Quote Originally Posted by foodbag View Post
As I grow older, and (in my opinion) wiser, I have come to the conclusion that our modern society provides us with too much information and too many options, not only for backpacking/long-distance hiking, but in just about every area. One only has to visit Amazon or REI to see evidence of too many choices, and Google? Fugedaboutit! I just Googled "too many choices" and came up with 1,210,000 results in .64 seconds.

Maybe I'm just tired, but I am done with studying everything to the Nth degree; I am done with surfing 10,000 different choices for water bottles; I am tired of the "noise" of my possessions (downsizing furiously for the last couple of years); and I am just about done with our noisy Western way of life.

I've decided to just live my life, and play it as it comes to me: More leaping, less overplanning, more risk taking, and less angst....

Going hiking on the AT in 18 months, following my retirement from the work force. Gonna throw a few things in my pack and jump the back fence....

I’m with you...you’re not simply talking about gear choices and trip planning but a way of living modestly, with less detritus, freedom from junk, and more spontaneous living.

Being able to reinvent oneself is one of the biggest advantages in aging, IMO. I’m workin’ on it now...have sold and rid myself of tons of household crap, getting the house ready to sell, decreased my work hours, bowed out of some of my time-consuming group activities...

It’s hard work and I recently had to cancel two hiking trips for house-related stuff but the end result is going to be fabulous.

(And dang...if you can’t figure out how to turn on the TV cuz there’s so many effin remotes, who needs ‘em?)