Running Out of Food Is NOT Fun!

I began to hike through some rugged trail. Well, all of the trail is rugged, but this section was particularly difficult. When I was in Virginia I could put in a very long day and walk 20 miles. But in this section I put in very long days and barely made 15 miles. It was tough!

Hikers are always hungry and I had a standard supply of food designed to last for one week. For several months this worked out, but I found myself in a very unusual situation. I looked at the miles to my next re-supply point and then evaluated my food. For the first (and only) time, I had more miles left than food. At my current rate I would be one day short of food. In the deep wilderness, on foot, miles from any road (and who knows how far from a store), this was a crisis!

I looked at the food supply long and hard. Was there any way I could walk faster? A detailed study of my mileage data book showed that it was not possible. The only solution was to eat less and “stretch” the food to last. I began to eat less. And, for the first time, I was truly hungry. Oh, sure, I was always hungry and could demolish a plate of food in short order. But now I was hungry all of the time. As I laid down to sleep, I felt the gnawing pains in my stomach. I was miserable. How many days would this last? Just a few more I told myself.

The next day was equally miserable. All I could think about was food. Toward the end of the day I found something. No, it wasn’t food. It was a paved road. I decided to hitch-hike until I found a store. It didn’t take long before a logging truck stopped and picked me up. In a few miles I spotted a small store on the side of the road. Shouting my thanks to the trucker, I dashed in and drooled over the shelves packed with food. Well, if you saw it then you would have thought that it was a tiny “hole-in-the-wall” store with limited inventory. But for me, it was a bonanza!

I honestly don’t remember what I bought and ate at that store. I do remember buying a 2.5 pound can of Dinty Moore Beef Stew and a large package of Oreo cookies. I hitch-hiked back to the trail and carried my treasures with me about a mile until I found a shelter. I pulled out my stove and very quickly it roared to life. My large pot was soon filled to the brim with the ENTIRE 2.5 pounds of the Dinty Moore Beef Stew. Steam wafted from the pot as my large spoon began to shovel the tasty meal into my hungry belly. In short order the pot was empty and licked clean. Now it was time for the Oreos. One by one they disappeared as I savored the sweet taste of victory. When nothing was left but an empty container, I sat back satisfied for the first time in what seemed like years.

I slept soundly that night and woke refreshed. I was back on “normal” eating and ready to continue my quest for Mt. Katahdin in Maine. I knew that I was going to make it!

The Hardest Mile

   J.R.R. Tolkien wrote "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy (which I have read several times). While writing these books, Tolkien reached the point where Frodo and his companions were in the mines of Moria and had just reached Balin's tomb. Readers don't usually know this, but Tolkien paused for about a year when he reached this point in writing. I can understand that. It's been about 9 months since I have posted on this blog. Life happens, and there are many distractions. But I remember learning in kindergarten, "if you start something, finish it!" And so, after a long pause, I am going to try to finish this blog. So, dear readers, here we go:

   All of the Appalachian Trail is physically challenging. Some sections are harder than others. In Virginia the trail follows a lot of ridges which makes for easier walking. Other places have lots of steep ups and downs. But there is one mile on the Trail that is the hardest. It's called Mahoosic Notch. I'm pretty sure that it's in New Hampshire, but it is very close to Maine.

   What makes Mahoosic Notch the hardest? Imagine a narrow valley with steep sides. Now imagine giant boulders the size of small cars fills the bottom of the valley. That's Mahoosic Notch! Hiking through a giant boulder field with a full pack is not easy. I had heard stories from other hikers, so I knew what to expect. Some hikers would take a long time to traverse this mile, exploring the remnants of ice still present under the rocks even though it was past mid-summer. When I got there, I was by myself so I knew that I needed to be careful. But I also love challenges. I decided to see how quickly I could get through this one mile stretch.

   Under normal circumstances I could hike about two to three miles per hour (as long as I had some rest stops along the way). But this was not your normal trail. I quickly discovered that my hiking staff was no use, so I put it in my pack which freed up both of my hands. Following the white blazes that marked the trail, I scrambled up and over the boulders. A few times I had to squeeze through narrow holes between boulders. The challenge was on and my stopwatch was ticking away. When I finally reached the end of the one mile boulder field, I laid on the ground utterly exhausted. How long did it take? Right at one hour.

   I was through the hardest mile of the Appalachian Trail, but I still had many miles to go. I knew that if I kept going I would eventually make it to Mt. Katahdin in Maine and stand on the summit in victory. Onward and upward!