Date: 2009-05-16
To: View Entry
Miles today: 70.0

Dear readers,There is lots to catch up on, starting with last week, so I'll rewind life a bit and recap recent happenings. I wrote much of this from the trail and am simply typing it up. This journal is the real deal, no sugar coating issues I'm dealing with out here. Enjoy and here goes...So last week I had my first experience with what can only be considered the equivalent to diaper rash. My first time not wearing rain pants when it poured for hours led to hiking in soggy underwear all day. I was unaware of the consequences this choice would have 8 wet hours later. The strange red bumps from a few weeks prior were replaced with an adult form of diaper rash. Now I know why, as a toddler teacher, we were required to change the kiddos' diapers every 2 hours! That stuff is painful! I'm pretty sure I was walking like I'd just ridden a horse all day upon entering the shelter.Anyway, I wasn't too worried about it. I figured it wasn't anything Gold Bond Medicated Body Powder (a staple in every thru-hiker's pack these days- used primarily on our feet) or Vaseline couldn't cure. Have you ever tried to powder your own butt? It's quite a task and I was thankful for the privacy of my own tent and flexibility. The one thing I was not thankful for was the "medicated" ingredient in the powder. I never knew what "medicated" implied, but that night I learned it makes raw skin burn! (similar to IcyHot). Maybe that tingling sensation feels good on sore muscles, but let me tell you, you do not want that feeling on your butt crack. Live and learn. I used Vaseline from there on out. I was good as new 48 dry hours later. Do you enjoy hearing about my most intimate bodily woes on the trail? This trail journal is the real deal, people. Like I said, no sugar coating.Also last week, we encountered many water crossings that had no bridge or good rocks for hopping across on. If you've ever been hiking with me, you know my disdain for water crossings (right, Lilli?). It didn't take my hiking buddies long to realize this. By the third stream of that day that had no bridge, Hermes and Dutch (who had been 10 minutes ahead) were waiting on the other side, with cameras out, saying "this is gonna be good" as I approached. I don't like getting my shoes wet. I prefer to find my own, alternative way about it. It might not be the quickest, easiest, or most graceful, but the important thing is, I always make it across, injury-free and with dry shoes. Gangsta has capture many on video, and even a great butt-shot of me crawling across logs-not an easy task with a full pack on.Speaking of graceful, Gangsta took quite a spill the other day. It ranks as #2 behind mine awhile back for best witnessed falls on the AT in 2009. Her foot got caught on a branch and stayed caught, sending her tumbling forward, as if in slow motion. Aware that she was gonna biff it, she did her best to make it graceful. She stuck her leg out and raised her arm up, in ballerina fashion. If she was gonna bite it, she made sure she looked good doing it. Apparently, it doesn't trump mine because she didn't land in a face plant and was not covered head to toe in mud afterwards. Nonetheless, it caused fits of laughter for Hermes and I (and G) and takes the #2 slot.Okay, I already lost this entry once on this laptop so I'm gonna post it now and write more in another entry. I figure I'll break it up so as not to bombard you with a single novel-length entry.Happy Trails,Wags