Paying the price

“This morning looked to be a good day to get out so I did - there is an old road in SNP I wanted to explore so I bushwacked down from Pine Field Hut area through more laurel than I ever wanted to hike through (first part of the price) finally gave up on finding the old road in that mess and just headed straight down the side of the ridge to Ivy Creek where I knew the road could be found near a backcountry camping spot that I had previously used. Once on the road I followed it down hill but after a while it sort of petered out - probably I missed a turn or something. Turning around I went back up and followed the road a fair ways up along side the ridge until it sort of disappeared under a hell of greenbriar, bittersweet, grape vines, witch hazel, and assorted blackberries and raspberries (second part of the price). So there I was fighting my way up hill through this mess and the hill was getting steeper the farther I went - lots of loose rock - at one point I had my foot dropping into a hole cause of the shifting rock - a bit of a thrill there. Finally I got to the top - nice area for camping except for the lack of water (next part of the price every step felt like a potential cramp in the hamstring) pulled out the compass and map and picked a likely direction - came out on the AT very close to where I was parked. I went down to the shelter to read the register - there was a running string of chicken drawings - some better than others but extending over at least three months with the thru hikers thinking up new cartoons to add to the register - one of the better registers to read. Anyways I drove back home and just as I got out of the car the final price was extracted - leg cramps worse than any I have ever had before - took me at least 3 hours to work them out - quads and hamstring mainly - very little calf cramping.

Was it worth it - well yeah - at least when I got back I was no longer depressed - in agony but not depressed - feeling much better now.

In reading about Gemini bailing - I also was having considerable shortness of breath while ascending through the puckerbrush - in my case I know what it is so I took a couple puffs from the inhaler and went on after a few minutes.
last edited: 10/17/04 8:56:17 PM”

“Damn, HOI, if that's what it takes to get ya happy, I say do it. Glad you had a good hike.

They say eating yogurt helps with cramps. I have some every weekday morning and I hardly get them anymore.”

“HOI, nice report. I think agony is much better then depression. :)”

“Let's hear it for agony! It's been amajor part of my therapy for at least 25 years.”

“bit, have you tried rubbin' yogurt on the muscles?”