Dealt a bad hand

[Thumper 2006]

Well everyone I have had to call it quits again on the trail. I went to harpers ferry and made it all the way thru Maryland to PA and my feet went south "way south." I lost my credit card which was a necessity to my thru hike then as to add insult to injury broke one of my tent poles. I switched boots to start this time and I also wore liners (they only made the blisters worse). I had to get a lift into town because my right foot had a blister almost to the bone. It look as if you took a drill to my heel and bored a hole in it. I did everything right this time but still had to come off the trail. I miss being out there. Meeting and hanging out with the northbounders was such a moral boost. I know that I have failed and I am the most dissapointed I think have ever been. Does this happen to some people where they are dealt bad luck out on the trail? I kept trying to do the best I could to get through it with what i had but could not hack it. What should I do now, it looks as if I have to get a job for the time being. If any of you have not failed on your thru hike it is the wost feeling, to know that your mind is prepared but your body cannot do it. I will thru hike this trail.

[Sly]

I had a couple attempted thru-hikes end prematurely. Yeah, it sucks, but you have to make the most of it.

If thru-hiking (or finishing the trail ) is still your dream, heal up, get back to work, save money, get back to the trail, change boots, do whatever you have to do which is probably a little of everything above.

You'll never know how good it can be until you pass a couple major hurtles, mostly in the mind. After that it's basically a piece of cake and awe so glorious.

[TakeABreak]

I tried to post a reply earlier and it to never never land, So I will make the brief just incase it finds it way here later. I had a set back at an attempt to a SOBO in 99, went back and did a NOBO the next year (2000), I made to Dalton, got off for a family thing got back on and injured a knee, came back the next year(2001) and finished. It made me appreciate finish all the more.

And it also made me more determined to do another hike some day and go all the way GA-ME. I have checked out gear, mail drops and such, and I think I can do it without using modern transportation from start to finish (going to and from towns) or sleeping indoors the whole way, just using hostels and towns for showers, laundry, food drops and such. If the good Lord is willing, it will be next year.

Just remember TW;
YOU DID NOT FAIL, YOU REGROUPED FOR ANOTHER ASSAULT AT A LATER DATE.

[honu]

Try to think of it as a temporary setback and a learning experience, not a failure. I'm sure it doesn't seem like it now, but after some time has passed you will have a different perspective. Try to figure out what you can do differently, maybe experiment a little, then give it another shot.

[Lone Wolf]

Not everyone who trains for a marathon finishes the race.

[Blue Jay]

Hey, you got to hike how many miles, hundreds? Many people cannot walk around the block. I'm sure much of the time was very enjoyable. While you were enjoying yourself, many people were working a jobs they hate, staring out the window wishing they were out there. You need to consider yourself blessed you had a wonderful summer. So you picked the wrong shoes, big deal. That my friend is not falure, just a poor fashion decision.

[NICKTHEGREEK]

Was that just from Harper's Ferry to PA? How many days were you on the trail?

[Tin Man]

Very few have achieved what you have. You should be happy and recognize what you have accomplished that many of us here can only dream about. Yes, there is disappointment in ending early. However, you should reflect on what you did as opposed to what you could not do and trreat it as a learning experience to come back and try it again. Good work!

Success is measured in every mile covered in your journey towards your destination. When you ultimately reach your destination, you will look back and think about the success of achieving each mile more so than reaching the end of the journey.

Failure is to give up and not come back to fight another day.

[Freighttrain]

you will only have FAILED if you never tried.....

heal up and try again :)

[neo]

if at first you dont succeed,try and try again,dont give up your dream:cool: neo

[Dances with Mice]

Take care of yourself. Take care of business. Then if the Trail is still important to you, try again. The most courageous hiker I've had the honor to meet is also a member of this forum.

2001 - First thru-hike attempt ended with back problems and a major illness in her family that needed her help.

2002 - On her second attempt she hit the trifecta. Lyme disease AND West Nile virus together THEN a hysterectomy! I would have found a new hobby.

2003 - Back at it! But health issues among folks back home again called her off the trail.

2004 - Summit!

I can't say that those fortunate to be blessed with good health and good luck appreciate accomplishing their thru-hike any less, but I will say that very few appreciated the final summit more than Hammock Hanger.

[SGT Rock]

AAR your gear. AAR your style, AAR your plan. Since it didn't kill you, you can only get better. Pain is weakness leaving the body.

[Frosty]

It wasn't a failure, TW. You hiked part of the trail, something that most people could or would never even attempt. Regardless of whether you get back on and try again, it wasn't a failure. Think of it in terms of what you DID do.

Last April I had to get off the trail, and thought that I had failed miserably. I didn't want to tell anyone. It was a major effort just to post here again. But once I got over feeling sorry for myself because my hike didn't go the way I'd planned, I felt better. You do the prep. You do the work. The results are what they are.

