I woke up with pains in my left knee.. that’s not good I thought. I got out of bed and fired up my stove and began to pack, I am still to get proficient, but after two breakfast bars I was ready to go or was I. I decided to put on my knee brace, it made my knees feel a little better but they were still very painful as i limped out of camp.
Snail this does not feel good. !!!
I hobbled down the trail and began my first few climbs I was walking like a grandpa.
I stopped and took more ibuprofen before setting off again. Luckily the trail was smooth and down, but I wasn’t really making the most of it.
Maybe I did too much yesterday and with those hills I have hurt my knees especially the left one.
I limped on and on cursing myself i was in so much pain . I may need to get off trail and rest I had planned on Franklin in 2 more days but it may be wise to head there sooner to rest my knee.
I had planned a reasonable mileage , but i will be lucky if i can complete 12 miles
Down the trail I limped I will take more breaks I promised myself. up ahead several hikers were standing. I wondered what they were doing until i saw the sign
Welcome to North Carolina.
Whoop Whoop I had competed 1 state. 18 more to go .
I moved on and welcome to North Carolina meant a bloody big mountain.
OMG it was steep and i struggled to climb it, as i had to be careful of my knees as they were so tender. up and up this climb went.
It was one of those climbs with a false summit, which means you cant see the top, but once you are up you can see there is even more to climb arrhhh. And then after that there was another omg . I’m knackered. At last the trail began to level out before it was time for the decent .I walked for about another hour then took a break.
I had several hot spots so taped my toes and stuck some moleskin to the bottom of my sole , Glugged down some water then set off, the trail had suddenly become busy.
Bumble Bee and a host of other hikers began to pass me
I wasn’t chasing, just plodding looking after my painful knees. The trail was another roller-coaster up and down up and down.I passed by another shelter but it was too early soon to stop. Then I met a man who gave me advice about stretching. I will do as he advised. but at the moment I just hurt.
Considering my knees I think I was doing okay. but then the trail turned into crappy gnarly rock once again, and again I struggled to navigate over it arrrh. in some places it was small little climbs Arrrh. I was miles away when one of the British girls came by.
Much further she asked?.
I said it’s about 3 miles a lot more down , past the parking then a mile up.
I tracked her for a while as I liked her pace. but then the trail was tricky again .then her friend passed me, making me jump as she was so quite
I could now see the car park thorough the trees, so not far to go.
A man called Creature was waiting here , he is helping his son hike and offered to take my trash.
Thank you so much i said , he also gave me half of his iced tea..yummy.
Time for the final climb which was approximately a mile up so about an an other hour to go, But it was hot and so I kept stopping to drink water .
At last the shelter came into sight. I quickly found a site for my tent and it was up.
I next went and got water and washed myself down in the river as I was smelly. I really hummed.!!
I walked back to my tent made tea then made supper. Bollocks I think I have miscalculated as I am a meal short for tomorrow. oh well I will ask someone tomorrow if they have a spare.
I ate tortillas with tuna that was really tasty. then the remainder I mixed with my dinner. yum.
This shelter did not have a box or bear lines so it was time to hang my food bag from the bears. But at this spot it was scare of suitable trees . so 20 minutes later it was in the tree.
I retreated to my tent and made hot chocolate and then to bed.
I hope my knees are better tomorrow, or I may have to hitch into town. although I would like to reach the 100 mile marker
night
Start 73.5
Finish 85.7
mileage 12.2
Remaining 2105.2
snailtrainers Adventures 