“Anatomy of a 30-Mile Day”

AT Day 29

Miles: 31.59

Total Miles: 564.02

(Virginia Settlers Museum Grassy Lot)

I was so tired as I wrote last night that I could barely get it onto the page. That’s the case a lot of nights. I’ve developed this (bad?) habit of hiking late, or in the rare case of last night, staying up and social too late so that I’m too tired to write by the time I’m in bed. I should add that even though I have this nifty little keyboard, it’s still very uncomfortable to curl up in my tent and try to write these out. My hands tire. My forearms get achy.

Boohoo… I know. Pity me. (Sarcasm implied).

Woke up and one of the guys who put me up with the trail magic last night offered me a sugar free energy drink in trade for a little square of paper. I gladly accepted the offer, although I don’t really drink that much caffeine on trail. I share all this to explain that the first ten miles today went by like a breeze!

Caffeine can be too easily abused. It’s why I’m trying to stay away from it to the extent that I can early on in the AT. I’ve become over dependent on it in other trails. I’d rather be able to use it like I did today–sparingly and in a way that it’s effective rather than a crutch.

I like these 30 mile days that I’ve been collecting more frequently in the last 10 days. I’ve found that if I break them up into parts they pass by better. I like to get the first 10 miles in the day done without dropping pack. I’ve taken to cold soaking oatmeal and having that within hand’s reach to eat while I walk, somewhere around mile 5 or 6. Then at mile 10 I’ve been dropping pack, and making a second breakfast–kachava lately. Although today I discovered this delightful thing: powdered peanut butter + a lil water + raisins! Oh my god! So good, and it’s got a bit of protein to it as well. I also felt a million bucks after that and Kachava for my second breakfast.

The second 10 miles of the day I break up into 5 mile segments.

Then from 20-30 I just try to take it bit by bit. Anything beyond 30 miles is uncommon for me and bonus. I could have made a mile or two more today, but then found this super nice grassy field outside of the Virginia Settler’s Museum where a few other hikers are posted up. They already had camp set and were sleeping by the time I got here, so I set up a bit farther away from them so that I could write without fearing waking anyone.

There was more trail magic today at the half way point. Another church group giving out free things. Which is nice. But I have to laugh. They see us carrying top ramen and pop tarts, I guess, and so what do you think they offer to the hikers as they come by? You guessed it–more top ramen and pop tarts. But they also had bananas, oranges, and coffee. I took all three and gave a small cash donation for their trouble. The coffee on top of the energy drink I already had at the start of the day no doubt made getting 30 miles a bit easier today.

I was going to try to make the push to get another 3 miles beyond here where there is a burrito joint at the upcoming highway crossing, but changed plans. I would have gotten in right before they closed, and I would have had to figure out where to camp around there. That would have been difficult. So instead I’m here, 3 miles from that road crossing. Tomorrow I have a shuttle picking me up there at 8 am (got a morning alarm set so I get to trail on time), and they’ll bring me the town of Marion, VA. I’ll resupply and maybe get a bite to eat, but don’t plan on spending that long in town before getting back to trail. I’ll hit up El Burrito tomorrow for lunch since I missed it tonight, then I’ll be back to trail, fully resupplied and fed.

It’s just under 100 miles to the next resupply, and about 5-6 days before I need to start thinking about getting a hitch back south to Damascus for the Trail Days weekend event. I really want to attend that, but I’ll be about 200 miles north of it by then. So I’m already starting to chat with other hikers about how they’re planning to get down. I think that it will come together, so I’m trying not to stress on that part.

Looking forward to a partial town day tomorrow, and hoping that burrito is awesome.

Wormwood, out.