Appalachian Trail Adventure Day 15 - The End (7/1/21)

My original plan for this hike had me continuing into the White Mountains for the next ten days, but plans change. After I got to the Rattle River Hostel, I realized that the last few days had taken a lot out of me. The relentless heat and humidity had make hiking unpleasant, and then the rain had exacerbated the developing blisters on my feet. Could I have continued? Probably. Would it have been enjoyable? Definitely not. Hiking is hard, but ultimately it is recreation, meaning that it should be at least some amount of fun.

I consulted with several people who I trust, and I laid my situation out for them, and I asked them for their thoughts. Everyone was unanimous. If you're not enjoying yourself anymore, then you shouldn't be doing it. That made my mind up for me. I decided that I was going to end my hike, and save the White Mountains for a future hike.

Of course, there were some logistical details that had to be taken care of. I had a reservation at the Joe Dodge Lodge that it was too late to cancel, so I had to get in touch with them. Unfortunately, I sat on hold with the AMC for forty-five minutes. Dragonfly arrived to pick me up, and I was still sitting on hold. When they finally picked up, I was able to transfer my reservation over to Gazelle, so hopefully he got a real nice night out of it.

I also lost a night at the Rattle River Hostel, but that wasn't a huge deal. Once I made sure that I had everything packed up, I said goodbye to Gazelle, and then Dragonfly and I were on our way. We did have to make one stop on the way. I had mailed a package to Mt. Liberty Lodging in Lincoln, NH, so we had to pick that up. Thankfully, they were very accommodating about it.

I wondered if I would have regrets about my decision to get off trail at this point, but I found that I didn't. I felt like it was the right call for both my mind and my body. I am proud of what I accomplished, as making it through southern Maine in 80 plus degree heat is no small feat.

I want to spend the rest of the summer pursuing other athletic pursuits besides hiking. I want to do more bicycling, and I want to get back to doing paddle-boarding, which I haven't had a chance to do yet this summer. I also want some relaxation time, which I haven't really had since the school year ended.

I appreciate all of you who followed me on my journey, and just because the hike is over, it doesn't mean the blog is done. My future hikes will continue to be blogged on here, and I may even blog some of my other athletic pursuits.

If this hike has taught me anything, it's that you can't take flight until you spread your wings. Have a great summer, everyone!

Comments

  1. UnknownJuly 6, 2021 at 12:29 PM

    I am very proud of you, Hawk, for your adventure and for knowing when to call it. No regrets when one makes well thought out decisions!
    Enjoy your summer and I look forward to hearing about more of your adventures in the future!

    ReplyDelete

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