Rest and Recovery (PCT Day 55)

I’m sitting on a bus heading north from Lone Pine to Bishop, CA. The Sierra Mountains are on my left, whizzing by. Lupine is at my side. Chef is behind us. A stranger naps in the seat in front of us using her armrest as a headrest. 

I wish I were hiking through the alpine my eyes absorb. It’s hot in the valley. It looks cool in the high mountains. I long for my back to feel better. I fear what if I do not heal. I will feel sad. I fear letting Lupine down. I want to finish this hike, but my back has been complaining, threatening to spoil my plans. 

“There’s Puffy and the gang” exclaims Lupine, spotting our fellow hikers outside the window hitching for rides near Independence. They come to jump on the bus, it’s Puffy, Pokes and Smokey, fresh off the trail. They went over Forester today and have done 23 mile days every day since we’ve seen them. It’s great to hear of their adventure, and the views they’ve had. But we can’t help but feel jealous. We’ve been binge watching television, licking our wounds, wallowing in some self-pity. 

I’m angry at my body. I managed almost 700 miles with only minor aches and pains. Just shy of 40, I was feeling good about myself. Now I’m questioning my body and what it’s capable of.

“This valley is beautiful” Lupine remarks, pointing out the High Sierra range to our left.

I am hopeful and trying to remain optimistic about rising up above the valley and looking down from the trail.

Our plan is as follows. We will ride to Bishop and stay in a hostel until Friday, when Sriracha returns from his road trip with his wife. He will pick us up from Bishop and we will all return to Kennedy Meadows and begin hiking again. By that time Chef and I are hoping to be healed and ready to return to the trail. 

While in Bishop I’ve arranged to see a chiropractor. I typically am hesitant and critical of chiropractors, but this is partially due to the extreme reliance many people have on chiropractors for doing “adjustments”. I also question many in the field, and believe that simply doing adjustments is not a long term solution. A long term solution should always consider both muscular and skeletal biomechanics. In my situation I know that rest, ice, stretching and strengthening are in the cards for recovery and future prevention. But I also know that if my hips are slightly out of alignment, my recovery with these methods could be prolonged. So, I’m going to give the chiropractor a shot, and hope that they have a strong emphasis on biomechanics and can help set me straight. 

I also consult my primary care doctor back home to ask about other recommendations and the possibility of getting a prescription for topical ibuprofen. I consider seeing a doctor locally, but don’t our insurance doesn’t cover out of state care, and since most doctors don’t have a foundation in biomechanics, I assume they will focus on pain management and recommend and MRI to confirm the root cause of my sciatica like pain. 

I’m hopeful that my decision to see a chiropractor will pay off. Our fellow hiker friend, Finders Keepers, also got off trail when he threw his back out. He’s likely a week away from getting on trail, but has gotten some relief from seeing a chiropractor and is moving better, although sore. 

I can’t help but think of the hikers who’ve had to bail the trail due to injuries thus far. There’s our friend Horse who had to leave in Acton due to sciatica pain. He later returned to the trail only to have to get off again as well. Shaman, another fellow hiker left trail due to Achilles tendonitis, and then was helping other hikers in Kennedy Meadows. Word is he’s hoping to return to trail around the same time as us. 

I hope him and us are ready. I hope we can complete this adventure we have begun. We have many miles to go.