Date: 2005-04-25
From: Campbell

To: Troutville
Miles today: 17.0

Wow, what a day-I awoke to a breathtaking sunrise and blue skies and NO snow on the ground. The hike today was gorgeous and I spent most of my time hiking alone and saying my goodbyes to the trail¢¦or rather my ¢see ya laters.¢ It was really windy with big, puffy white clouds and clear blue skies-pretty much a perfect way to remember the trail and miss it so I come back really soon. The tinker cliffs were very cool-Virginia¢s farmland is so beautiful. I had excellent energy today and started to regret my decision to leave, but in the last 6 miles the pain in my feet and knees kicked in full force and as I hobbled into Troutville I was very quickly reminded that continuing on untreated is impossible. As much as I love the trail and hiking I need to save my body so that I can continue to pursue this love for the rest of my life.We¢re having a ¢going away...for a while¢ party for me tonight which so far has involved lots of beer and pizza (and I got started early at our Mexican lunch with some Pina Coladas) We¢re having a blast hanging out at the hotel together and I¢m realizing how much I love and am going to miss my friends here-they¢ve become my family these last two months-my support group-almost my reason for being here and the biggest reason I don¢t want to leave-Boomerang, Heidi, Jill, Chris, Tim, Erica, Maruchan, PigPen, and Gunter-you¢ve made me laugh until I cry, you¢ve made me think and have challenged me, you inspire me, and you¢ve made my life great these last two months-I love you and thank you from the bottom of my heart. What a long, strange trip it¢s been As much as I'll miss everyone, I'm not sad or regretful as I leave. I'm going home a stronger more independent woman than I've ever been. I hiked 715 miles through scary weather, impossible physical pain, and seemingly insurmountable mental challenges. I got off the trail a month ago and made it back stronger than I was before. And I know that I can come back again. I've seen Katahdin at the end of my journey and at this point I know I can make it there, but as I've said before when you reach that point where you know you can do it, it's not about reaching Katahdin anymore. It's about being in harmony with your body. It's about the quickly formed bonds and natural friendships that develop each day. It's about pushing your limits and opening your eyes and mind to the possibilities of yourself. It's about slowing down and tasting life, realizing how fleeting it all is, and how much up until this point you've let it all fly by unappreciated and taken for granted. It's about being really close to the earth and realizing how beautiful and alive the world is. It's about being more alive than I've ever been...the Appalachian Trail will always be there calling me back. I'm connected to it now and I'll never get over the addiction I've had to it since I was eleven. A thru-hike cannot satiate my hunger to keep following those white blazes. This journey isn't a two month or six month but a lifetime journey-the AT will always have something important to teach me and I don't doubt that I will be back very soon...Thanks to everyone that's supported me along the way.