Mar 4
Went from Woody to Neel’s over Blood Mountain with group who we hosteled with the night before.
It was great sunny weather for it. I enjoyed it all and noticed I’m getting faster and easier. But there were a fair number of the unnecessary stairs, about half of the last mile that was the approach to top really there were about half or more of the trip up.
Views were amazing, met up with some of the group and headed down with us all taking lots of pics. On way down found what didn’t surprise me with how way up was and felt: Right knee became unhappy.
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Group is talking 11 miles tomorrow (today over mountain was about 10) but I may just go a few miles and try for the nearest camp site or stop short or make it entire way. Once I get a shower where I can untape feet, and wrap knee I’ll see how things feel. Then see how it feels in the morning and how it is as I go. Right now just took Tylenol and muscle relaxer.
Proud to have covered the distance, skipped the hard bear canister zone, made it over the top of the highest mountain in GA, and am not thrilled with parting from this group. But my body comes before social contacts, though especially one seems going up nicely. I want to finish, I did awesome today and won’t destroy a knee to stay social.
The group it he’d in on a cabin at Vogel State Park. Was nice little pace with good sized kitchen table, fireplace, and at Mountain Crossings Store I was able to get things out of my bounce box and also give some things away out of it that were just plain excess into the hotel’s Hiker Box for anyone to grab.
Later:
Grabbed some Aquarmira drops to try out now.
Am listening to the father of the son Israeli of the two in our journey discuss with a Czech one about Israel, politics there, cultural issues and interesting points.
Mostly sat on floor and listened to people and half-fiddled with my newly full pack. Have realized I just accepted I need to heavily calorie and carb-load anywhere I can and survive mostly on high calories snakes instead of lots and snacks and real food mix. Gonna have to ask Grant to mail out my next package of snacks and I need to order some sent ahead or two him.
On a normal day I’m averaging a dinner of about 500-600 calories plus the extra I get from handfuls of Cookie Crisp, Sour Patch Kids, Oregon, etc. that are good high carbs but small amounts as, even though I carry them in my front pouch, my hands are too busy with my trekking poles while moving and need to keep reminding myself to get them in.
Got an awesome back rub tonight.