[at-l] Re: Toughest hikes/sections

[athikerpickle@yahoo.com (Schuyler Stultz)]

> On the AT, my most difficult section was the section
> between Amicola State
> Park's hotel and the official start of the trail.  I
> almost gave up until I
> sat down on a rock at a switchback.  Then I spent a
> very long time watching
> an eagle circling over the land below.  

And there's the difference between mentally difficult
and physically difficult.  My physically difficult
areas were definately that climb out of Sweetwater Gap
(I think I rest-stepped that .5 mile with a good 10
seconds between EACH AND EVERY STEP ;-) ), and the
climb up to and out of Blye Gap into NC (But, oh man,
was that invigorating and inspiring to reach that
first state line).

Now mentally the most difficult few miles I hiked was
my last on the trail from that shelter north of
Caledonia State Park back down to the Park for my
hitch home.  Some of you know this, others don't so
now's as good a time as any to share with the whole
list...  

When I reached Harper's Ferry, I came home to Northern
VA and my wife of 4 years decided to let me on a
secret she'd been harboring for a few weeks.  With me
gone, she'd had time to think and had decided that she
no longer loved the way a wife should love a husband. 
She wanted me to finish the trail since she knew this
was a pretty deep desire of mine, so she promised to
support my trip the rest of the way, and we would
decide what to do when I got back.  So, she drove me
back to Harper's Ferry a few days later and I started
walking north.  Those first 2 days were filled with me
walking and thinking and walking and thinking.  Then I
met up with SnailNoMore at the Ed Garvey shelter in
MD.  He was going to walk with me to Boiling Springs. 
So, that next day, he and I talked a lot.  (I've known
him just about as long as I've known my wife...)  I
decided that I had to do something to try and save my
marriage, and me being gone another 3 months sure
wasn't going to do anything to that effect.  So I
decided I would get off of the trail with him in
Boiling Springs, and ride back to Baltimore with him
where I could catch a train back to DC.  Then another
day of walking and thinking and I decided I had to
head back that next day.  So, my last night on the
trail I spent with him, Luke and Fennel, Crash 1960,
and hiker whom I forget who just got on at HF and was
heading to K...  They were all supportive of me and
completely understood what I was doing.  But, those
few miles were the hardest 3 miles of my life.  But,
in the end, I realized I agreed with something Luke
said.  Hiking wasn't where I needed to be at that
time.  I still haven't been back on the trail since
then.  I just made plans with another friend to hike
for 3 days over Thanksgiving before I drive to Atlanta
to spend time with family, so I've committed myself to
getting back out there.  We'll see how it goes.

Anyway.  This is what came to mind as I was reading
the posts about difficulty of particular sections. 
The Caledonia State Park was by far, my most difficult
section.  Sorry to drone on like this...

=====
--
Schuyler Stultz
Former and future AT hiker
Current Software Developer

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