I began taking the steroids for my gout-swollen toe on Tuesday. By Wednesday, the pain was almost entirely gone and I managed to again go over 20,000 steps for the day. Kathy was going out of town to do a two-day ride in Shenandoah National Park, which meant I would have cat duty over the weekend. I stopped by on my way to hike to get any further instructions.
“I’ve got an hour before they pick me up so I can go with you if we don’t get sweaty. I smell good right now,” she said.
She certainly smelled better than me. I assured her it would be an easy 3-miler since I had to spare my toe any trauma, so we headed for Horseshoe Pond. Once on the trail, I began my pitch for her to join me on the Minnesota hike next summer. Having someone to share the journey…and some of the essential gear…would be a smart move.
“Thirty days and 400 miles? Are you stupid? How many a day is that?” she asked.
Quick math told me 13 miles, but that’s if you don’t take a rest day anywhere. I told her that and she looked at me like I was nuts. She’s probably not going to get on board for the 2,650-mile trip on the Pacific Crest Trail either. As we walked though, I received a text from Alaska Paul and wrote back telling him I had a plan that included him for the PCT. He texted back, ‘sounds like trouble. Let’s hear it’.
The biggest issue on through-hikes is the resupply of food. Setting up drops, places you can leave the trail and pick up food you’ve mailed to yourself is the most common method. I had a better plan. Paul could drive ahead of me along the trail, hike back towards me since he likes hiking, walk with me back to his camping van where I could resupply and spend a night in relative comfort. Works for me and now I only need to convince him.
I ended up with another 20,000 step day and very little soreness in the toe. I think it’s time to try another run.
Hike: 70 minutes.
Training Heart Rate: 80-100 bpm.
Calories burned: 575.
Bonus: 21,000 steps.
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