A drop at a time...

It's been very rough going on the trail for the past week and a half. Weather has been nasty, raining almost every day, temperatures in the 30s overnight and having to walk through slushy, cold mud even on days when it isn't raining.

It gets to you...

The ice cold winds chill to the bone as I walk along the mountain ridges, soaked with perspiration, ironically from wearing my rain jacket which is supposed to keep me dry. A momen't pause in the mountain brings instant chill and the only defense is to get to camp/shelter as soon as possible to take off the wet clothes and get into a dry sleeping bag. But even this doesn't bring comfort as you know you will be donning on the wet clothes again in the morning, despite your best attempt at drying them.

This last week has taken its toll and on at least two days I have considered leaving the trail. In part it is due to the steep ups and downs that make up this kind of hike which punish the body hour after hour. I pop 3-4 Ibuprofin in the morning and early afternoon to soothe the joint pain in my feet, ankles and knees. I have been experiencing sharp pains in my feet since the hike began which usually start around hour 3 or 4 up to 7 or 8 hours, depending upon how long I'm hiking that particular day.

Pains and injury have already taken many off the trail.

I have gone off the trail a couple days early in anticipation of attending "Trail Days" in Damascus, VA, in hopes that these 4-5 days will give me a chance to get my head straight. The trail is not the place to be if you are not committed to this kind of hike and if you are not focused on each and every step, it's too easy to get injured.

I've experienced the beginning stages of hypothermia twice so far, but fortunately have the proper gear and common sense to head it off before it goes further. I have battled poison ivy on my left hand, joint pain in many places, sunburn, snow, hail, sleet, rain, temps in the high 20s, several falls, a few cuts and bruises and the realization that I am still, after 7 weeks, very much out of shape.

I'm very discouraged at the moment...hopefully these days off will help me get back on track.

Ron