"Walking to Vermont," by Christopher S. Wren

border="0" alt="" /> "A lake is the landscape's most beautiful and impressive feathure...It is earth's eye:looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature." H D Thoreau from Walden

"The Appalachian Trail was not about hiking, it was about seeking nirvana, through pain on a hard day like this." Christopher S Wren from Walking to Vermont

Every book I read about hiking talks about this thing called "trail magic," which is simply the kindness of others. Wren's consisted of a cold can of beer left in a sparkling brook, to a lady who bakes chocolate chip cookies for hikers, to a hollar to "keep moving, it easier ahead." Karen Berger's "trail magic" was the kindness of ranchers who gave hikers snacks and let them travels on their personal property, to free cabins provided by landowners and the Forest Service.

"Trail magic" is a universal term for doing good things for people in need. Because hikers are stripped down to the basics of life - everything you can carry on your back - "trail magic" is more profoundly observed. We probably witness trail magic everyday, or even benefit from some of the "magic." However, our lives are so overwhelmed with work-a-day jobs, family, errands, and aquiring and taking care of all of our stuff, that we less likely to be grateful or even ofservant of everyday "trail magic."

I experienced trail magic on my trip from Shepard Air Force Base in Texas, to Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert of California. After arriving in LAX in my blues as a punky, ignorant and scared post-boot camp teenager, I was trying to ration my meager twenty-some bucks and no bank account to get me and my bags from LA to Edwards. I remember thinking how cool it was to be in Los Angeles, so I decided to take an evening stroll outside my motel room. I emerged onto the street with the sound of harried traffic and orange lights illuminating the dark figures on the street corners. By the time I got to the end of the block, I noticed some of these dark figures watching me rather attentively. Quckly, I turned my hillbilly ass around and fled into the motel for safety.

In the motel I met an Evengelical Missionary on her way to China to do whatever missionaries do - spread the word, or whatever. She must have noticed my cowering and look of being out-of-place. The missionary offered to buy me a dinner, and after prying my innermost secrets (literally) out of me, she gave me another twenty bucks to help me get to my destination. I ended up, with the twenty dollar "trail magic" donation, getting to Edwards Air Base with just a few cents in spare change. Luckily, the Air Force does not charge for meals, so I somehow made it until payday.

Vermont's Long Trail, 270 miles of footpath from top to bottom
www.greenmountainclub.org

To get back to the book at hand, "Walking to Vermont" started out rather muddled and slow, but ended up leaving me longing to join Wren on the Long Trail of Vermont in his last couple of weeks on the trail. It kind of makes sense that Wren was muddled and irritable beginning his trip in New York City. The walk out of town mirrors how hectic big city life can be. He has trouble finding his way because of wire fences, highways and private property. People weren't friendly until he managed to be in the countryside. Things started to calm down and his thoughts gradually became clearer until, in the end, he was approaching trail nirvana.

Long Trail

If you read this book be patient. Afterwards your first reaction will be that you would want the entire book to be written with the same flare as the beginning. But I think I appreciate the book for what it tells about life. Simplifying and appreciating your solitude, your family, your friends and good food and good companionship. Appreciate life and stay true to your soul, even when you reach the ripe age of 65, as Chris Wren was when he literally walked into retirment from Times Square to Vermont. Because of this book, I will start seeing old persons again, and remember that they are not, and should not be, invisible.