I am at Dutch Haus B&B. No cell service, but I have Internet. I should be in Waynesborough on Tuesday. I have a new backpack being sent there. I am just about done with the Blue Ridge Pkwy. There is no way that we could have worked out a way for Dad to meet me. It was just not what I thought it would be.
I am having some medical issues that I am worried about but will talk to you about those later. I am in for a good rest today and should be back on the trail tomorrow afternoon. Things are still going well. Once I get to Shenandoah NP it is rumored that the terrain will get easier. I am looking forward to that.
I may not be out of the so-to-say "blues," but I do feel better again about what I am doing. I do believe that I can do this. It is just tough and somewhat monotonous. Someone I was talking to a few days ago said something to me like, "Either you think it is worth the effort [and tough it out] or you go home. It is that simple." I thought that was a good way to put it simply. It really is that easy of a choice. I know it is worth the struggle. I am the one who is making myself climb this stupid hill and cuss it the whole way. I am deciding to do this, and I can decide to quit whenever I want to. I know that it is worth the effort. What is keeping me going right now is that it will get easier soon.
I am still taking pictures, but I have to say they are tapering off, because there is not as much to see. Anything that is worthwhile I do take a picture of.
I crossed the James River the other day and was told that it was a tradition for a thru hiker to jump off the bridge. So I had to do that twice. The first time I had to see if I would survive, and the second time I jumped to get it on video to show everyone else how stupid I am. It would be like jumping off the top of Shalimar Bridge. Scary as hell to actually let go of the rail the first time. Then it was fairly easy. Gravity took over and did the rest. The water was cold but felt refreshing after a few.
We have had a few 90 degree days. It really takes a toll on hiking up hills. I think I came close to drinking 3 gallons of water the other day, and I really did not pee much.
I should be able to call in a few days. Until then, love you Hun.
Email from Brett later in the day:
If the scale here is right, I am now below 200 pounds. That is over 40 pounds lost.
Showing posts with label funk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label funk. Show all posts
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
(Sun. 4/29/12) Troutville, VA - Phone Update From Brett
After talking to Brett late Saturday night, this Sunday evening phone call was a surprise.
Brett had stayed up on Saturday until about 2:30am. He didn't go very far in the morning, stopping by the fire station in Troutville, VA. They let thru-hikers use the station. Brett did some laundry, washing his clothes three times before they passed as "clean". He took a shower for the second day in a row, just because he could. He had time while waiting for the laundry to relax in the common room, let his knee rest, and get caught up on some journaling. Then he hiked about 4 miles to a shelter.
The shelter was at the top of a hill and there was no one around. Brett has hiked and camped alone before. But having just said good-bye to Ed and knowing that he wasn't ahead of him on the trail, in addition to Brett's own struggle, left Brett feeling a little lonely. This is the first time Brett has called home just to talk to someone.
I still have confidence in Brett. But it is hard to hear about him having a tough time and not be able to do more to help him.
Brett had stayed up on Saturday until about 2:30am. He didn't go very far in the morning, stopping by the fire station in Troutville, VA. They let thru-hikers use the station. Brett did some laundry, washing his clothes three times before they passed as "clean". He took a shower for the second day in a row, just because he could. He had time while waiting for the laundry to relax in the common room, let his knee rest, and get caught up on some journaling. Then he hiked about 4 miles to a shelter.
The shelter was at the top of a hill and there was no one around. Brett has hiked and camped alone before. But having just said good-bye to Ed and knowing that he wasn't ahead of him on the trail, in addition to Brett's own struggle, left Brett feeling a little lonely. This is the first time Brett has called home just to talk to someone.
I still have confidence in Brett. But it is hard to hear about him having a tough time and not be able to do more to help him.
(Sat. 4/28/12 late) Daleville, VA - Phone Update from Brett
After seeing the beautiful photo of Brett on McAfee Knob, I was hoping that things were going better for Brett. Not so.
It started pouring rain about a half-mile before Brett got in to Daleville. He had lunch at Pizza Hut and went shopping for supplies. He talked to Ed on the phone. Ed was ahead of Brett on the trail, and they hadn't seen each other in a few days. Ed was heading out of Daleville when the downpour started. He continued six miles on the trail before he decided he was done. Brett asked Ed walk back to Daleville. Then the two of them went out to dinner and chipped in on a hotel room. It was almost midnight EDT when Brett called me.
It sounds like Brett and Ed had a good conversation over dinner. There is a big wave of drop-outs in Georgia, and another in Virginia. Brett said he saw two other hikers walk off the trail that week. The "Virginia Blues" are hitting everyone. By the time you get to Virginia you have seen just about everything you are going to see: rain, snow, hunger, blisters, hills, and more hills. The vistas all start to look the same. You start to ask yourself, "Why am I here?"
Brett hit a wall last week, and was still in a funk the next day. Then he was climbing a hill in the rain and said, "I've got to change my attitude." He started singing out loud one song after another. Before he knew it, he was at the top. He had a dry hostel to look forward to and was starting to feel better.
