Date: 2006-05-26
From: Plateau Tentsite

To: Vanessa Breton's house (Salisbury, CT)
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: mist

Unfreakingbelievable!How is it even possible that I could injure myself on a zero day? I hike up and down mountains every day, through occasionally moderately difficult situations...only to injure myself crossing a street in a sleepy town. It happened because some very nice person(/idiot...depending on perspective) decides to randomly stop to allow me to cross.I wasn't at a crosswalk.I wasn't in any particular hurry. I just moseyed up to the road, and this lady decided to stop right where she was. I am an idiot(/very nice person...depending on perspective), because I looked out and saw that there were other cars behind her. Traffic had halted in downtown Salisbury, and suddenly I felt guilty...as if I had stopped this woman with sheer will, and in turn, everyone else behind her. I wave for her to go.She waves for me to go.And then I think...I'd better hustle across so that these people can proceed with their lives.I would quickly learn, it is not very prudent to sprint (a 10 yard dash, if you will) with a backpack that you have just filled with a week's worth of food and other odds/ends, that weighs in between 35 and 40 lbs..In the instant of my initial lunge, I felt it snap...my hammy.damn. I've pulled a hamstring once before, and it's an unmistakable sound and feeling.I don't know what happens now. Can you hike with a pulled hamstring? probably somewhat slowly, I imagine.So by noon I had managed to negate the positive effects of taking an off day. I was expecting to feel refreshed tomorrow morning. Now I will be gimpy.I went to the pharmacy in town to pick up a bottle of vitamin I and an Ace bandage. even in pain, i managed to amuse myself there...the 18 year old who was assisting me, though, was completely unamused. He showed me to the Ace bandage aisle, and as I grabbed for a prefitted brace, I had a choice of sizes. I immediately grabbed an XL, and he offered a tape measurer, so that I could be sure..."I said trust me, all of my body parts are XL...heh!" [Edited Note: This wasn't merely meant as a dirty joke. I am 6'3" and at the time of this hike I weighed 250 pounds...I now weigh 190 and concede that sometimes I merely wear a large.]Yet, I measured to confirm, only to find out that my hammy is only a large.I scanned the room, in mock embarrassment, and said, "let's just keep this our little secret."...and he looked at me as if I had just said, "the purple cow has just infiltrated the maple syrup movement."or something equally nonsensical.I am staying at Vanessa Breton's boarding house. Add that to the list of my varying sleeping arrangements. I wasn't sure how normal/strange this one would be.I just got done talking to one of the boarders here, Gary, who is a prep chef at a local restaurant...whose wife had an affair with his old boss, and left him. I'm not sure if he quit that job or got fired (nor am I sure that it matters...that's probably a reference that he will not be using).The other boarder here, Larry, I met earlier. He was talking to me about his prostrate...and its removal.normal/strange? you make the call...I did have a pretty good day. I did laundry...took a shower...avoided some nasty t-storms...went to the library to catch up on all things internet...went to a coffee shop...went to the grocery store and picked up the makings of a 3 course dinner. (Wheat Thins topped with sliced avocado for the appetizer. Shrimp Scampi with garlic bread for dinner. Ben & Jerry's Double Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream to finish it off)Vanessa is wonderful. She gave me keys as soon as I got here, and said come and go as you please. She gave me the run of the house. A very sweet lady.now i am going to sleep in a bed. strange. and wonderful.but it has a damn footboard! 6 foot beds with footboards drive me crazy. I can never get or stay comfortable for very long.