OR,

being the rather leisurly hiking type, I guarantee you that thru-hiking does NOT preclude time for smelling flowers, taking in the views and picking berries, etc. If it did, walking in the woods simply would no longer interest me.

I do tend to start fairly early, rarely take long lunch breaks (don't do that off trail either), and sometimes wander on fairly late. But water and rest breaks are whenever there is something worthwhile (even if the last one was five minutes ago).

It's just a matter of being a glutton for what I love anyway (when I'm out I never really want to go home).

The cooking reminds me of working as a guide's assistant ("packer"-most certainly not assistant guide)in the Quetico-Superior (now Boundary Waters) in the early 1950s. One of our jobs was to pick enough blueberries for cobbler, build a fire and bake it in a reflector oven, all while the guide and the clients were out on the lake fishing for really big muskie. Sometimes the guide would have me cut it and serve it, and I would cage a piece for myself...sure was good.

Other jobs included setting up canvas wall tents and carrying two Duluth packs and a 20-foot Grumman laker on the portage trails.

The only good thing was that the mosquitos were big enough to help us if we'd treat them nicely and donate a pint or two of blood.

best, jcp