Date: 2023-06-10
From: Partnership Shelter

To: Merry Inn, Marion VA
Miles today: 0.0

Eli woke up this morning in the loft is Partnership Shelter feeling unwell. I was boiling water for breakfast when he let me know he had thrown up behind the shelter. My immediate worry was norovirus but, after considering g the alternative explanations for afew minutes, I decided that he was likely a bit exhausted and dehydrated. I decided to shuttle to Marion for medicine, food, and rest.I was able to get cell service by the road and Woodchuck showed up within 30 mi utes to take us to the Merry Inn along with two other hikers. We got a room but check in wasn¢t until 12. It was almost 11 o¢clock and Eli was already feeling a bit better. He hadn¢t had anything to eat yet so we went next door to Macados and got 2 sandwiches and fries. The rest and lunch we¢re just what was needed. We talked about hydration, snacking (despite not being ¢hungry¢) and the decision we made Monday to carry full packs 15.5 miles. The School of Hard Knocks is a good teacher if you¢ll listen! Boys this age need to test themselves against things like a 15+ mile day with full packs. I could have said ¢no¢ to the idea and pitched camp at Davis Spring. The boys would have forgotten about it by now and we¢d likely still be on the trail today. Should I have done that? I think there¢s a lot to be said for the trying (15+ miles), succeeding (in making the miles), failing (by having to zero early), and conquering again (by deciding not to call mom for the pickup, but instead, to get back out there). I certainly know people who live on this rollercoaster of bad decisions. It¢s not a good place to stay but it¢s a good place to experience during youth. Hopefully some wisdom was won over the last 3 days. The trail is a great classroom. I¢ll continue my guidance with Baxter¢s desire to hike the 4-state challenge at the end of July. Perhaps these days have been a good mini-lesson. I, personally, would rather spend my time elsewise but the fact will remain that he, and Eli, and all boys must test themselves. Baxter might decide he needs that particular test. There are far worse challenges to test oneself against than a 44-mile-day on trail 10 hours from your home. The 4-state challenge is a hiking challenge in which the victim hiker starts with a foot in PA, walks 44ish miles though MD and WV, and ends in VA. There is no road at the WV/VA border so backtracking 4 miles to Harper¢s Ferry is the southbounders ending plan. This is an10-hour car ride from our house. I asked Baxter: ¢If I gave you $400¢¦¢ (a conservative estimate for the cost of this adventure) ¢¢¦and let you choose any place in a 10-hour-radius-circle from our house, would you choose the Maryland AT!?¢ He paused and cogitated. I thought I had dealt the coup de grace. Then I realized the flaw in my argument. He could choose Talladega, Mammoth Caves, or The Ark Encounter, but none of these are challenges  The boy wants a challenge!We returned to the Merry Inn after lunch and took naps, showers, and did laundry. We walked to the 3 outfitters downtown to kill some time. I bought a waterproof pocket for my phone that fixes on my pack strap. We¢re walking into rain this week and my phone lacks a handy place to live without my thrupack. Wendy¢s was a mile away. We arrived in the 4:00 hour for an early dinner. Food Lion got a visit afterwards to fill in some gaps on our supplies. Toothpaste from CVS. Back at the Inn we watched Mr A-Game, created and updated spreadsheets, journaled, and listened to more LOTR. We¢re in bed now about 8:00 listening to the traffic on Main Street outside our window. We¢ll meet the shuttle in the morning at 8:00.