Why I Quit The Long Trail

Well this is not the blog entry I wanted to write. I’m off trail and sitting in an airport, waiting for a flight home. I’ve ended my thru-hike attempt of the Long Trail. I made it 54.4 miles, to Manchester Center. Long story short, I just wasn’t having fun.

When I came through here before I had 4 months of hiking under my belt and my trail family with me. This time it was just me alone and out of shape on a difficult trail. The difficulties could possibly be tolerated if I had someone to share them with, and the beautiful scenery might be more enjoyable when shared as well.

I was getting blisters on my feet, which rarely happened on my AT thru. I used injinji socks on this hike, and on the AT I used injinji liners with darn tough socks over them. Maybe there’s something about the liner and sock combo that keeps the friction away from the foot.

Solitude

One big reason I wasn’t having fun is that there was almost nobody on trail. I never saw another NOBO. I had some nice conversations with a couple SOBOs at camp, but those were pretty much the only other people I saw. Even though I’m not overly social in regular life, it turns out I really enjoy a social hike. Sharing highs and lows really improves morale for me.

Another reason is that the trail is quite hard, and I haven’t been hiking for the last 4 months straight. My longest day was 14.6 miles, and that left me drained into the next day. It’s not a competition, but sometimes you have to make miles to get to town without running out of food.

The leaves in Vermont had also not quite turned yet. There was still a lot of green on the trail. The fiery orange and red leaves were nowhere to be seen. Maybe it simply wasn’t peak season yet.

Foot Follies

I resupplied in Manchester Center and bought a new pair of shoes with a wider toe box to try to alleviate my blisters. Then I headed up Bromley mountain with 5 days of food for the next leg. I watched the sunset from the peak and set up in the ski patrol hut for the night.  Nobody else showed up except the mice in the walls. I decided I didn’t want to deal with the mice and set my tent up outside. When I pressed on the tent stakes with my foot to push them into the ground, one stake went right through the bottom of one of my new shoes. Between the hard 5 day leg coming up, the weight of my pack, the blisters, and the loneliness, I was ready to be done. The next morning I headed back down to Manchester Center.

Consolation Prize

I found a hotel and decided to spend a couple days as a tourist in a New England town. I went to the independent bookstore, bought some maple candy, and got some Long Trail Ale from the grocery store. After a restful two days it was time to head home.

Lessons for Next Time

Next time I try something like this, I need to be in shape. The gym helps, but you need to walk multiple miles every day before jumping into a thru-hike. On a rocky east coast trail like the Long Trail, ankle and calf strength go a long way. Don’t neglect them in your training. The leg press is not enough. I also need to work out my sock situation. Liners with socks over them seems to be the way to go. And if you can, bring a buddy.