Week 21 of 26

On Sunday night we drove down to Rt 108 to the Sonora Pass, and camped at 9300 feet. On Monday we trudged up the road .3 miles (and 300 vertical feet) to the Pacific Crest Trailhead and hiked to the west. We estimate it was about 10 miles, and was 6 1/2 hours. The next day, we DROVE to the trailhead (!) and then hiked on the PCT to the east, probably about 8 miles in 5 1/2 hours. I did all this partly in my sneakers and partly in the new boots. The old blister is still healing (I keep ripping the skin off by accident) and the right foot feels ok sometimes. Better than it was anyhow, but far from pain-free.

I got a note from my old friend Karen in Chicago suggesting gently I go see a doctor for heaven's sake and get a proper diagnosis. Maybe. It's getting kind of close to be messing around with radically new things, it seems to me. And I don't much trust podiatrists, after all the stuff I have been through with them over the past 30 years. But I'll think about it. Especially after yesterday, 10.6 miles on Mt Rose, and it hurt a lot even with Ibuprofen.

You might notice that Jones Creek used to be 5 miles, now it is 5.2. Joe carried his GPS up with us one day and got a better reading.

This is now the time to get very, very serious about gear! I must find good gaitors and am planning to buy the microspikes in case we encounter big snows. I can't decide if I am excited or dreading this. I do not feel ready.

This week:

August 2: 10 miles, PCT 6 1/2 hours
August 3: 8 miles, PCT 5 1/2 hours
August 4: Pilates
August 5: 5.2 miles, Jones Creek in new boots
August 6: 5.2 miles, Jones creek in new boots
August 7: Pilates
August 8: 10.6 miles, Mt Rose in both sneakers and new boots

Total for this week: 39.0 miles

Some pictures from the Pacific Crest Trail: