Will I ever leave Virginia?

The realization of the sinking

I woke up dehydrated and in disbelief, with a headache that was an army crawling into migraine territory. I felt like I had been hit by a truck. Despite avoiding shelters and walking alone, I had been bitten by the Double Dragon: norovirus. I shook my head and thought, «I’ll never leave Virginia.»

The Virginia Blues

Virginia is beautiful, but hikers sometimes develop the “Virginia blues” while hiking the state. About 550 miles of the Appalachian Trail pass through it, more than any other state. The next state, West Virginia, comprises approximately four miles of the AT, a comparative walk in the park! I knew I’d be here for a while, but the amount of zeros I had to take in the first three weeks already surpassed the total I took in seven weeks last year.

Calculate mileage for the next day

Replenishment went wrong

It was a resupply day. I approached Waynesboro and arrived before 1 o’clock after walking a little over 12 miles. I did the usual tasks during a resupply: I bought some groceries, took a shower, washed my clothes in the bathtub, and enjoyed a nice conversation with a local at a burger joint. A few hours after going to bed I woke up with the deep feeling that I was about to get seriously ill. For the rest of the night and into the morning, everything he had eaten was violently expelled. Even as my body evacuated its insides, I thought about how lucky I was. I was in a hotel with easy access to a bathroom and soap. I really feel for the people who have struggled with this while on the road. Think about the worst case of the stomach flu you’ve ever had, and then dial it up a notch. That’s noro. It is very contagious and there are outbreaks every year in the AT. One day, when our government once again embraces science and public health, this will be an issue worth addressing.

BRAT diet to the rescue

Worse the next day?

Incredibly, the next day I felt worse. The grocery store was less than half a mile away, but I just couldn’t get out of bed. The hotel required me to go to the lobby in person to pay for another night, and I vacillated between dry heaving and nearly passing out in the process. A friend had given me a Door Dash card and I used it to get Gatorade, applesauce, and crackers delivered to my door. I slept most of the day, too sick to read or call home, and fell asleep to a rerun of “Friends” at 8 p.m. On the second day of rest I regained the will to live. I walked to the store, bought some food for myself and another sick hiker, and bought a bottle of bleach cleaning solution to disinfect my hotel room as best I could before I left.

Cheetos after dinner at Humpback Rock

The and continue of Virginia

Last year I walked 140 miles through Virginia. This year I have traveled about 250 miles. I still have at least 150 miles left. It’s a lot of mathematics. When I cross into West Virginia, I will celebrate what seems like a major milestone: finally a new state!

This feels like forever ago.

The mental game

The improvement in equipment since I started walking in my 20s is nothing short of extraordinary. In the ’90s, my tent probably weighed 6 pounds, the fuel container on my Whisperlite stove was the size of a loaf of bread, and my sleeping pad could have been converted into a futon. Backpacking gear is the lightest it’s ever been, but the completion rate for AT-thru hikers remains the same: around 25%. Lighter gear certainly helps, but often it’s mental toughness that wins out. Injuries and illnesses have derailed my initial goals for this year’s LASH, but what’s the point of doing something if it’s not a little difficult? It’s cold and rainy in Virginia and I’m getting going again. No rain, no pain, no Maine!

My Sleeping Pads: 1990s, 2010s, and Now

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