Zero day today to rest my back. This means hiking zero miles. There are also “nero” days where you nearly hike zero miles (although every time I hear it, I think of that crazy Roman emperor who had his mom murdered and then burned down Rome). That was my six mile day yesterday. I am hoping that these two rest days heal up the muscle pains in my back. Maine is about to get hard – the Bigelows, Saddlebacks, and a number of other towering peaks back to back to back. Then, almost immediately after finishing my first state, I head into “the Whites” – the White Mountains of New Hampshire that include the Presidential Mountain Range, Mahoosuc Notch (the single hardest mile of the trail), and some other formidable peaks. You hike 10-15 miles at a time above treeline. All the Nobos also say that the Whites are the most beautiful part of the trip. I can’t wait, but I’ve got to slow down in order to be healthy for it. Slowing down is hard for me.
I’m staying at an awesome hostel, though. They served up an amazing breakfast this morning. The owner is a guy who hiked the AT and the PCT. He also solo hiked the entire state of Maine back in the early 1990s to fight for gay rights when there was a proposition to limit the rights of gay couples. An article adorns the walls here describing his trek and both the opposition and support that he encountered along the way. What an amazing thing to do. How cool is it that I get to meet these people each day?
It’s easy for me to get caught up in the miles, feel bad about my injury, or worry that I am not going fast enough. I’m trying to stay awake to the incredible people and things around me each day.
“Every day is a gift.” I repeat this to myself over and over during the tough moments. Because not everyone gets to do this. Because each day that I hike (or rest), each view that I see, each person that I meet really is a gift.
Trails And Travels 