In other news, I'm adding a trip to DC for Jon Stewart's Rally to restore Sanity in October. I think it's probably a much bigger deal than people realize. Sure, it's based on humor, but I think that's just how my generation approaches these topics. Just look at the damage Tina Fey's Palin impressions did last election for evidence of satire's effectiveness. It should be a lot of fun.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Cruise
Tomorrow I set out on the second half of my Vacation: A week long cruise in the Caribbean. Very well earned after the 57 miles on the AT.
AT Day 6
The final day. At slightly more than a wobble pace, we decide to skip the last section of the AT and come into Damascus on the Virginia Creeper trail. The Creeper Trail is an old converted train bed. Very slight downhill grade the entire way with flat smooth gravel.
It's 10 miles into Damascus from where we started. My max speed in my current condition is about one mile an hour. Taking breaks at the benches, I slowly work my way into town and stop at the first store. Milkshakes. Allan and My stomaches are both upset, but the ice cream seems to settle them a bit.
It seems I've become mortal. I can't simply rely on my youth to get me through these adventures. Planning and conditioning are necessary. I don't think I could have made it another step.
Lauren picked us up in Damascus and brought us back to eat and lounge for the remainder of the day. My couch has never felt so comfortable. And I never thought I'd be so happy to have fresh filtered water dispensed at the click of a button from my fridge. Not to mention the shower...
I weight in 27 pounds lighter than the weekend before I left. Most of the weight is probably skin from my feet and brain matter. Definitely an extreme experience.
Summary:
10 miles. Slow, but steady. Last day of suffering.
It's 10 miles into Damascus from where we started. My max speed in my current condition is about one mile an hour. Taking breaks at the benches, I slowly work my way into town and stop at the first store. Milkshakes. Allan and My stomaches are both upset, but the ice cream seems to settle them a bit.
It seems I've become mortal. I can't simply rely on my youth to get me through these adventures. Planning and conditioning are necessary. I don't think I could have made it another step.
Lauren picked us up in Damascus and brought us back to eat and lounge for the remainder of the day. My couch has never felt so comfortable. And I never thought I'd be so happy to have fresh filtered water dispensed at the click of a button from my fridge. Not to mention the shower...
I weight in 27 pounds lighter than the weekend before I left. Most of the weight is probably skin from my feet and brain matter. Definitely an extreme experience.
Summary:
10 miles. Slow, but steady. Last day of suffering.
AT Day 5
Elk Garden didn't have any water. Once again Allan and I started off without any water, three miles away from the next source at the top of Whitetop Mountain. Midway up the mountain we find a three inch puddle and fill up a water bottle. One would think we would be better prepared for the water shortages along the trail, but as you'll see we seemed to be a little slow to learn this lesson.
We walked throughout the entire day. We had 14 miles to complete in order to be within a one day range of Damascus. My feet were starting to really hurt after spending another day walking on blisters. I'm also really out of shape and the mountains were taking their toll. Heck, I barely handled the 9 and 12 mile days.
Once again we ran out of water. With streams and ponds littered across our path every 500 feet for the majority of the day, we failed to realize that the last 4 miles involved climbing a ridge of a mountain with absolutely no water.
The sun was starting to set. With no clear idea of how far away the shelter was, no water, and limited day light, we continued to climb the mountain's ridge praying we'd make it in time. At this point I was slowed to what I can only describe as a wobble. Wobbling along, dizzy, dehydrated, Allan says stuff about digging deep and mind over matter. I'm in another world. We arrive at the shelter just as the sun disappears from the horizon. Allan goes for water, I lay down. We didn't eat, the idea of any more ramen or tuna is nauseating.
In the night I wake up long enough to vomit. Unsure of whether it's the pain, exhaustion, or some parasite in our water, I head back to bed and hope I feel better in the morning.
Summary:
14+ miles. Extreme suffering.
We walked throughout the entire day. We had 14 miles to complete in order to be within a one day range of Damascus. My feet were starting to really hurt after spending another day walking on blisters. I'm also really out of shape and the mountains were taking their toll. Heck, I barely handled the 9 and 12 mile days.
Once again we ran out of water. With streams and ponds littered across our path every 500 feet for the majority of the day, we failed to realize that the last 4 miles involved climbing a ridge of a mountain with absolutely no water.
The sun was starting to set. With no clear idea of how far away the shelter was, no water, and limited day light, we continued to climb the mountain's ridge praying we'd make it in time. At this point I was slowed to what I can only describe as a wobble. Wobbling along, dizzy, dehydrated, Allan says stuff about digging deep and mind over matter. I'm in another world. We arrive at the shelter just as the sun disappears from the horizon. Allan goes for water, I lay down. We didn't eat, the idea of any more ramen or tuna is nauseating.
In the night I wake up long enough to vomit. Unsure of whether it's the pain, exhaustion, or some parasite in our water, I head back to bed and hope I feel better in the morning.
Summary:
14+ miles. Extreme suffering.
AT Day 4
At this point Allan and I were a little worried we wouldn't make it to Damascus. After studying the map in our ample free time the day before, we found a shortcut on "Pine Mountain Trail" which would cut off about 5 miles of the trail and get us back on schedule after our short day yesterday.
