WooHoo!

Great news today, I’ve awoken to what seems to be a pain-Free knee.  In my best zombie impression, I made my way to the bathroom first thing this morning and returned to bed.  As I lay there contemplating getting up or sleeping more, it suddenly hit me……I didn’t just hobble back-n-forth to the bathroom…..I walked………with a Normal gait!!!  WooHoo!

After that initial revelation in mobility my first thought was, I’m hiking today.  Then the cold hand of reality and this so-called “good sense” that seems to be instilling itself into my life during this decade of maturation, slapped me across the face.  A recollection of years of jumping the gun on injury recovery periods and how it usually doesn’t work out well for me flooded my brain.  I slowly pulled the covers over my head as I mentally conceded with this “good sense” and the idea that it would be best to wait another day or two. *sigh*

Stir crazy, always been that way.  Now the subtle hint of it that’s been dancing in my head will become loud blaring lights and sirens till I change scenes and reenter the woods.  This will be a LONG couple of days, I shall have to keep myself busy and occupied.  I should also abstain from trailjournals.com, it’s like salt in the wound as I read about everyone I’ve met so far reaching Franklin and moving ahead of me.  It’s ok though, with my new and MUCH lighter shoes, fitted with not one, but TWO good knees, I’ll do well to catch up or run into them along the way.  Falling behind will allow me to meet even more people that started after the Thru-Leaper group. It will also be nice to walk alone for a bit.  I'm a solo hiker by nature and although the company has been great, I'm ready for some one-on-one time with the flora and fauna.

I’ve already dropped numerous items from my pack to lose some weight.  I also bought a compression evac sac for my sleeping bag.  With the evac sac I had, it kept managing to expand a lot in the bottom of my bag and taking up WAY too much valuable room.  It’s now under half in volume of what it was before.  I’m very pleased with this.  

I have an itinerary loosely created in my guidebook.  Today I shall retool it in the sense that I’ll place dates to locations as well as a mail drop timeline for my folks.  Before I was gonna play it by ear and call/email the drop places and times.  Now, I feel the importance of having a date to reach.  It will also be easier for my parents to work with as well for their planning purposes.  

Along with that I’ll also be experimenting with organization in packing my bag.  Trying to find the most efficient way to do so and possibly dropping some more weight off of it.

These tasks (and some rented movies) should get me through the next couple of days.  I’m gonna shoot for Sunday to get back on the trail.

Cheers!