I don’t mean finished for the day, I mean Finished! There is nothing left in this body. I could hardly blow up my mattress. Pitching my tent was painful.

The ground is such a long way tonight. seems very low and far away. Reaching down is like a slow motion film, except, this is my full speed. This backpacking is really hard. Really. Hard.

Months later..,

Looks like PA. Hmm funny. I started this entry some time ago and it could have been today!

Fit yet? Nope.

20 lbs overweight. And weak.

I’m in Tennessee now. Just down below Damascus VA. It is just beautiful. Cool air. Partly cloudy.

Problem is…the trail is still the trail and I’m not staying as fit as I can. I’ve already decided that finishing the AT is not a realistic goal. I think it never was.

It’s a coach thing. And, consequently a Doug thing. Set a goal, achieve the goal. I didn’t do my best this time. My best was not what I thought it was either. My best is quite a few notches lower than it used to be. Like I said, deep down, I think I always knew. I was not going to do the entire AT.

The Appalachian Trail is very hard. It’s rocky, wet, and relentless. One in five hikers finish their they hikes. It’s harder in one way for Section hikers like me. We never get trail legs. The pack feels really heavy, every first day you take on a new section. It took me 3 days to not think about the weight. 30lbs is a lot to lug around, especially when I am lugging 20 extra already. I’m lying. 30 extra.

So I will see if I can lose the weight. I will see if I care enough to lose the weight without some crisis, and I don’t want any more emotional upheavals.

3/4s In.