Hiking Adventures - What am I up to?
At the start of the year (2019), I got it in my head that I would start doing long hikes. This sort of adventure has been floating around for a while. I did talk Krista into a little bike ride from Seattle to San Francisco! Time in the PNW and The Press Gang Expedition got me interested in hiking across the Olympics (Washington, USA) for a long time. Recently You Tube had drawn me toward the John Muir Trail. I had organised a few trips to the Flinders, that consisted of camping and day hikes. Recent trips to the Snowy with the pack em heavy Gawel Bros reignited my interest. During those trips, I would talk of longer hikes - Eddy would cry "oh my knees and back" and Richard would say,"I just want to get to the river and quickly (with a cold beer in my hand)!".
I knew I wasn't yet ready for the Sierra's and the red tape is hard to fathom from Oz. I wanted something overseas - not Tassie, not NZ (though definitely of interest). I like what I've seen of Scandinavia - but that could wait.
So I settled on Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) - 11 days, 170 km (lots of up and down - missed that bit), huts/hotels and meals - so no need to carry tent or food. Little did I know when I booked my flight the drama I would go thru to get my knees and then feet right for this.
...recurring planter faciitis, osteoarthritis in the knees, need for orthotics, three different pairs of shoes...
After recovering from some skin cancer surgery in January 2019, I could finally get back on my bike - first push -OUCH!!! buggered my right knee. During Mad March I couldn't do stairs up or down with me right leg. Finally opened up the wallet and did physical therapy in May- then the feet go (June/July 2019)!
All during this time - I kept on refining my gear, trying to stay positive (but not booking any accommodation), thinking plan B - on my bike - yet that's how I ripped my patellar tendon in the first place!
Finally at the start of August 2019, I booked all my accommodation and 90% refined my gear down to 5.9kg.
Almost mid August - haven't done an uphill in a while, doing stairs at lunchtime, I've cut back on the walking on hard surfaces (footpaths -that was not helping). Still doing the leg muscle building regime (twice a week). Most importantly, I am back with Rustam and he is fixing my feet (ouch)! Stretching - calves and hamstrings - is his orders!
View from 300 m climb up the hills behind Urrbrae - be doing at least double (more like three times) this climb every day on the TMB!
I knew I wasn't yet ready for the Sierra's and the red tape is hard to fathom from Oz. I wanted something overseas - not Tassie, not NZ (though definitely of interest). I like what I've seen of Scandinavia - but that could wait.
So I settled on Tour Mont Blanc (TMB) - 11 days, 170 km (lots of up and down - missed that bit), huts/hotels and meals - so no need to carry tent or food. Little did I know when I booked my flight the drama I would go thru to get my knees and then feet right for this.
...recurring planter faciitis, osteoarthritis in the knees, need for orthotics, three different pairs of shoes...
After recovering from some skin cancer surgery in January 2019, I could finally get back on my bike - first push -OUCH!!! buggered my right knee. During Mad March I couldn't do stairs up or down with me right leg. Finally opened up the wallet and did physical therapy in May- then the feet go (June/July 2019)!
All during this time - I kept on refining my gear, trying to stay positive (but not booking any accommodation), thinking plan B - on my bike - yet that's how I ripped my patellar tendon in the first place!
Finally at the start of August 2019, I booked all my accommodation and 90% refined my gear down to 5.9kg.
Almost mid August - haven't done an uphill in a while, doing stairs at lunchtime, I've cut back on the walking on hard surfaces (footpaths -that was not helping). Still doing the leg muscle building regime (twice a week). Most importantly, I am back with Rustam and he is fixing my feet (ouch)! Stretching - calves and hamstrings - is his orders!
View from 300 m climb up the hills behind Urrbrae - be doing at least double (more like three times) this climb every day on the TMB!
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