(Editors Note:  I had written John a snail-mail letter in which I mentioned that I usually had tunes running through my head while I hiked, often silly, childhood songs that had a steady cadence to match my footsteps.)

Date: Thu, 6 Jul 2000
Subject: Re: walkabout

John Gerndt wrote:

> You seem motivated entirely by internal
> forces to do what you and only you feel like doing.
> Walking a couple thousand miles in the half open.  I really have no
> understanding of the beauty of this act as it appears to you but I do
> feel that it has the marks of a man doing what he feels his time on earth is
> for.  You have my admiration.
>
> I think of you trapped in songs from your childhood walking all those miles.
> I wonder if it would happen to me.  What songs DO I have committed to memory
> I wonder.  If I had the chance to put some in my brain what would they be.  I
> think i would sing a lot of Joni Mitchel.  But I am not one to try and fool
> myself with grand images of my mental facilities these days.  I could be
> marching to the Oscar Mayer weener song!

Hi John,

Wonderful to hear from you, and pleased to find you have internet access.  I have been sending out email updates whenever I can and I will add you to the list.

I really liked what you said about this hike having "the marks of a man doing what he feels his time on earth is for."  I know that when I started it I was having an imaginary argument in my head with my ex-boss that revolved around the topic, "So what exactly do you think we are supposed to do with this life?"  I still don't know the answer, but I think I've at least eliminated some of the answers that aren't right for me.

As for the internal (infernal) radio, if I try hard I can tune into songs that don't embarass me.  During my trek accross the Cumberland Valley in PA I managed to recall all the lines and verses of an obscure tune by the Holy Modal Rounders called, "The Spring of '65".  I was so proud that I wrote the entire thing out in one of the shelter registers.  I miss my guitar.

I should go.  If I start humming the Oscar Meyer Weiner song the next time I hit the Trail, I'll know who to blame...