Back to the Trail!

This week off proved to be better than expected.  I kept busy enough to not go completely stir crazy (although I still felt it a bit) with school, gear related tasks and a great day of mountain biking.  I have enrolled in the classes I need for my first semester at UC Denver.  I have also found a fantastic place to live that is 2.5 miles from campus, thanks to an old friend, who just happened to have a room for rent.  Talk about lucking out!

So with the stress of that off my shoulders my attention turned to my gear for the remainder of the hike.  I needed a smaller pack.  The Gregory Baltoro that has served me VERY well, but was just too big and heavy at this point.  It was also very HOT on my back, the back of my shorts would be completely soaked from all the back sweat generated from lack of ventilation.  Anyone that knows me, knows I sweat A LOT and this wasn't helping me in the much warmer weather.  I went back to the Amazing REI Asheville to swap out for something smaller, lighter and more breathable.  They didn't carry the one I wanted (even though the website said it was available), my other option didn't seem to fit right at all......soooo I went with a Gregory Savant.  It saving me just over 2lbs of weight.  My base weight after culling down the gear and extras is down to 16lbs now.  I'm gonna go through it all again today one more time to see if I can reduce it some more.

The weight loss will help me soo much as I do my final run of the trail.  Less weight is less stress on my ankles, knees etc..  I should also have an easier time reaching longer miles.  This is important because my plans have changed in regards to finishing.  I'm just over 3 weeks behind schedule now due to time off and shortened daily mileage due to injuries accrued along the way.  Normally, this wouldn't be an issue but since UC Denver starts classes on August 20th, well, it leaves me at a serious time disadvantage.

It would be possible, if nothing else caused me to slow down, to finish.  It would be a serious push and I would end right before school, thus leaving me VERY rushed to handle many other things.  As well as a diminished bank account (I'm a little over budget there as well), enough to finish but not much to be left with.  This is a problem seeing as I have rent to cover for the Fall as well as moving there and living expenses.  I would also like the time to see a couple VERY close friends that I haven't seen in a couple years along the way to CO.

So with all that in mind, I have decided to give myself 4 weeks (3 in June and 1 in July) to get as far as I can along the trail.  It saddens me to know I will not finish, but at the same time, to be moving to a location that I have dreamed of since I was very young to pursue my masters......well, the trade off compensates for it.  This will allow me 4 to 5 weeks to work and save for the new adventure and time for visits on my way out there.  It's like shortening one dream trip to allow for another.  I'll just come back to finish it after I graduate and before entering back into the work force.  The trail will always be there for me, beckoning me in my dreams and thoughts, to come back and finish.

Last week, the realization of not finishing hit me very hard emotionally.  The idea of not finishing, missing out on adventures and missing my new friends and trail family was really HARD to come to terms with.  However, as I've been home sorting everything else out, the excitement of my new adventure has really helped me in realizing the importance of swapping adventures.  The A.T. will be finished, anyone that knows me worth a dam, knows I finish and accomplish whatever I set my mind too.  Technically, I'm not finished with the A.T., it's just being sidelined for the moment so that I can pursue academic and future goals to better my life.

I'm hoping to get up to the N.Y./New Jersey area within the four weeks, if not further.  We'll see how it goes.  The short term goal is PA and the definitive halfway point, even if I have to hobble there from some recurring injury or new one.  If all is good, then it's boots to trail to push as far as possible.

I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends again, making new ones, sharing new adventures and creating more stories.

Here's to the final PUSH, Cheers everyone!