“My Journey Is My Destination...”
"…my shin splint hurt so badly I didn't notice I was mashing my teeth…"
By Dustin Jackson appalachian.jackson@gmail.com
Day 118 17.6 miles Niday Shelter
I slept for almost 13 hours last night. It has finally happened to me, the feeling of wanting to be finished. Not quitting, but just be done. It has to do with my shin splint still hurting just as much as the first day,
and my blister.
In a 20-mile day I take about 40,000 steps. I feel my shin splint 20,000 times and my blister 20,000 times. It wears on me. It also has to do with being around family too and the normalcy it brings.
Halfway through the day I stopped at Pickle Branch Shelter. There was a man
there who was in a lot of pain from his blisters.
We both did not say much, just grumbled at our situations. It’s funny now when I think about it. I climbed the mountain to the Audie Murphy monument erected near his plane crash
site in 1971.
He was the most decorated soldier in WWII.
I hiked down hill 1,500ft which made my shin splint hurt so badly I didn’t notice I was mashing my teeth. I crossed the road and hiked up to the shelter. I saw a man in plain clothes hiking down. I hate when shelters are near roads. He would not make eye contact with me or talk. The only weirdo I’ve met so far. I built another fire to keep myself company.
Day 119 23.1 miles Wind Rock
What a difference a day can make! That's why it's best to wait a day or two when making a decision about the
trail.
I feel much better in my head today, even though I still hurt. I walked over three ridges today, lots of climbing and all rocky. I put blister patches and duct tape over my blister. It felt better. It was hot today. I walked in the sun a lot, but thankfully water was aplenty. I don’t mean to keep talking about it, but my shin splint still hurts just as much. I am as used to it as I can be.
My mind feels better, I have more energy, and I feel back to my old self again. I took a few more breaks than usual. I thought a lot today about what I will do when I get back. especially when it comes to a job. I’ve determined I have absolutely no idea. I hope to be surprised with something that I’ve never thought about before, and love it!
I saw “Wind Rock” in my data book, “perfect,” I thought. I finished the day with a steady climb to Wind Rock and camped. It was still overcast with no view of the sunset. I met a couple from Detroit, Michigan, Tracy and Chris, who had come to the
mountains to get away from everyone.
They seemed happy. I thought this trip was going to be about getting away from people and into
nature, but it's the people who I long for.
Day 120 26.8 miles Pearisburg, VA Holy Family Catholic Hostel
I hit the trail about 7 a.m. and my shin splint's still hurting. I dropped off the mountain down to Stoney Creek Valley. I got some water with soapy bubbles in it and houses up stream. Luckily, I found a smaller stream up the trail. I dumped out the other water. I found the Pine Swamp Shelter to be in a bad way. A tree had fallen on it, one of my few fears out here. One of the bunks had been totally crushed. It was scary to realize a fear.
I climbed up to the ridge and stayed the rest of the day. All the springs were dry. I had to ration my water. When I do that, I drink a small sip to quench thirst, but my body needs more. I take more breaks to cool myself down instead, it helps.
I redressed my blister with more duct tape, and then took a short nap because of
the heat.
I felt a little humidity rain this morning, but no count. I crossed the New River into Pearisburg, VA. I could hear the Celco factory in the valley all day long and then finally saw
it at the end of the day.
I hiked past their Celco landfill for hazardous waste. I guess companies like to pick small towns to make the town dependant on them so
they can
’t complain.
I hiked down to the Rendezvous Motel, what a name. I tried to hitch, but no luck. I asked the lady at the motel for a ride, she obliged. I stopped by the store, then Wendy’s. I called Becky and found her sister, Kendra, is going to have a C section
tonight.
Everyone was worried. I walked another mile carrying groceries to the hostel. It was hell, sweating again and shin splint rocking. At the hostel I saw the guy with blisters from the Pickle Branch shelter. He had caught a ride out. His name is “Uncle Walt.” He was told he looks like Walt Whitman and he does! He was an interesting guy with a very heavy stutter, from Brooklyn, with an
Austrian accent, 60
’s, and long grey hair. We enjoyed conversation and shared the Key Lime pie I had bought at the store.
I feel better, but was tired of hurting. I’m thankfully off to bed. Much thought goes to Kendra, Robert, Sharon, Becky, and especially Cade. It could be his chosen birthday as I write.
more>>
.
