Anyone else got a case of Springer Fever? With all the bellyaching I did while on the trail, I’m about the last person I’d expect to get it! Guess it’s just the first anniversary of the start of my thruhike that’s got me all pensive. I’m about this close to ditching my job, grabbing camera2 and heading out to the PCT… Anyone else? Tell me it gets better…
camera1
Of course it gets better, because in about a month or so, you get back out and hike, right?
bearbait
i am having DeJaVu all over again. I couldn’t recreate the summit of springer again to the camera crew and leki and hook and castro and bloody cactus and and and…man who would have ever thought that the pull to go last year would be even stronger this year. i doubt that finishing has anything to do with it either.
it’s weird, i miss the hiking because what goes with it, the views, the sweat, the good folks, the surprising magical things that happen along the way, and the silliness…man what i wouldn’t give for about 5 hrs of silliness.
i actually have been hiking a bit and it just doesn’t seem to sooth my wild heart. maybe it wasn’t meant to be consoled. hmmm
burn
I want to be out there, even though it is snowing like crazy and all that right now. My employer wouldn’t be happy to hear about me leaving again - and I am hoping to have a future there - but yeah, the draw is strong, and I would just as soon be out on the AT, or the PCT, or just about anywhere in between or beyond. HEY! I could just take like a month now, come back to work for a little while, then take another month, and so on… Think they’d mind?
scuba
Hey guys! Man do I miss all of y’all. We sure had one h#ll of a time out there. Thank gawd for trail days. Looking forward to that is about all that’s allowing me to half hang on to my sanity.
Yesterday I found myself in Yogi’s journal, awed by the idea of 4 thruhikes (and a triple crown) within 5 years. Not that getting from beginning to end is the point - just being able to spend the time out there. Man that would be cool. Although I can’t believe that the PCT or CDT could be half as fun as the AT was, with the awesome bunch of hiker trash we had.
I hear what you say Scuba. I have a job that I actually like - almost love. He was a real sport about me taking off the first time. Don’t think he’d be too happy about it becoming a regular obsession. But that doesn’t keep me from daydreaming. [sigh…]
camera1
Yes yes yes, do I want to be back out there. I keep thinking, “Oh, only a few days before I leave…no, wait…that was last year…”
I would kill to be out there again…maybe sometime in the future…but, Trail Days is definately going to be a highlight this year!
Xena
Well it’s been almost 3 years since I started my AT hike, and it doesn’t get any better each following year folks. So go ahead and start planning the next hike. You know it’s only inevitable. 
And scuba, save up that vacation, there’s always the JMT or LT.
Cap’n
I’m coming to my second anniversary of leaving on march 1st and I can assure you, it gets NO better. As good as life is, there is always that tug to drop it all and head back to Springer:)
A-Train
Seraphim wrote this, which captures it well. I"ll have to double space this poem to get the spacing right:
There is something in April sets the gypsy blood astir,
We must rise and follow her;
When from every hill of flame,
She calls and calls each vagabond by name…
Wanderer