Change is the law of life

Ryan came to visit me on the trail while I was near Hanover, NH.  I was staying with a trail angel named Greg in order to wait for Ryan's arrival.  Greg is an absolutely wonderful trail angel and he made me feel completely comfortable in his home- he even gave me my own room to sleep in (I haven't had a room all to myself since I left home!) and it had a TV in it.  Greg also has these plush bathrobes for hikers to use after they are done with their shower, so I was in complete lounging heaven.  Two northbound hikers were staying at Greg's with me along with their dog and we all had a great time relaxing and chatting.  Ryan arrived on Sunday evening and we spent the evening getting his pack ready for hiking the next day and chatting with the other hikers.  We left Greg's the following morning and hit the trail.  I knew that I would have to slow down a little bit in order to allow Ryan to adjust to the hiking and the slow pace was greatly appreciated by my legs.  We crossed from New Hampshire to Vermont in the morning and made our way south.  The trail in Vermont is much more gentle than what I had been hiking in Maine and New Hampshire- there were some roots and rocks, but nothing compared to the rock and root hopping that I am used to.  I appreciated being able to look up while I was walking down the gently sloping trail, taking in the changing leaves and oncoming fall in Vermont.  In order to prepare to hike with me, Ryan has been running a 5 mile trail around a lake in his Vibrams and his feet have been doing well on that trail.  However, the trail that we are now hiking has many more rocks and roots than what his feet are used to and the Vibrams caused him some pain.  Haha he also wasn't expecting for the nights to be so cold, so he just brought a sleeping bag that he had used when he was younger.  When I saw that the sleeping bag only came up to his abdomen I knew that it would be chilly for him.  Our first night out we slept in a shelter and it poured rain the entire night.  Ryan was very cold and uncomfortable for most of the night, so I knew that we would have to find him a different set-up for the two weeks that he would be out with me.  The next day we hiked 5 miles to a road and hitched back to Hanover from there because Hanover has a good selection of outdoors stores and we could get some better gear for his feet and a better sleeping system.  He picked up some good boots and a new sleeping bag and we set back out on the trail.  We ended up hiking for another 2 days and thoroughly enjoyed the hiking in Vermont.  In Hanover I had taken a peak at my bank account and knew that my time on the trail was coming to an end.  I can't hike without food and I can't buy food without money, so I spent a few days adjusting to the idea that I would not be able to hike for much longer.  I thank the trail angels and you all so much for all the love and support that you have given me- I would not have been able to make it this far without you!  I have already been given so much and could not have asked for more.  Our last day in Vermont I spent the entire morning thinking about what to do while Ryan and I hiked.  Based on the amount of money I had, I would have to get off the trail in the next week and seeing as I was in Vermont, I would not have been able to make it home easily or cheaply.  So, I stopped in the middle of the trail, turned around, and told Ryan that it would be easiest if he took me back to Virginia with him.  Two miles later we were sitting at a farm just off of the trail enjoying some Vermont icecream, jerky, and maple soda.  I sat on the porch absorbing the decision that I had just made and then we hitched back to his car and drove to Virginia.  We are staying at his house for a day or two and then he is going to take me to the trail in Virginia and I will hike a section here so that when it does come time for me to get off the trail my mother can easily pick me up.
I am completely confident and comfortable in my decision to come home, but it was not an easy decision to make.  The trail has given me so many wonderful memories and it's difficult to tell myself that it will not be a thru-hike.  However, I still plan to complete the Appalachian Trail.  I have hiked about a fourth of it (500 miles) and will continue to hike it- it is now just something that will have to come in sections.  Now Ryan and I will hike some of Virginia together, then I will go home to get my dog, and then we will hike until I cannot hike any longer.  Change is a difficult, but completely necessary and fruitful law of life.