The Wild Effect

Upcoming Oregon Presentations:  

     February 19, 6:30 PM  – Clackamas REI

     March 5, 6:30 PM – Portland REI

     March 17, 6:30 PM – Tualatin REI
     April 9, 6:30 PM – Port of Cascade Locks

     April 21, 6:30 PM – Hillsboro REI

Registration required.  Go to www.rei.com/stores/  Type in the store, and scroll down to "Find Events & Classes."  

Is being felt everywhere these days.  

Reese Witherspoon's film Wild (based on Cheryl Strayed's PCT book of the same name) opens in the United States on December 5, 2014.  Yes, of course I am going.  Out of curiosity.  And because the trailer looks good.  And because the movie was filmed largely in Oregon and partly in its State Parks, and the Columbia River Gorge (my new stomping grounds).  And because even I am feeling a little bit of the Wild Effect.  It turns out the effects are not all that bad!

A post-trail essay appears on the Pacific Crest Trail Association's
new "Wild" page.  PCTA Wild Stories

I realize that I haven't posted in well over a year--and there are definitely a few things to catch up on--but I wanted to post now because I am excited to share that I will be giving another public presentation soon.  And, for the first time, in the Columbia River Gorge.

I am teaming up with my cohorts at the Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Lock and Dam for a presentation on Sunday, November 30, 2014 at 2 PM at the Bradford Island Visitor Center (access from the Oregon side.)  Just shy of a week before Wild opens.  Details to come.

I'd love to see you there, talk a little Trail, and give you a sneak peek into scenes to be on the lookout for in the new movie.

Until then . . . Bacon Bit

Day 128: Hurts So ... Good?

(Mile 2161 to 2185, Trout Creek = 24 miles)

St. Helens, Rainier and Adams. All stitched together!

"Pain is weakness leaving the body," my good friend, Ryan Brant's shirt read in high school.  Ryan was on the wrestling team.  And we lived in Iowa.

I thought of Ryan and that saying today as I tiptoed/scampered along the trail, trying desperately to keep my heels from touching the ground.  I was nearly bawling by lunch -- during which I pulled myself together and made a pseudo-plan.

My feet hurt.  They hurt badly.  Enough today that I had to consider a future where Washington was not finished this year.  It has not come to that yet, but I did actually allow myself to run through the scenario.  It is plantar fasciitis.  I have no question.  Though, of course, I have not visited a doctor.  Most of us do not have insurance out here, and I am no exception.  My friend, Jimmy, did look at my feet though.  A massage therapist who ran a massage school for a number of years, he checked all of the bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and attachment points, and everything points to the plantar fascia.  Symptoms I have read about and talked to people about are spot on.  I am doing everything I can do on trail.  Today, it came to pep talks.

My ranger-friends, Carl and Brad found us on trail tonight!  They took us to Carson for dinner and supplied us with pop, chips, ibuprofen, and jerky from Brad's very own cow.  Buster, I think his name was.  It was a treat to see them.  I love the people I work with.  If you have been reading, you can probably see why.  A little park talk, a lot of trail talk, and a few hugs.  I am a happy hiker. 

I also took the opportunity to send them home with a few things:  my camera battery charger, my knock-off Crocs, the solar panel part of my PowerMonkey (may regret that one?), an extra sunscreen, and my dinner for tonight.  This is the last push to lighten my load.  Oh, and a bottle of Heet for my stove -- may regret that one, too, as there is supposedly no more denatured alcohol on trail.  But, I have no choice.  Something has to give, and I will give up everything else before I give up the Trail.  Stretching, massage, ibuprofen, and extra inserts; I do not know what else I can do.  I tried to brace my foot in a flex overnight, but I took it off my sleep.

Pep talks and music are all I have left.  Just over three weeks to go.  I hope I can do this.  I am going to give it a helluva try.  Any advice, tips, tricks, words of encouragement, prayers even, are welcome.  Thanks and good night!

After an hour of running around, they found us! Ranger love from Carl and Brad. Thanks for everything, guys!