Bring me your tired....

On the trail for over a week! I have now done over 100 miles of the AT and feeling not too bad about it. Had some tough days since my last post, but working though the kinks. I keep telling myself this: "If you like it this much in cold, nasty, rainy/snowy weather, think how much you'll like it when it's nice!!" I am holding out in hopes that the weather will get better eventually. I don't think weather will take me off the trail but I sure would like to see some nice stuff. (By the way forecast for snow and below freezing temps in my hiking sections on Tuesday)

Now that I have been on the trail for a week I have learned a few things. Let me share them with you:

1. Your mother always told you never trust a stranger. As a hiker I say: Never trust a map.
I had hiked about 8.7 miles to a shelter just as the sun was peeking out for a bit. I met a day hiker there with a map. I wanted to hike in the nice weather, and he had a topographic map. He showed it to me and said "The next six miles aren't too bad a tough climb to start with but then ridge walking and a bit of decent to the shelter." I see and agree and decide to proceed. After the big climb, a spring for water boost and 4 miles I pass a sign: Blue blaze-bad weather white blaze- ridge top. The sun is out I have no excuse so I go up. I go up and scrabble up rocks and down rocks and over rocks and trip and slip. The views are majestic but the rocks are killing me. Two days later I read a fellow hikers guide: Most technical rock climbing until New Hampshire. Great.
2. Hiker appetites are not voracious across the board.
I cannot eat. When I eat I gag. The food tastes fine but I can hardly get it down. I sit next to men who can down three to four times the food I eat in a sitting and do it in a fourth the time it takes me. I don't think I have EVER seen people eat so much. I look on in jealousy. I miss food. I need the calories. I think my metabolism is down to zero.

3. When there is no mirror, you assess yourself different in the morning.
I have heard of women going 6 months without a mirror in an attempt to learn something about themselves. These are women showering everyday of course and walking on streets and working in the normal population. I like this idea. I wake up without showering for 5 days, horribly greasy hair and smelly armpits and decide my esteem based on something other than the mirror. Its liberating.

4. You can hike 20.8 miles and not die of exhaustion.
I did it yesterday. It felt good to go so far in one day, but I would not do it every day. After all, the trail is supposed to be enjoyed somewhat.

5. You can go days without seeing another woman and thats okay.
The last time I saw a woman (besides at lunch at the pizza place today) was 6 days ago. I sleep in shelters with men every night and I trust all of them. I also trust they would protect me. I do not trust men who I have never met or have not been introduced to by another thru hiker. Safety is key.

6. Hiking poles are a must.
Not for everyone but always for me. They have saved me from many a rolled ankle, spill on a mountain, and have helped my knees a lot.

All other things aside I feel pretty good. I have some days ahead of me that I am sure I will struggle with but I feel like it is all part of the experience. No muscle pain yet (thanks Linda and Suzan!) but a heck of a lot of knee pain. Sometimes I fairly gallop across certain areas with my gimpy right knee trailing behind.

In the past few days: I fell flat on my back in the mud. I yelled at the mountain after a day of severe wind which blew my pack cover off, and blew me off the trail 4 or 5 times and froze my hands. I have laughed. I have pooped in the woods. I have smiled. I have had fun.