We climbed Pine Mountain and found what should have been the trail, but it was completely unmarked. Rather than take an unmarked trail, we forgo our shortcut in favor of not getting lost. We continue 1.5 miles to Scales, where we find a map and a horse trail which takes us back to the top of Pine mountain and intersects with Pine Mount trail. a 3 mile detour, but the shortcut saved us around 2 miles in the end. The clouds and fog lifted around noon, and revealed beautiful scenic views on top of Mount Rogers.
After walking in the rain yesterday and today with broken shoes, massive blisters were starting to form. At lunch atop Thomas Knob Allan gave me a pair of Smart Wool socks as all I brought were cheap ankle socks. These blisters plagues me for the remainder of the trip and changed my feet into what resembled bloody chunks of raw meat.
We continued on after lunch in hopes of reaching the next shelter 12 miles away. After 5 miles I was slowed to a mere crawl. Hungry for anything but ramen and packaged tuna, tired, in extreme pain from my blisters. We stopped at Elk Garden and camped.
Summary:
12+ miles, the true suffering began.
AT Day 3
Rain. Sometime in the night it had started pouring, drowning out the deafening roar of the tree frogs and crickets. We didn't have backpack covers of course. After taking our time packing up and punching holes in the front sole of my shoe so I could lace it against my foot, we headed out. We trudged 6 miles through the rain with rain soaked backpacks to the next shelter.
We ended our day early, around 1:00. About an hour after we arrived a group of 6 grandmas in their 60's and 70's stop by. They had originally planned to spend the night here, but after getting a glimpse of us decide to hike on to the next shelter. A 14 mile day for them. Maybe it was our smell. Or the Jim Bean. Regardless, they continued on.
Sub-man and Pringles stop by a short time later and share a piece of their sandwiches from Subway. Brining fresh food to share the first night is definitely a great way to make friends. They are also going to continue on to the next shelter. We ended a bit too early, but lets face it, hiking in the rain was miserable.
Summary:
6 miles, rain.
We ended our day early, around 1:00. About an hour after we arrived a group of 6 grandmas in their 60's and 70's stop by. They had originally planned to spend the night here, but after getting a glimpse of us decide to hike on to the next shelter. A 14 mile day for them. Maybe it was our smell. Or the Jim Bean. Regardless, they continued on.
Sub-man and Pringles stop by a short time later and share a piece of their sandwiches from Subway. Brining fresh food to share the first night is definitely a great way to make friends. They are also going to continue on to the next shelter. We ended a bit too early, but lets face it, hiking in the rain was miserable.
Summary:
6 miles, rain.
AT Day 2
We woke up early and hit the trail. The water source at the shelter was quite bad, no more than a one inch puddle with a tiny drip from a pipe. With a single bottle of water in hand, we decide to wait for a nicer water source and head out. It was about a .2 mile climb from the shelter to the actual trail, and at the top we hear Pringles yell out for us as he runs up behind us. Allan forgot his headlamp at camp. A mile up the road Sub-man comes trotting up behind us delivering Allan's jacket. Forgetfulness seems to be a genetic trait.
Two miles later, all up hill, we come across the next trail with signs for "Raccoon campground" 3 miles away which appears to be the water source marked with blue blazers. Unwilling to take a 6 mile trip out of the way for water, we forge ahead. We run out of water as the day approaches the hottest hours. Stranded, confused, a little lost, we take a break and lay down on the trail. Once again Sub-man and Pringles come up behind us, and offer us some of their water since they're getting off the trail in a mile to stay at a nearby town and wait for Pringles' brother to arrive.
Offering a starving hiker steak and wine certainly has it's benefits, and I dare say Pringles and Sub-man more than paid for their steaks with their saving grace today.
My shoes break towards the end of the day. The front half of the sole of my right shoe detaches and flops around. With broken shoes and will, I barely manage to make it up the last mountain; after which I immediately fall asleep at shelter(@ 4:30pm. For those that don't know me very well, I usually go to bed around 2:00am), wake up long enough to eat two packs of Ramen noddles and immediately go back to bed.
Summary of Day 2:
10 miles, broken shoes, exhaustion.
10 miles, broken shoes, exhaustion.
AT Day 1
Most of the planning for the Appalachian Trail Hike happened Thursday, the day we were starting it. How hard can it be? You find the trail and you walk on it.
We picked up a map on the way, found a spot we thought looked like a good starting point and began our journey. It was 6:00 when we got to the trail, and we hiked the 3 easy miles to the first shelter. Serious hikers all have "trail names". Something that identifies them. At the first shelter, we met Pringles and Sub-man who were finishing up the last couple days of their two week hike. We shared fresh steak and wine with our new comrades; a sure way to make a friend for life on the trail.
I forgot to pick up a air mat and spent my first night on the hard wooden floor. Between the hard floor and the significant change of schedule, I slept very little.
Summary of Day 1:
3 miles, easy hiking.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Appalachian Trail
Planning has never been one of my fortes. As such, I ended up getting a map of our section and decided where to start 1 hours before we embarked. The next several posts will share the adventure with you as it unfolded.
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