Tom's Appalachian Trail Journal: Monday, May 16

May 16, 2011

Miles Hiked 162

I left the Nantahala Outdoor Center yesterday morning. It was difficult to transition to the trail after sleeping in a cozy room for 2 days. I spent the time recuperating and healing minor aches and pains. I couldn't help indulging in a little Ben and Jerry's either. Now that I'm getting ready to enter the Smoky Mountains tomorrow and I want to be as prepared as physically possible. I had a little scare the other day.

The silly thing is that it happened because of what didn't happen. Along the AT there are registers kept at each shelter for hikers to leave messages, quotes, poems, observations, etc..... It's no more than a spiral notebook. These notebooks are very entertaining to read at times. Anyways, one of the hikers that stayed the previous night made an entry warning people of a 3 foot Rattle Snake spotted around the spring which happens to be the water source for people to filter water. While I'm not a snake person, especially the poisonous kind, i had to have water. So when i headed down to the spring i did so with more than a little reservation. The foliage was thick which made it more unnerving. Having filled up my Nalgene bottles with no incident I headed back to my tent. The next day when i headed north on the the AT i kept thinking about that dang snake. The day was dreary and there was a light rain throughout the day. For those of you not familiar with the trails on the AT you have to keep in mind there are portions that are very challenging, if not dangerous if you're not paying attention. Usually in the form of steep rocky ascents and descents. Normally I'm sure footed, as you would expect after 150+ miles, navigating my way over this type of terrain. Once I get a cruising pace going I can pretty much hike all day unless there is a significant ascent or a troublesome maze of rocks and boulders in my way. To maintain my pace over a rocky stream or trail i glance a step ahead, plant my foot on the spot and step without hesitation. The odds of an accident are much higher if you don't confidently attack this type of terrain and approach it tentatively. My accident happened because as i was crossing over the rocks i kept thinking about that stupid Rattle Snake sighted at the last shelter. So as i glanced ahead for a place to plant my foot i looked for snakes in the general vicinity at the same time. Not good when hiking over rocks on a rainy day. Shouldn't have been multitasking at this particular moment. I missed the rock by a couple of inches to the left and my foot and lower leg slipped in between two rocks. If i didn't have my poles my leg would have snapped right above the ankle and my hike would be over. I haven't thought of Rattle Snakes since.

As mentioned before the AT is more than a long hike in the middle of nowhere. One does get to meet and get to know many people and visit a number of hiking friendly towns along the way. I've been pleasantly surprised as to the hospitable nature of the towns i've hiked into since starting in Georgia. Transportation to, and from, the trail has been extremely easy. As the trail crosses a major road you can call for a shuttle. Most of the time the shuttles are just people who are part of the AT hiking community lending a helpful hand to AT hikers. That's the uniqueness of the AT. It's has developed over the years into a social network with its own support system. You even have annual events like the Hikers Festival in Damascus, VA. People who met others on the trail years previously get to reunite as if it were a family reunion.l Thousands attend. I plan to attend next year in hopes of catching up with people i've met to date. There's been a few characters and i plan to blog about them. I promise that when i do it will be the truth. I have to say this because you won't believe some of the stories. LOL Take care guys. Love you Emma and Sara.

AT Likes:

My Earl Gray tea at the end of the day\
Crawling into my sleeping bag
Hiking in the rain
Hiking in temps lower than 80
Drinking spring water right out of the mountain
Dry socks
Dry shirt (not necessarily clean, but that would be nice)
Putting on my Montbell down mid-weight jacket
My bandanna
Brushing my teeth........with toothpaste
Snack time
Stingers (German food snack. Honey sandwiched between two small waffles.)
Treats sent to me in my drop boxes.
Putting on a cotton shirt when i go to bed.
Misty mornings
Hiking after mile 4 or 5
Chipmunks
First, of a few, showers when i get into a town
Clean sheets
Making friends, getting email addresses, along the way.
Sitting on a toilet

Things I dislike:

Water purification drops
The first 4 miles of the day
The last 4 miles of the day
Crawling out of my sleeping bag
Getting up in the middle of the night to urinate
Setting up my tent in the rain
Tearing down my tent in the rain
Albert Mountain
Snakes
Did i mention snakes
SNAKES
Sleeping in shelters. Only done it twice. They are infested with mice. Besides, they are nothing more than fancy lean-too
Know-it-all hikers who have to tell you they know-it-all.
Smoochers

Lessons Learned:

Better to have a backpack that is adjusted correctly than the most expensive backpack not adjusted correctly.
Not all outfitters know what they are talking about.
Hiking in trail runners with great traction is way better than hiking with high top hiking boots. Caveat being this is true only if you are using poles and not in the winter. Any time other than winter i will hike in trail runners using poles. Just making this change will add a good 5 miles to my day. Trust me.
Light is good
Heavy is bad...very bad
Ounces do matter
Underwear isn't needed after the first week. Just takes up space and gets in the way of the air conditioning.
Having a support person back home is very important.
Organization of your gear lowers stress
Simple is good
Food is heavy. Leave cans and anything with water out of your pack if possible.
All you need in the form of toiletries are toothbrush, toilet paper (some think this optional. Not me.), and wet wipes..
Simple pocket knife is all that's needed. Fancy is overkill. I.e. can opener, screw drive, saw, etc...
Duct Tape is magical
Cotton bad
Wool good
Synthetic good, but stinks to high heaven. Seriously.
Very important to snack throughout the day. I noticed a huge difference in stamina, energy, and endurance once i started doing this. I don't each lunch. I pretty much snack and spread my lunch meal,, which is higher in calories and more substantive, between the hours of 11am and 1pm.
Stay hydrated
When you're tired stop, catch your breath, relax, and move on again.
When you're hurting. Stop and fix whatever discomfort.
Once you set your pace and you feel you can hike forever slow a tad. You'll be glad you did when you hit mile 15+
Stop to smell the roses, take pictures, look at the trees, notice the breeze, etc...It's not a treadmill and it's definitely not a gym.
Adjust your pack straps throughout the day. You'll be amazed how much it will improve your disposition.