Went to see an orthopedic specialist about some pain I've been having in my knee. I considered not going. With nine days before I'm to get on a train to Georgia, I did not want to hear that hiking in the mountains wasn't in my immediate future...Besides, I've had knee pain all of my adult life. It'd flair up, last a half hour, then go away and not bother me for months...
But this time the pain wouldn't go away. I felt twinges of pain as I walked, and it was tender to the touch below the kneecap. I called, and was able to get in today - as long as I could get there in 20 minutes...
I may have exceeded a speed limit or three, but I got across town with 5 minutes to spare. The doctor I saw clearly understood backpacking. He poked, prodded, stress-tested, and filled in some substantial gaps in my knowledge of the anatomy of the knee. He ruled out tears in either my meniscus or ligaments. And said I have tendonitis. While that's not good, it's not hike-ending.
Phew!
Rest, ice, vitamin I, and daily stretching are in order. He questioned me about my pack weight, and was happy I wasn't humping 60 lbs. He likes that I'll be starting out slow and building up to big mile days, and he really liked the idea that I'd be using hiking poles!
The doctor proved he knew more than a little about backpacking when I questioned him about Advil vs Motrin. He told me that with Aleve at 1 pill every twelve hours, vs 2 Motrin every 6, it helps lighten my pack load!
Another aged hiker sporting an x-100 and feeling the pain of getting old just before he embarks on the trip of his life.
ReplyDeleteI came upon your blog a short time ago, when I began searching the web to see if anyone had a trick to get better battery life out of my wonderful x-100. It's a great camera, but it burns through battery power like crazy.
As fate would have it, I just began to experience shin splint pain as i beefed up my pre-trip training regimen. Out of of the blue I checked your blog and see that you too are experience the effects of aging.
I am really looking forward to seeing you images throughout your trip. I wouldn't give two thoughts about not going. Even if you end up not finishing, you will have a wonderful experience for the time that you are on the trail. Just hang in there.
Thanks Bear Bait. I'm feeling better every day and looking forward to leaving a week from today. The stretching has helped alot, and the Aleve ...
DeleteWhat did you decide to do about battery power for your X100? I posted my solution of using a universal charger with a USB input, along with an external storage battery source. http://www.laughingdog.com/search/label/Camera
I understand solar panels have made a quantum jump, and several folks I know will be bringing Goal Zero Nomad 7 panels and battery storage.
I hate shin splints, hope you find a way to make them feel better soon. See you out there!
I plan on bringing three batteries and simply utilizing all the camera's power saving features. I will recharge batteries when I resupply every 5 days. This will reduce the auto focus speed and start up time, but hopefully three batteries will be enough.
ReplyDeleteI am only doing a section hike (Springer through the Smokies), so if I find that I need more juice I will end up adding a new Trent battery pack to augment my approach on the next section.
I'm bringing a second battery. The only problem with bringing spare batteries is, unless you bring extra chargers, you have to charge them one after another.
DeleteLooking forward to seeing your stuff. Will you be posting them on your blog?
I have a Pearstone Dual Charger, which I will bounce along, for the limited time that I am on the trail.
DeleteI have a tumblr blog: www.robinodland.tumbr.com to which I plan on posting. I will post while I am hiking using my Iphone, and plan on embellishing it with processed images and detailed text posts, after I return home.
You need to look me up when you hit the Pennsylvania Border. I'd love to meet up with you, and hike some of the Pennsylvania rocks with you.