A Homeless Itinerant Path to Perfection
Be glad to be alive another day. Today is an important day; you don't want to miss it. It could be a summit day. Jesus said "Today! be with me in paradise."
At first light of dawn, when the stars fade out and the ground appears, pack up quickly, break camp and get on the trail before sunrise.
When the sun evaporates the morning dew, stop for breakfast and change into clean clothes. Wash dirty clothes daily at the first opportunity and drape them on the pack to dry while hiking. Do not accumulate dirty laundry or carry more than one change of clothes.
If walking into town during winter desert retreat, a happy breakfast is two Cutie Pie fruit pies and a Coca Cola, but otherwise avoid much sugar. The main meal may be cooked with breakfast in the early morning if convenient.
Hike about four hours until midday. Make camp and prepare the main meal of the day with nutritious cooked foods such as rice, pre-soaked lentils, pasta or potatoes, or with uncooked foods such as canned beans, corn, bread, raisins, nuts or Ramen noodles good hot or cold. Add rich flavorings such as oil, vinegar, peanut butter, garlic, chile peppers, salt and black pepper. Remember to floss and brush after eating.
Stay put until late afternoon. Rest, take a nap, explore the local area, do trail maintenance, read, memorize a poem, write, sew, practice yoga, take a sunbath, take a water bath, trim beard and hair, visit with friends, observe wildlife, watch clouds, meditate or walk in circles, but whoa! do not hike.
Before breaking camp in late afternoon, cook a light supper or finish lunch leftovers only if very hungry. Eating at night adversely affects both evening meditation and early morning rise, therefore keep it to a minimum.
Hike another hour and make a stealth camp without fire. Do not hike after dark except on designated trails or open ground, to respect resting wildlife.
Sit quietly for awhile reviewing the day before retiring early. Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
This way of hiking was developed by long-distance hiker Willis Whoa during two continental hikes from Mexico to Canada (Pacific Crest Trail PCT 1994 in 4.5 months, and Continental Divide Trail CDT 1999 in 6 months including walking across southern Arizona), as well as nine winter seasons (1994-2002) homeless in the Sonoran desert of southwestern Arizona .
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