Enjoy the Ride: A Shakedown Roller Coaster

Buckle Up!

As I prepare for my summer thru-hike of the Long Trail, I wanted to test out my gear and supplies on a “shakedown” hike. What resulted was a two day lesson in fear, strength, music, and vulnerability as a solo female hiker. 

I think of a shakedown as a practice hike to try your equipment for a thru-hike, or the act of reviewing the items in your pack to see what you need to carry. I set out to hike the “Roller Coaster” section of the Appalachian Trail in Virginia as my shakedown hike for the Long Trail.

The Song

As I mentioned in my last post, I first discovered the thru-hiking world while researching to write my original musical, Static. In Static, there’s a song titled “Shakedown,” where a family of hikers prepares to complete the Appalachian Trail. Here are the lyrics as performed from a production last summer:

“Shakedown” from Static by Tess Rowan

We’ll pack out five years worth of gear,

Waste water, never filter tears. 

We’ll save on weight, let worries go. 

With every step, I know that I’ll feel lighter. 

It’s a shakedown. 

We’ll play our own follow the leader,

Fit our lives in fifty liters, 

Count every ounce we can’t live without 

Just look for all we need and leave the rest behind. 

It’s a shakedown. 

Just remember the Ten Essentials:

Sleeping bag, backpack, a pack of ramen,

dirty socks, lighter fuel, pocket knife, 

repair kit, a pair of pants, a tent, 

and a rain fly. 

We don’t have too much to give,

But we know how it feels to live. 

It’s a shakedown. 

Todd Heintz Photography

I wrote these lyrics imagining what it would mean to set out on a long distance backpacking trip. Now, I look back on these lyrics, and think that I am finally starting to understand the joy, fear, weight, and fun of what it means to hike with your life on your back. 

The Hike  

I started hiking around Appalachian Trail mile 992 in Virginia, with my backpack loaded for an overnight hike. I began hiking North over PUDS (pointless ups and downs) on what’s known as the “Roller Coaster.”

It had only been a few days since I moved out of my New York City college dorm, so I loved hiking in the mud and breathing in the fresh air. Along the way, I tested the audio equipment I will be using to create Field Notes, a documentary audio theater piece about the Long Trail. 

After about 10.5 miles, I set up my tent at an Appalachian Trail shelter and chatted with a few thru hikers and section hikers. When it got dark, I could not fall asleep. I was so scared of every noise, that someone or something would hurt me. But I’ve hiked and camped before – even alone. So, I was surprised at how afraid I felt that night. I really wanted to be brave and reasonable – yes, I can do this… no, an army of black bears won’t eat me – but my mind kept racing until I finally grew too tired and fell asleep. And the next morning, I woke up perfectly safe and fine. 

I packed up and hiked up to Raven Rocks and Bears Den, which I had visited as a day hiker before. The views were beautiful. I recorded personal narration and interviewed a few hikers to practice for Field Notes. Sometimes, when I got scared hiking alone on trail, I’d sing to myself in true theater kid style. Then, I finally exited the “Roller Coaster” section. After about 11 miles, I got to my car, bought a McDonald’s Happy Meal and drove home, sweaty, smelly, and proud. 

Takeaways

I was glad to get to practice using my gear on this shakedown, but I really learned how to work through fear while outside, on my own. Maybe, courage is just a skill that needs to be practiced. 

I think when we’re outdoors, we become much more aware of how vulnerable we are, which can feel very scary. We feel more at risk when we are isolated, traveling by foot, with less to protect ourselves with. But during my shakedown, I started to find the power and strength that comes from vulnerability. And maybe that’s just the first step to tackle an adventure like the Long Trail.