Audrey Hales - American Camino Chapter 1
In Chapter 1, Kip Redick discusses the plaque which marks the start of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in Georgia. He describes the plaque almost as an invisible gateway, once you cross it your intentions and priorities change. “Given our contemporary culture’s fixation on getting from one point to another without lingering on the way, walking in the context of this trail means slowing down” (Chapter 1). I felt this quote perfectly describes my own motivations to do the section of the AT. Kip then goes on to discuss how most hikers who begin their journey on the AT have no idea what lies ahead of them and their experience eclipses any preconceived notions of the AT. Again, this statement is definitely true for my experience on the AT. He then goes on to define the “Terms and Conditions” of the trail and explore the terms Journey, Environment, Space, and Place. I really resonated with Kip’s description of the environment, that it is not something to be viewed empirically but to be interpreted individually on a personal and artistic level.
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