Why, oh why, oh why, would ANYONE want to hike so far????
That's often the thought folks have when they hear about someone that likes to hike the longer trails. And, it's a good question! Some people hike to find themselves, others to lose themselves, others to enjoy quiet time, others to meet new friends. It kind of reminds me of coffee commercials - some say it perks you up, others say it calms you down. :-)

Hearing about someone's hiking trip is like seeing an astronaut's photo of earth, or hearing a recording of a live concert, or smelling a day-old doughnut - it is just not possible to appreciate the description without personally experiencing the event. One example I use is a day I had on the Arizona Trail. As I hiked 35 miles across the desert south of Flagstaff, a rumbling sound caught my attention. I saw about 50 elk running across the open grass ahead of me. When I stopped to watch, I could even feel the ground shake from their pounding. I didn't smell them, but sight, sound, and feeling were all involved - you can't appreciate all that from me just writing it here.

That's why it's great to meet others out on the trail. It's a community that tends to support each other and let everyone be a part, in whatever way they'd like. A short movie was just made to show support for a specific person that could no longer participate, but more so for the community as a whole to become stronger and more supportive. After watching Paul's Boots, I think you'll appreciate a bit better what the hiking community is about.

The movie is 37 minutes and give a glimpse into the hikes of a handful of various people, some famous in the long trail community, and others on their first long hike. Each of them taking on a burden in support of an Australian named Paul who could not hike the trail himself.

Hike On