Answers to Questions

I really appreciate the notes and conversations with folks as I make my way through this adventure.  A few questions have come up, and I thought publicly answering would be informative to anyone interested.

1.  Are you enjoying yourself?
Very much so!  I spent much of the first two weeks petrified of being a casualty of The Trail, limping home on a bad knee, crushed foot, or wrenched back.  As I got over that initial injury risk and got stronger, I learned everything I could about longevity from others... some around me providing excellent counter examples.  Now that I've ironed out most of my most obvious problems -- not eating enough, not staying dry, hiking too many miles, not taking enough breaks -- I'm able to "look up" a lot more, be flexible, and have confidence that I can take what comes.  That lets me worry less about the mechanics of day-to-day survival and "zoom out" for the larger picture.

2.  Have you found enough solitude to be your best self (seems like a fair amount of ‘pack’ activity)?
Around Easter I was struck with my first wave of lonliness out here.  I bonded with some really great people, stuck with them through Damascus, and we've been stringing out slowly over the past week or so.  Couple that with some of the winter weather we've been having that drives people to shelters at night, and I've been more social lately than I'd planned.  I'm feeling the need now, though -- and should be equipped -- to move at my own pace and stop when I want.  So I should have plenty of introspection time as I get deeper into Virginia.

3. How far do you go in a day?
That depends on terrain and trail conditions.  I move very comfortably with trekking poles at 3 MPH on good trail from level to moderate incline, up or down, and I can sustain 4 MPH for a couple of hours if there is a need.  Moderate to steep terrain can slow me to 2 MPH or even slower.  Rocky trail requires careful foot placement, and scrambling over rock gardens takes planning and care.  On average, my mental estimate starts at 2.5 MPH for eight hours of hiking, and I tweak that for trail and weather conditions, planned stops, and for where I'm trying to be by the end of the day.  Right now, I expect a minimum of 15 miles per day and typically end up in the 16 to 20 range.  Getting close to 26 miles takes a toll, particularly on the feet.  I've done three "marathons," (the first without trekking pokes) and would only do another on pretty flat terrain if there was a good reason to do so.

4. How much money do you carry?
No coins!  Haha.  Some hostels only take cash or check, and I like to be able to stop "wherever, whenever."  To cover that and potential shuttles and small meals off trail, I carry between $80 and $200 at any time.  My "wallet" is a ziplock bag that stays on my person at all times, next to my head while sleeping.  Other items that are usually on my person include phone, maps/data sheets, notebook & pen, Gopro, flashlight w/spare battery, and my goofy hat.

5. What are the "rules of the trail?"
a. Don't be a jerk.
b. See rule a.
c. Leave no trace. Pack out everything. Don't mess with anything. Don't take anything.  Minimize impact with your movement and camping.
d. No "deposits" (liquid or solid) within 200ft of a water source, and bury 6+ inches.
e. Fist bump, don't shake hands. Everyone is justifiably afraid of Norovirus.  Hand sanitizer does not kill Noro.  Someone who so much as sniffles should clear out of a shelter, or everyone else will.
f. Descending gives way to climbing, individuals give way to groups, everybody just work it out and get along.
g. Shut up about how far you hiked yesterday and how hard it was.  We all covered that ground, too.  Talk about what you saw that was cool and what amazing things are coming up, even if it's just the first privy in 130 miles.
h. Thank people.  Rangers.  Volunteers.  Anyone who provides Trail Magic.  Cashiers.  Shuttle drivers.  You stink after six days of humping a pack over mountains, and most non-hikers are too polite to say anything.  You get zero entitlement for through hiking.
i. When in doubt, go back to Rules a. and b.  It's amazing how far they will get you.

6.  What is the hardest part?
Early on it was physical, but now it's becoming psychological.  Everyone out here has their Kryptonite.  I watched an otherwise levelheaded hiker devolve into hours of self pity, triggered by what felt like endless miles of sharp rocks.  That doesn't get to me, but cold rain and wind for more than a couple of hours really affects me.  (Which is why I'm sitting in a hotel room watching hail and sleet bang against the window at 25 MPH and not out hiking in it.)  I've also recently started to feel disconnected from my life in Atlanta.  Not driving in horrific traffic = good.  Not seeing my friends or enjoying my passions = bad.  I can easily see how missing people can kill desire to finish.  I just keep framing it as a temporary thing and move on.  But it's a stronger pull than I expected.

Thanks for the questions!  They really helped me get my head out of "status report" mode for this entry.  You can e-mail questions to me any time.  (E-mail addtess is on the notification note.)

I'll be on the trail early tomorrow, so likely no service until Roanoke in six days.

Happy Trails!