Hike for the Children
When I first decided to hike the Appalachian Trail, (back in December, 2001)I was going to wait til 2003.  When a friend suggested I not wait, I knew she was right, but I couldn't see how I could be ready in time.  Most people leave in March or April in order to avoid difficult winter conditions in the north.  A few people leave in June hiking north to south, but I knew I wasn't ready to chance hiking much of the time alone.  It took me awhile, but I realized I could leave later by starting further up the trail, and that it would be OK to just do 2/3s of the trail this year instead of the whole thing (1300 vs. 2100 miles.)  It would still be a great achievement for me.

I was very happy to come up with that solution,  and so busily started planning my hike.  But as I read various people's journals, I began to wonder if I really had the strength of heart or will to make the whole journey.  In the meantime, I was reading Craig Kielburger's "Free the Children," and was inspired by his activism to help end child labor.   I was beginning to feel like taking 4 months to hike the trail was such a luxurious and selfish thing to do within the context of such suffering in the world. At the same time I felt that I needed to take this journey, before I would be able to fully commit myself to some cause.

Then it hit me.  I could hike the trail as a pledge walk.  I would let people know they could help some kids in really difficult situations by contributing to organizations helping these kids.  And then I remembered that a friend of mine had a very moving experience working with an organization in Guatemala that helps children living at the city dump.  These kids are spending their days picking through garbage for  something to eat or sell.  This organization, Camino Seguro (Safe Passage) is providing assistance in the form of helping the kids go to school, get a warm healthy meal, recieve medical care, and get some attention and encouragement at a before and after school activity center (see their website to find out more.)
hiking stairs to get in shape
                             photo by Valerie
Camino Seguro website
Hike Schedule
Hike Photos
Appalachian Trail Conference website
Free the Children website
Conversation with a Cynic
a little more on why I'm doing this pledge hike
Contact Info:
To make a pledge, contact:
Melissa Luce   (800) 699-2466
voicemail box #  540-894-5126
melissaluce2@yahoo.com
If you would like to help out, please contact me through email (or call before May 8th.)  You decide how much you would like to pledge. You can offer a certain amount per mile completed,  a one-time donation, or an ongoing  sponsorship to the program (see Camino Seguro website for more information on sponsorship.)  All money from these pledges will go directly to Camino Seguro. I will contact you when the hike is completed, letting you know how much your pledge will be.

At this point, I'm going to hike to Maine and then decide whether to ride back to Virginia and continue the trail to Georgia, so I may walk the whole trail after all. 

Just a brief update to say I did actually finish the trail on Dec. 21, 2002 (winter solstice) at 2 am on a breaktakingly beautiful and brisk full-moon night. I ended up raising over $3500 for Safe Passage as well as experiencing a deep connection with the natural cycles of my body and the mountain environment.  I must say though in deference to all the purists who walk every foot of the 2168 mile long trail, I took a few shortcuts as well as skipping 50 miles in northern N. Carolina when I had got off the trail to do some fund-raising at the School of the Americas Watch. Nevertheless, it was an amazingly difficult and wonderful experience that I'll always remember with gratitude. My thanks go to all who participated, contributed, cheered me on, and walked with me along the way.