Date: 2007-06-11
From: Punchbowl Shelter

To: Dutch Haus B&B, Montebello, VA
Miles today: 7.3

I fell apart today. I quit. I can't do this any more. I was sitting on a logat 8 am crying...so depressed...so worn out...so depleted. Nothing left togive. But you can't just quit the AT, you have to hike out to somewhere. So upI got, slung that HEAVY pack once again onto my back and startedwalking....step....step....step.......step........step. I'm slowing down (as ifthat's possible) feeling worse as the morning wore on. I tried to call Dennis'cause talking to him always cheers me up, but the signal's too weak. So on Itrudge. I get to a forest service road and see a truck parking a ways back. DoI approach? I feel a bit better. I start to walk over then decide...no, I cando this...this feeling will pass...besides they probably can't help hikersanyways. So on I go. Then at a bridge I see a sign "Trail magic 1 1/2 to 2miles"...yippee...they will be able to help me get out of here. my plan hasbeen to hike today and tomorrow 15 miles each day to get to the Dutch Haus B&B. A fiend had said it was a must stay. I checked my notes and found out they do shuttling, so I decided when I could I would call them and have them pick me up today. That way I could get out of here TODAY. But I have to get to a road AND I have to have a cell signal. Finding a road was going to be the easier task. Now my book mentions 3 milestones and all have elevation of about 1000ft so I figure the next 2 miles to trail magic is flat. WRONG...there are large hills to climb between those milestones. It was 10:15 when I saw the sign, so it should take me to about 11:15 to get there. I hike on. The trail and the notes in my book aren't agreeing. I don't cross a dam...I don't come to the road mentioned. It's now 11:30 and I'm climbing up again...and I'm so tired...and feeling so alone. I dump my pack right in the trail and flop down using it as a back rest and fall asleep...right across the trail. I'm done. I can't go on. 30 minutes later:I awake and get going again. Can't quit here...gotta keep walking to get out. What's that ahead? a road? I was 50 feet from the road? and there'sthe trail magic! What a welcome sight!!! Tomboy is there, her husband justwent to town for more supplies. A chair, an ice tea, a couple of hard boiledeggs, a cheese sandwich, and a box of Fruit Loops later, ahhh...I feel a bitbetter. But I'm still quitting...at least for today, if I can figure out how to get outof here. A forest service truck stops by and I tell them I need to get out. They said they would have to send in a law enforcement vehicle to get me anddrive away. A while later a couple of guys checking out the area for a boyscouts trip next weekend stop by. now I don't know if I should see if they can help me or if the forest service guy is sending some one. Hmm...the forest service guy comes back and says he can't help, so } ask the boy scouts...and they agree to drive me to Montebello! Now that's real trail magic in my book...what you need when you need it!so that's how I got here. Came in about 3:00, took a bath, crawled into my bunkbed and promptly fell asleep until 7! Guess I wasn't feeling well. Got up fordinner...mmmmm! Home cooking, just what I need. And tomorrow I'm gonna do nothing except rest and recuperate. Then I think I'll slack pack a couple of days to heal my legs and feet from the weight and see if I can continue. Maybe in the meantime I'll find someone to hike with. I need a hiking partner, it's too hard doing this alone. We'll see how the trail provides. For now it's rest and good food and be patient. No hasty decisions.Step lightly