Date: 2015-06-25
From: Unionville, NY

To: Wawayanda Shelter
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: broken clouds

I was not feeling the hike this morning. I have no idea why. Not enough protein? Eating too much in general? The oppressive heat? The horrible amount of road walking that was killing my toes?I have no idea. But it was one of the few times since I left Springer that I just wanted to stop. I wanted to sit. I just didn't want to hike.So it turned into a slow, slow day. I stopped a lot. I ambled down the trail at a slow pace. I ate extra snacks at morning break time in hopes of renewing my energy but just ended up with a stomachache.The red-winged blackbirds soaring over the Wallkill River Wildlife Refuge were fun to watch. The forest was inspiring as always. The boardwalk over the swamp and Pochuck Creek was beautiful and so well-crafted, and I enjoyed them. But I had to push myself more than usual to keep going. The hike didn't flow today. My rhythm was off.And for the first time, I started to understand why some people give up. Why they quit their hike, even so late in the game.At the Pocono Inn the other day, we were talking about how people were dropping out. Coco and Magnus named at least two people who were leaving the trail (people I had never met, so I can't remember the names now). And I was surprised. At this point, I figure, you have made it more than halfway through the hike. You must be enjoying it if you made it this far, right?! Why would you give up now?But this is the time when people get burnt out. I was feeling burnt out today.But in the afternoon, I started up the "stairway to heaven", a rocky climb up Wawayanda Mountain. And I don't know what did it. Maybe it was because yelling at the bear at the bottom to get his furry butt off the trail (he did not care at all) made my blood pump a little faster. Maybe it was because I slowed my pace when picking my way through the rocks. Maybe it was because I stopped to engage southbound day hikers and warn them about the bear (they were anxious, I was not, I felt brave - self-esteem boost!).I have no idea what did it. But during the afternoon, I felt better. I had a slight (very slight, but still present) pep in my step as I continued north. A little more of my motivation returned. I felt better. Nothing's going to stop me from reaching Katahdin!So today's hike had some kinks, but I managed to work through them.When I stopped to slather my legs with DEET this morning, I found another little parasite buddy. I think he was tick #3. How have I not gotten Lyme Disease yet? I feel like there are probably a million ticks on me that I can't see. Scary to think about. Every day when I stream bathe (or pond bathe, or wet wipe bathe), I check for ticks. I comb my hair and comb and comb to feel for any lumps or irregularities in my scalp. But it is so easy to miss one of the little buggers. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I make it through the hike disease-free.Before hitting the boardwalk, I passed a cooler of trail magic Gatorade from "Bloop, Bleep", which was much needed in the sweltering heat.On the boardwalk, I passed a lot of day hikers and a group of gray-haired birdwatchers. Actually, I passed a TON of day hikers in general today. Now I am in the suburbs of the AT, and people are plentiful. One guy looked at my pack and was like, "Wow, you're prepared for anything!" I just agreed, but I should have said, "IT IS EVERYTHING! I LIVE OUT HERE!".It is supposed to rain tonight so I am avoiding a wet tent by sheltering. Freebie, Bo, Po, and someone else (it's too late now to ask his name again without looking stupid UPDATE: his name is Mass) are my companions, as well as the ridgerunner Grasshopper, who patiently answered my 76 questions about where he hikes and who hired him and everything to do with being a ridgerunner.I visited the Wawayanda State Park office to fill my water bottles at the spigot. I also went into the bathroom (A REAL BATHROOM. WITH RUNNING WATER.) to change into my pajamas and scrub myself.I actually got completely naked, deciding to take advantage of the nice big mirror for my ritual tick-check. Usually on the trail, I never expose myself. Or at least I try not to. You never know when someone's going to walk out from behind a tree next to you. I do the underwear trick (put on pair 2 under pair 1, pull one leg out of pair 1, then other leg), and put bra over bra before taking the old one off. Kind of a pain, but it works.So I was totally naked, and I am almost NEVER naked anymore. And I definitely had locked the door. I'd had to pull it shut so that the lock would click into place. But apparently I did something wrong, because a lady managed to open that door right up. Right as I was buck, stark naked, Packtowl dangling from one hand. Oops. Guess I didn't lock that door as well as I thought.We both apologized as she shut the door again. "I thought I locked the door!" I called, feeling kind of bad. She seemed a little embarrassed at first. I was not embarrassed at all. At this point, I don't care. I don't even feel bad that I am bathing out of a sink in a public restroom. Gotta seize those opportunities. Jeez, I am actually PROUD that I am not just letting myself grow into a giant dank fuzzy hiker mold spore. I need my baths. Stream, spring, sink... I'll take it.I emerged, fully clothed, half a minute later, half-laughing as I apologized, "I'm so sorry, I was changing my clothes and doing a tick check...!"She was very gracious and told me not to worry, saying, "I'm glad it was just me!".This was a good point... it might not have been as funny if a guy walked in on me. Actually, I might have found it FUNNIER, because it would have been even more embarrassing. MY LIFE, it just keeps getting more ridiculous.So that's today's story.And I am so tired tonight, lots of details are missing. I am sorry, future self. Maybe tomorrow I will have more energy to recount today.I am thankful for a dry place to sleep, and a bear box. I am so thankful that I don't have to throw a rope at a tree tonight. I wish I was tenting, because more have just arrived and hiker social hour has begun, and I just want to sleep... but staying dry is better.