How to beat the Virginia Blues?

[evan_rolltide]

Any tips on what to do when you don't feel like hiking for a week? How to stay motivated?

[Del Q]

I am a section hiker and VA took forever it seemed

Step by step...............

[HikerMom58]

I wish I could say something profound to get you motivated again....

[hikerboy57]

Any tips on what to do when you don't feel like hiking for a week? How to stay motivated?
what would you rather be doing?do it and come back.but if youd rather be hiking, be glad you found the time to do it.very few can.

[Carbo]

Mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter.

[Lone Wolf]

Any tips on what to do when you don't feel like hiking for a week? How to stay motivated?

don't walk for a week. duh

[johnnybgood]

As a section hiker it's akin to a seldom used battery on a garaged car ,intially it may be hard to start.
Once the car starts up,the battery charges.

Start by making those plans,then follow through. Good Luck!

[Chaco Taco]

Any tips on what to do when you don't feel like hiking for a week? How to stay motivated?
Keep walking and realize that it beats working

[Dogwood]

Any tips on what to do when you don't feel like hiking for a week? How to stay motivated?

You can begin by not letting your thoughts get to the point where you don't feel like hiking for a week. At the most, I may go for three days without hiking on a long thu-hike but by the end of those three days I WANT TO I HAVE TO get back to hiking. I'm on a vision quest. Hiking and nature fulfills a yearning in my soul. It's in my blood. When you get to the point you feel blase, unconcerned, and nonchalant about something that often means you aren't finding enough about it to be grateful for. Finding reasons for being appreciative keeps you positively occupied so you don't have time for complaining. Complaining(in your thought and emotional life - SELF SPEAK) opens the door to a whole lot of other nasty negatives while being grateful opens the door to a whole UNIVERSE of WONDER and other empowering attitudes. One of the BEST places to practice positive self talk and vision focus is on a thru-hike.

[Lyle]

Two things, normally I don't agree exactly with Lone Wolf, often I do in general. Today I think his pithy comment is exactly right. Take some time off, away from the trail for a bit. Get comfortable, do some touristy sight-seeing, take in a movie or two, whatever non-trail activities suit your fancy (aside from getting falling down drunk at a bar every night), try to make it something productive, not destructive. :) Take a short break.

Not sure if this applies to the OP, but it is the advice I always give folks who are questioning whether they should continue:

NEVER make a quick decision to quit, especially when you are feeling miserable.

How long did it take you to decide to hike, and then get ready? Don't do something you'll regret by making a hasty decision to quit, and never make that decision when you are cold, wet, and miserable. It is only a valid decision when you make it while feeling comfortable and rested. Give yourself a minimum of two weeks, I'm betting you will have changed your mind. If however, in the end, you aren't enjoying the hike, and aren't looking forward to getting back out there, then why continue? Figure out what you would rather be doing.

Edit: Just wanted to add, Dogwood make some very good points as well. Part of learning to play the mental game that is involved with any extended endeavor, but strikes really hard when hiking.

[WingedMonkey]

There is no such thing as the Virginia blues. It's just an excuse by people that want to quit.

I never wanted to quit, I never wanted to go home.

If you do, then go home.

[evan_rolltide]

My bad, I used a term that many people toss around in the hopes that I could quickly convey how I was feeling. I'm not looking for any excuses. If you never wanted to go home, I hope you never did.

I did want to go home. I wanted to go fishing. I took 2 woods neros and 4-5 town zeros before I decided to get on a train and go fish. I feel as though the trail is calling me back already... I will give it some time to see before making a decision.

Not sure if I asked a stupid question or if the thought of not wanting to hike is just too foreign to some of you but I appreciate those of you who were kind enough to take the time to respond to my question.

