Make it count: Day #41

Day #41 - AT Hike

Wednesday, April 22 - Day #41 - AT Hike

Miles Hiked Today - 23.2
Total Miles Hiked on AT - 512.8/2,193 (23.38%)

Jenkins Shelter (580.5) to Jenny Knob Shelter (603.7) - tent at Jenny Knob Shelter

Total ascent - 4,518’
Total descent - 4,524’

Total States Completed - 1/14

Ahhhhhhh-yeh!! Best performance yet since on the AT. 23.2 miles today with 4,518’ ascent. The weather was absolutely perfect. Low 30’s to start the day - warming up to high 50’s. This was the one day that was projected to have nice weather all week. So far - it rained Monday & Tuesday, and it’s forecasted to rain again Thursday & Friday. I wanted to take advantage of it. I actually finished about 15 minutes faster than yesterday - even though I went 3 miles longer. The course today was really clean - just about as good as you could hope for in Virginia.

I passed the 500-mile marker today!!! This is reason to celebrate- 500 miles is a big number. (St Louis to Chicago is 297 miles, St. Louis to KC is 247 miles, Denver to Salt Lake City is 518 miles). I have to keep pushing - and just continue to knock off 100 mile+ weeks.

This Sunday will start my 7th week on the trail. I’m fully ramped up and have a goal of 110 miles/week for the next 9 consecutive weeks until I ramp down to the finish in the mountains of New Hampshire/Maine. That’s 15.71 miles/day for 7 days or 18.33 miles/day for 6 days + 1 zero. I’d really liked to keep my days around 17 miles/day if possible. This number is reasonable and should have me off the trail in 8 hours or so each day. I can enjoy the hike versus just pushing hard miles - plus, this should hopefully get me into camp to have a chat or two. If I can keep up with that 17 mile number - that allows me to take 1 zero every 2 weeks and remain on track. I’ll also be looking for hotels along the way to resupply for an overnight every 5 days or so.

I felt really inspired today. I was dragging a bit coming off a 20-miler yesterday - so I went to the headphones. I love music. It can really pick me up when I’m down. I haven’t been listening to music lately - as I’ve been preoccupied with listening for snakes/bears. Today - I just needed it.

So - the first song that came on was “Remember When” by Alan Jackson. Give a listen - I promise I won’t steer you wrong. I had a chance to hear this song and see Alan Jackson at the Grand Ole Oprey - special for sure.

Anyway - I mention this because it got me to thinking. All good stories start with: “Remember when we..............”. When you get together with family or friends and reminisce - the fond memories tend to start with “Remember When”. So - I started thinking about what I might be saying in 10 years or so around the kitchen table. And I’m going to be saying: REMEMBER WHEN I WALKED 2,193 MILES FROM GEORGIA TO MAINE DURING THE YEAR OF COVID-19!!!

This got me inspired- this brought me those goosebumps, those tears to the eyes. I had 8-1/2 miles to finish once I heard this song. The rest of the day just flew by - some of my fastest miles all day.

It’s 9:24pm now - I’m at the Jenny Knob Shelter - but here all alone tonight. Most everyone at the shelter last night were only going about 13.5 miles today to the first shelter they came to. I wanted to go a bit farther - in hopes to set me up with reasonable miles tomorrow and Friday so I can get to my hotel in Pearisburg. I have 33 miles to go - so not too bad. I always like to get to the hotel as early as possible on the day before a zero to do my chores - then really relax on the Zero Day. The goal is to Zero on Saturday and be back on trail early Sunday morning.

I’m hoping the rain isn’t too crazy tomorrow. At least the temperatures are set for mid 50’s - not the low 30’s I had been getting with the rain. Heavy rain can make for a really hazardous course - let’s hope for the best

Tonight - I want to leave you with this. Lots of folks are home right now (some are home alone), social distancing the best they can, maybe some people are feeling down or scared, wishing they could have their life back the way it was a couple months ago ——- Well - I challenge you to make your own “Remember When” story. The things in life we remember most are not usually possessions - but actions. Go make your “Remember When” moment.

Remember when Covid-19 took over the world - I was home feeling a bit scared, uncertain, and depressed, so I decided to ...................................

Please fill in the dots. Make it Count out there!!!!