I spend most of every day living the lives of my Civil War characters, and you can probably guess how exhausting that can be. My reading/listening habit provides some relief, and this week, I seem to be on a hiking kick. (Vicariously, remember.) I’ve been listening to THRU-HIKING CAN BREAK YOUR HEART, by Carrot (yes, Carrot) Quinn. It’s fascinating, and reminds me a little of Cheryl Strayed’s book, WILD. I’ve downloaded several similar books, most of them about hiking the Appalachian Trail, though Quinn, like Strayed, chose the Pacific Trail. Can you imagine hiking from Mexico to Canada, with nothing but the clothes on your back and the gear in your pack? Hikers mail packages to themselves, to be held at various post offices along the trail until they arrive to collect them. When in town, many hikers eat at restaurants, stay in motels, and buy fresh fruit and Gatorade at the local supermarkets, but most of the time, they’re on their own. If the food or water runs out, they’re in big trouble.
This is an experience, I assure you, that is NOT on my personal bucket list. I am too spoiled and too old for this kind of trek; while I enjoyed camping in my salad days (whatever that means), I have become set in my ways. I like a good hotel, with 24-hour room service, Wifi, and–this is a must–a bathtub. I carry scented bath salts when I travel, and I get upset when, occasionally, I find myself in a room with only a shower. To me, that’s roughing it.
What is 0n my bucket list? (Brace yourself, I think big.) 1) I’d like to attend some kind of social function at the White House. 2) Spend a week at a dude ranch, trail riding. (Please note, I would not be roughing it. I would need a cabin with a bathtub. And lavender bath salts. Especially after a day on horseback!. 3) A cruise on a Mississippi riverboat. 4) A trans-Atlantic cruise. 5) A train trip across Canada. (A sleeping car is fine, but I might need to get off every other night to stay in a good hotel. 🙂 )
I really enjoyed your comments on yesterday’s blog. You can bet, there will be more Civil War talk coming your way.
About Linda
The daughter of a town marshal, Linda Lael Miller is a #1 New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of more than 100 historical and contemporary novels, most of which reflect her love of the West.
Raised in Northport, Washington, Linda pursued her wanderlust, living in London and Arizona and traveling the world before returning to the state of her birth to settle down on a horse property outside Spokane.
