Miles 13
I woke up early this morning and was out of camp by 630. My plan instead of the short 7, or the normal 13, was to try for the record 21 miles.
I went crazy fast in the morning and got my first third done and I sat in a shelter to eat some lunch. The shelters in Vermont are crap. Old and beat up. They don't seem well maintained. There is trash in them. There was a chipmunk escape hatch in the floor of the shelter I ate in. The greedy rodent was popping in and out as I ate trying to get my food.
The second third of the day had a big rocky descent, and a steep climb right after that killed my pace, and I didn't get to my second shelter stop until two thirty. In my mind I was going to push on if I made it by 2. So 2:30 is a check the book situation. The last 8 miles was basically uphill most of the way, with no water and nothing to see. At my current pace I would have gotten to shelter around 7 or 8, assuming I didn't slow down. And there is limited tenting at the next shelter. So I did the rational thing and quit while I'm ahead.
It would have been nice to put up a 20, but I would either have to start earlier, or have more favorable terrain. I think I could have done it today, it just would have been unpleasant for no good reason. I feel fine now, my feet hurt at the end of the day, but I'm not especially tried or sore anymore.
I fear the week off the trail has ruined me. It was fun to see family, to play board games, to watch tv. Maybe my failure to put up a 20 has sent me into a depression, but I am not really looking forward to hiking. I have seen a lot of trees and rocks and stunning vistas. I just see more of the same in front of me and I'm not all that excited to see it. Just as I am getting good at this I might be done with it. When I compare it against the option of going back to Maine, hanging out and going sailing with my parents, it sounds really bad.
I am using the gen con hard end date as a goal to keep me motivated. There is no good spot to get off the trail where I am anyway. So I will see how I feel about this in a few days.
Keep on, keeping on, my friend! Perhaps it looks like more of the same but it's still vastly different than your "normal" summer day. I choose to believe that your time to regret doing the trail and giving it everything you have will be long. Also, if you do make it to GenCon, we will have much games, many friends, and good food!!
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