More Questions

Here are a few questions I've gotten recently, some direct and some paraphrased.  Hope they and the answers are at least entertaining.

What wildlife have you seen?
Mostly smaller critters and birds.  Deer are the largest animals so far.  A bazillion birds of every description, squirrels, chipmonks, possum, and I hear a variety rooting around and forraging at night.  But no bears or yeti yet.

Wouldn't it be safer if you carried a gun?
No.  I'm permitted to carry in most of the states I'm passing through, but there are almost no problems out here that can be solved best with a gun.  And guns are heavy, carry inherent risk, and vastly increase the level of responsibility inherent in my movement, decisions, communications, and actions.  I'm not willing to bear all that for a very small and likely illusory sense of security.  So my guns are locked up safely for now.

Have you had a ‘zen’ moment yet?  When was the first time you truly felt completely in the moment:  no past, no future?
This is hard to answer for a couple of reasons:
1) I meditate regularly, though not necessarily formally.  I continue this practice out here.  It is much easier out here, though, due to fewer distractions and simplicity of life.
2) Attention on the trail "flows" throughout the day.  I have very zen-like moments at overlooks and other places when I stop to just look around and take in where I am and what I'm doing, sometimes while doing mundane things like cooking.  Other times -- negotiating a rock maze, for instance -- I'm very focused on the immediate task with very little larger context.
I guess the best answer is that I absolutely have moments -- sometimes many strung together -- when I'm fully aware of myself at all levels.  But tactical necessity -- terrain, water/food, shelter, other thoughts -- break in very regularly, distracting my attention.  But that necessity is a huge part of the experience, too.

Best day on the trail so far (and why)
Oddly, I think it was the day I confronted the harshest conditions and greatest danger:  thigh-deep snow drifts, 40mph gusts, and nighttime temperatures barely in the double digits.  I had to think very carefully, draw on many skills, and physically stretch to create an outcome that I wanted.  It was physically one of the most miserable 24 hours of my life, and very certainly a "peak experience."

Best lesson you’ll remember forever (so far)
I'm going to list two:
1) Adaptability.  Plans and goals are great, but they are made with incomplete information.  A willingness to learn and be flexible, to take advantage of what wasn't known or understood is a great skill.  This isn't to say don't plan or set goals, but be ready to revisit them often, especially if they can be extended.
2) Don't worry about what you can't do anything about.  I spend less time looking at maps than when I started.  I figure out the general terrain and next water stop, then start moving.  Trying to track every obstacle is a waste of effort.  Huge climb in front of you?  Go up it.  Rocks?  Move past them.  Anything between me and Katahdin must be negotiated, just like everyone else who has done this.  Movement gets you there; contemplation does not.

What is the worst thing that has happened?
I've had several run-ins with dogs that are unfortunate enough to have moron owners.  The owners are often completely oblivious that the dog is threatening someone and that it is illegal to have a dog off leash on the trail.