Day 6 - "A Pulled Tendon"
Updated: Jun 18, 2022
Today we were planning to go 21 miles, our longest day yet, but on the way down from an especially annoying climb (Mount Cube) the tendon in my left thigh got pulled. A tang of horrible pain shot up my leg. I’m not entirely sure what caused the issue, but I can now barely walk. Putting any weight at all on my leg makes the pain so much worse.
I hobbled down from Cube Mountain and convinced dad to stop at Ore Hill Campsite for the night, about 12 miles from where we started. After discussing our options, Paco, Goat-Gurrl and I decided it would be prudent to take today and tomorrow as rest days before attempting to hike Mount Moosilauke. Hopefully I’ll be okay.
I understand that injuries happen, but it’s really frustrating to slow down right as I start to feel like I’m getting used to the miles. Mount Moosilauke is apparently the highest and toughest mountain we will be hiking for some time, and Aeriel thinks that it would be best to take it easy rather than to push on only to injure myself even more. As usual, her logic is impeccable but does little to lessen the frustration.
Now we are sitting in our camp. Paco, Goat Gurrl, and the two guys we met yesterday are all enjoying the camping chair I brought! I’m not sure what inspired me to bring a chair on a backpacking trip, but I am certainly glad I did. It weighs about a pound and a half, or so, but the ability to sit comfortably anywhere provides me with immeasurable satisfaction. No hard rocks or dirty and muddy ground for me! My chair even inspired my trail name: Lay-Z-Boy! Not sure how I feel about that one, but I’m rolling with it! Aeriel also says that she is glad I brought it.
I am starting to view the woods like my home now. I went out to pee earlier and the forest just felt familiar, like I was supposed to be there. Something in the wilderness around me accepted my presence, I’m not sure exactly how to explain the feeling, but it was good.
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