It was an impulsive decision on my part to hike the Appalachian Trail. I had hiked twice before in my life and slept outside less than ten times in my life. I have been completely satisfied with my journey so far and have loved it. When I woke up and didn't feel like hiking, I didn't. I know there are some here that think it would have been better never to start than to start and not finish but I am not really concerned with judgement. I will be cozy in the fires of hell with all the other slackpackers, yellowblazers, and degenerates that don't hike the way we are supposed to.

It's really kind of funny that every time I get on to this website I see a bunch of people sitting behind a computer screen talking about how all the people out there hiking are entitled douchebags that are "dropping like flies" this year, and how each class of thru hikers gets worse and worse each year. On the trail if this website is mentioned it is almost never in a positive light, unfortunately. I found this website to be a great resource and think there are plenty of great people here, but the bitterness nearly seeps through the pixels at times.

I hope that all of you who wish to go out there and hike- it's really not a difficult thing to do. Life is for living--no excuses.

My name is Leprechaun and maybe I will see you on the trail, if not I am loving life somewhere else!

[HikerMom58]

My bad, I used a term that many people toss around in the hopes that I could quickly convey how I was feeling. I'm not looking for any excuses. If you never wanted to go home, I hope you never did.

I did want to go home. I wanted to go fishing. I took 2 woods neros and 4-5 town zeros before I decided to get on a train and go fish. I feel as though the trail is calling me back already... I will give it some time to see before making a decision.

Not sure if I asked a stupid question or if the thought of not wanting to hike is just too foreign to some of you but I appreciate those of you who were kind enough to take the time to respond to my question.

It was an impulsive decision on my part to hike the Appalachian Trail. I had hiked twice before in my life and slept outside less than ten times in my life. I have been completely satisfied with my journey so far and have loved it. When I woke up and didn't feel like hiking, I didn't. I know there are some here that think it would have been better never to start than to start and not finish but I am not really concerned with judgement. I will be cozy in the fires of hell with all the other slackpackers, yellowblazers, and degenerates that don't hike the way we are supposed to.

It's really kind of funny that every time I get on to this website I see a bunch of people sitting behind a computer screen talking about how all the people out there hiking are entitled douchebags that are "dropping like flies" this year, and how each class of thru hikers gets worse and worse each year. On the trail if this website is mentioned it is almost never in a positive light, unfortunately. I found this website to be a great resource and think there are plenty of great people here, but the bitterness nearly seeps through the pixels at times.

I hope that all of you who wish to go out there and hike- it's really not a difficult thing to do. Life is for living--no excuses.

My name is Leprechaun and maybe I will see you on the trail, if not I am loving life somewhere else!

This is a great response, Leprechaun. I wish you the best!!! I'm very proud of you for getting out there and hiking the AT. My daughter told herself when she wasn't enjoying herself any more, she would stop hiking. She hiked 500 miles and stopped. The trail had done for her what she needed it to do. She will finish it all one day and love every mile of it. She's done over 1/2 of it now. :) I'm sure it will be that way for you too, if you so choose.

As far as this site goes.... I'm glad you spoke the truth. I agree 100% with you and get the same reaction when this site is mentioned, sometimes. I think you chose a good word when you used the word- bitterness. I don't fully understand it but yeah.

I'd love to meet you out on the trail!!!

[hikerboy57]

My bad, I used a term that many people toss around in the hopes that I could quickly convey how I was feeling. I'm not looking for any excuses. If you never wanted to go home, I hope you never did.

I did want to go home. I wanted to go fishing. I took 2 woods neros and 4-5 town zeros before I decided to get on a train and go fish. I feel as though the trail is calling me back already... I will give it some time to see before making a decision.

Not sure if I asked a stupid question or if the thought of not wanting to hike is just too foreign to some of you but I appreciate those of you who were kind enough to take the time to respond to my question.

It was an impulsive decision on my part to hike the Appalachian Trail. I had hiked twice before in my life and slept outside less than ten times in my life. I have been completely satisfied with my journey so far and have loved it. When I woke up and didn't feel like hiking, I didn't. I know there are some here that think it would have been better never to start than to start and not finish but I am not really concerned with judgement. I will be cozy in the fires of hell with all the other slackpackers, yellowblazers, and degenerates that don't hike the way we are supposed to.

