Date: 2008-04-03
From: Helen

To: Helen
Miles today: 0.0

Hi all Another night here in Helen, and this morning a miracle occured, I woke up and my knee was fine. Well not completely fine, but it did have a much larger range of motion, and I can walk around on it with limited amount of pain. The swelling is mostly gone, must be the stuff the chemist gave me. Ibuprofen, and this other stuff you rub into it, makes it feel like it is on fire. I woke up and walked down some steps to go pay the 25 US dollars for my room and guess what happened. I strained the calf on my good leg, you would not read about it. It was nothing major, going to stay in town probably tomorrow as well, before making an attempt to get back out on the trail. Missing the trail so much, and have thought of some new ideas for equipment. This injury has shown me the absolute importance of keeping gear and weight to a minimum. I think I might swap out my jumper, or if you prefer pull over, and get a puff jacket instead. You have the more expensive option of a down filled puff jacket or a cheaper synthetic variety. The down is suppose to be warmer, but the synthetic still works fine when it is wet, so the best for me would be synthetic. The puff jackets pack down smaller, they are warmer and they are lighter.The other thing I need is to change my hiking shirt, I sure do look good in a button down shirt with a collar, but it has cotton in it, and therefore does not dry that well. Never hike with anything cotton tends to be the rule, so I need a quick dry top, sure I will pick one up on the way. I hike and sweat and then when I stop the cotton does not dry, and I freeze.The other option is to get a new pack, the one I have got at the moment is overkill, it is desigend to be carrying about double the weight, and is designed for far more abrassive conditions with its kevlar components sewn into the more high wearing areas. It is about 3 times the weight it needs to be. So with these new ideas my pack weight would be under the 30 pound mark fully loaded. See what I will do later down the trail and whether I bother to swap things out.These injuries have made me more determined to complete my task, thanks to JP from Ohio for the message, it is a great feeling to know others are out there following along. I have done the same thing over the last few years, chosen a few people and followed their journey. I have learnt more from reading other peoples accounts and experiences here on trailjournals than any other source, and it has been really relaible information. I even have a good geographical grasp of where Ohio is, as I have been meeting so many people from different parts of the US and learning about their home. Thank you for all the good wishes from so many of you. Cannot beleive the windy conditions mum has been experiencing, sounds like a real adventure and the house nearly blew away. I am happy to hear about the Cats back home winning first two games of the year. It is good being so far away, don't have to get all nervous about results, or worry about the next game.This is a great little town, went and had a roast beef foot long sub sandwhich, similar to subway, but much better. It was lovely, but far too much, my little belly just can't fit in the food it used to and now I feel rather ill. Bought a powerade, and it comes in bottles of a litre, only got the thing half finished. I will use the bottle on the trail, nice and light, although others on the trail tried to put hot water in these bottles, and then put it in thier sleeping bags to keep them warm. The hot water leaks through the thin plastic, and gets the bags all wet, made me laugh.Might try my first beer tonight in town, this is the first non dry county I have been to. I am just peering at a map of the AT on the wall here in the library over my right shoulder, I have only come such a short distance, and yet it has taken such a toll on my body already, I can't look at this map anymore, it is so depressing how little I have come. I have such a long way to go.