Here and there

I started at 10am on 4/5/08 in the rain. I was on the approach trail about 1.5 miles from the top of the mountain. After saying goodbye to my mother & step-fater I started walking and took some photos at the top. Then I marched on until I came to a creek about 14.6 miles into the trail and met a guy named "whip" (he makes bullwhips in MA). The rain stopped sometime that night and I didn't sleep much. I woke up at 5am and was walking by 7am. Having pain in my knee I continued to wear the brace. After about 10 miles or so I was more or less dragging my left leg as the foot had gone numb and the pain was intense. I did make it to a place in Neels gap by 5:45pm and stayed at the hikers hostel. The owner, a guy named "pirate", was quite funny. We also had a college group come in and give us a spaghetti dinner ("aka trail magic"). Pictures were had and as always someone in the bunkhouse snores like a grizzly.

The next day I woke early but couldn't buy food until 9:30am. I mailed everything I had that I had not used or though I could do without back to Jennie and the total pack weight was 28lbs counting food and water (18lbs without). I started walking and notice the weight difference. I walked 11 miles and was dying at low gap shelter. So I tented and after an hour so many hikers had placed their tent on the hillside with mine. It was like a little "tent shelter for the homeless." I wore everything to bed and was still really cold as the fog/clouds had rolled in and it was windy. Ill be in trouble at higher elevations with the gear I currently have. The next day I walked 10 miles to Unicoi gap where I called the hostel to come pick me up. I stayed here last night and will give myself a day to see if I can get my knees at 100%. Then I'm going back the 16 miles to hike here again.

Considering the level of pain Ive been in (knees only) I'm not sure If this can be done with my body. I have the right gear, the right mind, just the wrong body. Aside from my knees I'm kinda getting used to my feet feeling like they are under the effects of novacane. I think of them as little hotdogs and my feet are the nasty meat. No cramps, swelling nothing. So we shall just have to see how it goes. I'm spending the day here at cloud 9 and see if I can get to 100%. I then will go try a nice slow, light hike back here in 2 days. If I make it with little knee problem Ill think about going on. Since I've had these problems for many years I'm pretty sure they will be causing me to limp and nearly fall off the mountains several more times between here and there. But only time can tell. Cross your toes for me. Hopefully it works out but I cant say for sure yet.

So much more has happened but its a shared computer so I need to let others use it. Talk to you all soon.