[pct-l] thank you for the encouragement!

[Linda Bakkar]

I want to thank all the people who have responded to my post about needing 
encouragement.  I am especially surprised that there are so many 
long-distance hikers out there in the near-retirement age, or older!  That 
alone is inspiring!  But the words that each of you, old or young, sent to 
me have buoyed me up. I tried to respond to each individually, but I want to 
send a general message too.

I am saving all the responses, and I plan to print them out and put them in 
a notebook.  Then, every now and then, I will get them out to read, 
especially if someone outside my hiking crowd tells me I am being 
unrealistic to plan a thru-hike at my age.

I will take your words to heart, and listen to the advice that many of you 
sent me.  Then, I will go out there and hike that trail, and absorb the 
exquisite beauty that is around every bend, near my trail shoes, or in the 
distance...

Thank you.

Lindy
North of Seattle