Sights and Smells

If I were making a movie of an AT Thru-hike, the opening sequence would show the first, tender footsteps of the morning, after awkwardly wiggling out of a sleeping bag. Once the pack is strapped on, the steps transform into long and confident strides...the hiker is ready for the day. The film would have to include rocky outcroppings overlooking farms in a valley and shady valley streams with waterfalls. I see the luminescent green of the early spring growth and the bright orange of an MSR tent pitched in a clearing.

If I had to describe the distinguishing smells of a thru-hike, it would include sweat (how could it not?), but also the moist, earthy scent that oozes out from underneath giant boulders on the ridge, and the aroma of starchy noodles cooking on a half dozen tiny stoves around a shelter at dusk.

If I close my eyes and listen for the sounds of a thru-hike, I hear the rush of water moving over rocks and moss in a mountain spring; the heart-stopping crashing of a large, but unseen, animal through nearby brush; the crackling and popping of wet wood on a campfire. I hear the swish of synthetic fabric as restless hikers roll over on their sleeping pads.

If I think about the taste sensations of a thru-hike, I immediately think of M's phenomenal cooking, the stews and chilis that are revived with boiling water each night, filling our bellies and lulling us into a deeply relaxed state. I also taste thirst and the salty deposits on my lips, as I climb a steep mountain. I remember the crunchy, oily taste of french fries purchased and eaten on the way into town.

If I wanted to tell you what a thru-hike feels like, I think first of the bruised and aching balls of my feet, the almost ecstatic feeling of stretching out my legs and lying down at night, the juxtaposition of the deep fatigue of some days and the incredible strength and buoyancy of others. I remember the bitter cold air that brushed up against my nose in the early spring, as I lay cozy in my tent next to M. I can feel the creepy-crawly sensation of a thousand species of insects all around me.