Many journeys, but not all, require preparation. Walking England’s South West Coast Path requires preparation. After completing the first half last fall, I hope to complete the second half soon. In fact, I’ll begin in three days. This trail runs west along the Bay of Bristol to the Atlantic Ocean, south through Cornwall to Land’s End, and then turns east along the English Channel to finish in Poole. Guide books estimate 630 miles. So, half down, half to go.

I try to get my body, my legs and lungs especially, in shape. Sometimes I walk in the neighborhood. Friends wave; fellow walkers stop and chat. Nice.

I wonder though: why do I not feel find as prepared for this hike as other hikes? Is my familiarity with the South West Coast Path reducing my preparation. Less unknown? Is my walking routine simply insufficient?

I also traipse up and down Stone Mountain. Even though I’m reducing my daily walking in England from 12-15 miles to 8-10 miles, I still need to get in shape. Since some English days I will have an elevation gain of 2000 feet, I especially need to improve my thighs and calves. As a result, I’m pulling myself up the mountain three times about twice a week.

Walking Stone Mountain, I enjoy chatting with walking buddies. Asked why he walks, Noel, a retired attorney turned artist, tells me: “I love seeing the same scenery change through the seasons.” Mark, who moved here from Washington state decades ago, answers: “I need the exercise, but I love the physical and mental exercise. To be honest, I even talk to the deer.” Another friend simply uses the time for “meditation.”

As many of you know, there is no one stereotype Stone Mountain walker. There is no one way to reach the top of the mountain. Bikes. Trucks. Men carrying a cross on Good Friday. Without park police guarding the entrance, people can get up there anyway they choose. There is also no one reason to walk Stone Mountain. Besides Noel’s and Mark’s reasons, other people have their own reason. From celebrating a wedding many years ago, to celebrating their vows right then and there.

Walking Stone Mountain also prepares me by training me to be attentive. The deer. The flowers. The lichen on the rocks. The patterns of those rocks. Even the graffiti.

I try to get ready. I try to push my legs. I know that I’m using Voltaren more often! I’m also trying to be attentive to what I’m walking on and by.

It will be awhile before I‘m able to answer my question: am I sufficiently prepared to tackle this walk again? At 73? We’ll see. With a bit of perseverance, hope, and prayer, maybe I will.