The Day I Joined a Cult

About two and a half months ago I packed my worldly possesions into a backpack and went down to Georgia. A friend and intitiate met me at the aiport and took me to a sacred place, Springer Mountain. He showed me the path and told me to follow the white blazes north to Katahdin and the land of lobster. Since then every morning I wake up and follow the path. I follow even when the path goes south or completely circles something and comes within 100 feet of itself. I follow in the sun, in the rain, and in the snow. Every morning I wake up, pack my bag, and keep going.
Along the way I have met many other people following the path. We help each other in the common goal of Katahdin. We try and keep everyone following the path. We debate the rules of following the path and whether every single inch of the trail needs to be covered. Do you need to backtrach after circle some windfall? Are you still following thw whole path if you take one blue blaze trail into a shelter and leave on another? If you take a blue blazed loop that goes to a lookout and returns further up the trail are you still following the path? Does it matter if that trail is shorter or longer than the white balze? The one answer we have found is that everyone needs to hike their own hike.
In the shelters at night we dicuss the problems we encounter on the path. How to get enough food, what has the most calories, how to lighten your pack, and how to avoid butt itch. We also talk about our pains, for this is a masochistic cult. One of our mantras is "No pain, no rain, no Maine."
Along our path we encounter other people who are not walking the full path. Some of these people are unbelievers. Some do not even know of the path, while others are walking part, or getting ready to walk the full length. Those who do not know of the path, we will talk to them, and enlighten them, but only if they give us food.
Some of the people along the path are enlightened and help out those who are currently walking, these people are angels. They help us out by providing food and drink and rides into and out of town. Many of these people have walked the full path themselves, or they are related to people who are walking. They give comfort to us, and help keep us heading in the right direction.
Every year in mid-May in Damascus there is a gathering of cult members. The former walkers meet up and catch up on news and relive their glories. The curent walkers reunite with people they met a month ago and strategize about meeting again. While future walkers get advice and motivation to follow the path for themselves. This is also a place to see new equipement and learn about better ways of following the path, and learning about other paths to hike.
In about four days I will make it to one of the sacred places, Harper's Ferry. This town houses the cult headquarters, where we will stop in and get our picture taken to be immmortalized with other followers of the path. This town is also sacred for it means we are finally out of Virginia, just about to cross the Mason-Dixon line and almost physically half way. It is the physcological half way.
Tomorrow morning I will wake up, pack my bag, and start hiking north. For Katahdin is calling, and I must answer.