Date: 2015-04-20
From: Franklin, North Carolina - Zero Day Thirteen

To: Franklin, North Carolina - Zero Day Eighteen
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: light rain

Hi Everyone - Trailchef here, Well it's official. I've been cleared by my physicians to continue hiking. My physical therapy and hydrotherapy has been ongoing now for a little over a week and will continue for a few more treatments ending this Friday. I have had no pain in my left knee now for the last six days. I've even been taking progressively longer walks on level ground and have worked up to about four miles without a pack but with a sustained speed of about 3.7 miles per hour with no ill effects. Beginning tomorrow I will put on my pack and add water for a combined weight of about 30 pounds and walk on level ground to see how that feels on my knee. I'm hoping I will continue with no problems. The doctors say that while I have no actual injuries to my legs or knees, the conditions that brought on the pain and caused me to get off the trail were caused by arthritis and there is not a cure for that condition - only R and R when I experience pain and lots of Ibuprophen. It's an old age disease. That being said, my doctors say to go on back out and hike. But that I should not go as far each day - and try to lessen the load I'm carrying. So I've been going through my pack trying to eliminate weight - over and over and over again. I'll let you know the final decision. Also they said that I should not try to hike as far each day as I had done in the first fifteen days. I had averaged about 14 miles per day. They want me to stay around 10 miles per day.I will go back on the trail up through the Smokies on Saturday, April 25 at the Fontana Dam/Route 28 Road Crossing near the Marina. Subman will be going with me as far as Standing Bear Farm Hostel where he is planning on going back home again. I really appreciate his company moral support. He said when he went through the park earlier in the year he didn't have a real chance to enjoy all its beauty and splendor because of the snow, rain, and ice. He actually began his through hike on January 1, but had to come off the trail numerous times because of weather. He ended his through hike this year in March, but is planning another attempt with his significant other (SUDS) in 2016. Look for his blog. But he has agreed he is looking forward to hiking the Smokies a little slower this time. He will keep me company and help me should I encounter any unexpected knee problems. I have lost the various "bubbles" that I hiked with back when I began on March 16. They have moved on Northward. But I know that I will meet new friends join new "bubbles" and am looking forward to hiking with any of you that are willing to hike with an old man. I feel really fortunate that I am able to go back out once again to travel northward up the trail. I will continue to go as far as I can - body and spirit willing. Watch out new hikers here comes Trailchef - again!I pray that all my former hiker friends including but not the only ones (Outdoor Photog, Fancy Pants, Hasslehoff, Anna and Frea, Big Jim, Conductor, Trail Pilgrim, Rainbow, Bubblegum, Poofy, Happy, Doc, The Wizard, Sunshine, the Warrior Hikers Michelle, Nate #1, Nate#2, Bison, Bookworm, and Day Late) who I started with in March are safe and have been able to continue on. And for those new persons I will meet, I pray that your hike is all that you want it to be and that you will gets lots of sleep and be able to eat enough food that you can move on up the trail to accomplish your goals. "Think Katadin". So until we meet...