“Weary Feet”

AT Day 32

Miles: 18.89

Total Miles: 633.51

(Weary Feet Hostel, VA)

Often times the forest is so dense out here that it’s impossible to even see enough of the sky to be able to make a good guess as to whether or not it’s going to rain. Yesterday was one of those days, but fortunately it was a (L)ovely day and never rained a drop. The sky was hostile, as if it could rain, but I was fortunate.

It held off for today.

Or, to be more specific, I can say that it held off until literally the moment that I was pulling my earplug out and reaching for my tent zipper to start my stove and boil water for tea. I wasn’t even sure at first that it was rain or just the shuffling of leaves and the sound of the river that I was camped beside. But it wasn’t either of those. It was rain.

Breaking camp and setting camp in the rain are the two worst parts of the trail… if we can create such a hierarchy of terrible. I have the gear to stay relitively dry in it during the day while I hike, but setting and breaking camp are hard in the rain.

It was good that the rain was only a light sprinkle while I broke camp this morning, but soon after I started hiking it began to truly rain and it has continued to do so unabated since then.

There was a part of me that wanted to push a 32 mile day today to get to the next hostel up trail, but with the rain it just wasn’t going to happen. Instead, I opted for a hostel that was 18 miles into my day, and tomorrow I’ll hit that next one that I had considered for today. I think it’s called “Wood’s Hollow Hostel” or something like that. I’ve read online that it’s rated as one of the best hostels of all the AT.

It’s not been my pace up to now to do low miles like I did today and will for the next 2 days, but I need to slow in order to be in Pearisburg on Thursday morning. If I go any faster, I’ll be farther northern, and I won’t be able to get a ride down to Trail Days if I’m any farther north; I’ll be in the middle of the forest from there and won’t be able to get a ride. So I’m intentionally slowing my miles and staying at hostels these next three nights. Then I’ll ride back down to Damascus for the three days of Trail Days. I’ve been told that Trail Days will be a good chance to see the other hikers that I’ve met up to this point on trail, and also to see new gear from ultra lite gear companies. I’ve also been told that it’s a 24-7 party at parts of the event. I would like to take part in all three components.

The rain today was draining. The trail was mostly lonely except for a couple of miserable dudes that I passed at around the half way point to Weary Feet Hostel, where I’m staying tonight.

When I got here I connected with some other hikers for a bit, but ultimately I still feel tremendously disconnected from the other hikers I’ve met on trail. By slowing my miles these next three days it’s likely that I’ll see the people at this hostel some more over the week, but otherwise, I’m not finding anyone who’s even remotely interested in doing milage that approaches 30. I don’t need to be doing those kinds of miles either, but until I find some people who give me a reason to slow down I don’t have much else to do with my day other than walk and listen to the mushrooms sing.

The heart and soul are heavy in the rain, but I’m also detached from it. It’s been a lot of deep soul searching… whatever that means. But the sun will come out again.

Tomorrow I’ve got around 12 or 14 miles. The following day I have around the same. Then it’s off to Trail Days. Not sure what to expect from that, but trying to be optimistic.

Wormwood.