Date: 2015-04-13
From: Knot Maul Branch Shelter

To: Jenkins Shelter
Miles today: 20.0
Weather: clear sky

The shelter was quite crowded this morning, making me a bit embarassed about the noise we were making when packing up. It was akin to opening and eating a bag of chips in a completly silent space, like a library. Luckily, this bird decided to sing the song of its people. It would chant at regular intervals before moving a few meters and starting over again. It sang its way around the perimeter of the shelter, making sure no one would sleep in. I didn't feel so bad about the noise I was making afterwards. The terrain was, overall, uphill today. We had a couple of steep climbs out of the shelter and a final, very long ascent that followed Chestnut Ridge, which offered pleasant views of the surrounding Virginia farmlands. The final portion of the climb was along a bald, grassy patch which, by all accounts should have been easy, but the Trail seemed to go on forever and the bright sun was burning up my skin. We ate lunch at the shelter and set out. Now, many hikers claim that once we hit Virginia, the Trail will be "easy" and that we will be able to put in 20+ miles a day (and it's usually the competitive young guys who are guilty of this). Well, I can safely say that no, not all of Virginia is easy. The terrain profiles shown in the guide books do indicate that the mountains peak at lower altitude than the Smokies for instance. Even, at first glance, the Virginia landscape appears as parallel rows of mountains separated by valleys carved between them, quite a difference from some of the views we had a while back, where the mountains appeared pockmarked, full of craters like the back of a giant reptile. Virginia is more subtle - the profile seems flat but, upon closer inspection, one can see that it is shaped like the ECG of a sick man with tachycardia. Small yet steep ascents and descents, continuously appearing, as rolling waves are formed in the sea, although unlike the sea, the surface of these hills were not smooth, but rocky. Small, jagged rocks, large slanted rocks. Rocks. It was a long afternoon. I was not in a good mood.However, the disappointing and difficult terrain favored inner reflexion. If hikers can accumulate more miles in VA it's partly because of their increased strength and endurance rather than a facilitated terrain. Also, hikers have experienced a mental shift that enables them to handle unconfortable periods for longer stretches. The PC version of this newly acquired philosophy could be something like "it is what it is" but I feel that the statement "f- it" truly summarizes the intrinsic subtleties of this mantra. Is the terrain rocky and steep? Is it going to rain? Are your feet killing you? F- it. Move on, that's all you can do. It does not matter.It's not a declaration of resignation, but a passive acceptance, understanding that many, many things are out of your control (like for example, for those who know, school admissions).This is where "allons-y" ("let's go", in English) complements perfectly my new forced-because-of-the-circumstances vision of life. Yes, we cannot avoid the challenges and difficulties presented by the Trail as these will always remain, unchanged; we need to move towards them, head on, and tackle them to the best of our ability. I won't say that positives outcomes are assured or that every hardship will be balanced out with a rewarding experience - that would not be a realistic conclusion (only a lame one). At best, we can embrace the unexpected, the surprising even the strange. Nothing will ever be as we plan.The Trail breaks your expectations.- Axon