As the trail wanders on, I have gradually become used to most of the hardships that come with it. The constant hunger, the pain, the tiny thousand irritations that come with hauling your belongings on your back: I can deal with all of it with a grin, a shrug, or at the least a patient sigh.
Except for the rain.
It kills my morale like nothing else. It slows me down and it cuts my miles. But it's not just a simple matter of being wet. See, my clothes dry fast and my gear stays dry in my bag.
It's my shoes! It takes at least twenty four hours for them to dry completly. So they get wet on day one while it's actually raining. On day two they stay wet because of puddles and plants. On day three they finally start to dry. On day four it rains again.
Meanwhile I've covered seventy miles in soaking wet socks and shoes, something that my feet do not thank me for. And there is nothing more demoralizing than waking up and putting on wet socks. Give it a try sometime.
So. Solutions? My shoes are falling apart anyway. I'm gonna need to get a new pair regardless. I'm giving serious thought to hiking in chaco sandles now that the trail has smoothed out.
Anyway. This all comes up because this is day two of a never ending rain shower. A short day today into a shelter with the hope of a clear day tomorrow and a twenty one miler.
Morale pretty low for the first time in a while. For some reason being wet all the time makes me question everything about this. To paraphrase Jon Kracour (sp?) Mountains are poor receptacles for dreams.
But eating is always a quick fix for the blues. Trying something new tonight: stuffing and a gravy packet. I see joy in my future.
Happy Trails
PAWN
Stay encouraged, Andrew. Your determination and willpower is incredible! And just think, when you have conquered the whole thing, you'll be forever laughing at the rest of us and the small, petty things that we allow to stop us in our tracks.
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