Appalachian Trail (AT) Happiness: The Next Generation

Rev Kane and his nephew on the AT in MA.

We need to teach the next generation of children from day one that they are responsible for their lives. Mankind’s greatest gift, also its greatest curse, is that we have free choice. We can make our choices built from love or from fear. ~ Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Those of us lucky enough to be hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) are truly blessed.  We get to hike the east coast of the United States, see amazing forests and places a lot of people never see.  We benefit greatly from trail clubs and maintainers, trail angels and our fellow hikers.  I believe we have a responsibility to give back, and yes that means volunteering for trail maintenance crews, being trail angels ourselves and spreading the word about this amazing resource we posses in the US.

Getting fierce next to his first white blaze

We also I think need to give back by making sure the next generation comes to appreciate this resource as well.  This means telling them stories, showing them pictures but more than anything else it means taking them out on the trail to see it for themselves.  So this past week I took the opportunity to make some lemonade out of lemons.

My nephew at the Shay’s Rebellion Monument

Since I was off the trail rehabbing my knee, which included some “slack packing” (day hiking with a light pack), I took the opportunity to help my nephew grab his first white blazes.

It was fun, he did great and he kept up a pretty fast pace.  It was a short hike, but hopefully the type of experience that will get him at least a little bit hooked on chasing white blazes.  So get out and get yourselves some white blazes as well, and take a munchkin with you and have a happy day my friends ~ Rev Kane