Date: 2007-08-17
From: Tom Leonard Lean-to

To: Fernside Road, MA
Miles today: 10.9

August 17, Bad Day in the BackcountryToday was pretty much a terrible day. I had quite a meltdown on the trail today due to my sheer exhaustion and desire to be in Maine.I got up and had a pretty leisurely morning with Yellow Snow Man as we waited for Melk and Ronin to wake up. We didn't get on the trail until about quarter to 10 a.m. and it was slow going. I wasn't in a good mood.I was hiking with Melk and she kept asking me if I wanted to pass her and I kept saying no. I was, for some reason, just really stressed about getting to Katahdin this morning and it all hit me at once. It seems like a vicious cycle - the more tired I get, the more I need a break but the more I worry about making it to Maine. And I just feel too tired to hike big miles every day. Big miles seem overwhelming and that is worrysome. And I just want to get there.So, anyway, somewhere along one of the climbs and amidst all of my panting, I freaked out. Melk, of course, lightened the mood by trying to make me laugh. It worked after a while but it took me all day to really feel even a small bit better.After a break at a shelter, we all decided to head into Tyringham for the night and we are camped out at the fire department pavillion after getting persmission from the fire chief. Nice guy, turns out his son is hiking sections of the trail on a twenty year plan and encurages his dad to help hikers. So appreciated and much needed. We hitched into Lee for dinner at Arizona Pizza and I am ready to SLEEP.I am so glad to be here - it feels really nice to step off the trail for a little rest. We have also all agreed that we will get back on the trail a little further up. We all chose this for different reasons but for me I know that it will help me relax and alleviate a tiny bit of the stress I'm feeling. We're all feeling it.I was pretty impressed too - the moment we stepped off of the trail, we started seeing amazing scenery. It felt like we were in some European country looking out onto the hills as we walked by homes and cottages. Very pretty and something I definitely would never have seen on the trail. I immediately felt more relaxed.- Sound of Yellow Snowman and Ronin talking about how old Ronin is and the US presidents, the crickets, cars.Post Trail Thoughts:Tough day. I'm comfortable sharing this now that Melk, Ronin and I have all had a chance to sort things out but part of the reason I had this meltdown was due to our late starts every day. Ronin and Melk liked to sleep in and I was usually ready to go pretty early. I'd thought about just starting my day and letting them catch up to me but it never would have worked out and would have eventually split us all up at least until each town stop. I don't for a minute regret my decision to stick together but, when the hike was all said and done, we each admitted the whole situation was the pits. This was the biggest paradox to me while hiking - one that I think we each experienced in a different way - I felt I could only go on with my friends at my side yet having my friends at my side was what was slowing me down. It was hard to stay together but my friends made the trail easier for me. And so goes the Trail Days theme from that year - "the people are the trail". It was all worth it.Truly, the scenery once we started walking down the road to Tyringham was amazing. I felt like I was in the countryside in France or Italy. Gorgeous homes with a rustic feel and beautiful vistas. I was glad to have the opportunity to experience that.It was also very fun to stay at the pavilion that night. I can't imagine ever crashing at a pavilion in the town I grew up in but it felt so normal to me at the time. A new home every day...and ice cream before bed.