have taken up geocaching.  
 
A couple of weekends ago, I took place in my first 
adventure race...  60 miles of kayaking and trekking 
through the woods and in and out of streams....
I'm 50 and my team mate is 51.  We beat the other 
Masters (40 and over) team.  I had no training and it 
was the hardest thing I've done in my life, but I wanted 
to finish.  My experienced partner thought I did really 
good since I didn't have any endurance training.
 
I'm looking toward racing again, but have always wanted to 
do the AT...  and...  cross the Rockies...
 
I really don't want to do the AT in stages.  I want to do it all at 
once.  Thing is, I don't think I'll ever get that type of time to do 
it until I retire and then I'll be around 61 or 62....   
 
So, I'll just hang out, try and learn some things and try and stay in 
shape...
 
Barry
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