Date: 2009-06-02
From: Linden Va 

To: Bears Den Hostel
Miles today: 25.3
Weather: scattered clouds

A rough day today, all self inflicted. I hiked from Linden to US 50, a total of 12 miles and then I hitch hike back to my car. I am on a busy highway and the cars go by fast so it looks like I will not be succesful getting a ride. But as usual "trail magiic' happens and a van pulls up. This is Hopefull and REDWING the proprietors of the Brears Den Hostel, which is nmy destination for the night. They are going to Linden where my car is so I am all set.The Bears Den Hostel is a beautiful stone home converted to a hostel and owned by the Appalachian Trail Conservency. The ATC is the non profit group that oversees the AT for the Forest Service. I drive my car to the hostel and then hitch hike back to the trail where I had left off. This gets me to the trail at 3 pm with 13.5 miles to get to the hostel. I calculate this to be an easy task however i forget that the next section is called the ROLLER COASTER. It is 13 miles of ups and downs that is also covered with rocks. The terrain is difficult to walk on and although the ups are not that significant the fact that there are not any flat level walking areas is a phsycological barrier. I start out optomistic but as time goes by and I keep recalculating my arrival time i see that I may not make it before the hostel closes at 9 pm. (Actually it never closes, just the check in is only available from 5 pm to 9 pm).I start running down the hills, even with the rocks I am able to do this pretty well and the ROLLERCOASTER becomes more like a real SIX FLAGS ride. The problem is every down brings another up and the rocks slow me down. I become frantic and start rushing and worrying. This is all self inflicted pain because it really doesn't matter if I get to the Hostel by 9 pm or not (except i did not bring my tent with me as I was slack packing and keeping my pack lite). I did have my headlamp and I could always walk in the dark. I worried, I ran past other hikers in a frenzy, and then I became overheated. I had been drinking plenty but my running and hard work going up hill made me succumb to heat exhaustion. I could tell that was happening because of the dry chills on my legs and arms although all my clothing was soaked with sweat. I pushed on , a bit slower, but always pushing until I met that 9 pm self imposed deadline. It was getting dark as the sun set and the woods closed in on me. I could see the lights of the hostel, uphill of course. I rolled in to the hostel at 9:02 and Hopefull wanted me to sit down , drink something cold and relax. She could see how disorientated I was as I explained that the ROLLERCOASTER was not my favorite part of the trail. After checking in I enjoyed a nice shower and had dinner. The hiker special at this hostel is, a bunk, a shower, a load of laundry washed and dried (self service), a pint of Ben & Jerrys ice cream and a Tombstone pizza (you cook in the kitchen) all for $25.I talk with a volunteer at the hostel , Kathy, whose husband had completed the trail at age 60 two years earlier. She helped me get over my frustrations with the trail and told me I was pushing myself too hard. She asked me a couple of times if I was having fun. Well no , not today but why is that? I asked myself.O.M. River