Kevin's AT Thru Hike

Day 79, Friday, 6/3 – I started the hike early with Half Time this morning. Again, we wanted to beat the heat. We started off with the Roller Coaster first thing this morning. The Roller Coaster is a rocky section of trail, 14 miles long, with a dozen hills, totaling 4,500ft of ascent. To make matters worse, there really weren’t any views along the way. It’s a notoriously difficult section of trail, but we took it slow, so it didn’t seem too bad.

Halfway through the Roller Coaster, Half Time and I passed the 1,000 mile marker. It’s crazy to think that I’ve hiked 1,000 miles now. I feel like I’m really getting somewhere. We also crossed into West Virginia today. The trail straddles the border of Virginia and West Virginia for the next 15 miles or so. Then, I will be out of Virginia. The AT spans 14 total states, and I’m in the 5th state now.

Towards the end of the hike, I started to get a sharp, shooting pain in the back of my right heel. The pain was bad enough that I would have to stop hiking and sit down. Then after a minute or so, the pain would go away. This pain came and went about a dozen times.

Towards the end of the day, Half Time and I crossed a road with a gas station nearby. We hiked the quarter mile off trail for some hot food and chocolate milk.

I had a great conversation with Half Time. He’s really an inspiration. He pushes himself harder than I’ve seen anyone push themselves. So I asked him what his motivation was.

He has both external and internal motivations. His external motivation is his knowledge that there other people out there also working hard, and he doesn’t want anyone working harder than him. His internal motivation is that he wants to realize his potential, to know what he’s capable of. He wants to be the best version of himself he can be.

I really think this is an awesome maxim to live by. I don’t think I’ve ever actively tried to be the best I can be. Certainly not from a physical exertion perspective. I just don’t have that same drive. I like to coast, relax, and take it easy.

We hiked 26 miles today, and are camping at a tent-site just south of Loudoun Heights (mile 1021).