Day 10:
The morning after the storm, On It sent a text message from its store saying, «Okay, I think I solved all our problems.» Of course! Three berths booked at Gorgeous Stays that night and a shuttle for me from Tellico Gap because my knee wasn’t capable of making the sixteen miles to the NOC. I still walked the first eight despite intense pain. When Wendy came to pick me up, I knew immediately that I had made the right decision. She was an easy conversationalist and told me about Scott, her husband, who was a physical therapist who could help me with my knee. The trail provides.
The hostel was everything and more. After setting up our wet tents to dry, I spent the afternoon tending to my mental state while playing guitar on the porch with his golden retriever, Honey. When On It and Horsepower arrived, they didn’t show up empty-handed. Ice cream and a beer with my name on it! They know me well. We split some frozen pizza in the kitchen and I perhaps felt happier than ever along the way.
«Guys, let’s have dinner together! At a real table! Inside!» I said. I had the biggest smile all night and into the morning as we took our second major in English.
The night before, Wendy discussed a plan for the next day. It was clear that my knee needed more time to heal, but the thought of a zero was upsetting and costly. To my surprise, Wendy said that a little trail magic could cover my second night and that I could do the other eight miles from NOC to Tellico heading south since the uphill would be better for my knee. I couldn’t help but cry. How often can you cry tears of pain and gratitude in the same day?
After the trip to the supermarket, it was time to head out with my backpack. Horsepower and On It would be over when I returned to the hostel, so I said a painful goodbye. They sat on the porch and watched us go.
“Remember that you were brave enough to take this journey before you even met them,” he told me as I continued to cry throughout the trip. I nodded and held on to that thought as I began my walk. It wasn’t lost on me that I was walking south for the first time, which seemed like a physical representation of going backwards, falling behind, going the wrong way. I’m supposed to be with my friends and now I’m on my way back to Georgia. What happened? I thought about my first day on the trail and the Springer plate.
“For those who seek communion with the desert”
I repeated this out loud while walking and crying (a form of multitasking that I am surprisingly good at). I thought about what the license plate did NOT say.
«It doesn’t say For those seeking companionship with humans.. EITHER For those seeking companionship with Horsepower, or On It, or comfort, peace of mind, or happiness…I continued through a seemingly endless list.
“The desert” I thought. If I could see nature as a companion the same way I saw my trail friends, I would have no problem getting to Maine. The trail provides. Nature provides. It provides water, shelter, movement, challenge, peace, music, silence.
I realized I had forgotten my trekking poles. Journal. I bent down and grabbed a long stick
-Provide a trekking pole!
I continued repeating “provide, provide” until my tears stopped. I finally reached a fire tower and climbed up to eat my English sandwich in perfect sunny weather. I saw Fontana Lake in the distance, a new landmark to look forward to. I sent a photo to Horsepower and On It, who were very proud of me. I felt powerful, independent, rested and rejuvenated for the journey. When I returned to the hostel, a group of boys showed up. I had seen them at the shelter during the storm, but I couldn’t introduce myself. Wendy looked at me with a smile, knowing I was facing loneliness.
«How do you like that about the trail?» She said. In honor of that disposition, I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined the kids in throwing a frisbee in the yard. I felt like a dog off the leash, able to run and exercise without a backpack. We played guitar, ate more pizza, and looked at the bright stars from the countryside before going to bed. I could feel the absence of Horsepower and On It in the bunkhouse as I fell asleep alone. The thought of them being on the trail without me was brutal, but I knew I had made the right decision. The next morning, Wendy said a compression knee sleeve mysteriously appeared in the laundry room. I had planned to look for one at the NOC and now one had literally fallen into my lap.
“That’s how it happens here,” Scott said. «You say you need something and boom! There it is.»
I got into the van with the five kids and we set off towards the NOC to pick up where I left off, only now I had new company. The climb was as brutal as people warned. North Carolina was steepbut I made it to Locust Cove Gap with the help of a new friend, Stop Sign. Although he had to average 24 miles a day (!) to finish the trail before his new job, he took the time to slow down and chat with me as I struggled up the climbs. I could feel the laziness of the last two days in every step and also feel mentally confused. Stop Sign made sure to walk very slowly and take plenty of breaks to make sure I was okay. We talked about how spiritual the path was and how it always seemed to give back to you what you chose to give.
They had given me a lot in the last few days. I was often overwhelmed with gratitude for every person I had met, every sunny day I had received, and the magic of the trail I deeply felt in just eleven days. I also felt overwhelmed by the responsibility I now had to pay it forward in some way. Until you know true gratitude, it is difficult to understand. because you should give It is one of the reasons why I have not allowed myself to think about abandoning the path, even in the most difficult moments. Not only do I feel a personal responsibility to get to Maine, but I now have a responsibility to return the joy I had received. And, if I could be so lucky, I needed to find my friends. The answer, as always, was to keep walking.
Total AT miles traveled: 147.7
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