Statesman

Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: Outdoors

Media Credit: Nicole Vander Heiden / Submitted A view of the Appalachian Mountains.

Media Credit: Nicole Vander Heiden / Submitted A group of UMD hikers enjoy a hike and fresh air in the Appalachian Mountains.

You've seen me (or some version of me) walking down the hall: I'm the girl more likely to be wearing heels than hiking boots, more likely to choose the beach and sun over mountains and blisters. But I signed up for the RSOP's Appalachian hiking trip anyway.

I can't explain why I chose backpacking for a vacation. Maybe it was the personal challenge or the adventure of trying something new. I don't know. What I do know is I had no idea what I was getting into.

The Appalachian Mountains are no joke. They demanded physical endurance, ironclad determination and perfect teamwork.

On the most grueling day, my group and I hiked 13 miles. This was no easy jog on the treadmill. We battled heavy inclines, trudged drastic declines, scaled giant rocks and balanced slippery slopes. It was exhausting.

I wish I could tell you I met the challenge head-on and dominated the hike that day. The truth is, those 13 miles crushed me.

My body broke first, shortly after the eighth mile. My mind propelled me forward. Harsh swear words streamed through my brain, so I countered them with "Just put one foot in front of the other!" Easier said than done, when your pack weighs a thousand pounds; your leg muscles are screaming from pain and that foot you're about to put down has 10 throbbing blisters on its heel.

Again, I wish I could tell you I made it through that 13-mile nightmare-hike alone. But I can't. Eventually, even determination dies from desperation.

No, I couldn't have made that trek without the support of my team. When the going got tough and the tough couldn't get going, they were there to encourage me up the next hill. They made me laugh when I only wanted to cry (or was crying!) and showed me hope when I only saw mileage.

There were rewards for our united success, too. The Appalachians offered a beauty that only nature can design. White fog danced like live breath over themountains. Cliffs and peaks pierced the elegant blue sky. The scene stretched so far into the distance that its range appeared endless.

The famous saying is, "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints." But over spring break, I was lucky enough to take two extra things: great friends and amazing memories.

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