Date: 2014-04-29
From: Fontana Dam

To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

So, I have been home for two weeks now and begun to heal. It had taken me one week to realize that the pain that helped send me home may be a little more serious than I first thought. The healing process is not progressing as fast as I had hoped. As I hiked the trail, I realized that every day I hiked, something different hurt every day. One day my right foot would hurt and the next day, my left knee would glitch. It was not always something serious but, it always seemed to be something. Anyhow, I have bought a bicycle and begun riding daily. I still want to finish hiking the Appalachian Trail, but now, I will section hike. The idea of a thru-hike was exciting and wishful but, it may also have been a bit ambitious. A section hike will certainly be more of a realistic goal than a thru-hike was. It will take time for me to be able to hike any real distance again. I have not been able to get around like I used to but, I am working on getting stronger all the time. And I will not quit until I am able to section.Before the beginning of my hike, all I could think about was The Trail. Every moment of almost every day was spent researching newer and lighter gear, reading A.T. books and journals and buying, returning and re-buying gear. During that time, I was also hiking most days. We always think that there is nothing that can keep us from finishing what we set out to do. We know that we are ready to conquer the mental aspect. We know that we can handle the social aspect that The Trail puts in our path. We know that we are strong enough to physically handle all of the walking, climbing, living in the woods and carrying all of those pounds for all of those miles and not be affected. But then we find that we ache, we get thirsty, we get hungry and we start to break down physically. Since I have come home, I STILL constantly think about The Trail. I am still reading trail journals, following other's journeys and planning how and when I can start hiking again. As much of an obsession as the trail was the first of this year, it still is now. Well, maybe not quite, but not far off.When I began hiking on the 18th of March, there were four of us guys that stayed at the lodge, shared meals, conversation and began hiking on the same day. As of this week, there is only one of us that remains on the trail, and he has issues with his Achilles and has just gotten rested and started to hike again. Three of us have retired from the thru-hike. One is left. You read every year that only a small percentage of people actually complete a thru-hike. I can tell you why. Because it doesn't matter how your mental attitude is, or how good your physical ability is or how long you have been hiking, or how far you have hiked in your life. This trail is HARD. It is difficult from the beginning to the end. Sun Splash and I hiked together for a good portion of the trail and we talked about how one misstep could end your hike in an instant. Sometimes the end of a thru-hike is less dramatic. My hat is off to all those that persevere and are still on the trail, but also off to all of those that even attempted a thru-hike. This trail is no joke. These mountains, rocks, fallen trees and boulders are no joke. If you are out there reading this, congrats to you and may you reach your destination. Thank you to all that have followed my journal and signed my guest book. Know that all I have done on the trail so far has been a tremendous experience that I would not trade for anything. The people that I have met were amazing; some were amazingly wonderful and others, not so much. But all of the people whose paths I crossed made the journey what it was. I was able to see and experience things that some others will never get to see. I count myself as truly blessed to have lived this life on the trail.Peace,The journey is the destination.