Trial by fire VS a peaceful walk in the woods

Trial by Fire VS a Peaceful Walk in the Woods: a comparison of two first 100 mile experiences.

2023

An introduction by fire

The most obvious difference between the two years is how I got my track name.

On my first night on the AT itself, I was badly burned. I was sitting across from another hiker who was boiling water. Either by a gust of wind, a light tap on the side, or a combination of both, the pot tipped right onto my ankle. The horrific second degree burn and my decision to keep walking earned me the trail name “Hot Foot”.

There were no hikers

Since I started late last year (May 8), I found myself hiking only with section hikers. I met three other hikers within the first 100 miles. And I haven't hiked with any of them. One dropped out at the North Carolina border, another injured his knee early on, and the third just ran 30 miles a day from the start.

Instead, I largely hiked with section hikers. Overall, I've found that section hikers help you appreciate the trail in front of you; Hikers help you enjoy the journey you are taking. The large number of disconnectors really helped me appreciate Georgia and the southern 20 miles of North Carolina.

I took it a little slower overall

All of my initial research pointed to two simple ideas: 1) the trail is very difficult 2) take it slowly or an overuse injury will wipe you out. So I planned to go as slow as possible and increase over time for the first 300 miles or so. This became especially essential when my ankle started playing the role of Darth Vader. Between washing him twice a day, keeping him wrapped and dry, and literally having to walk slower to avoid the pain, I found a slower pace quite difficult. I took a little rest, including a zero and a nero.

This rested pace helped me feel surprisingly good from the top of Georgia (mile 69) through the next 30 miles.

Weather

It was late spring, almost summer, when I started at Amicalola Falls. The green tunnel was full and luscious and everything it had been imagined. All the trees were filled with beautiful dark green leaves.

My first long distance hike

When I reached Springer Mountain, I was beyond thrilled. Everything was new. Every unknown landmark, every special view, every road crossing a mystery.

All this excitement has given rise to a “smiles, not miles” mentality. I wanted to soak up every possible experience during this amazing trip.

2024

This time there was no horrible accident that threatened to cause me to lose the track or worse.

There are so many hikers here

I saw a comparable number of hikers in the first 100 miles this year as I did in over 600 last year. The trail is really full of people.

I took it a little faster overall

I didn't break any records, but I did the first 100 miles two days faster this time. A family event forced me to travel to North Carolina as quickly as possible.

The first half was easier: no burn, much less weight and a plethora of familiar terrain. The second half was much more difficult than last year. The more aggressive pace caused more wear and tear on my body. By the time I reached the Mount Albert fire tower, I was exhausted and injured.

Mid spring

This year I climbed Mount Springer on April 21, three weeks early. Seasonal differences were very apparent.

There is a baby green tunnel. The leaves on the tops of the trees, especially above 3000 feet in elevation, are barely in, if any. Going up is like going back in time. It's winter at the summit and spring in the valley. The baby tunnel allows direct sunlight to reach the forest floor. This makes for a very cinematic experience. I can see every leaf, bush and twig.

The heat of the direct sun forced me to take frequent breaks and drink lots of water. At the Standing Indian summit in North Carolina, I was rushing through the shadows trying to stay out of the intense rays.

My favorite thing about the season is the flowers. There are spring flowers galore. So many trees have flowers in so many beautiful colors and styles. I discovered that moss can flower. Much of the trail is lined with moss on either side. And everything is flowery. The path is flanked on both sides by thousands of small blue and yellow flowers sprouting from the moss.

My third time starting a long distance trail and my second time on the AT

The novelty of long distances has worn off a bit. It's still great, but I definitely appreciate the little things less than I used to.

I feel more goal-oriented than experience-oriented. I find myself running miles more aggressively without trying. Sometimes I have to force myself to stop, slow down, and smell the roses.

In 2023, it was a Smiles not miles kind of experience. In 2024, it's a Smiles over miles experience. The difference is small, but notable. Essentially, I'm more willing to make sacrifices on experience in pursuit of a larger goal.

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