Date: 2009-09-30
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

Well it was up about 7:30 am, still not much in way of appetite but forced down a poptart, packed up and was hike by 8:35, thought that was pretty good for first time. The goal today was to make it to New Chapel Trailhead approx. 12 miles, I had water cached there.It was a beautiful day temps low 80's. They call the Knobstone the "lil appalachian" which is one of the reasons I wanted to hike it. But today was a lot of up and downs, now mind you these are hills not mountains but c'mon folks they were kicking my butt. Today I felt like a weenie. I had to stop sometimes every 20 ft for a few seconds and plot my next 30 steps up some of these hills. The down hills were easier for me but mentally i knew everytime i went down there was going to be an up. I think I started to get mad at myself, felt like i should be in better shape. I am a healthy 48 yr old, that works out and is active but it sure didn't show here. I eased up on myself saying that it is only my second day hiking with a 40lb pack, i need to give myself a break. But believe me guys there were times that I didn't believe i was going to make the 12 mile trek. I, also, had been told that water was scarce on this trail so I had cached water at the remaining trailheads. I was tired, still no appetite, no human sightings and 4 miles to go and i ran out of water, ugh. I decided that i could make it 4 miles, just dig in. Well of course the next mile was steep ups and downs, oh my but alas at the bottem i found water, not much and i wish it had been a flowing stream but water was so low, I treated about a liter of water and prayed to the water Gods. Water never tasted so good, I just hope i don't get sick. I made it to the bottem of the next trailhead, woohoo 12 miles I made it. I started to go to the trailhead to look for my water but frankily i was beat so I decided to set up camp and go in the morning.Good news though, the anxious/panicy feeling was less tonight, I felt better about being in the woods alone. Still a rough nite sleeping but dozed off and on. Morning came and left foot really sore, the inside arch. I was walking with a limp, once i got my hiking boots on it ceased to hurt, so i was good. I packed up and set off to the trailhead, mentally tired not sure if i could do the next section which was suppose to be pretty tough but could make that decision to get off the trail early when i got to the trailhead. Well again, i don't know why it is but all the trailheads are straight up, so climb i did took less rests i think. But when i got to the trailhead I could not find my water cache, damn. Not sure if someone took it or i if i just couldn't remember where, but i have a feeling it was gone!! So that was that my decision was made for me, there was no way i could hike up/down for 7 miles w/o water. I called a shuttle and was pulled from the trail. Really, my first backpacking experience went 17 miles in two days, felt good about that.I learned a lot on this trip and that is what it is all about. Has it squashed my enthusiasm for doing the AT, not at all. Though I am terrified that i won't be prepared and can't wait to get out there. The big factor that got to me was the isolation and that was be as much of an issue on the AT, so i hear.So now it is off to visit my daughter and her family in KY and then back home.