Today I got asked, as is often the case when I run into people around town, if I’m excited yet. The answer has been generally no, I’m too busy with all the planning details to be excited. Still, that “am I really doing this” feeling is starting to sink in. Two weeks from now Cindy and I will be hiking towards the Golden Gate. Wow!
If it was just hiking this sense of disbelief would not be pervasive. After all, hiking thousands of miles at a time is nothing new for us. Neither, for that matter, is interacting with local people along the trail. Indeed, the magic that occurs between nomad and local is one of the most special parts of long distance hiking.
Yet we are doing more than just “running into” locals. I’m giving presentations across the country. I’m interviewing humanitarian doers. I’m interviewing humanitarian thinkers. If the need arises I’ll set up at a local park and just start playing my backpacker’s guitar and see what happens. Despite planning this for a year it’s just hard to believe that all that is going to happen.
This week, it’s a state of disbelief. Next week, perhaps, is when the full blown excitement hits.
