My first real thought of quitting hit me in the Smokies. It was surprising since the previous day had been such a great hiking day. But I had wore myself out and didn’t get much sleep. An hour after I got going I was already tired. I had no energy the whole day, the heat was bad, and everytime I stopped to rest I got eaten alive by biting flies. If a helicopter had came overhead and offered me a ride off the trail I probably would have taken it. But I somehow did around 17 miles and once I made it to the shelter, had a hot meal, and a decent night’s sleep, I was fine the next day.
At Laurel Falls, I was doing my first ever slack pack. About a mile before the falls, I jumped from the bank, to a rock so I could take a picure of the stream. I slipped and came down really hard onto the rock with my shoulder. I almost blacked out from the pain. But my first thought was, “Oh no! I won’t be able to hike!” Maybe I was being punished for not being a purist and slackpacking. 
I went home for a couple days and decided I would be able to hike so I went back and skipped a section to get to Damascus and hike with some friends. Though my shoulder really hurt and it was hard to sleep, I was very happy to be back on the trail.
Not too long after that no one was as surprised as me when I decided to get off for a break. Not sure there was one thing that made me get off when I finally did. I had gotten a ride from Bland to Pearisburg to get a package and decided to stay there for the night. The next day I got a ride back to Bland to make up the section I skipped. I already had one section to make up and I didn’t want another. I started hiking a little after 9 and the first hour or so was fine. The trail had some nice flat sections and I felt pretty good. But I remember water being scarce and it getting fairly hot quickly. Plus I was having to constantly dodge poison ivy and I am so paranoid about avoiding it that it slowed me down and made me feel frustrated. In no time at all I was miserable and just not having any fun. I did a lot of thinking the next few hours and decided I needed a break from the trail or something. Hiking was getting boring, I was exhausted, my feet and knees hurt all the time.
Even though it was about 40 miles to Pearisburg from Bland and I decided to just keep hiking until I got there. I knew it was foolish but I pushed myself hard and didn’t take too many breaks. But after a couple hours of night hiking I knew I wasn’t going to make it. I hit a section of rocky trail and I was exhausted so I made my way to Mrs Tilly’s hostel. I did 32 miles, which was the most yet for me and had zero energy. I’ll never forget how painful the rocks in that dirtroad were on my feet or how miserable I felt. I was happy to see hikers I knew at the hostel however.
The next day I got a ride into town and after another night I got a ride to the bus station and got off the trail. I had fully intended to go back. I still feel that if I had went back after one week I would have been okay. Even if I didn’t make it to Maine, I would have made it a few hundred more miles. But as time passed it became harder and harder to leave the comforts of home to go back to the heat and the bugs. So I didn’t… and I will always regret not giving it another try. I think getting off was the right thing to do for me at the time since I was no longer having fun. But I wish I had tried again.
For those who may be hiking now or will in the future. My advice is to take a break if you need to. But don’t stay off the trail for too long or you may find it too hard to return. Everyone told me if I didn’t go back I’d always regret it. And they were right. You never know when you may get another chance to do it, or have the desire to, so make the most of it while you can.
I almost went back to try this year but didn’t feel up to it. I am glad I didn’t since it has been such a rainy year. I don’t think I would have lasted long with the constant rain that has been with some people this year. For those out there having to trudge through all the mud, I salute you. I don’t know how you are able to do it. I know I would be absolutely miserable. Hopefully I will make it back for a try next year and the weather will be normal for a change. No drought and no monsoon this time would be nice.
Rerun