Nina Baxley: AT Thru-Hiker

Boy, was I relieved when I finally hobbled into Gathland State Park in Maryland! I was so ready to be away from the trail for several days. I hadn't made it to Harpers Ferry by October 5 as planned, so I'd arranged with FurTrapper and Landslide, two new friends from AT-L (the thru-hikers email list), to meet at Gathland. From there, we'd go to their house for the night, then the three of us would leave for the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA) Gathering in Athens, WV, the next morning.

While I waited for Landslide and FurTrapper, I called home and learned that my dad had taken a fall on the tennis courts several days before. His head had hit the court so hard that it bounced, and the force of the impact had knocked him out for several minutes. He was fine, if bruised up, but I broke down crying when I hung up the phone. He could have broken his neck, or worse. And I would have been somewhere on the AT, far from a telephone.

I sat by the phone and leaned against my pack, crying. I was emotionally exhausted. I wanted to be there for my dad, and my feet were throbbing with pain. It was time for a break.

Over the next three days, I got the break that I so sorely needed. At Landslide and FurTrapper's house, I helped myself to three huge servings of dinner and four biscuits, then spent the evening getting to know my new friends and their daughters Dawn, Robin, and Wendy.

The next day, the three of us headed to the Gathering. On a side trip to Harpers Ferry, I picked up my maildrop and visited the Appalachian Trail Conference Headquarters. There, we met the original thru-hiker, Earl Shaffer, who first thru-hiked the AT in 1948 and last thru-hiked it in 1998. That was pretty exciting!

Even more exciting was seeing my trail friends at the Gathering, including my trail sisters, Isis and Jackrabbit! Was I happy to see them!! We spent most of the weekend together, laughing about how miserable we were in the Whites, scoping out the male hikers, chatting with AT-L friends, playing the piano, and singing "Dig a Hole, Dump Your Load." This is a song about—you guessed it—written by Jackrabbit and Isis, and we had sung it throughout New Hampshire. While recovering at home, Jackrabbit had written a brilliant piano composition about our trek through the Whites. She played it for us, and I laughed to hear her piano rendition of "Dig a Hole, Dump Your Load," the piece's primary theme. The three of us laughed for three days straight. We hadn't done that since Hanover.

It was also nice to see many of my AT-L friends. I got to visit with other friends I had made at last year's Gathering, and I also got to see Nimblewill Nomad, which was a real treat. I enjoyed meeting thru-hiking "dreamers," such as FurTrapper, who aren't thru-hiking yet but are in the planning stages. I remember how exciting that phase was for me, and I know I'll envy the "dreamers" once my thru-hike is over and theirs is yet to begin.

The weekend and all its joys went by too fast. Even though I was ready to get back on the trail, I was sad to leave the warmth of the friendships I had found at the Gathering. I fought back tears as I said goodbye to my hiking friends, particularly Isis and Jackrabbit.

You would think that, as much as I hike by myself, I would get lonely from time to time. But I don't often get lonely when hiking. It's when I have to say goodbye to the people I love that the real loneliness hits. And it hit me hard Monday morning as we drove back toward Maryland.

But I was happy, and I still am. Many of my friends will be back at work tomorrow, but I got back on the AT today. As I hiked through rain, hail, and sunshine, I wore a big, goofy grin on my face and marched to the tune of "Dig a Hole, Dump Your Load."

Life really doesn't get any better than this! How lucky I am to have friends so precious to me that I have to cry when I leave them.

Pennsylvania was tough, and I'm glad I was able to take a break. My feet are feeling better, and my spirits are definitely feeling renewed after this weekend. It makes me smile to know that Isis and Jackrabbit are still walking the same trail I am, albeit in New Jersey.

This is such a good life—even though some days can be depressing. Even though other people have bad days and sometimes take their frustrations out on me. Even though life isn't always easy, not even on the AT. Still, there's no place I'd rather be. No place I'd rather be than RIGHT HERE on the Appalachian Trail.

Check out Nina's gear list and pack weight.
See the trail dispatch archive for previous weeks.