Virginia is home to roughly one fourth of the entire Appalachian Trail.
That’s a lot. And almost all thru-hikers stuggle to keep their sanity at
some point during this stretch falling victim to what has been dubbed
‘the Virginia Blues’ or simply ‘the Virginias’.
1-Newton’s Law of Bipolar Disorder. It’s impossible to stay excited
and motivated forever, particularly on the days there’s not much to
look at . What goes up must come down. I did everything I could to
try and prevent ‘the Virginias’ and I still came perilously close to
coming unglued.
2-Mileage Mania. This is where most thru-hikers start taking a look
at their overall mileage and decide that now is the time to start picking
up the pace. It’s not a bad idea but it comes at a price. High mileage
days will take it out of you and it’s still important to get your rest and
enjoy the experience.
3-Nothing to show for it. Up until now you had something dramatic to
say every two or three weeks. Now you’re still working like crazy
without nearly as much to show for it. Your pictures are OK but not
great. Reaching the top of a ridge doesn’t guarantee anything and
you can’t tell your friends back home that you’ve made it anywhere
new and dazzling.
4-Location Location Location. A lot of it has to do with where you
are in the hike and where Virginia is in the hike. The novelty has worn
off and people feel confident enough to call themselves thru-hikers. The
bad news is that there’s a lot more miles in Virginia than you’ve done
so far and Harpers Ferry isn’t even half way to Katahdin. There is still
a long, long way to go.
5-Disappointment. Now that you’re further along, minor mishaps start
to add up. One major highlight obscured by bad weather is now two or
three. The annoyances you were willing to dismiss in Carolina are starting
to get under your skin and the AT is not the ultimate experience you had
hoped for or expected. Everyone has their weaknesses and sooner or
later the trail will find yours.
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