Welcome to My AT Adventure

Wednesday, March 25 was my last day on the AT attempting a thru-hike. This is a long post – but I don’t know how to shorten it.

Serpent compared leaving the trail to leaving a lover. I left the trail while we were still in our honeymoon phase. We had experienced our first squabbles, but made up each time – spectacularly!

However, the last week, the trail was beginning to show me a different side of its personality – a less generous and sociable personality. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) recommended on 3/17/2020 that hikers leave or postpone their thru-hikes (https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/official-blog/updated-covid-19-guidance-for-a-t-multi-day-and-thru-hikers/). I received this missive the day we arrived in Hot Springs, NC. I made the decision to continue hiking for about a week after this announcement to get to Erwin, TN before making a final decision about ending my hike.

During that week, more and more thru-hikers were leaving the trail. It seemed that every thru-hiker I interacted with was discussing their plan to leave the trail – where, when, and how they would get home. For some, that included how they would get home to another country. I read of the plans of others to leave. Hikers who chose to stay on the trail were experiencing vitriol from non-hikers via social media. We began to feel this was an illicit relationship we were engaged in that had to be kept secret.

For a little while, the trails became emptier. And, then, the day hikers and section hikers began descending. I wasn’t afraid of contacting COVID-19 from other thru-hikers who had been on trail with me since mid-February. The likelihood that we had been exposed was very low. No one I knew had experienced symptoms. I was afraid of the many getting on trail. We would pass and turn away without making eye contact or having discussions. These were the interlopers trying to make trouble for the trail and me. Indeed, the number of day/section hikers reached record numbers and the ATC made another recommendation on 3/23/2020 asking ALL hikers to stay off the AT (https://wildeast.appalachiantrail.org/official-blog/please-stay-off-the-appalachian-trail/).

Many of the hostels and shuttles were shutting down. Resupply options were dwindling. Days after the ATC made their initial recommendation, several states began closing their trails to overnight camping – PA, NJ, MD, and NY. More counties were creating more restrictions for businesses and hostels. Two days out of Hot Springs, I made the decision to end my thru-hike. There were many tears shed that week and many times I questioned my decision. But our relationship had changed.

Many who have criticized hikers staying on the trail argue that the trail will always be there – you can postpone your hike. But that isn’t true for most people. I am on sabbatical this semester and have to be back at school by late August. Any amount of time away from the trail this spring will preclude me from completing a thru-hike. My thru-hike will transition to a section hike that will likely take me years to finish. Could I try this during my next sabbatical? Maybe – but I will be 6 years older and not sure I will be up for it at that time in my life.

My last day on the trail was the longest to date – 16.4 miles to Erwin. Several of our friends had caught up with us the night before in the Bald Mountain Shelter. It was good to see them! They lightened my mood and the jokes rained down for some time after dark.

The last day began in rain – a fitting end. It felt like the Earth was weeping with me. Our clothes were still wet from the rain the day prior. By 11 am, the rain had stopped and slowly cleared. By the end of the day, I had stripped off my layers and was only wearing my t-shirt and pants. The sun was shining and the air was warm.

I was so grateful that Serpent hiked out with me – she hadn’t finalized her decision to stay or leave the trail. If she had stayed on the trail – she would have hiked with the group that had joined us in Bald Mt Shelter. She could easily have stayed with the crew, but hiked with me in solidarity.

As we entered Erwin, we approached Uncle Johnny’s hostel which was closed – but both Serpent and I had resupply boxes that had been mailed there to pick up. As I walked down the trail – I saw my brother waiting for me. He had arrived from PA to drive me home. While we waiting for someone to arrive at Uncle Johnny’s to get our boxes – we discovered that the crew from Bald Mt. Shelter were already in town at the Super 8 Motel! They had hiked 5.7 miles from the shelter to Spivey Gap and gotten a shuttle into town!

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Serpent – my constant companion through this trip. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend and support through this journey.

Punchline – always lightened my mood – usually because he made me hug him or someone else!

Butcher – wish we had more time together for me to get to know the man better. A kind, gentle soul hidden in a gruff exterior.

Joe – An easy-going, steady guy.

Pearl – another academic from MA! Pearl is clearly the fierce queen of the group!

I will miss this group but expect we will get to hike together in the future. Hopefully that future will be sooner rather than later.