Finally
It has been a little while since my last post… Two months to be exact. So I figured it was long past due for an update. So much has happened in the last few months that it would be impossible to cover everything, but I will attempt to hit at least some of the highlights.
But first, before we get into everything, I want to take a moment and plug two important websites:
The first is a fund raiser for Tall Tales Ranch, a non-profit ranch for people in the special needs community. My friend Nathan (trail name, Southbound) and I have been hiking together now for over 400 miles. He is an amazingly kindhearted person that has spent his last few years working with children and people with special needs. He has dedicated his thru hike to raise money for the ranch. I have personally pledged 20 cents for every mile he completes and hope you will consider donating as well! http://anython.com/nathan-hikes-for-tall-tales-ranch-8261
The second is the blog site of my other fellow trail friend, Jonah (trail name, Powerade). Jonah and I have been hiking together since the second day of the trail! In most of his stories and adventures I am there somewhere in the background (or even foreground sometimes). It is a great second source to follow my journey (and it is updated more frequently too!). Consider giving it a read. https://jonahsathike.wordpress.com/
Ok, now that we have those out of the way, what has happened in the last two months?
I received a trail name: Colby Jack, or CoJack for short. The origin story behind the name is sadly somewhat mundane. In the beginning of the trail, I would buy blocks of cheese at different resupply points, then promptly forget to pack them when I left. Do this four times in a row and you win a new trail name! Somehow the name stuck and I’ve been going by it ever since. I do wish the back story was more exciting or heroic, and maybe I’ll invent a better story someday, but for now I am stuck with it.
We hiked through a snow storm in the Smoky Mountains, and were “rescued” by the park rangers. On April 6, in the early morning hours, the temperatures dipped and the steady rain turned to steady snow. When Powerade and I awoke that morning, there was maybe half an inch of snow on the ground. Not bad. We had survived colder temperatures at the very beginning, and we were prepared to handle cold, even if it is not very fun. Just keep the sleeping bag and a set of clothes dry, don’t stop moving, and you’ll be fine. However, as the day wore on, the snow just kept coming nonstop. To make matters worse, we planned to summit the highest peak on the entire AT, Clingman’s Dome, in the afternoon. At 6,644 feet, we knew it would be colder, windier, and snowier at the top, but we had no idea how much so. By the time we got there I was already hurting and exhausted. My feet were completely soaked thru and numb, and the cold had sapped any energy and enthusiasm I had left. I wanted to stop. We had heard rumors of park rangers giving rides to Gatlinburg from the parking lot of Clingmans, so Jonah and I decided to investigate and see if we could get an early ride into town. The typical place to hitch a ride is 8 miles further, at Newfound Gap, but at that point I think we were both secretly hoping for a merciful end to our day. However, the parking lot was completely deserted. Not a single car. We sheltered in the bathrooms there for a few minutes to warm up (and take a selfie).
Finally we decided to push the final 8 miles and try to get a ride into town. This was the toughest 8 miles that I have ever walked. It wasn’t steep, but the trail conditions were awful (several inches of snow and watery slush), and it was completely buried and impossible to see. And more importantly, I had absolutely no energy left. The only thing I could do was put one foot in front of the other and try to keep my mind somewhere else. The last 8 miles were a blur, and it felt like it lasted a lifetime, but finally, around 6 PM, we made it to Newfound Gap. I was so unbelievably relieved when I finally saw the road throught the trees. Thankfully a park ranger was sitting in his car at the gap, and while his car was already full of hikers, he radioed ahead to get a ride for us. We ended up sheltering in the bathrooms at the gap for about 2 hours while we waited (we were prepared to setup camp in the bathoom), but finally a plow truck came and gave us a ride down the mountain and into town (I’ve never ridden in a plow truck, it was fun). There are very few times in my life that I’ve ever been happier than eating that 5 Guys burger after we got into town, or taking a hot shower in the hotel.
This might be my favorite picture of the trip so far. I told Powerade that he needed to take a picture of me then, so I could look back on my lowest moment. I forced a smile, but I was utterly miserable.
One of the next stops was Damascus, Virginia, a famous trail town. The trail passes right down Main Street of town, so every hiker passes through it, and it’s a great place to stop and rest for a few days. The morning before Damascus, I knew I wanted to attempt a large mileage day. I didn’t know if I would be able to make the 33 miles into Damascus, but I wanted to try. The terrain was forgiving, so I really pushed myself, and finally staggered into town around 8:30 PM, after close to 13 straight hours of hiking. I was beat and my feet were broken and bruised, but inside I felt triumphant. This was my highest mileage day by far! I had bought myself some well needed rest.
My mom and dad had planned to meet me in Damascus, and they arrived the next day. Getting to spend time relaxing in town with my family is one of my favorite moments so far. I’m so thankful they were able to make it up. We spent the day sitting on the porch of the hostel or walking around town, me telling stories and introducing them to all of the hikers in town. We ended the day by going to the Damascus brewery, where my parents very generously bought pizza for the whole group of about 10 hikers. Everyone was extremely grateful (hikers love food more than most). Oh, and this was my room while staying in Damascus! It was an old Airstream with running water and AC. It was so much fun!
I am now at mile 870. There are 1328 miles to go. We have hiked through rain, fog, cold, heat and oppressive humidity, over mountains and flooded rivers. We have conquered Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina, and are well under way through Virginia. Virginia makes up about a quarter of the entire trail, and there is a commonly held urban myth among hikers that Virginia is flat. It is not. As Powerade is fond of saying, “the trail never gets any easier, it just gets less hard”, and that feels very accurate. There certainly have been some “flatter” sections, and supposedly northern Virginia (and most of the trail until Vermont) is much gentler, but I’ll believe it when I see it. All we are able to do is keep on walking.