“Impermanent”

AT Day 72

Miles Today: 22.98

AT Mile: 1314.1

(Tentsite overlooking Fairview Lake)

Stranger’s funny, but who isn’t out here on trail? It’s all relative. We’re all strange out here. Regardless, I’ve found our crossing of paths to be surprisingly enjoyable these last two or three weeks. And while I’m at it, I should just as readily add Plinko to the list.

The three of us have been losely hiking together for around two weeks. It’s a humbling feeling, to be hiking with two others who are physically faster and stronger than me. Soldier is younger, only 20 years old, and only a few days out of the Marines when he started his hike of the AT. Plinko is about the same age as me, has about as many trail miles as I do, but is very much more into the ultra lite gear set than I have managed to achieve for myself. Add to it, Plinko is just a fast f*ucking hiker, and you have me at the tail end of three–Plinko fast as all hell, Stranger, who is mostly carrying literal military-issue camping gear and is just strong and tough as f*ck, then finallly me, slow and steady at the rear. It’s been humbling, but hiking with them has also dramatically enriched my hike since we’ve been around one another.

We normally don’t even hike together, as our speeds are so different. But tonight we set camp together, had dinner together, and smoked cannabis together (well… Stranger doesn’t smoke, so Plinko and I shared a joint), and we had the first thing that’s felt like a trail family to me in the entirety of my Appalachin Trail hike.

It’s also a bitter-sweet feeling, because I can see that it’s only a temporary thing. Even though I keep saying that these last few days–that we’re not going to be hiking together much longer–I realized today that next Friday I’ll almost certainly split from them. I mentioned it to Plinko this evening and he asked a few questions, leading me to wonder if he was thinking about whether taking the same time off trail to coincide with my own would be reasonable.

Boots arrives next Friday afternoon, and I’m unequivocally glad that she’s coming up. But today I realized that this also means that I’ll be taking time off trail, which will seperate me from the group and the lose community of other guys I’ve been around since the 501 shelter. In that same thought, I also realize that there are hikers behind me who I either have met or will connect with after next weekend, but I share this to highlight how much this trail has to teach about impermanence.

Boots will fly up from Tennessee to spend next weekend with me, then Plinko, Stranger, and the other 5 guys I’ve been loosely hiking around will continue on, and I am at peace knowing I may or may not see them again.

It’s why I stopped to cry a few days back–realizing and accepting that this thing that I’ve built over the last 72 days will have to come to an end within a couple of months. In less than 1,000 miles… That the magic of *being in* a thru hike comes to an end in Maine. I didn’t cry in protest of that reality, but in acceptance of it as a part of all things that do not last.

Nothing lasts.

Any impression otherwise is an illusion.

But so too, “nothing is lost.”

—

I didn’t think that I’d see Stranger or Plinko when I woke up this morning, but I was wrong again. Plinko had dropped a 37 mile day to get into Delaware Water Gap last night after sunset, and I assumed Stranger may have done the same since he wasn’t camped at or around the shelter. But when I got to trail this morning, I found Stranger in his military-issue bivouac, only a half mile down trail from where I had camped.

Plinko had already checked out the bakery (one of the best I’ve ever visited IN MY LIFE!), so he was back to trail before I even finished showering at the Catholic Church Hiker Center, but he also said he was going to stop at the Mohican Outdoor Center in 10 miles, so we might still catch him.

It’s growing late, and I’m extremely tired, so I need to make things short. But Stranger and I hiked together for more than half the day today, which was unusual for me and I think for him too. Goddam he reminds me of my little brother in a lot of ways, and he probably even looks more like me than my little brother does. He also doesn’t smoke cigarettes, but he found a pack in the hiker box today, so he’s been smoking them all day, if you see them in the photos.

Temps were insanely hot before the day even got started. I got a reading at 94 on my Garmin at the high. We’re expecting the same for the next 3 days.

We made it to the MOC and hung out for around 2 hours, charging electronics, and trying to resupply. Unfortunately the options were limited and expensive.

Oh–almost a forgot to mention that two guys at the bakery from New York set me up with a bit of flower. They asked if I had a lighter and when I told them about hiking the AT they were blown away. When I asked if I could have a drag, they happily said they were from New York and had extra to share.

Plinko, Stranger, and I all went down to a lake to swim for an hour or so after the MOC. The water was delightful, and my only regret was that there wasn’t a psychedelic in my system as I floated around on the lake on my air mattress, staring aimlessly up at the mostly cloudless sky.

We hiked out of the swimming hole together and set camp early. The plan had been to hike late, but there just wasn’t need. This spot was as good as any. We all had enough water.

Tomorrow we’ll wake early. Four o’clock. On trail by 430.

We’re all solo hikers, but we’ve somehow loosely planned out the next two to three days, and it’s looking likely that we’ll remain together in this very informal family, until Plinko decides to drop another 37 mile day, or I drop off trail next weekend.

For now, I need to crash.

Crazy early start tomorrow.

Wormwood.