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Friday, May 18, 2018

PCT - Day 29: 5/17/2018 - Zero Day at Casa de Luna

Trail miles: 0
Miles hiked: 3.4



Zero day breakfast was for most people was pancakes at Casa de Luna. I however was feeling somewhat glum and just ate a half pound of granola in my tent.

Casa de Luna Guildlines
Second breakfast at the Heart & Soul Cafe is where my hiker hunger revealed itself. I ate a homemade cookie, a breakfast burrito, and a fantastic milkshake. After eating all that, I ordered a 12 inch pizza, and some waffle fries. 

The others in our hiker posse were getting some resupply items at the gas station. I bought myself some Advil PM in hopes that I can maybe get more than five hours of sleep.

Back at Casa de Luna, there was a continuing debate. Some people wanted to hike out in the afternoon, others wanted to take a zero. I had already made my decision to zero. After what seemed like a fruitless debate, a flat rock was flipped (heads or tails). The result was everyone took a zero.
Signup Sheet
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Chilly Bin was nice enough to sew a button onto my shirt that seems to shed buttons at a pace of about 1 per 80 miles.

Shank and Pocket Knife showed up and the group was really glad to see them. Shank reminds me of myself from time to time and he’s a person I can relate with easily.
Group Photo
Today my main goal was doing nothing and letting my body heal. My team here seemed to be on board with that too. Sunrise helped me by showing me some stretching exercises. Ziploc consoled me when I expressed fears of my body failing me to a point of me potentially having to get off trail. Tapeworm even gave my calves a good massage before dinner.

Really there wasn’t much craziness to talk about today, mostly we just hung out, napped occasionally, and enjoyed each other’s company. My ankles feel slightly better, but not 100%. My wrist still has an unexplainable painful lump. Tomorrow the hike continues into the Mojave desert. We’re aiming to cover the 88 miles to Tehachapi in four days including some night hiking.



5 comments:

  1. Regarding the buttons that won't stay on for 80 miles. Rita thinks it may have to do with the fact that the buttons are made of metal and the constant hiking rubs the threads and cuts them.

    Other opinions (from studio pottery students) think it may have to do with the quality of the thread and suggest using a higher quality.

    I think you should use #18 copper wire or fishing line.

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  2. The wrist lump might be a ganglion cyst, normally not painful unless it impinges on a nerve. Sometimes they just disappear, or you can try massage and one place said a night splint helps by keeping it immobile, thus causing it to "pop" and get reabsorbed into the body.

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    1. I had someone give me this webmd diagnosis at Casa De Luna. So I hit it really hard with a full water bottle in hopes of popping it. Instead I just caused myself more pain. I’m going to probably get it looked at when I get to Tehachapi.

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  3. I am thoroughly enjoying your daily accounts of life on the PCT. I have followed a PCT blog every year since 2012 and yours is one of the best ones yet. I am pulling for you to overcome your fears of your body failing and ending your hike (somewhat selfishly since I don’t want the blog to end). When you make it to northern Oregon, I will bring you a Mt. Dew on the trail. Kevin

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the kind comment. I hope to persevere through this, and I’ll never turn down free Mt. Dew

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