Date: 2004-07-15
From: Sick Day

To: Only Myself To Blame
Miles today: 0.0

This morning I stepped up from my bunk at the Harper's Ferry Hostel (located in Knoxville, Maryland) and felt lightheaded. At breakfast, the symptoms continued. Something was wrong with me.The couple who own the hostel told me that I might have been suffering from dehydration. My symptoms were similar to other hikers who have visited the hostel and taken ill from dehydration. They told me to drink lots of fluids, especially sports drinks, and take it easy.I have only myself to blame for this condition. During the last two days of hiking, especially yesterday, I did not drink enough water. One reason is that I did not carry enough water in my reserve bladder in order to save on weight. Another reason is that some of the streams appeared silty, so I did not draw water from them. Yesterday when I was almost out of water and nearing Harper's Ferry, the streams I found were situated near roads. I tend to avoid water sources near roads. I decided to take a second day off from hiking and remain at the hostel. My decision was a reluctant one. The weather was cool and I was antsy to resume hiking due to my worries about reaching Mount Katahdin by October 15, but I did not want to take a chance with my health.At the hostel, I drank fluids, rested, and socialized with other guests. This is an international hostel and the guests are not just hikers. There are two people here from England. One of the guests drove me to a supermarket where I bought some fresh foods for lunch and supper. By the afternoon, I was feeling better.During a couple of days of hiking in the hot weather, I had removed my shirt during some ascents; that was something I regretted. My sweat permeated the straps of my backpack which has resulted in a nasty smell. The odor has attracted flies. Today with idle time on my hands, I washed the backpack in a shower stall and hung it out to dry on a line. Other maintenance tasks were performed on my gear.I met another hiker there who was recovering from lyme tick disease. He told me that my worries about not making it to Mount Katahdin by October 15 were excessive. This conversation helped to assuage my concerns. Sardine left the hostel early, but hikers Wipeout, Smack, Lambie and Utah left during the mid afternoon. There is a possibility that I might catch up to them in the next few days. During the evening, a thru hiker named High Trailer rolled in. He is a middle aged man. This year he has been thru hiking the trail in segments. He just finished hiking in Maine and has traveled by bus to Harper's Ferry to hike the trail north into Pennsylvania. He is the first thru hiker I have met who has "flipped" during his hike. There is a hiker named Jaybird who is staying and working at this hostel. He is a good singer and guitar player. During the evening, some of the guests, including myself, socialized around a campfire. Jaybird took song requests. I asked him to play "Wild Horses" by the Rolling Stones. He fulfilled the request then launched into the Stones tune, "Dead Flowers."Tonight my body is rehydrated; my rash is almost gone; and my backpack is clean. I am ready and anxious to hit the trail tomorrow.