Date: 2010-05-25
From: Pine Swamp Shelter

To: Laurel Creek Shelter
Miles today: 18.5
Weather: light rain

The terrain and weather combine to make this a most challenging day. I feel good at the start despite the gray, bleak outlook. After rain the previous 2 days, clouds, fog and mist are the dominant elements although conditions never deteriorate to the point of flat out rain. This is small consolation though as the trees act as fog/mist/drizzle collectors throughout the day, constantly dripping their burden onto both trail and hiker, ensuring that everything maintains a saturated condition. The lower foliage similarly collects moisture and with each step my shoes slick this wetness from the leaves, sopping them up into both sock and shoe which were already wet from the previous days rain. This will have significant repercussions later in the day.The terrain is also a mixed bag with a climb to both start and end the day and a fair amount of rock and boulder hopping in between. The water adds a degree of difficulty to both of the climbs making for muddy ascents with shoes performing about the same as a tire in the mud, slipping and sliding as I search for traction. The boulders are also slicked and I approach each step with an air of caution making this a slow, arduous trek.My waterloo comes near the end of the day as I'm ascending the final climb and I notice a definite 'hot spot' on the heel of my right foot. A hot spot is a burning sensation, usually on the foot, that if left untreated will likely form into a blister. For 660 miles I have been blister and hot spot free but my streak is now at an end. I'm 2-3 miles from the shelter but decide I can't risk hiking this distance without taking some curative action. I remove my shoe and sock and my foot looks like a giant white raisin, this condition brought on by the past 2 days of rain and the abundance of moisture today. Hiking in these conditions has finally begun to take a harsh toll on my feet and in addition to the slack, pruned skin there's a bright red spot where my heel and achilles meet. I let my foot dry out a bit and assess my options which are few. In fact until I can dry out my foot, shoe, and sock my only option is to wrap my heal in duct tape, which I do to bridge me as I hobble into the shelter.Although a blister may sound like a small deal, the truth is that many a hike has been ended by blisters, and even if the blister isn't hike-threatening the idea of hiking in pain and/or decreasing my mileage is not attractive. I've faced fatigue and exhaustion numerous times on the trail but these are things that typically fade away with rest and a good meal, feeling nearly right as rain the next day. This is the first real physical ailment I've had to face and the truth is that it has me nervous. I eat dinner and hit the bed early to contemplate my situation and consider my options for the next day. While not every moment on the trail is a struggle there are plenty of times when conditions and fatigue force me to draw on various sources of motivation to press on but these are mostly mental demons, now I have the threat of real physical pain to add to this stygian brew and it has me low. I'm not seriously considering leaving the trail on account of this but I definitely fall asleep with a glass half empty mindset.