Date: 2015-05-16
From: Daleville, VA

To: Daleville, VA
Miles today: 0.0

So, I have been thinking a lot about hiking companions lately.When mom and Dan dropped me back off at the trail on Monday morning, I had choices. I could link back up with Easy Strider, Amish, Yeti, and Steam Machine. I could hike alone. I could try to catch up with Chris. I could do pretty much anything.From the start of my trip, I kind of hoped I could find someone to hike with at least a little of the time. It was so nice to start out on the approach trail with Trail Mentor Alexa, and not just because she patiently answered all of my ridiculous questions without making me feel like an idiot. It was just nice to have a friend to talk to.When Alexa thru-hiked, she had a friend that she stuck with for a while. It seemed like such a nice idea... I hoped I could end up in a similar situation. Alexa assured me that over time, I would keep seeing the same faced on the trail, and find people that kept a similar pace to mine.In the first weeks, I liked having Hands for company. I never hiked with him, but he caught up to me at night for a few days in a row, and it was nice to have a friend to talk to. It was also nice to have my solitude during the day. But he had knee problems, and had to go slow. I am more than a week ahead of him now.And I liked hiking with Columbo. He kept a pace not too different from mine. We had a lot in common to talk about as we hiked, and got to know each other and shared a strong desire for pizza. Of course, basically everyone on the AT has the love of hiking in common at least, so there is always that thread linking everyone on the trail.Easy Strider and the gang were also fun. Their pace was good. They were like social overload for my introverted self, though. As they hiked, they reminisced about all of their previous adventures. I felt a little out of place tagging along behind them. I also didn't like their habit of starting late and finishing late. I like having more time to relax and do chores in the evening.Chris was by far my favorite hiking companion of the trip. His pace was good. I never felt like I had to catch up to him if he got ahead of me, though. Our hike was more fluid, like the come and go of familiar faces on the trail. Sometimes I would be right behind him, and we might talk. Other times, I would keep 20 feet behind him, lost in my own thoughts. And other times, we would have to climb a hill, and I would still be a quarter of the way up it when he reached the top. I didn't have to worry, though. I kept my own pace, knowing that I would catch up to him eventually, when he paused for a drink or to stretch. The thing about hiking with Chris is that I feel free to hike my own hike, even though I am still with him. Does that make sense? When Sean the cyclist attached himself to me the other day, I felt like I couldn't escape. I didn't want to be rude by running past him when he went too slowly for me, because he obviously was enjoying telling me his life story.Also hiking behind Sean was weird because he was wearing ridiculously tight cycling shorts, so I got way too close of a view of his butt, which I did not really appreciate.I love meeting people on the trail, but sometimes - often, actually - I need alone time to think, reflect, and recharge.Long-term hiking with someone else can make the hike so complicated. If you stick together, you are at the mercy not only of your own needs and desires, but theirs, too. What if you want to keep going to the next shelter, but they don't? What if they want to go into town when you don't? Or if they HAVE to, to pick up mail? What if they have a lot of money to spend on hotels but you can't afford the same luxury? What if you don't want to hike an extra mile to that restaurant off the trail to get a burger? What if they get injured?! What if they sprain their ankle and have to take a week off from hiking? Do you wait for them?Also, the personal space kind of issues. I told you, I am a rolling ball of sweat and snot. I am disgusting when I hike. The other day I stopped at the end of the day and my nose was crusted with dirty dried runny-nose snot. Salt was crusted around my eyelids. My blue hiking shirt was stained brown with nasty sweat. I do not really want another human being to witness me in this condition.Do you see how complicated it can be?! This is why I am a strong advocate of hiking alone. I like my freedom. I don't mind hiking with people for a few hours or a day or two, but I haven't wanted to attach to anyone long-term.However, there are also benefits to hiking with a friend. You can split the costs of hotel rooms, groceries, and pizzas. You can share two pints of ice cream. You have a friend to talk to, someone to take your picture, to celebrate landmarks with, and commiserate with on bad days. Even if you don't hike together during the day, you have someone to hang out with at night.So it was hard to decide what to do. I could keep a slower pace, or put on a few extra miles to catch up to Chris and outrun the others. You know me. I LOVE A CHALLENGE. I was totally excited about my new trail runners and the prospect of 100 miles in 4 days was a gleam in my eye.So I went for it. And I am happy with the decision so far, even though my feet hurt. I like Chris. I really like Chris. I am thankful to have someone to hike with, at least for a little while, who I actually enjoy being with, and who respects my space.