I've been thinking a lot lately about getting out for a nice long hike. Not a day or a weekend, mind you. A week or two, at least, maybe even three. Something beyond Maine's borders...

There's really nothing like an extended period of time out on the trail. Enough time away to really get into the rhythm of the walk, the surroundings, the people, Mother Nature; while allowing all the "stuff" that clutters up our daily lives to fade away, if only temporarily.

My last long hike was the West Highland Way through the wilds of Scotland, now several years ago. It's time for another, I can feel it. And Europe, one of my favorite hiking destinations, is a likely choice. Maybe the Tour Du Mont Blanc this time, a ten-day trek through France, Italy and Switzerland around the massive hulk of Mount Blanc. Well-kept trails, high mountain passes, extraordinary scenery, quaint villages, cozy pubs... that would do just fine, I'm sure.

There are other possibilities... the GR20 on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. The GR20 is reputed to be the most challenging long distance trek in Europe and would require about 15 days (plus travel time). I like the sound of that! And then there's the spectacular and often wildly-exposed treks through the Dolomites of northern Italy. So many trails, so little time!

I was in this long hike mode the other night as I sat down to relax after dinner. I plucked John Hillaby's Journey Through Britain off the bookshelf and retreated into its pages for a few minutes of quiet escape. On page 68 there's a wonderful quote by Hazlett, a frequent walking partner of Wordsworth, that sums up my feelings about a good long hike.

"The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty to think, feel, do just as one pleases. We go on a journey chiefly to be free of all impediments and of all inconveniences; to leave ourselves behind, much more to get rid of others. It is because I want a little breathing space to muse on different matters... that I absent myself from the town for awhile... Give me the clear blue sky over my head, and the green turf beneath my feet, a winding road before me, and three hours march to dinner--and then to thinking... I laugh, I run, I leap, I sing for joy."

Yes, it's time to get the guidebooks and maps out; to start scouring the Internet for info; to gather up the gear. I love the excitement of it all. A long hike surely looms near...