weary as water

every time i blink i have a tiny dream

Day 74: Zero in Daleville

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It is amazing what a bath, delicious non-hiker food, and sleeping on a mattress with extra pillows does to restore a bit of sanity. Combine that with not having to worry about running out of water, or food, or storms, or bugs, and this zero is pretty much a slice of heaven.

I heard about the car crashing into the Trail Days parade in Damascus – so scary. I hope that everyone who was injured is ok. I am thankful that the people we have been hiking with recently are all ok. I’m also glad that we didn’t go to Trail Days this year – what a bummer.
I am feeling better. OWL & I decided to change the plan slightly, to slow down a little (yet again) and try to get to Front Royal by June 5, instead of Harper’s Ferry. That will send us home for break after completing the portion of the AT that runs through Shenandoah National Park, which is supposed to be easier (graded) terrain, with beautiful views and good access to campgrounds with burgers and milkshakes.
My body is so tired. Without my pack (and my sticks), I hobble instead of walk. My right knee is still sticking & popping, but it’s not exactly *painful* like I can’t bear weight on it, it’s just stiff and sore. My toes tingle all the time, even at night. I have been getting shin splints frequently. But – this sounds weird – in some ways I feel stronger than I have in years.
My game plan is this: I am going to make it to Front Royal, and go home for two weeks to relax and recover as planned. If my body ‘bounces back’ and seems to recover after some time off, AND if I miss hiking the AT, I’ll come back and finish. If either one of those things turns out not to be true, I’ll stop this adventure for now.
That sounds fair, right?
Tomorrow we’re doing a big day out of Daleville on fresh legs. Tuesday the high is supposed to be in the high 80s, so we’re planning a short 10 mile day to a campsite near a swimming hole. Then we’ll go from there. 

Day 72: Four Pines Hostel to Lambert’s Meadow Shelter

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16.3 miles

Woke up to a rooster crowing – really! – and sunshine. OWL already had her stuff packed but she waited for me…almost patiently. Once again she wanted to get dropped off a few miles up (where the trail met the road) – I said – I don’t care what you do but I’m walking back on the trail where we left. So she walked with me.
Lots of fence stiles early, as we crossed several pastures. Not sure if I have explained these before, but fence stiles are set up to help backpackers cross barbed wire fences. They are essentially 2×4’s leaned across the fence and fastened together, with boards set up as steps of varying heights. You climb up the steps on one side, turn around on the top, and climb down the steps on the other side. Some people throw their hiking poles over, but I like to keep mine dangling on my wrists so I can use them to ease myself down the last ‘step’ to the ground.
I am still feeling weird – like I want to go home and am not sure if this is what I really want to be doing for the next three months of my life because it’s not really fun anymore – I guess this is the Virginia Blues. This phenomenon is so named because Virginia has 550+ miles of trail – more than any other state – and by the time hikers reach this area the novelty of being on the AT has worn off. Plus, the terrain is still difficult at times, except that you can’t really see any views from the ridgeline because the tree leaves create a ‘long green tunnel’.
Well, just because I’m able to give something a name doesn’t make it any easier to get through. My very favorite part of being out here is being in my tent and waking up to complete silence in the middle of the night. The next favorite is being in town and hanging out with other hikers. Then the wonderful views. But the actual *hiking* – well that is painful. I am so tired. My ankles and knees and feet hurt, all the time, even after 800mg of ibuprofen that I’m taking twice daily (which upsets my stomach). We have been pushing for miles and it feels so hectic and rushed, and I am always worried I won’t make it because I feel so tired. I am drinking lots of water – between 4-6L per day – but sweating more and have run out of water several times in the past week. 
So I guess what I’m saying is that I’m having some growing pains.
We went over McAfee Knob today. OWL sent me a text – said thunderstorms are coming in the afternoon so don’t take a lunch break until you get here! I stopped to get water at the shelter just before the climb up, but kept hiking otherwise. Beautiful view there. Wish I could have stayed longer but we needed to get to Lambert Meadow Shelter to make the next day into Daleville easier. I would have much preferred to stay at McAfee Knob until sunset, and camped at the shelter less than a mile from there, and had a longer day into Daleville.
We went over Tinker Cliffs later on in the day – more beauty. As Modest Mouse sings, so much beauty it could make you cry.
But even with the great views of today, I’m still feeling frustrated and exhausted. Guess I’ll take a zero in Daleville to recover. Maybe OWL will take a zero, maybe she won’t. We are both getting frustrated with our differences in hiking pace. I know sometimes (like today) I feel like I am hiking HER hike, instead of my own. But I know she feels the same way about me.
Staying in the shelter tonight with Jeremiah & OWL – would prefer to tent but it is going to rain, and a wet tent fly sucks.
 

Day 73: Lambert’s Meadow Shelter to Daleville

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Jeremiah & OWL decided to get up at 6:15 to be on the trail by 7…I decided to get up a little earlier to take my time. Got up around 5:50 and puttered around. I like waking up slowly. Ate a Little Debbie cherry pie – thanks to Wildcat back in Maryville for that tip. They have about 450 calories – perfect for breakfast when combined with my protein powder drink. 

Jeremiah & OWL took off – I stayed in the shelter & talked on the phone with AWE for a few minutes while she was on her way to work. (Normally I would NEVER EVER talk on the phone in a shelter…especially at 7am…but I was the only one there!)
The walk into Daleville was pretty easy – a little rainy, a little foggy, not many views. Saw some pre-teen kids out scrambling around on the rocks. They told me about a trail they’d found that shows you a great view of the whole valley – “for if you come back…good luck!”. Cute.
Listened to last week’s This American Life podcast – had a story about a guy who walked across the US on a whim. His last words in the story…keep walking…seemed significant. Not much to look at on the walk today so I had lots of time to think. I have to be careful – I can make lots of justifiable excuses for coming home that no one would argue with – probably not even myself. But I need to give myself a chance to rest before I really think about it much further.
Just before I got to Daleville, I came across a honeysuckle ‘forest’ with honeysuckle bushes in bloom on both sides of the trail. I LOVE honeysuckles and hadn’t seen any yet this year. I just stood there in the midst of one of my favorite smells…and took deep breaths. (Even had a few drops of honey). Then it started to rain, so I hurried the last half mile into town.
The hotel is about 100 yards from the trail – really convenient. OWL & I got separate rooms – I need some alone time to relax completely. Took a shower, started laundry, went across the street to Pizza Hut for lunch, came back to the room and soaked in an Epsom salt bath while watching episodes of the Office on my phone. I am so tired. Am definitely taking a zero tomorrow to rest.