Virginia Blues make for some embarrassing pictures

Explination of the picture of me 'weeping' my mother put on Facebook is in order. For the sake of not sounding too vulgar... 

The trail will have its way with you! 

Somewhere in the depts of its massive beauty lies a chocolate stained mouth, sticky finger, whiny, drive you crazy two year old. And this deceivingly cute toddler will poke, prod, and tease your emotional sanity until you break... At least this has been my experience. (There really isn't a toddler on the trail.... It's an analogy... The trail is like a toddler, you love it! You have to! It's part of you! But it tests your patience in ways you can only imagine) (I'm sure you understood but just incase it's not clear)

The trail will test your patience, especially Virginia. In his book Appalachian Trials, Zach Davis talks about the Virginia Blues. This is a really thing people! Everyone tells you that the VA terrain is 'flat', and after conquering Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee you look forward to the so called 'easy' walking. 

Virginia is not flat! 

Don't be fooled by the seemingly endless fantasy of a forever flat section of the trail... It doesn't exist. There are sections where the elevation doesn't change as dramatically as it did in Georgia... But don't expect it to be as easy as people make it sound. 

You are also in Virginia for a long, let me reiterate this, it's a LONG time! Sometimes I felt as if I wasn't making any progress! Also by this time many hikers have experienced either an injury, close hiker friends getting off the trail, being sick in the wilderness or a combination of the three.... I know we sure have. 

And man... I had the Virginia Blues!!! 

My parents coming to visit may have triggered the built up frustration..... and all the other emotions I was experiencing for that matter. See for yourself....

This is a picture of them dropping YoungBeard and me off at the trail before they left. 

Yes I am blubbering like a child, clinging to the comfort of my parents before they left to go home after their short and sweet visit. It was raining that day. I walked 18 miles and cried about 19 times. Them leaving triggered the build up of emotions I was experiencing due to the 'toddler' poking at them for the past three months. They were not all bad emotions, more like a cocktail of great and terrible blended in a way that will knock you on your butt. 

Before you have the thought 'its a woman thing' let me tell you, these stir crazy emotions happen to everyone... Including your typical bearded male hiker. I have seen guys throw rocks out of frustration, kick signs, and quit because of the emotional ringer the trail will put you through. 

Although these photos are the saddest and the most hilarious photos I have, they have taught me a great deal. 

I am stronger than I think and can accomplish more than I believe I am capable of. This has not put me off the trail, although during these few days, going home was all I thought about. I'm glad I've stuck through this, I truly feel stronger than ever. With sweet anticipation I again look forward to every step yet to come. 

I have to thank YoungBeard for taking these ridiculous photos of me. I asked him to because I wanted to be able to look back and remember everything, even the hard times. He was so patient with me and helped me through the Virginia Blues. He is my best friend and I am so fortunate to share this experience with him. 

Remember, 

Life's short, do epic shit.

Sunshine☀️