Date: 2015-09-08
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Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Many people have asked me about this topic so I decided to dedicate a whole entry explaining my thoughts. There are a few couples on the Trail and their methods may differ from ours. First and foremost, the decision to thru-hike the AT was a mutual agreement. When Vincent and I finished our month-long section hike in 2013 we ¢ almost reluctantly ¢ knew that we would one day come back. We are not outdoorsy people; I would even say we don¢t enjoy hiking that much. Still, we both agreed that the people we met and the incredible feeling of triumph we felt negated the physical hardships inherent to the AT. We decided to wait until 2015 when we would both be finished with our respective degrees. And, more importantly, we were both at a point where the thought of leaving our ¢normal¢ life and embarking on an uncommon, even risky journey is enticing. It is liberating to commit to an adventure that is socially deemed unconventional, especially when such an adventure is beyond your personal comfort zone. Vincent and I hiked together at all times. We also shared our sleeping space which means that we were ALWAYS together. Hiking with a partner is reassuring as you are confident that you will have help in the case of an emergency. For example, I don't know what I would have done had Vincent no been there when I sprained my ankle. He helped me stay calm and assess the situation. He also emptied most of my pack's content into his own. By hiking with a partner, you are also less anxious about getting lost - sometimes, those White blazes are few and far between and you can become insecure about your orientation skills. For this arrangement to work, it is crucial that both parties have the same pace. I mean this for the actual hiking as well as for the overall schedule. I mostly hiked in front of Vincent as I was a bit slower (especially after my injury), however I don't think he ever felt held back by me imposing my slower pace. We also both agreed on the frequency and duration of breaks. Similarly, we mostly agreed on the proposed plan for the upcoming days. A hiker who is comfortable averaging 12 miles a day cannot realistically hope to maintain the pace of an ambitious hiker aiming for a 20 miles a day average. The old axiom, "hike your own hike" is irrefutable; to hike with a companion, you need to be sure that you never feel rushed or overexerted otherwise you will compromise your experience which will lead you to resent your partner. Hiking as a couple has numerous advantages. Gear can be reduced and the weight can be distributed. You can get by with one tent, one set of cookware or one water filter. Furthermore, all the tasks can also be distributed. Vincent and I were always the slowest on the Trail but we were always the fastest to set up and pack up. We would help each other mount the tent so our shelter was always ready after a couple of minutes (great advantage when we were rushing to set up during a downpour!) While one was setting down the mats and sleeping backs the other would get water. While one person cooked or prepared dinner, the other would filter the collected water. Our organization became instinctual and we would anticipate what needed to be done without explicitly mentioning it, which increased our efficiency. Team work! Being with someone literally 24hrs a day can be taxing at times. If one person is having a difficult day, they might inadvertently express their frustrations to the other in a less-than-delicate manner. Tensions may rise if there are disagreements about plans or if one person said we hiked over 5 miles when in fact, as we later realized, we only did 3.7 miles (which happens when Vincent cannot do arithmetic to save his life.) On the AT, you are pushed to your physical and mental limits and sometimes a small setback may be too much. It's OK to be exasperated and tired sometimes but your irritated mood will affect the other person. Conversely, if your partner is discouraged, fed-up or having a mini-meltdown, understand that it is not (for the most part) directed at you personally. Patience, compassion, respect of the other person's feelings and proper communication are vital. Romantic couples will see their relationship tested to a certain degree and, it is unfortunate to say, but I know some couples whose interactions on the Trail would probably be too volatile. They would be angry and impatient with each other, jeopardizing their hiking trip. The trials and hardships of the Trail accumulate with time. Even if you are comfortable hiking and camping with someone for a couple of weeks, note that time on the Trail intensifies pain and accelerates emotional depletion. Not only must you accept your new state of permanent discomfort, but you must deal with your partner¢s as well; their hiking worries, problems and injuries will be yours. Notwithstanding this, the benefit of having constant companionship is the most compelling reason to hike with a partner. There is of course the comfort of being with a known face. Sometimes, I will admit that Vincent and I had a tendency to stay together rather than engage new people, although I don't think that hiking with a partner will necessarily diminish your social experience of the AT. It is wonderful to have someone to talk too during those dreary miles or to have someone with whom you can share a snack. True, two hikers are noisier than solo hikers. This does diminish the pair¢s chance of seeing a bear or other skittish wildlife; it is a small inconvenient. Your hiking partner experiences the same difficulties as you, but you share the same reward. There is no other person that is more invested in your success than your partner. They understand your experiences on a much more intimate level. For over five months, I have attempted to describe my thru-hiking journey on the AT, yet my experience still feels undefined, as if my AT life has no reference or no relation to my current one. My limited mind could never have computed all the aspects of a thru-hike and the feelings that would be evoked during the trip. From the overwhelming desperation crushing your soul as you see, yet again, rain clouds looming over to the calm serenity you feel as you hike along the path, your mind cleared. You hike as if you are not part of your body but an outside observer examining the surrounding forest, appreciating minute details: the low afternoon light breaking through translucent leaves, the damp, earthy smell of the ground, unknown insects scurrying between our feet, the peaceful forest reverberating with muffled, silent noises. Thru-hikers would probably empathize with my description. While I did miss my family and my home, I never felt homesick because I never felt alone. Sharing a great experience only heightens it; conversely, I always felt a certain degree of alienation vis- -vis outsiders. They could intellectually understand my trials but they could not understand how all-encompassing a thru-hike is. It is a parallel life: new people, scenery, frame of references, physical sensations, emotional outbursts, and a new role within a makeshift society where all previous indicators of status are washed away and you are born anew in this fluid, egalitarian society. Of course, there are some traditional indicators of class and social hierarchy remaining (for instance, wealth), but their impact are diminished. You share stories, laugh with all types of people and you are confronted at times with different life philosophies. Describing the experience of a thru-hike is akin to explaining a color; having someone who implicitly knows the undefined, indescribable nuances deeply-rooted in the experience of an AT thru-hike is priceless. A few more entries should follow soon. Justine