I've decided to go back next spring. I've wanted to hike the AT since 1972, and I wasn't going to let a knee stop me. I quickly made an AMTRAK reservation for next year and began some gear changeout and exercises for my knee and the rest of my body.

Rest, recoup. Try to learn from what happened and make adjestments. ANd then hit 'er again next year!

[Tha Wookie]

I feel for you man but I wanted to say one thing:

To become a better backpacker (or person in general, IMO), you have to let go of the notion that you were "dealt" a bad hand. You should internalize and face the things that you said made you get off the trail. Only then can you overcome those challenges. The credit card was your responsibility to keep up with, or learning how to replace it when needed. Blisters are unfortunate, but there are ways around them (like running shoes or even Chacos sandals). Some extra money should be allloted for broken gear. Now you have the chance to switch to a tarp (which has no breakable poles). You are capable of overcoming any obstacle, but first you have to live with consequense and stop hiding behind the dealer (a weather event would be an exception).

Then you should realize that you're hike isn't over. Lick the wounds, learn from your mistakes, and return when you are ready to face yourself. See you out there.......

[dougmeredith]

To become a better backpacker (or person in general, IMO), you have to let go of the notion that you were "dealt" a bad hand.
I agree with The Wookie on this. You have to rationally evaluate what went wrong. Here is a technique that sometimes helps me to be objective with this sort of thing:

Imagine that it is someone else who has aborted their hike. Sometimes it helps to pick a real individual if you know someone who fits the role. Now think what advice you would give them.

Doug

[SGT Rock]

I agree with Wook on this. Many things are under your control and were not a hand you were dealt, but the play of the hand you deal yourself. Take control of the situation and don't let the situation control you.

[whcobbs]

Wonderer

You've got the stuff and still have the dream. So what's the problem?
Make some money, train a bit in your gear before you hit the trail, and start slow.

Walt


Well everyone I have had to call it quits again on the trail ... .

[icemanat95]

Clearly there was something wrong with your footwear choice. Before commiting to a major undertaking like a long-distance hike, it behooves you to test out your foundation gear first (boots, pack, tent/sleep system and stove). The pair of boots you hit the trail wearing should already be well broken in. If they rub anywhere, tape it up before it turns into a blister. Waterproof athletic tape works really well for that.

Most people mis-manage their blisters and make them much, much worse. Slapping moleskin onto a blister only helps if the moleskin doesn't cover the blister, but surrounds it like a donut, keeping pressure off it. However, if the underlying cause for the blister's formation (bad boot fit) isn't addressed, the blister will keep coming back and get worse and worse.

You need to look at literally everything in boots and find something that fits really well.

[Ridge]

:confused: It starts about 10 miles from your house. Has over 70 miles of fairly rugged terrain, good trails, great sites. The Caesars Head/Mountain wilderness area is also in the same county you live. Has over 80 miles of beautiful trails/waterfalls.
The AT is only about 2-3 hrs away. The (William) Bartram Trail / Chattooga River Trail intersects the FHT, this will take you to the AT in the Nantahalas. Why wouldn't you start closer to home on the AT or use the close trails to check out boots and gear? I don't quite understand why one would go to the expense of heading way off and not have any experience or familiarity with ones equipment/clothing/boots. You should stay close by and break in the proper footwear and experiment with equipment.

[TakeABreak]

As pointed out above there are plenty of places to go hiking near you, a good place to do some training is just east of Cashiers, N.C., called Panther Twon Valley, you go there hike around, backpack some and just train all weekend I did it several times when living in cullowhee, N.C. Safe parking too, did there several times no one ever bother my vehicle over night. If you need direction to this place from Cashiers, let me know I will dig out my maps and email you back directions.

[Spirit Walker]

I know many many hikers who were not able to finish an AT thruhike. Some went back to finish the trail, either in sections or as another thruhike, some went on to other trails instead (PCT), some decided that they really didn't like long distance hiking and moved on to other activities instead. Only you can decide if this is really the end of your hiking or just one step in the process.

One way or another, you've learned some lessons - so now go use them. If you decide to keep hiking, then go play on the trails in your back yard before you go back to attempt another thruhike. If money was an issue for this hike, then make sure that it isn't for the next one. If you don't really enjoy hiking day after day, find something else to do with your life. The future is in your hands.

[Thumper 2006]

I forgot to tell you guys that I started my thru hike in ME and had to come out of the 100 mile wilderness because of a ankle injury. I took 3 weeks off and went back to HF to do a flip flop hike. Its not that I could not keep up with my stuff, and I also had checked my equipment. It was just a series of events that got me fed up, and the blisters only made everthing worse. I appreciate everyones support but somtimes things happen and there is nothing you can do to stop them.

[Tha Wookie]

.....somtimes things happen and there is nothing you can do to stop them.
True, but not in what you've told us. Sounds to me like you're reaching, and afraid to admit that you can't face your own consequence (but you could be holding back on something). Every hiker has insurmountable challenge. That's why making it is so special.