Shakedown Street! A pre-tour update

Never a dull moment…

In early January I decided that since I couldn’t take 4-6 months off to hike this year, I would try to emulate it from home. I am happier physically and mentally, when I move. Since the AT, I have become increasingly interested in ultras and other endurance efforts. At the end of March, I ran a pretty challenging and technical trail race in CT. After being sick all winter and a minimal training block, I was happy to see that my fitness had plateaued. Good news for me: prioritizing nutrition and strength training paid off.

The bad news; I had a pretty good fall around mile 4 of my race. (Note to self: running downhill and taking a gel just don’t mix.) He fell face first onto a rock covered in leaves; It took my breath away, but I shook it off and kept going. It even sets a new PR at a distance: adrenaline is a great drug! It wasn’t until 3 days later, a sudden stabbing pain and a visit to virtual urgent care (read: Google MD) to figure out that I had probably dislocated a rib. The proof was in the pudding the night he literally appeared put it back in place. Once the pain subsided, I reluctantly took some time to rest, fearing for the future of my hike.

An informal coffee in the afternoon.

About a week ago, I decided to try to get more miles in with my backpack fully loaded. I had done some shorter day hikes, but not with a backpack. Surprisingly, my healing wound felt better with my backpack on. I suppose it has to do with correcting posture forced by weight. This just goes to show that backpacking (and some KT tape) really does solve all your problems. Choose a convenient 10-mile section of the network to do the round trip; right close to home with a Dunkin’ as my average destination.

Atlas runs Dunkin’, but seriously, @Dunks, I’m open to prank sponsors.

It had a little bit of everything the trail has to offer. A bit of road walking, some decent elevation changes, and several charming features that New England is known for far and wide. I had a great time covering 20 miles with 3,500′ of gain in just under 6.5 hours, including a pit stop for coffee and a bagel; My legs felt cool, like the hiker in me had never left. However, less than a quarter mile from the trailhead, I had an awkward encounter with a man who was following me in his car and asking for my number. With close to three thousand miles under my belt, I have never had to deal with yelling or unwanted insinuations thrown at me along the way until that day. I guess I’ve been lucky so far and, I admit, my confidence took a hit. I tried to save the day and found comfort in my preparation taking into account all considerations to protect myself.

A safe haven.

I still needed to try out some gear, and headed to the place that felt most like home for the night. Starting at the New York border, I covered a similar distance and poured like my last shakedown. A 90° heat wave made the miles go a little slower, but I was glad to see some familiar trail and remember my hike two years ago, returning to one of my favorite tent sites on the Housatonic River. It was a great night, apart from realizing that I forgot my spoon and had to wash my palette well so I could eat dinner. What do you think of ultralight and without redundancies? Or rather, making the best of a shitty situation.

I went to bed feeling like a pro for having laid out my tarp pretty well the first time. That is, until a storm came and the hole in my site funneled water under my sheet of polychrome flooring. I woke up a little damp but still in good spirits; That’s what shakedown is for. Deciding that a Tyvek floor cloth would be the best option for *ahem* moisture control, I left one overnight so I would have it when I left. To my dismay, my package was delivered and then stolen before I returned from work.

With all the obstacles along the way so far, I felt this journey was unfortunate. On a hike, statistically you have a lot going against you. But I remembered a piece of advice I heard throughout my AT journey; Live each day as if the odds are in your favor. So I once again adjusted my plans to finally put together a final equipment list. Time is running out. The only thing left for me to do is walk.

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