Date: 2014-06-08
From: Appalachian Trail Conservancy

To: Appalachian Trail Conservancy
Miles today: 0.0

RW Means: Rushing Where????? Nowhere today.We are spending 3 nights at the EconoLodge. Since there are only two beds and three of us we rotate everyday with one person sleeping on the floor in their sleeping bag. I slept on the floor last night. I had the weirdest experience last night. I woke up during the night and in my half-waking/half-sleep state I thought the legs of the tables and chairs were trees. The light under the door seemed to be a reflection from a shiny object. The beds were giant blocks of stone and other tents. I couldn't understand how I got out of my tent and WHY WAS I ON A CARPET! It was very disorientating until I turned my headlamp on. Yes, I turned my headlamp on and never thought about lights, they aren't out in the woods. When I realized I was sleeping on the floor of a motel and not in my tent, I shook my head and laughed. I have been in the woods too long! Bugs are a problem and seem to have taken special interest in Isn't Black and Bear Bag. Isn't Black is covered in bites from either chiggers, mites, gnats, or some other irritating and biting insect. His sleeping bag is infested as well. He spent a good part of today spraying his sleeping bag and clothing with insecticides and treating his very itchy bites. As for Bear Bag, tics like him and he is constantly pulling them off his body. Both purchased strong insect repellents today. As for me, I am embarrassed to admit, the bugs haven't been overly interested in me. Some minor bites by mosquitos and some other biting insect that are not bothersome. No complaints - yet.A zero day is so nice. I did next to nothing today. Usually zero days are busy. You come into town after a long hike. Then on your zero day you eat, buy food, eat, do laundry, search for the all-you-can-eat lunch, make phone calls, eat, charge your electronics, again think about going back to the all-you-can-eat place and then go there again, plan the next stage of your hike, and did I say you eat then go for ice-cream? The other very strange thing about zero days is the overwhelming desire to get back on the trail as soon as possible. I feel like I have been taken out of the big game when I stop to resupply and rest. The trail is now my life, and life keeps moving ahead, only ahead, all the time on the trail. To stop is like pausing life, holding me back from moving ahead towards my goal. It is critical and essential to health and resupply to take these pauses, but it is contrary to the daily routine of trail life. Trail life requires you to hike, not rest. Off the trail separates you from that life and puts you in an alien environment of speedy cars, noise, and the need for money. Because of a lot of trail magic yesterday and our early arrival into town, today is truly a zero day. I am doing very little and letting my feet recover. I spent time on the internet researching numbness in the toes and feet. We all have numb toes and at night it is one of the topics that comes up in the shelters and camps, along with food and equipment. Sometimes bears and rattlesnakes are discussed, but mostly food, feet, and equipment. The best I can find on the internet is that numbness is caused by improperly fitting shoes. I doubt this explanation because the number of hikers with the problem is so large, surely we all don't have improperly fitting shoes. I did find one article that relates the numbness to the rigors of backpacking and the pounding our feet take. Clearly the hard trail, heavy packs, long miles, and rocks play a large roll in sore and numb feet. Everyone spends so much money and time on shoes and insoles yet we still have sore and numb feet and toes. I know for sure that my new Doctor Scholls insoles have provided relief and reduced the numbness. Today, my feet feel so much better after a day of rest, but still numbness exists, especially in my big toes. Harpers Ferry is a very nice town and the ATC is just wonderful. I went there today, again, and talked to other thru-hikers. I saw several more hikers who I know and they are also staying at the EconoLodge. Needless to say, the pizza delivery guys are busy here.