It's really kind of funny that every time I get on to this website I see a bunch of people sitting behind a computer screen talking about how all the people out there hiking are entitled douchebags that are "dropping like flies" this year, and how each class of thru hikers gets worse and worse each year. On the trail if this website is mentioned it is almost never in a positive light, unfortunately. I found this website to be a great resource and think there are plenty of great people here, but the bitterness nearly seeps through the pixels at times.

I hope that all of you who wish to go out there and hike- it's really not a difficult thing to do. Life is for living--no excuses.

My name is Leprechaun and maybe I will see you on the trail, if not I am loving life somewhere else!
hey leprechaun!!
i just got home after my own impulsive trip from springer to damascus, and i met quite a few people who were familiar with whiteblaze,many even knew me from whiteblaze as well.
like anything in life, one can choose to look for flaws in something, or one can choose to look for the good.although there are plenty of sources for information about hiking the at, whiteblaze imho is still the best single resource on line for information about thru hiking or section hiking the at.yes, we have our share of a-holes, a much higher percentage than you actually find n the trail, and even some of the debates that go on here hardly ever come into play when hiking the trail.and just like on the trail, if you find an a-hole on line, you keep hiking, you dont have to respond.
i have met so many wonderful people through whiteblaze, and i never would have hiked this spring, were it not for the friends i have here.
thanks to train wreck, atmilkman,ozjacko, fidjit and dot.com, lone wolf, coach lou, hikermomkd and all the others that ive met through wb and helped me along the way.
and leprechaun, i await your first haiku in the cafe.
for me, i didnt want to come home. for you, maybe you just need a break,and at some point, you'll come back to it.
after hiking 467 miles, i know that i can finish it, and am hoping to do just that if i can make enough money by august.
i also know that if you hiked through the same weather i did for 4 or 5 hundred miles, then theres no doubt you can hike the whole at should you choose.
either way, its your decision, your hike, and other peoples view of your hike is nothing more than an opinion.just words.
and always remember, the journey never ends.in the end, its all good.

[mdp9]

When I got tired with thru hiking, two things really helped:
1) Do shorter days, but still make progress every day
2) Hike with fun people

[wornoutboots]

It's a myth!! Whoever came up with that phrase was dead wrong & depressed!! VA is an Amazing Stretch of the Trail!! If it's about miles, you''ll struggle, if it's about enjoying the beauty of the trail, you'll be sad when you leave VA.

~Peace~

[Sly]

The best way to beat the Virginia blues is to hike in Maine.

[BostonBlue]

I read someone's journal and they said that an iPod tunes and audio books on it saved their sanity. I know that this is almost blasphemous to some on WB, but HYOH. When I hike for shorter stretches, I don't take an iPod, but I may decide to take it on the AT for just this reason.

[tiptoe]

I'm a section hiker, and I'm guessing that the Virginia blues have not much to do with Virginia, except for hikers that are focused on getting from one state to another as fast as they can, and the 500 odd miles of Virginia are not a quick conquest. I think it's more a matter of the thrill wearing off, and a little "same old" setting in, along with the prospect of a few more months of rain, bugs, hunger, illness, dirt, and so on. I just finished a hike from Rockfish Gap to Daleville, and I really enjoyed the views, wildflowers, and well-cared-for, relatively smooth, switchbacked trails.