Now, however, he has started questioning himself again. He saw how relieved and excited Ed was about going home. Ed was happy with his decision. There aren't many guys in the same situation as Brett and Ed. Most people on the trail don't have families and a home to be homesick for. It makes it a little tougher.
I had told Brett how people ask me whether Brett is having fun. Brett said he thought about that some more. There are a lot of things at home that Brett has fun doing. Throwing the frisbee with Copper is fun. Fishing and hunting are fun. Going out on the boat is fun. Sleeping in a warm, comfortable bed, while not exactly "fun", it sure is nice. Hiking and going up hills is not fun. But the experience is more rewarding than temporary fun is.
Brett know that this experience will be very rewarding, but feeling good about the hike "now" is a more difficult. It doesn't help that Brett's body is starting to feel the stress of hiking every day (he crossed 700 miles the day prior). His feet are starting to do better, but four days previous to the call his left knee started bothering him. It especially hurts when he is going up or down steps (hate those hills!). His tooth is also bothering him. We'll need to find a way to get him to a dentist on the trail.
Now Brett needs to reevaluate his hike. He will need to work through his emotions this week and find his answer to the question, "Why am I doing this?"
It started pouring rain about a half-mile before Brett got in to Daleville. He had lunch at Pizza Hut and went shopping for supplies. He talked to Ed on the phone. Ed was ahead of Brett on the trail, and they hadn't seen each other in a few days. Ed was heading out of Daleville when the downpour started. He continued six miles on the trail before he decided he was done. Brett asked Ed walk back to Daleville. Then the two of them went out to dinner and chipped in on a hotel room. It was almost midnight EDT when Brett called me.
It sounds like Brett and Ed had a good conversation over dinner. There is a big wave of drop-outs in Georgia, and another in Virginia. Brett said he saw two other hikers walk off the trail that week. The "Virginia Blues" are hitting everyone. By the time you get to Virginia you have seen just about everything you are going to see: rain, snow, hunger, blisters, hills, and more hills. The vistas all start to look the same. You start to ask yourself, "Why am I here?"
Brett hit a wall last week, and was still in a funk the next day. Then he was climbing a hill in the rain and said, "I've got to change my attitude." He started singing out loud one song after another. Before he knew it, he was at the top. He had a dry hostel to look forward to and was starting to feel better.
Now, however, he has started questioning himself again. He saw how relieved and excited Ed was about going home. Ed was happy with his decision. There aren't many guys in the same situation as Brett and Ed. Most people on the trail don't have families and a home to be homesick for. It makes it a little tougher.
I had told Brett how people ask me whether Brett is having fun. Brett said he thought about that some more. There are a lot of things at home that Brett has fun doing. Throwing the frisbee with Copper is fun. Fishing and hunting are fun. Going out on the boat is fun. Sleeping in a warm, comfortable bed, while not exactly "fun", it sure is nice. Hiking and going up hills is not fun. But the experience is more rewarding than temporary fun is.
Brett know that this experience will be very rewarding, but feeling good about the hike "now" is a more difficult. It doesn't help that Brett's body is starting to feel the stress of hiking every day (he crossed 700 miles the day prior). His feet are starting to do better, but four days previous to the call his left knee started bothering him. It especially hurts when he is going up or down steps (hate those hills!). His tooth is also bothering him. We'll need to find a way to get him to a dentist on the trail.
Now Brett needs to reevaluate his hike. He will need to work through his emotions this week and find his answer to the question, "Why am I doing this?"
Sunday, April 29, 2012
(Thu. 4/26/12) Catawba, VA - Phone Update From Brett
After almost a week, I finally heard from Brett again. There hasn't been much cell phone service, especially in the valleys.
It was a tough week. In addition to raining almost all week, they got three inches of snow. Brett had a bad day the day before. He was freezing and tired. It's not fun and you start asking yourself "why?" He was staying at Four Pines Hostel, about 30 miles from Dalesville, VA. He felt a little better after showering, getting dry, and going out to eat. But he still hates going up hills. "You get sick of it."
Brett saw Ed a couple of days earlier. They stayed in a guy's backyard, hunkering down through the weather. However, he wasn't sure if he would see Ed again. Ed is pushing more, and Brett feels miserable hiking those long days.
It was a tough week. In addition to raining almost all week, they got three inches of snow. Brett had a bad day the day before. He was freezing and tired. It's not fun and you start asking yourself "why?" He was staying at Four Pines Hostel, about 30 miles from Dalesville, VA. He felt a little better after showering, getting dry, and going out to eat. But he still hates going up hills. "You get sick of it."
Brett saw Ed a couple of days earlier. They stayed in a guy's backyard, hunkering down through the weather. However, he wasn't sure if he would see Ed again. Ed is pushing more, and Brett feels miserable hiking those long days.
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