While I don't disagree with either of your comments or observations, I disagree that Jim's are dated.

My 26 year old daughter is struggling with this right now too, and a big part of the reason is she wants to be "Held". She's a strong, confident young woman who's a manager at a local retail store with three men working under her, but she wants a partner that will be there with her most of the time, not someone who's going to be chasing their dreams for months on end, year after year.

That isn't old fashion or an out of date attitude. That's still normal and isn't likely to ever change.

I think I do have some advice for the OP now...

Look around you, true love is not that easy to find.

At 53, my wife and our kids are my closest friends. You'll be my age sooner than you think, you might want to consider what that will be like for you based on your choices.

So, I say don't blow off a loving relationship for a long distance hike, and don't give up on the dream that you'll do it someday. Dream a little bigger and who knows, you might end up doing it with your son, or daughter, or a whole slew of your kids.

In the meantime, I think you can resolve the conundrum by doing a month on the trail of your choice and see how that works out for you. If you don't bust a turn for home before the month is past, and if you're heart is breaking down because you have to leave the trail, and if you know in your heart that you would rather stay there and give up that woman for the rest of your life, then you have to man up and tell her you don't love her enough to be with her for life and you ought to ramble on.