It ain't easy

It definitely hit me a few days ago.  I was pushing to do fifty miles in two days (after 150 miles in about 9 days with constant rain) and for the first time felt frustrated and annoyed as I was struggling to get to Daleville.  The day before I started in the rain and had to cross about two miles of rocky, steep, slippery ridge line early in the morning about 40 miles before Daleville.  The rain, soggy feet, the fact that I fell a few times, and the unsafe route through the ridge line started my frustration.  I started thinking to myself, "Is it not enough that us hikers are doing 2200 miles?  Why the need to make us rock scramble a very unsafe ridge line? Honestly, you could slide right off one of these rocks.  For what? A little view?"  Honestly, I think it would be best if they made alternate routes around some of these ridges as I'm certain many hikers have gotten unnecessarily hurt walking them.

After the morning fun I made it down the ridge line, across the valley, and up to the Audie Murphy monument.  For those unaware, he was the most decorated American soldier in WWII.  As a kid I was a fan of Audie Murphy and had seen a few of his movies.  Yet, I wasn't sure why he had a monument in Virginia when he was a Texan.  However, as I climbed the mountain I remembered he had died in a plane crash.  Consequently, I figured this monument had something to do with that.  It was a nice little monument, complete with a flag pole, view, and benches to sit on.  As I took a lunch break and quietly thanked Murphy for his service, various weekenders started showing up.  I chatted with most of them and one was kind enough to give me a peanut butter and honey sandwich. After drying out some of my gear I hit the trail again.

I walked across another valley and finally showed up near the dragons tooth.  After an exhausting up hill, lots of rocks, and some scrambling I came to a view on a cliff side.  It was big enough for me to stretch out and eat some dinner.  This day was quickly coming to an end and I was certainly feeling it but I still hadn't made it to the dragon tooth side trail (half a mile off the AT).  After packing up my gear I started heading up the trail.  As I thought, I wasn't but a quarter mile from the dragons tooth trail.  I decided to bypass it and just head down the mountain.  Well, that was easier said than done.  The path down was harder and riskier than the early morning cliffs.  For the next half a mile I had to walk along one foot wide rock walls, slide down some of them, and others were such a drop that metal rungs were bolted to the wall to help with the process.  Again my frustration picked up as I thought this path was unnecessarily dangerous too.  After making it down this mountain and through another valley darkness slowly came.  Earlier in the day I thought about walking all night, but, I decided to turn in around 11pm in what seemed to be someone's backyard.  In hindsight, I should of just kept going because I didn't get any sleep.

The next morning I got up as soon as the sun came up.  Quickly, I realized I hadn't gone as far as I had thought the previous day because of all the rock scrambles (slows you down a lot).  Since I was set on making it to Daleville that day it meant I had almost 28 more miles to do.  As I started walking my frustrations returned.  I started running into silk worm strands every 20 yards.  I spent the next 2 hours wiping what feels like spider webs off my arms and face.  Somehow, I managed to go 12 miles before 10am and make it to McAffee Knob.  What a view!  It's a cliff that over looks a valley about 15 miles outside of Roanoke.  I'd say there were about 40 people (mostly day hikers) sitting on the knob enjoying the view.  While the view was great, all I could think about was Daleville.  I enjoyed the view for another half hour then hit the trail again.  

The next six miles were easy hiking but the last few to the top of Tinker Cliffs is when I started to hit my first wall.  I was having to stop and catch my breath a every hundred yards, I was hungry, thirsty, and lethargic.  I finally made it to the cliffs and laid down.  This time all I was thinking about was a gallon of water and the meal replacement bar in my pocket. Of course to get the water I craved I needed to get to the next shelter.  Luckily, that shelter was downhill from where I was sprawled out.  After catching my breath I hauled ass to that next shelter.  When I got there I chugged what felt like two gallons of water and forced down that Met-Rx bar (its like 3x the size of a powerbar) I was thinking about. Like the day before, I thought I had gone further than I had... so naturally I thought the rest of the way to Daleville was going to be easy.  The first stretch was, but then the trail started uphill again. My frustration started again as I saw other trails leading around the hills when mine went up.  Then the trail started going up higher to power line views.  I started cursing out loud... "I don't need to see power lines!  I just want to get to Daleville!"  I finally got to the last power line and collapsed.  My hands were shaking (low blood sugar?), my body running on fumes, and my feet aching like crazy.  I sat for 15-20 minutes trying to rehydrate and compose myself mentally.  I didn't come 26 miles in one day to stop at 5pm two miles short of my destination.  I put my shoes back on and started slowly walking down the hill.  At some point I stepped oddly on a rock but didn't think much of it.  Eventually, I got down to the last mile but that's when my foot started to hurt and I started feeling a little nauseous.  That last mile was brutal because I had to constantly stop, put my hands on my knees, and catch my breath.  I thank the gods that the trail dumped out right next to the Howard Johnson Inn.

I went to the front desk and started the check in process.  However, I had to stop and sit down at one point because i was going to throw up / pass out.  Eventually, I finished the check in and hobbled to my room (my foot was hurting bad now).  I ordered a pizza, jumped in the bath, downed some fluids, and then just laid in bed.  I knew my body had gone the limit when my hands started to cramp while eating.  What a day I thought to myself.  Heck... what a week!

Mmmmm Pizza...