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Day 30: Do Not Make Life-Changing Decisions When You Are In a Crisis
- Friends House off Duxbury Road (182.9)
- 0 ft ascent, 0 ft descent
- Bonus Mles: 0
One of the things we all know from doing SAR work is never make life changing decisions in the middle of a crisis. Moreover, don’t do it when you are overly tired. So, here we sit, in the comfortable living room of our friends restored antique house wrestling with our options. The Historian and I have had two days off trail to think. Rock Rabbit is just waking up. No choice is clear. We cannot wind the clock back and undo the injury. We don’t have enough time to wait for him to get better and pick up where we left off. We have to figure something out. Nothing feels right.
Stopping
The most obviously wrong thing is to just walk away. Rock Rabbit is able to finish, baring mishap. He has the time and the reserve. His desire to finish is high.
The Historian is so tenderhearted at the moment, running away from a trail that betrayed him feels like an option. Yet, we all know that would feel worse in time.
I am terrified of the hand over hand sections. I feel like I have meet my match amd doing more is courting disaster with my knees at my age.
Two of Us Carrying On
I considered just going on with Rock Rabbit. It would not have been a smart decision. The time it takes me to cover the technical sections puts us at risk this late in the season.
Daylight is now compressed into 12 hours. On a technical day, I could easily exceed that on a 10 mile hike.
Sending Rock Rabbit On Alone
The most obvious solution is for Rock Rabbit to be a solo hiker from here.
Yet, while I am content with not making the full thru, I find when the rubber hits the road, I will be heartbroken not to get to the Canadian border. I can emotionally skip the alpine sections. They are not in my expertise now.
I consulted with a Triple Crown / Long Trail friend. He felt like I could contine after the alpine section. I don’t want to miss the monument at the Canadian border.
I wont be crossing Moint Mansfield this time, but I can live with that. I don’t want to miss the monument at the Canadian border.
Finding a Rental Car
To affect our plan, we need a rental car. After considerable searching, I found one in Lebanon, NH not far from our friend’s there. That make the return trip from the border simple.
Our friends in Vermont needed to travel to Lebanon the following day so were able to drop us off to pick up the car.
Life Changong Decision Averted
We are confident with our plan. It costs money we did not plan to spend, but we can manage to make up for it over the next few months. Both Rock Rabbit’s and our families endorse the plan, including the need to economize to make up for the extra costs.
The Historan and I will follow along until the end of the alpine section. I will them rejoin Rock Rabbit. The Historian will join us if his arm is well enough. We will contnue, each in our own way.
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Comments 6
I’m so sorry your trio is divided. What a lovely model of thinking through options, trusting limits, and being team.
Thank you. It was hard to do, and we are committed to continuing in the ways each of us can. It is an important life lesson for us. Clearly not something we have had to chose before but we are content.
Thank you for your kindness, it means a lot to us.
As a long time Long Trail hiker I think you made a wise decision to skip the alpine section. The risk for injury throughout that section is very high particularly at this time of the year. It will of course continue to be challenging but with your experience you should have no trouble making it to the border with your new plan .
Best of luck to you all!
Thank you for the affirmation. This has been an amazing trip and I am so lucky to have seen what I have seen. We look forward to the border.
Thank you for continuing to share your thinking and decision making, both here and in your AT journal. Both are wonderful accounts. Best wishes as you head on up.