Day 146

Trail miles: 25.1

Total: 2440.8

Probably my worst and toughest day on trail. I made it slowly up the first large hill and met Lifeguard at the pond to filter water. On the way down the hill however, my feet started burning pretty bad. Before I put my socks on that morning, I put Leuko tape on the sides of my feet to help whatever was going on with them yesterday. But it wasn’t helped. So I tried trying my shoe laces, more Leuko tape, and body glide. Nothing was helping. On the way down, I ran into Captain and two other hikers who got neurovirus and were still moving faster than me. I sat down for the fourth time when a section hiker came by with her dog and asked if I was alright. I just started crying. She quickly pulled out her med kit and started cutting mole skin to fit around my injuries. I sat with her for a bit chatting. I felt better mentally but I was still in pain. I think the Motrin helped a little. I stopped for lunch on a rock with a great view of the mountains. I had done a pretty pitiful mileage so far so I had to keep it short. After a slow couple of hours, I ran into Raechel who waited for me at the bottom of the hill. She was checking in on me and said she would wait for me at the top of the hill to walk to camp together. The hill and the burning feet weren’t my only problems. The rain started gently so I set my bag down to take out my rain covers and of course my bladder sensed that I stopped so it was time to go. I couldn’t get far into the bushes so I just went a little off trail and hoped no one would come. Well, I pooped a little and didn’t have my baby wipes or trowel prepared. I would have had to shuffle over to my bag to get them. I had to clean up quickly before someone came so I used the biggest leaves I could to wipe and pulled my pants up. I noticed I pooped a little on some leaves on the bushes. Well I tripped trying to pick up a stick to clean up my mess and I tripped landing into the poop on the leaves. So I’m there just using more leaves to wipe the sleeves of my shirt clean when a guy comes up asking if I’m picking berries. Anyway, I made it up the next 7 mile hill so slowly that I had several panic attacks on the way up. I was so worried about the sun setting before I made it to camp again. At least Raechel was there to walk the last two miles downhill with me. They were a struggle because the downhill is way more painful then the uphill. The gang saved me a spot at the campsite which I am so thankful for since it was full yet again. I decided to make dinner tonight because of my rough day even though it was after 9:00pm. I made my favorite: chicken and dumplings.