Another statistic

[marty1983]

Well I tried but I just couldn't get past Franklin, North Carolina. Even after all the preparation and research, I just wasn't mentally prepared for a thru hike this year. I am happy to be home but still think about the trail all the time and even consider dropping everything and heading east to where I left off. I learned stuff about myself and I consider this to be a learning experience for a future thru hike when my wife can join me. Anyways, thanks to everyone here for all the help and tips. Good luck to all those planning their hike!

[marty1983]

I meant to say "Another Statistic".

[Sailing_Faith]

I meant to say "Another Statistic".

Marty,

Congratulations on your practice run. I am sure your future thru will be all the better for it. Still quite an accomplishment, and I bet you put some great memories in the bank too. Hope you will share some of the lessons learned as you continue to prepare for the next hike.

[rocketsocks]

Your attitude seems good,That's Excelent!You gave it a shot,and didn't finish,This time.It'll be there when your ready,heck of an undertaking that ole AT is,Guess what,you just finished a big part of your "Section Hike',Cool.Congrats

[shelb]

I just wasn't mentally prepared for a thru hike

....last summer, I took a friend backpacking 110 miles through the SNP. She said that the hike was harder than having any of her 4 kids....totally, a mental thing....

[marty1983]

Yeah, I gave it my best and I appreciate everyone's comments because I am probably being to hard on myself because I feel like a failure for not completing a Thru. I was at Standing Indian Shelter taking a break and for some reason, I totally broke down. I hiked to Betty Creek Gap and camped alone...again. The next day I woke up feeling a little better and it was a beautiful day. I just missed being home and didn't like being alone so much and not having anyone to share the adventure with. That day, I hiked to old 64 and met 'Strollin' who had called Ron at the Budget Inn for a ride. I went into Franklin and stayed at the Budget Inn that night hoping I would feel better the next day. I woke up the next day and still had no motivation to hike, I was very Lethargic.

I called my wife in Des Moines and she dropped everything she was doing and drove 15 hours to pick me up. The next day we drove to NOC and I picked up a package that my parents had sent. I then drove her through the Smokies and we stopped at New Found Gap. It was there that I saw the first mileage sign with Katahdin listed as being 1,972 miles north. I immediately regretted coming off the trail but it felt so good to be with my wife. Anyways, we drove back to Iowa and she could tell I was not happy. We talked about it for a day and we both agreed I would give it another shot (it was only March 6). 5 days later, I drove my car to Virginia and my mom gave me a ride to where I left off at old 64. I was very excited to be back on the trail and I felt that once I made it past Winding Stair Gap, I could put Franklin in the rear view mirror and move forward. I hiked to Silar Bald Shelter and met a bunch of wonderful people at the shelter and was excited to be back on the trail.

However, the next morning after everyone left I became very lethargic again. I remember hiking and telling myself to just make it to NOC and then get through the Smokies and then into Hot Springs and so on and so on. By the time I got to Harper's Ferry in my thought process, I was mentally exhausted and I had only hiked about 30 feet. Oh well, at least I made it through Franklin!!! I then came to another road crossing at Wayah Gap and what do I see? A sign that says.....wait for it......"Franklin 13 miles"! I then knew my thru hike was over for good. I started walking towards the evil town of Franklin and a nice lady who lived up by the lake picked me up. She was on her way to Greenville, NC and drove me all the way there so I could get a plane ticket to Richmond, Virginia and then get my car and drive home to Iowa.

**Note to readers: Franklin is really not an Evil town, it's just an obstacle for me that I will need to overcome on my next hike. Ron Haven is a wonderful host and a better man. However, on my next hike with my wife, I told her that we will be bringing extra food from Hiawassee because I am not stopping again until we get to NOC!!

I met a bunch of wonderful people on my hike and I have much more respect for the trail then I did before I started. There is something definitely magical about the A.T. and I encourage everyone I talk to now to go pay it a visit. I look forward to the day when I am in a better financial position and have more time so that I can give back to the A.T. community. I am actually thinking about transferring ownership of a small paid up life insurance policy that I own to the ATC so that when I die, I can leave a little legacy for this wonderful trail. Nothing has ever impacted my life more than those 120 some miles from Springer to Wayah Gap. As the song by Yonder Mountain String Band goes "Life is better there"!

[Nutbrown]

seems like the trail is similar to quitting smoking. Every time you try, it is practice for when you actually quit. Good job. The at will wait.

[hikerboy57]

life is all about finding balance and its sometimes tough to find that balance when you're committed to being away from your loved ones for an extended period of time. a thru hike takes a huge mental commitment that ive found lacking in my own psyche. although its been on my tick list for most of my life, i keep finding reasons to avoid making that total commitment, in the meantime finding satisfaction in section hiking and balancing family obligations. i still hope to see the time that ill have completed a thru hike, but if i die before then, ill still be content. my influence of zen and taoism has taught me something mike brady used to say"wherever you go, there you are."
the at community is rather special, and ive met some great people both on the trail and here on WB. and its great that you were able to take away from it that sense of community that seems to be lacking in todays society. maybe thats why we love the trail as much as we do.
Congratulations on your completely successful section hike.
and welcome home.

[johnnybgood]

Take away from this experience eveything positive Marty and you will be better off mentally next time. The lessons best learned in life are those that were learned from coming up short on an anticipated goal.
Having your wife hiking alongside next time can give you that companionship that no one else on the trail can provide.
While the hiking community is a like family while you're out there,they can never take the place of actual family.

Keep your head up and good luck.

[Moose2001]

Hey Marty - I see a lot of my first hike in 2001 in your post. I got all the way to DWG and found myself missing my wife more than I could stand. I went through the same things you did....left, came back....left again...feeling guilty. Two years later, I was back and did the entire trail. It made me stronger and I understood myself, and my demons, much better. Congratulations on doing a good section. Learn from it and if you still have the drive, go for it again.

[coach lou]

seems like the trail is similar to quitting smoking. Every time you try, it is practice for when you actually quit. Good job. The at will wait.

You can't carry the green oxygen bottle in your pack, the hoses will get caught in stuff.

[Cookerhiker]

You can think and plan about a thruhike some day but also consider that this ended up as a section hike and perhaps, that's the best way to look at your future hikes on the AT. And then as you're hiking in 100-200 mile chunks, maybe the lure and desire of thru or long distance hike will re-emerge to the point that you're ready for it. Good luck!

[Storm]

I feel your pain. Made it to Allen Gap and old back problem was giving me fits. Back in Ohio hoping I can fix problem and get back. Either way the experiance was a positive one. That was 288 miles I wouldn't have hiked sitting at home and about a 100 great people I would have never met. Best of luck in the future.

[Theosus]

You didn't quit... It's just a thru hike with an extremely long set of zero days...