Into the Wild

I took my last steps on the Goodloe Bryon Memorial Footbridge and stepped into Maryland and looked back over the Potomac river to Harper's Ferry and Loudoun's Heights rising above it and felt extraordinarily happy. I took my pack off. For several moments I wasn't sad at all, but then I realized it was over. I looked down at my boots, the soles falling off and my feet burning inside them and laughed at them. They look ridiculous. I took them off and slid my socks off and sat with bare feet, flicking ants off my bare skin every few moments. It was only about one in the afternoon and Leah wouldn't come to pick me up until six, so I had some time to hang around town. I still felt entirely conflicted about leaving. Had I done everything I could to keep hiking? Loans? Begging? I could have gone into debt, put off another semester of college and kept going if I wanted.

But I didn't want that. I felt satisfied with 1010 miles behind me. I was in Maryland and I let myself cry silently, without tears. I let my stomach wrench and my face distort. On the Trail life was simple, austere, and eternal. There was always more rocks, more big climbs and big miles, more heat and stench to come. I would miss sweat and constant pain, the fluid motion of hiking, and most of all- my friends, all commiserators.

And then this all faded away. I wrapped the Trail inside me, tucked it away securely in a solemn place and took a nap. When I woke, I was no longer a Thru-hiker but a civilian again.

I am getting off the trail at Harper's Ferry Maryland, the half-way point of the trail. The decision to do so has been excruciating for me and I am still not used to the idea. I will arrive there in about 9 days from now. Nine days! Nine days is a blink of an eye, only 160 miles. My mind is still set on Maine, on the northeast, on over 1000 more miles of trail.

As I was sick and off the trail for almost three weeks, I no longer have the time or money to finish the whole trail in the first place. College at University of Arizona starts August 25th, but orientation is August 16th (about the time I would finish the trail if I kept going). More importantly, I can't afford to continue much longer especially considering my impending tuition.

1009.8 will be my final mileage. The journal entries will be finished and current by July 2nd, so keep checking the blog. After that I am going to compile and edit the whole thing into a word document, so e-mail me at Kaikaapro@gmail.com if you are interested in getting a copy (this will be much later, sometime in August I will finish).

On to Harper's Ferry. Thanks for following and keep reading.