Saturday, June 23, 2012

Minor Setbacks

Well... some of you may know that I had to get off trail temporarily because I got sick. I'll start at the beginning for you.

The Sierra's are SPECTACULAR! Every day you're up there is such a blessing. The scenery and views are just absolutely breathtaking. The rivers, mountains,  streams, meadows, passes, wildlife.. they're all stunningly beautiful in their own special way.

This trip is the most amazing thing that I've ever done and I am so thankful every single day that I'm out there.

I did Mt. Whitney and that was wonderful! It was such a confidence boost going up and passing all the day hikers. The group of hikers that I'm around are very speedy. Sometimes I start to doubt myself. It's not like I'm slow by any means. It's just I don't go at mach 12. So being able to pass these people was just the boost that I had been needing. Whitney was great. The views just went on for days. It was brilliant to say the least.

The next day I did Forester. I started my climb from the base of the pass at about 5ish and I made it to the top just as the sun had gone over the mountains. It was really good that I had done Whitney already because I kept telling myself that I had to climb another Mt. Whitney just a little less steep. It was NOTHING like Mt. Whitney. haha SOOO much easier! You actually have air to breathe : )

The views on the north side of Forester pass were just... it made me stop dead in my tracks. It makes you feel so small in the world.. but you feel so amazing because your out there doing this trek alongside these magnificently enormous mountains. You're climbing these huge rocks, yet your still so tiny. The emotions and feelings are overwhelming, but so incredibly worth every single second.

The following day was Kearsarge Pass..... blagh. haha no it was great.. this is just the day I got sick. I started feeling a little off after the first big climb. I took a break for a couple mins and then continued on. I knew that something wasn't quite right. When I hit Bullfrog Lake... I lost it.. quite literally. I wound up throwing up for the next 3 miles. No fun. I passed out shortly after. I knew that I only had to make it to the top then back down again and I could be in town.

It took me over 2 hours to get from the lakes to the top of the pass. Do you have any idea how hard it is walking w a pack on, up the highest point on the PCT, while you no longer have any fuel and you can't keep any water down cause the second you do it just comes right up? INSANELY DIFFICULT. I finally made it to the top of the pass and my buddy was waiting for me. I was beat by the time I had made it up - go figure. But I still had to make it to Onion Valley. Thank God there was Trail Magic there. It literally saved me. It took us over 2 hours to get down. Normally we could have been down in about 45 mins. I was going at the speed of death pretty much. I was so thirsty but every time I wanted to drink water it'd just come up. Not to mention I'd gone the last roughly 15 miles on absolutely nothing to eat.

When I finally got to the campsite I got Gatorade and Wheat Thins. I was finally able to keep those down and I started feeling a million times better than I had. We caught a ride into town and then hitched into Lone Pine. I was feeling a lot better than I had coming over the pass, but I still felt terrible.

The following day I was on my way to the post office and passed out. So I proceeded to walk to the ER. Oh Joy! haha.. me and hospitals do not go very well together. I was severely dehydrated, had a 2nd degree sunburn, and a grocery list of problems. They gave me 4 bags and I still wasn't able to go to the bathroom. I had called my parents when I got admitted and my Dad drove down to take me back to Clovis.

I was so beat. My electrolyte balance was so off the doctor told me it could have been fatal. ya ya ya I know. My liver function was brutally off. I had swelling of my brain stem, MAJOR joint point, blurred vision, extreme pain after eating, edema... let's just say the list goes on for a loooong time.

So I'm currently "recovering" in Clovis. I'm bored out of my mind. I want nothing more than to be out there again. I was supposed to go back today, but yesterday I wound up back getting IV's again. So that was postponed.

I feel a million times better than I did the day of Kearsarge Pass. Thank goodness cause I thought I was gonna be a goner for a while. haha. But don't worry guys I'm a tough cookie. I'll be feeling wonderful and back out on trail VERY soon!

I cannot wait. I feel so boxed in here. I just want to be back on trail already! I heard patience is a virtue though? ahhh so until then... I wait.

Here's a few pictures : )


Me and and sister Dre

 Trail Magic from my family is the best! Such a nice surprise! 

 Me with my wonderful mom and sister
 So happy to have new shoes!!
 I could feel EVERYTHING I stepped on
 The oldest sibling and the youngest
 In Kennedy Meadows





1 comment:

  1. Trail Magic YAY! I feel like we keep getting to look for Easter Eggs or prizes- it's you in the middle of the dessert; you in Mexico; you in some God forsaken crazy hills. Where does this magic take me next???

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