Date: 2010-08-12
From: Kent

To: Stewart Hollow Lean-to
Miles today: 7.0

8/12 4Kent to Stewart Hollow Lean-to7 milesShelterYou know how some days you wake up and everything is right?  The birds are singing, the sun is shining, a gentle breeze blows. Maybe you know something good is going to happen, like meeting a friend for lunch?Yeah. Today wasn't one of those days. I woke up at six and rolled over for another try. At seven thirty I struggled back to consciousness. I noted that I hurt all over. And that I was having difficulty staying awake. One of those days. When I stood up my lymph nodes also hurt. I think it's a Lyme day. Which means it's an extra strong advil day. Going on the theory that I always feel better after I start moving, I did not bag the day and hide under the covers. (But I thought about it.) It took me an hour and a half but I got packed up and headed to The Villager for coffee and food. My newly heavy backpack did not contribute any joy. I noticed again how much the Kent School / Kent setup reminds me of Hogwarts, though I assume the kids here aren't learning any practical magic. On the way out of town I stopped at Belgique patisserie and chocolatier. I had a milk chocolate leaf with caramel. It was delicious. Everybody in the shop had a charming accent. I took the Numeral Trail out of town because I'm a rebel that way.  It was steep in places, but deeply padded with pine needles. It was pleasant. As I walked I waited to feel better. I had taken two advil in town. Generally if I take any it's in the afternoon or evening, but since the aches started before I opened my eyes this morning, I had them with breakfast. Between that and the fact that walking usually makes me feel better, I expected my day to improve. I also listened to an audiobook, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I keep plowing along with it but it is an incredibly dull book, albeit interspersed with moments of sex and/or violence. Despite the advil and the book, I was surprised to find myself feeling worse. Nausea and cramps added to my list. I was also quite surprised not to vomit or experience the runs. I trudged along, feeling awful for no very obvious reason. I was happy to see Dancing Wind and Indiana. We played leapfrog in the morning and early afternoon. I had no appetite and little desire to stop and rest so I would catch up when they stopped.  I just put my head down and trudged. I did, however, remember to take my Lyme supplements. Today was an excellent reminder to take them. In the afternoon I encountered a steep rocky descent. It was described as 91 stone steps, but steps implies more regularity, usability, and safety than these provided. I managed to hurt my formerly good left knee by twice jamming the patella into pointy rocks. The second time it hurt so much I yowled and cried. Dancing Wind, behind me, asked if I had been bitten by a snake. Fortunately not, but my knee now hurt so much that I cursed every step down from a rock. I sat and slid down on at least five occasions. Once I had to face the rocks and dangle from my arms, feeling for a landing spot with my toes. The ears of the trail planners may be burning right now. Eventually I came to a long road walk. As road walks go it was pleasant, and it was a huge improvement over the blasted rocks. Forecasted rain finally began. I took the time to be grateful it had held off until I was on solid ground. Around four I arrived at a shelter. I sat out of the rain and texted JD. I discussed moving on. He wisely wondered why I wouldn't stay put given the day I was having. He made way more sense than I did. So I'd only gone seven miles. So what?  I took my boots back off ( having removed and replaced them earlier to unwrinkle my socks) and settled in. As I unpacked I realized how very little I had eaten. A little dried mango, half a package of skittles, some cherries, a 100 calorie pack of pringles, half a piece of bread, and a coke I'd brought from town. I'd drunk half a liter of water. I did have breakfast in town, which I didn't finish. This, more than anything else, tells me that more than my attitude is wrong. Thirst and hunger are normally constants for me as I hike. I should have eaten most of my snacks and drunk at least a liter of water. (For the record, the uneaten snacks included a power bar, a granola bar, a box of raisins, several Werthers candies, the rest of the skittles, a powergel, and some nutter butters.)For dinner I finished the piece of bread and had a small piece of cheese, which seems to be working for me recently. Or at least it's not causing diarrhea. It's still raining steadily. So far the bugs are not bad so I hope my night in the shelter will be comfortable. If I still feel bad tomorrow I'll walk to Cornwall Bridge and get a motel room. I hope, though, that the night works it's usual magic and I arise feeling renewed, or at least not reolded.