Day 81

(Originally written Friday, July 24)

I awoke this morning to breakfast being made shortly after 5 am. Wow...that's early even by my standards! I had slept well enough on a carpeted floor sans mattress that I didn't really want to get up. But considering that the dining room table was right next to me, I didn't have a choice. Eggs, sausage, pancakes, coffee, and orange juice were there for the taking and take we did! There were about six of us hikers there and we polished off a lot of food.

I had decided overnight that I would go back to Reno with Bill (the trail angel). He would drop me off at REI and then go run his errands and pick me up afterwards. Let me just tell you how happy I am that I'm not hiking in Reno! It was about 100 degrees and hot even in the shade. But I stayed indoors most of the time sorting out my shoe issue. I decided on a new insole called Superfeet that is supposed to hold your foot more secure to cut down on rubbing, which cuts down the friction, which cuts down the heat on your foot, which helps prevent blisters. I also got a new, different pair of socks.

By the time I got back on the trail, it was 3:30 and I knew that I wasn't going to get many miles in. Truthfully I was dreading the thought of getting back on the trail because I was afraid that everything I had done to fix the foot issue would be to no avail. But slowly I started hiking and by 7:30 I had gone about 7 miles to Peter Grubb Hut--a cabin built and maintained by the Sierra Club. Although I'm not ready to say that evrything is fine, I will say that I think the insoles helped. I also put some athletic tape over the hot spot and that may have also helped. So tonight I am cautiously optimistic--hopeful that perhaps the new insoles will allow me to hike with less pain than I've had in a while, but not expecting them to make all my foot issues go away.

My goal to be halfway finished with the trail by the end of the month is definitely in jeopardy, but it is still possible for me to make it. If my feet decide to cooperate, that would make it much more attainable!