[wornoutboots]

Here's a way to beat them!! Hike like theses guys are!! I was lucky enough to meet them for a few days last week amazing positive attitudes! The way they hike there are no blues!!

http://hitchedhike.com/

[Praha4]

hey Leprechaun,

I enjoyed following your Trail Journal, along with several of the other thru-hikes you were with (e.g. Moxie and some others). I was section hiking Atkins to Glasgow this spring, came back to Florida from Glasgow 2 weeks ago, got off the trail at Foot Bridge across James River. I'm not the least bit surprised you are already feeling the trail tugging you back. A couple weeks home in the old routine, and I also can't wait to get back again to the AT. I know exactly how you felt when you decided to go back to Alabama for a break from the trail. You had been on the trail for quite a while, and I think you just needed a mental break. I also live on the Gulf Coast (Panama City Beach, FL), so we are not that far apart....

here's what I think.... many AT thru hikers take zeros of different lengths along their journey, some for one day, some for several days or more... if they live fairly close to the AT or have family or friends nearby, it's not a huge logistic challenge for them to get off the trail and recharge their mental batteries. I know I don't have that option, and I guess you don't either. If we want to zero, we do it in the woods, or we got to a hostel or motel in towns, which can get expensive. ...living so far from the AT, especially from central VA where we got off the trail. It's a 765 mile drive for me to get back up there or a 25 hour Greyhound bus ride to Roanoke, VA to get back.

you sound like you are now considering resuming your hike.... if you are ready, go for it.... think about the lessons learned from what you have done so far.... think about why you got burned out the first time. Were you getting into a race, hiking too many miles a day? were you just bored with the VA terrain? should you take a day off every week or so? you are almost halfway on the AT thru hike, Harpers Ferry is not that much further. You still have time to finish this year if you are psyched. If not, no big deal, you can section hike the AT... that's what I do now, and my next hike is the Long Trail in Vermont in September... the weather and scenery are awesome in Vermont in the fall.

good luck on whatever you decide to do!

[Malto]

It is also possible that you don't actually like to hike. You hit VA, the romance of a long hike wears thins and society tugs you back in. With this being your first multiday hike it is entirely possible. Good luck either way.

[earplug94]

Focus on your friends. Make up games to play with your hiking buds. We did a few night hikes and that was really cool. We had dinner and then walked throughout the night. Fond memories of that. Focus on water (lol). Don't forget the earwax contests at lunchtime. See who has the most! yuck. I would make myself look forward to a good book that night.
Earplug 94

[kidchill]

Stay outta town! I was SOBO, but for some reason after Harper's Ferry, I got a little depressed. Every time I hit town, I just didn't want to leave. It was weird, I didn't really want to quit, but I also didn't really want to keep hiking either. I didn't know what to do, so I just stayed outta town, and kept moving. My cell died and I totally lost touch with the real world. SuperStorm Sandy rolled through (much to my surprise) and I was forced to take a few days off. After that, I got back on the trail and ended up finally seeing some other hikers when I hit Damascus. Then, the trail began to change and there were nice views once again...I finished, and now that I'm back in the real world, I wish I were back to the simplicity of the trail!

[Colter]

On a forest fire we were working our butts off trying to stop it. A local crew hiked in to help, and while we were focused on corralling the fire, they were mostly focused on how hard the work was. I enjoyed this exchange:

"Don't you guys ever get tired?" (local crew-person, hinting for a break)
"Yup" says my buddy.
"Well, what do you do when you get tired?"
"We keep working."

[Cherokee Bill]

Take it from a 66 year old Fart, better get out there and enjoy the trails and mountains while your health and Body allow!!!!!!! Believe me, you can put it off, then suddenly its too late!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[Symba]

I hated the "Virginia blues" saying. I LOVED Virginia. Loved it! Did I mention I loved it? Well I did love it. I have love for hiking, easy hiking, and I loved Virginia for it. Who cares if you don't get into another state right away, seriously, it is still the Appalachian Trail (AT) no matter where it is. I love the AT and the AT community. Don't think of Virginia as being a place for sorrow. Take the time hiking Virginia as a sight sear. You are usually looking four steps ahead on the trail and not looking around. Take this chance of easy hiking to actually look around and enjoy EVERYTHING. Love life.

[Chaco Taco]

Any tips on what to do when you don't feel like hiking for a week? How to stay motivated?
Think "atleast Im not at work"
to stay motivated? keep walking