T+41 The body is willing, but the sole is unable

T+41 (July 9, 2020)

Navigation Report:
Start Point: Upper Goose Pond Cabin (mile 1551.5)
Target Destination: October Mountain Shelter (mile 1560.3)

Travel Log:
11:00 Break Camp (mile 1551.5)
11:20 Upper Goose Pond Natural Area (mile 1552.2)
11:35 Cross I-90 [Mass. Pike] (mile 1552.8)
11:40 Green water Pond (mile 1552.9) [Berkshire Lakeside Lodge]
11:45 US Route 20 (mile 1553.1)
12:35 Brook (mile 1553.5)
12:45 Tyne Rd. (mile 1554.0)
1:05 Becket Mountain (mile 1554.5)
1:50 Finerty Pond (mile 1555.9)
3:15 Beaver Bog (mile 1558.0)
3:25 County Rd. (mile 1558.4)
5:00 October Mountain Shelter (mile 1560.3)

Daily Mileage = 8.8
Total Mileage = 411.1

​Commander’s Report:
Last night before bed I did some laundry in the pond. I washed out the socks I had been hiking in for the last several days as well as my hiking shirt and underwear. This morning, early, I decided I would take a bath in the pond too. I didn't skinny dip, but I probably could have if I'd wanted to. Apparently there'd be dozens of people in the cabin on any given night in summer, but not this year. I guess I'll take that as a small silver lining for picking COVID year to do the hike.

Because my clothes still need to dry, I turned my bag into a mobile laundry rack. Classy, I know.

​I'd rather have clean, dry clothes then win some "classy hiker" award. Sue me!

Anyway, I took my time getting out of camp. The laundry was in the sun drying, so I used the time to make some tweaks and do Some maintenance. I got on the trail around 11. It seemed way later than that to me.

About a mile north of Upper Goose Pond, The AT crosses I-90 (Mass. Pike) on its very own foot bridge. I remembered to take pics of the crossing...I'm getting better at this documentation stuff.

​Immediately after crossing I-90 is the Berkshire Lakeside Lodge. Apparently they allow hikers to get water from them. Nice looking place, not sure why they'd want a bunch of smelly hikers milling about looking for water. Regardless, I still had 2L, so I don't need any water.

This old drive runs off toward I-90, and is currently not in use. The old entrance perhaps?

​After I-90, the trail steadily climbs up and over Becket Mountain over the course of about a mile and a half. About half way up the mountain, the trail crosses a small Brook. It was essentially dry when I passed, but I liked the looks of it so an obligatory pic is in order.

​At the top of Becket Mountain one is greeted with a trail register instead of a view. 'Tedward wuz heer'

​After Becket Mountain, the AT follows a bit of a ridge for about a mile and a half where it turns to go around Finerty Pond. There weren't any clear views of the pond, but there were a couple of partially obstructed views to be had.

​For over 3 miles after Finerty Pond 7h AT passes through a wet, low-lying area. About half-way through this stretch, the trail passes close enough to a beaver bog / pond to get a partially obstructed view.

​Following the low-lying section remained an easy 1.2 mile climb up to the shelter. No Grimm tonight, I'm sure he’s way up the trail from here. Physically I'm ready to maintain his pace of 15 miles / day. With a big exception: my feet and ankles.

I'm starting to get a case of the "New Boot Blues".

At first, these boots felt greet-especially compared to the last pair. It was all downhill from there.

I quickly realized that I needed to specially lace the boots so that room remains in the toe box while simultaneously being able to get the rest of the laces tight enough to prevent wiggling.

Then I realized how little cushioning there is as compared to the last boots - especially in the heel. Thus the need for the Dr. Scholl's in Great Barrington.

The issue is that when you're compensating for one problem, other areas get overworked. This causes overuse injuries such as tendonitis.

I'm definitely feeling overuse injuries developing in both feet. The right foot is currently more sore. I think the problem is the Extensor Retinaculum, a tendon running perpendicular over the top of the arch.

Due to the pain, I am unable to push off of the right leg as much as I'd like. This is unfortunate because as a person with a really dominant side (right), so this is causing some adjustment woes. I've noticed pronounced fatigue in my left hip and goad during climbs. Also most pronounced in climbs is a pain in the sole of my left foot, right in the middle of that "pad" by your toes. Sometimes, if I step on a pointy rock in just the right (ie wrong) spot it sends shooting electrical shock pains all the way up to my knee. When that happens it usually takes 15 minutes to get over the pain.

All of that is my excuse for my relatively sluggish pace. I'm hoping that pulling beck will allow things to heal up a bit, or at the very least not progress to something that could cause me to get off the trail.

I feel like most of my body is willing, but the sole is unable.