Me 2007-07-01 Vitamin I
July 1st, 2007
The wonder drug ibuprofen is my saviour. Two at breakfast, two at lunch and two after dinner and I’ve felt almost fine the whole time. I’m buying much more of it at Echo Lake for next time my legs start to swell.
The day was undulating lots, though staying in a fairly narrow band. I had lots of bars to eat knowing I will resupply at Echo Lake tomorrow. At lunch I found a grassy spot at a point labeled in the data book as “saddle southwest of The Nipple”. With various colourful wild flowers in bloom around me and the warm sun above I lay on my back and totally relaxed, it was marvelous. I did need to press on though because I’d lost half an hour this morning when the guide book said to follow the road 70 yards south when it should have said “walk straight across the dirt road”. I walked almost half a mile up hill before turning back. Grrr
I saw Heidi again, this time the dogs were need…
Something large just made a thump in those trees over there. Usually it’s deer, but sometime it’s going to be a bear.
…needing a rest so all three were sitting in the shade. Siestas, oh how I miss them.
I carried on at my normal pace until finally popping out at Carson Pass to find six other hikers in residence and two more to pass through before I left. Eating dinner at a table was a treat, and with a phone there I checked my email and got terrible news. Vortex has withdrawn from the PCT. After returning from his brother’s wedding the miles were too much so he left from Sonora. He said Blue Sky is at Echo Lake and also debating the trail. That sure got me going. I shouldered my pack, popped two ibuprofens, set my iPod to a faster playlist and almost ran up that hill. I hope to get to Echo Lake early tomorrow to catch her and her mum before they set out. It’d be a real shame if she pulled out too and maybe her continued presence will motivate Vortex to come back. We’ll see.
Now I need to lie down and ignore the monster in the darkness.
More photos of this day’s journey can be found at Sonora Pass to Donner Pass
Distance today: 29.3 miles. Total distance: 1085.2 miles
July 3rd, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Gah! Another ~30 mile day on a bung leg? Just because you can’t feel the pain through the silky ibuprofen pain barrier you have floating around in your brain (6 pills a day!) doesn’t mean your leg isn’t damaged and in need of repair. Take care, you don’t want to be forced off the trail yourself
July 4th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Hello Craigy Boy,
sounds like you’ve been pushing yourself very hard to reach the top of the mountain, I get out of breath by the second flight of stairs now that baby is a bump. Hotwater bottles are good for pain, but I quess you can’t carry that sort of luxury. It must be amazingly peaceful where you are and much nicer now the weather has warmed up.
We had our 21 week scan on Friday and your little niece/nephew is doing well, they measured from top to bottom and round the middle and she/he is the right size for the due date. On Monday I saw the midwife and all is well with me too and the baby’s heart beat was good and strong. I think this baby will be an acrobat in the circus as it is very wriggly at the moment I swear yesterday it did a full somersualt, very strange felling.
Don’t worry about monsters in the dark it’s probably just the poisionous gas monster and he doesn’t run very fast so you can always get away.
Keep up the good work
Love Josephine and the wriggly wriggler x
July 4th, 2007 at 2:11 pm
Hello Craig,
We’re that “lovely couple” you met on the trail Saturday, Jun 30. We gave you some fresh fruit and Clif Bars. Glad to see you’re still pushing along, we were a bit worried about your legs. I agree with a earlier poster who said you could still damage the leg by pushing so hard, so please pace yourself. We’ll be checking your progress and the young lady with the dogs from Oregon.
July 4th, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Take it easy. What’s the hurry? Stay in the moment. Heal.