VMO: The Four State Challenge, 44 miles to Glory.

It's back for 2017! Care to test your mettle over 44 glorious miles? Curious what kinds of interesting pains and injuries you will develop after walking an absurd distance in one day? Then welcome aboard this classic DCUL Right of Passage.

I'll flesh out more details as time allows, but most of you salty veterans know what this is about. For everyone else, the gist of the challenge is this:

1. Start in Harper's Ferry on Friday, hike up to Loudon Heights (maybe 4ish miles max), camp right on the Virginia, West Virginia border. Attempt to sleep.
2. Wake up when you want (traditionally we do a 3am start, but that's up to you). Walk north on the AT, cross into Maryland, and keep going until you hit Pennsylvania. Boom, 4 states in one day, easy as pie. Regroup with your brother and sister backpackers at Pen Mar for a pizza celebration. Hobble off to camp, pass out.
3. Hobble back to the cars, head out for a victory breakfast. Receive your (@) symbol for walking a 40 mile day so everyone can know what a crazy masochist you are.

The challenges for this trip are many, besides just the crushing amount of miles. Water is NOT plentiful. Maintaining good nutrition and fuel intake is paramount. Despite this section of the AT being practically a highway, navigation can be a challenge in the dark and while delirious. PenMar rocks will make you regret being born. Oh, and the chafing....

The logistics are also...complex. Traditionally we have emergency bail out vehicles stationed at I70 (27mi) and Wolfsville Road (34ish mi). These vehicles will have check in sheets which everyone must sign. There is no shame whatsoever in bailing, and even making it to I70 is a big day. Typically, one way or another everyone makes it to PenMar and gets rounded up. We won't leave anyone in the woods to die.

So we need quite a few people willing to drive and to help setup the shuttle and all those bailout wagons. A good option for non-drivers to use is the train into Harper's Ferry. Especially if you can't make an early departure west. Most of the drivers will spend half a day getting vehicles in place. More details for that will develop. We'll also get some trail info posted.

A final few caveats - this is a backpacking challenge. You must sleep out Friday and Saturday night, and carry all your gear to be self-sufficient just like any other DCUL backpacking weekend. There will be no support. No one to hand you a Gatorade or a band-aid. In fact, you could hike all day without seeing another DCUL'er. Grouping up with hikers of similar speed is a good strategy, but you should be mentally ready to go the whole 44 solo if needed.

If none of that scares you, RSVP and let's get this party started!

Water source info courtesy of EZBake: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-Fc4mY9ncjrivaDqVd1zRyq7ds8wa39wl6Lulqg849k/edit?usp=sharing