All my life I have enjoyed walking in the countryside or among mountains and forests. In Germany Valley of Rabun County, Georgia, in my youth trails led from one farm house to the other in the valley. Walking to visit someone was an everyday thing. Also, trails led from house to barn, hog pens and fields. Longer trails led through gaps into neighboring valleys.
A few times during WW II with Dad, Neal Justus, away on defense work, Mother, Durell, and I, carrying the baby, would walk about five or six miles across two lines of mountains between our home and Bridge Creek Community where Grandpa Dock and Nanny Dickerson lived. Such walking was common when fuel was rationed and some families had no car. On two occasions with an uncle, Wiley Dickerson, we each rode a horse on the footpath between the two homes.
While growing up, hunting was common. For instance, Dad loved fox hunting and as a boy Norris and I, my brother who was one year younger, sometimes followed Dad over the ridges on trails to hear dogs run a fox or sometimes to hunt for a stray dog! We also walked trails hunting rabbits and squirrels or looking for a lost lamb. Once my grandfather, Jesse Justus, and I hunted and found a stray lamb. It was a thrill to be with Papa Jesse any time and specially to find a lamb and help carry it homeward.
In basic training in the Air Force my childhood life on a farm prepared me to drill and go on long marches in the Texas sun in August with little problems. Over 20 years of military life helped keep me in shape for many years of fishing, hunting and hiking in later life. For example, on some 15 western trips to camp, fish, explore and sightsee, I have held up along with guys much younger than I. While this sounds like bragging, believe me I am deeply thankful and give God the credit for my ability to live such a life.
Often in early morning I get to see a deer, goose, beaver, duck, red fox or groundhog. I saw an eagle a couple of times. My advice, if health permits: walk to greet the rising sun and soon walking becomes fun. Walking exercises the heart and pushes blood around and makes one want to cover more and more ground.
