Today’s post is a continuation of my “Lessons From the Trail” series.  I am reflecting on my thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail and some life lessons I have taken with me…

During this week in 2000 I was finishing the trail in Vermont and heading into New Hampshire.  We were hiking big days, sometimes 25+ miles but would have to do a shorter hike the next day because we were so beat up and worn out.  There were some guys from Sweden that we kept bumping into who would do consistent 15-18 mile days.  We would wind up at the same places, the only difference is that we would be beat up and worn out and they would be rested and ready to go.

I pulled into Hanover, New Hampshire ready for a break from the trail.  I had spent days hiking in clothes and boots that were soaked by rain.  Due to variations in trail data I had to hike some longer than expected days, sometimes pulling into campsites well after dark guided by my headlamp.  Hanover was a welcome site since the trail goes right through the town and the thru-hikers are invited to stay in the Dartmouth College frat houses for free.

When I got to Hanover I went to the Alpha Theta house to bunk down with some folks I knew.  They had a room for hikers to roll out a sleeping bag.  The room was filled to capacity.  I made my bed in a nook by the stairwell.  I spent some time looking at group photos and realized we were staying with an odd bunch.  People in capes, other costumes or with pictures of objects in place of their face were the norm.  The following morning I woke up to a young man wearing a cape looking down on me from the stairs.  It was time to move.

I wound up in the basement of a non-frat house called the Panarchy house.  It was great because Almanac, Profile and Zoom all showed up.  Our hosts were amazingly friendly to us and allowed hikers to use the kitchen and their outdoor grill.  We had several cookouts and even joined the residents for their Great Gatsby themed party one night.  Thru-hikers are very popular at Dartmouth College.

I wound up spending three “zero days” in Hanover.  A zero day is a day of zero miles which was a rarity on a thru-hike.  It seemed the longer I stayed in a town the harder it was to get back out on the trail.  But my body and mind needed the rest and Hanover was a comfortable place to stay.  A&P and I had actually planned to pull out after just two zero days but it was raining on the day we had planned to leave.  After being soaked for a week there was no way you could convince any of us to leave the comfort of the dry basement.

Zero days in life are important!  We all live busy, hectic lives and sometimes we simply need some time to rest and let our minds unwind.  Many times when we take time off we aren’t really taking a break, we are simply shifting to accomplishing another set of tasks.  Zero days are a chance to reconnect with a spouse or children.  Zero days are a chance to allow your creativity and imagination to breathe.  Zero days are especially important when it comes to cell phones…sometimes you just need to turn that thing off!

On the trail I felt guilty for taking a zero day. It felt like I was being lazy and didn’t get me any closer to the end of the trail.  In reality my body needed the rest and I wasn’t in a hurry to finish the trail anyway.  In my current life I feel guilty when I cut out of the office early or head on vacation.  I have to remind myself that I need time to rest and that I’m in no hurry to come to the end of this life.  Zero days are a healthy part of life, especially for someone with a Type A personality like mine.  This is a lesson I have to constantly remind myself about.