The human mind is amazingly forgetful. Women say childbirth is extremely painful, but then all sorts of people have multiple children. Well, I have been saying for the past year how painful and unpleasant the Appalachian Trail is, but was able to forget that enough to come out here again to try to finish. Guess what? It's as miserable as it was last time.
We are on the cusp on leaving Virginia and entering Tennessee. The last 60+ miles have been views of wild flowers and wild ponies, paved with wild rocks and wild roots. Our feet are blistering up and our appetites are growing.
I've changed a little bit of the hiking formula to accommodate being pregnant. First off, I got a "go for it!" from my OB doc, and a "proceed with cautionary measures" from my midwife. I'm hiking fewer miles per day (currently about 15), drinking a lot more water (thanks to a friend's hydration bladder I can just wear and drink from constantly), and wearing compression socks on my calves to help circulation. Downhills are even harder than they used to be, and downhills were never fun. The biggest difference is for Forrest-- if he sees me struggling, he takes my pack on his front (with double packs, going downhill with no view of his next footfall, he is still faster than I am).
I have to stop and pee about every mile. So, 469 more pee breaks and we'll be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment