Ok, so, 28 miles after feeling like I was going to actually die for the last two days was pretty damn ambitious. No one else seemed to struggle today, and naturally I was last to show up to camp.. actually, I almost didn’t even make it to camp.
We got breakfast together this morning at McDonald’s before all starting the road walk out of Rawlins. My feet did not feel ready, but Wolf is quite the motivator, so gabbing with her while walking distracted me a good bit. It was a long road walk, then at a cut through of some desert scrubs I fell way behind everyone. I swore I heard a snake rattle, so I hightailed it to a fence, got over it, and just continued on the road.
My limp got better for a while, I guess once my muscles warmed up. But road walking today was still pretty painful. Around 3pm I stopped to sit, rest, and put on my sandals. After an hour in the sandals, my limp was back. There was no way I was going to shove my feet into my shoes again though.. they felt so swollen and achy. It was hot, and eventually the paved road turned to dirt roads, and that seemed to ease up the pain a little. Everyone else was miles ahead.
I text our group chat late afternoon and told everyone I didn’t think I was going to make it to our decided camp spot. I was miles short, and low on water, but my legs were hurting too much so I was planning to call it quits for the day. Firefly asked how much water I had with me, because I was in between water sources, and less than a half liter was all I had.. he left his Gatorade bottle filled with water on the trail for me-so I decided I at least had to get to his bottle.. and then maybe camp there where he left it.
When I found his water, I was only a few miles from the campsite, and the sun was cooling off some.. I put some electrolytes in my water bottle and decided to keep pushing closer to them, with the intent of being close enough to not be too far behind tomorrow. The sunset was stunning and storm clouds were rolling in. Everywhere I looked to camp was sloped or covered in sharp cactus needles.
I kept moving, when I realized I was close enough to just make it everyone else since I hadn’t found anywhere decent to camp, I got a little more pep in my step! The clouds looked wild and the wind was whipping through. I rolled up to everyone already set up and in their tents just as it was getting dark! I was so happy I made it and everyone cheered. I quickly got more water and set my tent up, all the while waiting for the sky to drop out.
Naturally, right as the wind got real insane and the sky looked terrifying, I had to poop. Perfect. I ran out of my tent and down the path to find a safe spot to dig my hole, the whole time expecting to get completely drenched when the rain came. Those clouds were intense! There was lightening off in the distance, but magically, I made it back to my safe haven completely dry, before the few sprinkles that came started to fall. I’ll call that a success. I ate my dinner in my tent, talking with everyone through closed tent vestibule doors, and now we’re all tucked in and quiet, with a soft patter of rain coming and going.
I think I’ll sleep good tonight! I’m still shocked I hiked almost 30 miles after managing to do 55.5 miles on my 24 hour challenge only 2 days ago! These new friends of mine are a tad nuts-but I’m loving each of them more and more each day. I’m glad I made it to them tonight, more than they’ll ever know, I’m sure. For me to be so independent 98% of the time, this trail is so much more enjoyable with friends. Sweet dreams, yall.
Oh my dear God, someone please pop my legs off and sit them somewhere else for awhile. It’s close to bedtime the day after finishing my 24 hour challenge, and my legs are STILL throbbing. Whew, what a mess of feelings I have right now! Let’s just start from the beginning, shall we? Well-after I mention that I hiked 55.5 MILES in ONE DAY!
I had a hard time falling asleep after making my sandwiches for the 24 hour challenge. Mostly because I was just excited to get started, slightly afraid of oversleeping and getting left in everyone else’s dust, and then on top of all those anxious feelings, other hikers who I haven’t seen before kept waltzing by talking loud either to themselves or to each other, not seeing my tent. So, I’d slightly doze and then get startled awake. In their defense, I was trying to fall asleep in solid daylight, so I couldn’t really be mad at them. And where I was camped at was beautiful. The sunset through the trees and tent was its own sort of magic.
So, when I did finally nod off, I was content and smiling. I popped up, anxious as hell at 11:30pm when my alarm went off. It felt like my eyes had been closed for seconds, yet it was suddenly pitch black outside. I quickly packed everything up, put my sandwiches in a side pocket of my pack, and started walking at exactly midnight-headlamp on its brightest setting.
The stars were out of this world gorgeous. And the quiet was a little eery. I put in my headphone and started to play some music, upbeat and fun. I felt like I was cruising! The wind was blowing and every now and then I’d catch the eyes of some animal looking my way. I choose to believe they were all deer. That made me less anxious, because walking up on a bear in the night was not something I wanted to do. I was on high alert, but yet somehow still enjoying it! Night hiking isn’t for the faint of heart! (Is that even how the saying goes? Sheesh. Even my brain is struggling today.)
The sunrise was truly spectacular. I was happy I wasn’t so fast that I hiked the 18 miles to the road before the sun rose, because watching the black turn to moody oranges behind the soft grassy hills of the trail was incredible to witness. The birds all singing their songs, deer loping by.. I felt like a Fairy Princess in a Disney movie!
Sometime around 6am, I hit a trail log. Pika was the only person ahead of me, and they signed in a whopping 3 hours before me! I knew then I’d never catch them, unless they decided to lay on the side of the road and take a long nap. Ha. I signed in, hiked on, and soon was on the paved road that would eventually lead me all the way to Rawlins, Wyoming.
The road walking was not flat. It wound up and down around the hills, and as the sun got higher in the sky, the temperatures rose dramatically. We’re officially getting back to desert terrain, which I knew existed in Wyoming, but I still somehow felt blindsided by it. I guess I’m officially in the Basin. Weird.
I stopped to eat a sandwich and hide out behind some rocks casting a shadow around 10am, already over the heat. Before I started hiking again, I took off my new-ish shoes and put on my less new sandals. Immediately my feet felt some relief! I wanted to hide in the shade for hours, but instead, I got up and started hiking again within 20 minutes tops. That fear of everyone else catching me and hiking on without me really motivated to keep pushing. My feet felt like they were baking on the pavement though. It was HOT.
I listened to a 90s country playlist on my phone, singing along outloud to no one but the pastures of cows, scrub brush, and probable snakes. Thankfully I saw no snakes, but I was constantly scanning the side of the road knowing they had to be there. I tried my best to stay hydrated, and when 9 miles later I came across a cooler (that I knew would be there from our app), I was so very happy to chug a Pepsi (don’t tell Coke), and refill my water. If trail angels didn’t stock that cooler, hikers would be stranded without water for a very long stretch.
In another 9 miles, there was another cooler. I was thrilled! And thankfully a trail angel drove past and offered me a Gatorade! Well, actually, he offered a beer first and I declined.. but I chugged that Gatorade like he was going to snatch it back from me! Over the next several hours, that same trail angel checked on me a few times, with water and encouragement. He was so dang sweet.
Sometime after 4pm, Firefly gained on me. Mind you, he had to hike 8 more miles than me to catch me.. so. Yeah, he’s fast. Ha. We chatted awhile while he was kind enough to slow down for me to walk with him, but he eventually got way ahead of me when I stopped for a break and to prop my feet up on a fence post. My legs were on FIRE. My feet felt like they were about to start peeling apart. Yikes!
While we chatted though, we agreed (and so did everyone else with texts) that we’d all push to the town of Rawlins and stay at a motel tonight. Since no one would want to sleep on the floor after this huge challenge, Firefly and I agreed to split a room, and then Wolf, Pika, and Redline would split one.. three of us would get our own bed, and Wolf and Pika would share. I think this was the new motivating factor that kept me moving-knowing I was going to get a bed two nights in a row, since we all knew we’d have to take a zero the following day.
