Pain - Monday, June 9

When cruising the PCT website, PCTA.org, you see amazing photos of mountains and deserts and people, most of whom are smiling or showing off-in short-having the time of their lives. It is inspiring and makes readers want to take to the trail. However, if they showed a video of the hikers shuffling around Mt. Laguna at mile 42 or Warner Springs at mile 120 from the border you would see grimaces and zombie like shuffling occurring as foot blisters and sore leg muscles act as an equal opportunity employer.

I was blessed a few years ago when I accidentally stumbled onto a light weight hiking shoe that fits me perfectly. By perfect I mean no blisters, hot spots or sore feet in them - ever - no matter I hike 5 miles a day or 36. I felt quite smug at Mt. Laguna and Warner Springs as nearly everyone shuffled along and I cooly stood about pain and blister free. Oh, the evil of ego.

I had noticed some heel pain on my right foot before the hike and also during, but it was always minor and was the most worrisome when I first got up, after which it quickly, like 10 steps, calmed down. Talk of Planters Fasciitis was heard so I stretched and rolled my foot across an icy cold cylinder as precautionary measures, but the pain stayed consistently minor so I grew to ignore it.

About 4 days ago Sally was laying on her blue foam mat and I was looking up stretching exercises for her on my phone. I thought I might join her and stretch a little, particularly to lessen my Planters Fasciitis pain. With legs straight I grabbed my toes and gently pulled back. I felt this electrical shock across my right heel, above the bone but below the heel pad along with a tearing sensation. Not good. It quickly subsided after I released my toes, but the next day I did notice my heel was more sore than previously.

By the time we descended the 3500' from Forester Pass to Vidette Meadow yesterday my right foot was an angry camper. I hobbled around camp getting water and erecting the tent, but soon after dinner flopped onto my sleeping pad and gave up at trying to ignore the pain. Sally got everything bear proofed for the night while I dozed.

I was hoping it would improve by morning, but when I got up in the middle of the night to relieve myself I really could not put weight on that foot. When morning came I put on my boots and we started down the trail. The pain was less than the day before, but more than likely because we were going uphill, climbing from the Bubbs Creek drainage up to Bullfrog Lake and the approach to Kearsarge Pass. We ate lunch past Bullfrog Lake just before the steep ascent to the pass.

At the pass a reunion of PCT hikers took place. Those coming from town, all clean and smelling good were meeting all us smelly dirty people with 7 to 9 days accumulation of sweat, dirt and grime right a at the pass. Happy Feet had hiked from Bullfrog Lake in only his underwear and enjoyed putting on a show for us. Depending on the direction of the wind we smelled fresh laundered clothes or overpowering BO.

After 30 minutes of story swapping we started the descent to the trailhead at Onion Valley four miles away and my foot started complaining. The farther we went the more the complaint. About a mile down from the pass we met a young PCTer running back up the trail. A quick inquiry revealed he had left his phone at the pass and was running to retrieve it. Farther down the trail we found his pack. Sally took out a $20 bill, put it in an envelope and wrote "Trail Magic" on it, then stuck it in his pack. She thought that would lessen the pain of the misplaced phone and bring a smile back to his face. We also met a man about our age who asked if we were Coach and 1st Class. We said yes we were. He said to call Strider as she was returning to Onion Valley about 4 to drop off some hikers, was saving our room and would give us a ride down.

We had a hard time making it to the parking lot by 4 to meet Strider because we kept meeting kids returning to the trail after their time in town. We saw Too Close and Short Step and Sally got us invited to their wedding at the Northern Monument on the Canadian Border. We saw Sunbeam and Arctic and reminded them to call us when they were approaching White Pass so we could Trail Angel them.

I hurried to the parking lot, arriving just a few minutes before 4 to meet Strider. Sally arrived about ten minutes later. Strider is a former model for Bill Blass clothing who bought a motel in Independence, CA and has built a business model that is working well. She picks up and drops off hikers for free, which is a great service and gets people to her motel. She also runs/walks the eight mile round trip from Onion Valley to Kearsarge Pass everyday while dropping hikers to stay in shape and has hiked the JMT every year for 16 consecutive summers. She also raises funds to support Big Horn Sheep populations in the Sierra. (http://scenebayarea.com/2012/04/the-strider/)

It was a shock to drop into the desert again after being in the high country for nearly 2 weeks. It was 103° when we stepped out of Strider's car at the Mt. Williams Motel. We were given cabin 1 and quickly moved inside the air conditioned, clean and stylish room. Both of us were surprised at how tired we were. After a shower we coaxed ourselves down the street, me with a decided limp, to the gas station/convenience store/Subway for dinner then back to our room for sleep.

Over dinner we decided to take the bus to Bishop in the morning to have a podiatrist look at my foot, and if not there then onto Mammoth Lakes as a different podiatrist had a practice there also. In the middle of the night I rose to use the toilet (ahh… a toilet) and could hardly walk as I could not put weight on my right foot. This elicited much sympathy from Sally which I cashed in for a back rub. So, until the pain is extinguished or at least lessened we are sidelined again. They don't emphasize this aspect of hiking the PCT much at PCTA.org.