I'm Worn

Another couple of friends passed by Niday shelter.  The few that stayed last night long and gone.  Everyone seems to be pushing for the Dragon's Tooth Monolith.  I want to as well.  The Virginia Blues struck me not like a wagon wheel more like a Mac truck.

In a previous post I wrote about my shoes being wornout from the inside out.  Much like my shoes I am too.  When I realized I was flip flopping with a group of friends (they'd be at one shelter and another, missing each other in passing) I tried to sync with them.  When I came into the Captain's place someone said they'd just passed a few hours before and were pushing a big mile day.  My heart sank as then I remembered, they are a fully supported team and carry minimal supplies.  I'm packing 7 days worth.  When I leave town I'm weighing in at over 50 with food, fuel, & water.  There was now way to catch them in my eyes.

When I saw the trail in bad shape I knew I needed to slow down.  The heavy pack, the twisted rocks, the undergrowth taking over all pointed to slow it down or get hurt or worse.  My mileage in this region is at best 17 miles a day.

Since Damascus Trail Days the bubbles are all mixed up.  Long time hiking companions are tossed into new groups.  Some hikers were just doing long sections and D'VA was their stop.  New bubbles are forming. I now do hike with some pretty cool young marrieds.  I do hike with a few pretty snazzy solos.  I knew coming to the trail half the hikers are gone by Trail Days.  I knew I'd be making new friends along the way north and seeing others fade away.  Still, though at home I have many social circles and I bounce between them, there is two social circles out here, hikers and everyone else.  The exchange of friends in taking a toll on me.

My diet is another thing taking its toll on me.  In town I raid the fast food joint for calories and the produce isle for nutrition.  When I do stock up for the trail it's: knorr sides, instant anything, breakfast bars, and peanut butter.  This round I tried biscuits, more in a few on that.  I was doing cheese blocks and summer sausage.  Both of those are heavy and are quickly consumed within a day or so.

At Niday, I tried making biscuits.  When my stove fuel ran out, I just ate the dough.  A few hours later, safe and warm, my stomach revolted.  I barely unzipped the bug net before the afore mentioned materials re-appeared.  I filled my camp shoes to capacity.  Not a pretty sight or sound.  Let's say that's the last time I make stomach baked biscuits.

I am slow to move today and am taking an extra day in the woods.  I have the food to get me to the next resupply.  The question is, if my stomach revolted again multiple times, will I have the strength to get to the next road a few miles away?  I hate being sick, even worse then being worn out from the inside out.  I crawled into back into my cocoon.

Update: taking this day off did me better then rest.  It's providing me with opportunity to catch up with trail family I thought were a head and even behind.  As the miles progress northward the family is getting smaller.  I hope to get over with what's taken me down.  I am going to beat the Virginia Blues with new shoes or inserts and renewed hope.

Tomorrow, I hope to quicken my pace and get through a section of beauty called the Dragon's Tooth and into three car garage also known as Four Pines Hostel.

Health it's more then a physical state...
Hike on.