Wolf caught me and we hiked together for a bit, singing songs and trying our best to not feel like we were dying. She surpassed her initial goal and then some and I was so proud of her. The heat started to get to her in the late afternoon, and after she drank some water with electrolytes in it, she started to throw up. She felt awful, and worried about heat stroke she decided to call it and hitch hiked to the motel. After seeing her pass me in a truck, I really wanted to hitch as well. Firefly was way off in the distance, a little speck surrounded by dusty hills.
I kept moving though, shocked at my perservenance and so very thankful that I hadn’t gotten sick. My legs ached and throbbed, and I was starting to limp, but I was moving forward and I was happy for it. The last time I went to eat one of my sandwiches, I almost threw up from the smell alone.. so, I didn’t eat any food until after getting to the motel. Probably not the best idea, but you tell that to my stomach that decides to do cartwheels every time I try to take a bite of anything. So, I wasn’t completely symptom free-nauseous, probably dehydrated, and legs and feet that felt like they’d detach at any moment.
Anyway, storm clouds started to creep in as the sun started to set, making for a gorgeous sky. The same man that gave me water and Gatorade came by again and begged me to let him give me a ride to the motel, worried about the storm coming and night falling. I refused. He laughed and said Firefly told him there’s no way I’d let him pick me up. That cracked me up, how does Firefly seem to understand my stubbornness so well? I don’t want to lose my completely connected footpath, and I didnt want to have to come back out here today instead of taking a zero. Gotta push through and make it to the motel!
I did, however, let this man take my pack to the motel for me. I kept a couple things: my phone and my wallet, and let him take everything else-that way I’d hopefully be able to pick up the pace. Only after drove off with everything I own did I realize I could be completely screwed if he wasn’t a good person. He could keep my pack and sell my gear! I also forgot to get my headlamp and some water.. what an idiot! That did help me walk a little faster, but honestly, my limp was steadily getting worse, so I actually couldn’t tell too much of a difference pace wise-it just felt easier without the weight of the pack.
The sun set and I started to walk through the outskirts of town, across a railroad track and through a rough little neighborhood with big dogs barking their heads off in most of the yards. Thankfully, I didn’t have any issues.. I would not have been able to run to safely if I wanted to! I’d have been a very easy target and probably would have just sat down if anyone came at me.
I ended up hobbling into our motel at 10pm, absolutely wrecked. I was nauseous-yet starving. Everyone attempted to get taco bell and Firefly was going to bring me food back, but they were out of everything so everyone had to abandon the idea and order pizza. I happily took a slice and barely got it down. Firefly got me Gatorade and a Mountain Dew, plus a few other snacks. He laughed when I sat on the corner of my bed, unable to rest with my legs touching the bed because of how bad they hurt. I needed them to dangle..
I was so gross and sweaty, but I couldn’t manage the idea of getting undressed and in the shower. I hurt so bad I was close to tears.. so, I laid on the odd corner of my bed, legs throbbing, skin raw in places.. and chatted with Firefly before nodding off. I stayed on top of my covers so I wouldn’t get the sheets dirty. I wish I could adequately describe the pain I was feeling.. it was all consuming, all over, unwilling to allow me to relax at all because any movement made something else ache.
I woke up around 1am and had to pee. I hobbled to the bathroom as quietly as I could, hoping to not wake up Firefly. He was out cold and I was jealous. Getting my shorts down and sitting on the toilet was a chore, I basically collapsed half squat and prayed I didn’t startle him awake with all the racket I was making. Since I knew I didn’t want to get back on the bed and not be able to get under the covers, and half my clothes were already mostly off-I decided to get in the shower.
The effort it took was massive.. I felt like I was disabled. It took close to 5 minutes just to get my clothes off, and then I had to hold onto the rails with all my strength to lift my legs high enough to step into the shower. The water burned my raw skin where I chaffed around the band of my sports bra and around my waist from my shorts.. it took all of my willpower to not just cry when the water poured over me. How ridiculous was I to do this challenge and make myself suffer so much? Tears never fell, but boy did they well up in my eyes.
