#33 The People You Meet Between Here and There

Kim Ford19 hours ago17

Today Katie and I hiked 11.29 miles on the Appalachian Trail from Old Forge Picnic Area to Caledonia State Park. With 2,111 feet of elevation gain, it was a longer day and one filled with beautiful weather, great conversation, unexpected friendships, and a few lessons along the way.

We arrived at the trailhead ready to go, Subway sandwiches packed and waiting for lunch. It’s amazing how ordinary food becomes extraordinary after several miles on the trail. I’ve eaten at some wonderful restaurants over the years, but few meals have ever tasted as good as a sandwich sitting on a rock in the middle of the Pennsylvania woods.

The weather could not have been much better. Cool enough to hike comfortably but warm enough to enjoy every stop along the way. The trail was alive with hikers, and unlike yesterday when we spent long stretches mostly alone, today felt much more social.

One of the highlights of the day was a short side trip to Chimney Rocks, a rock outcropping on Buzzard Peak that offers beautiful views to the east. The extra steps were well worth it. Places like that remind you why it’s important to occasionally step off the main path and explore what lies just beyond it.

But as much as I enjoyed the views, the real story of today wasn’t about the scenery.

It was about the people.

The Appalachian Trail was busy today, and throughout the day Katie and I found ourselves crossing paths with many of the same hikers. We’d stop to rest and they would pass us. Later, we’d catch them and pass them. Then we’d stop again and the process would repeat itself.

Two hikers in particular became part of our day.

One was wearing a Buffalo Bills hat, and since Katie is a huge Bills fan, we quickly started referring to them as “the Bills guys.” We must have passed each other half a dozen times throughout the hike.

At one point, after another trailside encounter, one of them laughed and said, “You guys are going to think we’re stalking you.”

A few miles later, Katie and I quietly caught up behind them and yelled, “Stalkers!”

Without missing a beat, they turned around and fired back, “Who’s stalking who?”

The entire exchange made us laugh.

What struck me later was how quickly complete strangers can become part of your experience.

We never learned much about them. We don’t know where they’re from. We may never see them again. Yet for one day, we shared the same trail, the same climbs, the same views, and a few laughs along the way.

The same was true of another family we met hiking with their son and their dog, Tick.

We crossed paths with them multiple times throughout the day and enjoyed getting to know them a little better with each encounter. When they found Tick years ago, she was covered with ticks, which is how she earned her name.

Today, however, there was no sign of hardship in her.

Every time we saw her, she seemed completely delighted to be alive. She would run up to us, then flop onto her back and roll around in the leaves and dirt. Katie and I couldn’t decide whether she was scratching her back or trying to show us she knew how to dance.

Either way, she was enjoying every moment.

Watching her made me smile.

As adults, we spend so much of our lives focused on destinations.

The next promotion.

The next milestone.

The next goal.

The next problem to solve.

The next place we need to be.

We convince ourselves that happiness is waiting somewhere ahead of us.

But Tick wasn’t worried about where she would be tomorrow.

The Bills guys weren’t racing anyone.

The families on the trail weren’t measuring themselves against one another.

Everyone was simply enjoying the journey.

One of the things I love most about the Appalachian Trail is that it reminds me that the journey is never just about the miles.

It’s about the people you meet between here and there.

Two stinky guys headed to the same park as us.

Two strangers wearing Buffalo Bills gear.

A family hiking with a dog named Tick.

Fellow hikers whose names you may never know but whose laughter becomes part of your memories.

Most of us spend our lives focused on destinations. The trail reminds us that some of the most meaningful parts of life happen between the starting point and the finish line.

The conversations.

The shared experiences.

The unexpected moments.

The people who cross our path for an hour, a day, or a lifetime.

As I reflect on today’s hike, I honestly don’t think what I’ll remember most is the elevation gain, the mileage, or even the views from Chimney Rocks.

I’ll remember laughing with Katie about the Bills guys.

I’ll remember Tick rolling around in the leaves.

I’ll remember sharing a beautiful day with my daughter on a trail that continues to teach me lessons far beyond hiking.

Maybe that’s because life isn’t really about getting somewhere.

Maybe it’s about appreciating the people we meet along the way.