Well, the last week has been a break from hiking. While it may seem like I was leaving the Appalachian Trail behind, I felt the presence of the trail this week more than ever.

The first few days were gradual, but soon the parks were crowded with vendors and people. There were loads of people who live nearby, previous theuhikers, current thruhikers, and people interested in the AT. I was most interested in the current thruhikers, some of which I had not seen in what seems like a very long time: Truck, Tatanka, Sits-In-Chair, and so many others. It was amazing to catch up with them and learn of the whereabouts. Truck, for instance, accepted a position managing a hostel, so he will be heading there soon and hiking the trail next year. So much change is occurring! Safety, my recent hiking buddy, is leaving the trail for some other adventures. It is sad to see some people leave, especially people that I enjoyed so much. But the hike goes on.

Most of my time was spent catching up with hikers and enjoying the various joys of Trail Days. There was a parade, a hiker prom, a handful of free meals, and Tent City, the main camping area that was very festival-esque. My time there was divided between the drum circle bonfire and the more relaxed campfire by the river.

Time went by fairly quickly, but there was time to ponder over the differences of town life. I realized how much I missed the woods. I had even been thinking about leaving the Appalachian Trail. I know now that I can’t. In talking to various people about it, I realized the resistance I was feeling is part of hiking, part of any difficult and important event in life. I will fight that resistance and complete the trail.

The Rock, Teabag, and I hitched back to Bland in only one ride. Some section hikers were headed that way, Cruiser and Mofo. It was a contrast to our last hitching experience, but it was certainly convenient. Moreover, it was exciting. They are two of my favorite hikers, and it was a great feeling knowing that we were all headed back to the trail.

I am looking forward to beginning hiking again. Hopefully, my legs won’t be too weak after my recess from hiking. It seemed quite a few hikers had left off near Bland, so I am excited to see who we run into.