Blisters
I woke up at 4:30 a.m. with the hope of getting to Patagonia before 4:00 pm. If I arrived after the post office closed, I would need to stay there until Monday to get my re-supply package.
I could see my breath in the light of the headlamp, and a layer of ice covered the rainfly of my tent. The tent poles sucked all the heat out of my fingers, and I comically attempted to stuff a frozen and rigid rain fly into a stuff sack with only mildly functioning dexterity.
Finally, at 5:30 Vance and I were off. Rod decided to sleep in and meet us there, even though we all knew he would likely pass us on the way with his superhuman speed.
Vance was going slow. His knee hurt, and I soon realized I had to just leave him there if I wanted to get to Patagonia on time. So I took off.
My blisters got worse with every step I took.
I focused on the amazing views, the cows, cacti flowers, and javelina footprints to take my mind off it.
Every hour I checked where I was, making sure I was moving at a fast enough clip.
After ten miles it became impossible to take my mind off the pain. I ripped my boots off and wrapped my feet in Leukotape before setting off again. It helped, but every step still burned.
It became a mental game at that point. The sun was beating down, and every time I stopped to drink or filter water then began hiking again, it seemed like the pain intensified by a factor of ten.
My only consolation was that my legs didn’t hurt anymore. Or they did, the the blisters were just out-doing the pain.
Today was the longest I have ever hiked in a day. Twenty one miles in total.
With five miles left, I must have looked like a totally crazy person. I started talking to myself about how five miles was no big deal. Just like hiking back to the Loj from Indian falls. I forced myself to go faster even though my body just wanted to stop, and tried putting weight on different parts of my foot to see if it helped.
At this point the pain was making me feel a little sick. Just when I thought I was about to break down a strange rumbling sound made my heart leap into my throat. What was that, an earthquake? Landslide?
I had hit the road! Just 2.8 miles left.
While doing the road walk I was passed by twelve border patrol trucks. Twelve. What could they possibly need that many for? Some of them went by in twos or threes.
Patagonia looks like a town out of an old western movie. It’s tiny, with a lot of old signs still standing. My favorite was an old lumberyard building turned Pilates studio.
I made it to the post office at 3:00 pm. It took me another hour to mail a few things home to try to lighten my pack. Thankfully, the post office workers were very kind and very helpful.
I limped over to the only hotel in town. There was no way in hell I was about to walk any further. No sooner had I inquired about the price of a room when Rod showed up behind me. Serendipitously we were able to split the cost, and Vance appeared a few hours later.
We were quite the sight hobbling and limping through town to get pizza. I wasn’t the only one who had a rough day. Rod also had some sizable blisters, and Vance was having serious knee problems.
Apparently it’s all part of the thru hiking experience. I know in a couple weeks my feet will be calloused, and I’ll have my hiking legs. The blisters aren’t going to last forever.
But for the time being I’m laying in a nice comfortable bed – and even though I can barely walk across the room it’s been an amazing experience so far. I’m glad to have some people to hike with, we are all in the same boat as far as navigating the craziness going on right now. And in getting into thru hiker shape.
Tomorrow we set off for four 15 mile days to the next town.