I finally made it out of the shower and into the bed, thankful Firefly’s breathing sounded like the easy rhythm of someone fast asleep. I took some ibuprofen and nodded off quickly-clean but still aching all over.
I would have thought I’d have slept for hours and hours, but sadly I was wide eyed around 7 something. My body was so dang sore! Firefly was bright eyed and bushy tailed, walking completely normal. We went to get breakfast and Wolf and Pika met up with us.. I’m THE ONLY ONE hobbling today! Everyone else is walking JUST FINE! It’s so hard to not feel inferior when everyone else seems completely normal and I’m waiting for someone to offer me a dang cane. It is what it is, and I’m grateful to have a body that continues to show up for me and all the wild things I push it through-but dammit if I won’t wish it came a little easier for me.
We all resupplied and took it easy the rest of the day. Organized our gear, washed clothes, talked with other hikers. I popped my blisters that popped up on my heels, probably from hiking so long in the sandals, and I took another shower. It’s been a much needed rest and recovery day-personally I think my body would like to zero tomorrow too, but alas: we’ll be hiking out tomorrow morning. I’m gonna lay in my bed and chat with Firefly and watch some TV with this moisturizing face mask on, since it makes me feel better about myself lol!
I slept so dang good last night, the wind was blowing and the night just felt perfect. We stayed up late for hikers, laughing and cutting up with Gary. We shared wine and stories and it was a good time. Gary started to get a little-almost flirty with me and occasionally with Wolf, too. Firefly picked up on it without a word and started to insert himself between Gary and me or Gary and Wolf-all without being obvious. It was kind of refreshing to see someone just “get it.”
People assume a 74 year old is just being friendly-but the little touches here and there while constantly directing the conversation back to Wolf or I gets exhausting and creepy. I’d like to say I doubt it was intentional.. but at times it felt intentional, and causing a scene wouldn’t have helped any. So, Firefly smoothly took care of it after he first noticed me being uncomfortable. And no scene was required to be made. Seriously awesome dude.
This morning the birds were wide awake early, but I refused to get up until after 8am-not that my bladder was going to give me much more time than that anyway. Redline quickly packed and walked to the diner we ate at yesterday while the rest of us sipped coffee and contemplated being awake. Sadly, he text soon after that the restaurant was out of propane so they weren’t cooking breakfast. Ugh.
Gary offered up his refrigerator and kitchen to us while he went into another town for his physical therapy appointment. Pika made scrambled eggs and I cooked up some bacon, and we made due. I felt bad for being disappointed, but I wanted another huge breakfast like yesterday, this wasn’t going to cut it.
Once Gary got back from his appointment, we all packed up and loaded into the truck. Everyone else had sent a resupply box here, but sent way too much food, so I took what they didn’t want and then we got a few extra things from the general store before Gary dropped us off at the trailhead around 12:45.
I hiked in just over 7 miles, Pika is ahead of me and Wolf is probably a mile or less behind me. Redline and Firefly BACKTRACKED about a mile.. because, at midnight we’re all starting the 24 hour challenge! We’ll get up at 11:30pm, pack up, and start walking by midnight and see how many miles we can get by midnight tomorrow night. Insane, right?
It’s 61.2 miles from the pass we got dropped off at into Rawlings, Wyoming. The guys want to do at least 62-70 miles, Wolf wants to do 55 miles, and Pika and I are leaning towards 50 or more.. so that’s why we’re all staggered. The last 36 miles is all road walking, so we’re hoping that helps make it happen. We’ll see! It’s 5:35pm and I have some sandwiches prepped and I’m ready to go to sleep now so I can wake up in 6 hours!
Fingers crossed it all goes well and everyone stays injury free. Pika, Wolf, and I have decided that if something happens and we’re not feeling it, we’ll just camp like normal and make whatever is left a 2 day stretch. As kind as Gary was for letting us camp in his yard, I’m really looking forward to a hotel room and a bed to myself! So, that might be motivation enough to keep pushing tomorrow. I guess we’ll find out!
