To PCT mile 2393.1 (stats here).
I slept well and was happy to notice that there was no moisture at all in my stuff. I managed to get up 5:30am so things looked good regarding getting to Snoqualmie early. It was only 18 miles, after all. Jace also got up and we talked a bit before I started ascending. It would be going up steeply, and then after a while, going down. That would not be good if the feet were not in condition.
And the feet were not okaye. They hurted even more than the previous day. Now it was every step that hurt, both feet. It must be the shoes. That is what has changed recently, and this is something entirely different that I have experienced so far. In addition, both feet hurt exact the same way. I suspect the shoes are too big, and my feet have room to move, and that causes strain to the ankle and the top of the feet.
I could not keep faster than 2.5 mph pace. Around my first break, I met with Amazon and Campfinder. Amazon was kind enough to give me cannabis-based pain relief cream. On top of that, I decided to take few ibuprofeins and Tylenols. I also loosened my shoe laces even more to try out all possible tricks.
The tricks did not help. I needed to concentrate on managing the pain. I cursed myself of doing the same mistake again, changing perfectly working shoe model to something untested. What is the point of walking here amongst all this beauty if you just need to bear the pain, I asked myself. I decided to get to Snoqualmie Pass, order the shoes that I used previously and stay put waiting as long as they would arrive.
Once I started descending from the top, I started to get mobile coverage so I started checking where I could order the shoes. I also tried to call the company where I bought the current pair to ask if I could return them. I could not get through, but it seemed that I could order new ones so that they would be delivered already on Friday. So far most of the promised delivery times have failed, so I was a bit suspicious.
Before I got to Snoqualmie Pass, Squish went past me. It seems that the recent bad weather has slowed down many hikers. I thought he would have been long ahead of me. He was telling me that he was going to Seattle for few days before continuing the trail. Indeed, we are now very close to that city.
I got to Snoqualmie Pass around 3pm. That was around three hours later than I had originally visioned. I went to Aardwark food truck where the owner, Dan, gave me a free hiker beer. He is a very hiker friendly person and adviced me that I should get to REI for the shoes. It was only 20 miles away. I called them but they did not have my sizes.
While drinking the beer, Tumble Weed suggested that the problem might be that I just have my shoe laces too tight. Thinking it more made this seem plausible. I loosened the laces entirely and after a while, I thought it helped. I still had some time before the ordering window for new shoes would close so I could mull over whether I would want to continue with these shoes, or order new ones.
I went to Summit Inn where I had ordered 3 packages. Mikko had sent my food resupply and a package containing my puff jacket, rain pants, beanie and gloves. In addition, the tent from Zpacks was there. As the package fee was 15 dollars per item if you were not a customer, I decided to stay at the hotel. Having your own shower, access to hottub and good wifi made it feel worthwhile. In the end, I managed to get Street Fighter to share the room with me with reduced price.
During the day, I heard that the coming Monday is Labour Day which means that the post office is closed. That complicated my plans as I planned to be in Skykomish on that day. If I wanted to wait new shoes and rest until Friday, I could not get there in Saturday morning when the post office was open for 8-10am. In the end, I decided to rest the Thursday and just go slowly and get the package on Tuesday. Does not make sense to rush through these places just in order to finish sooner. What does that accomplish? A quicker trip pack to a city and the fumes?
Anyway rain was in the forecast for Thursday and I do not feel like hiking in rain. Rain means no visibility in the mountains and some have said that the views on the next section are the nicest on the entire trail. I briefly thought about if I should skip going to Skykomish as you need to hitch there and just redirect the resupply package, but that would mean that I would need pack food for 175 miles from here. Too much to carry when you going up and down constantly 3000 feet. So, I am gonna take it easy the rest of the hike and forget about the numbers game.
I slept well and was happy to notice that there was no moisture at all in my stuff. I managed to get up 5:30am so things looked good regarding getting to Snoqualmie early. It was only 18 miles, after all. Jace also got up and we talked a bit before I started ascending. It would be going up steeply, and then after a while, going down. That would not be good if the feet were not in condition.
 |
| Nice to witness the sunrise once again. |
And the feet were not okaye. They hurted even more than the previous day. Now it was every step that hurt, both feet. It must be the shoes. That is what has changed recently, and this is something entirely different that I have experienced so far. In addition, both feet hurt exact the same way. I suspect the shoes are too big, and my feet have room to move, and that causes strain to the ankle and the top of the feet.
I could not keep faster than 2.5 mph pace. Around my first break, I met with Amazon and Campfinder. Amazon was kind enough to give me cannabis-based pain relief cream. On top of that, I decided to take few ibuprofeins and Tylenols. I also loosened my shoe laces even more to try out all possible tricks.
The tricks did not help. I needed to concentrate on managing the pain. I cursed myself of doing the same mistake again, changing perfectly working shoe model to something untested. What is the point of walking here amongst all this beauty if you just need to bear the pain, I asked myself. I decided to get to Snoqualmie Pass, order the shoes that I used previously and stay put waiting as long as they would arrive.
 |
| There would have been views to enjoy, but I was just suffering the pain. |
Once I started descending from the top, I started to get mobile coverage so I started checking where I could order the shoes. I also tried to call the company where I bought the current pair to ask if I could return them. I could not get through, but it seemed that I could order new ones so that they would be delivered already on Friday. So far most of the promised delivery times have failed, so I was a bit suspicious.
Before I got to Snoqualmie Pass, Squish went past me. It seems that the recent bad weather has slowed down many hikers. I thought he would have been long ahead of me. He was telling me that he was going to Seattle for few days before continuing the trail. Indeed, we are now very close to that city.
I got to Snoqualmie Pass around 3pm. That was around three hours later than I had originally visioned. I went to Aardwark food truck where the owner, Dan, gave me a free hiker beer. He is a very hiker friendly person and adviced me that I should get to REI for the shoes. It was only 20 miles away. I called them but they did not have my sizes.
 |
| Ah, I appreciate this. But I am affraid the expression in my face tells something entirely different. |
While drinking the beer, Tumble Weed suggested that the problem might be that I just have my shoe laces too tight. Thinking it more made this seem plausible. I loosened the laces entirely and after a while, I thought it helped. I still had some time before the ordering window for new shoes would close so I could mull over whether I would want to continue with these shoes, or order new ones.
I went to Summit Inn where I had ordered 3 packages. Mikko had sent my food resupply and a package containing my puff jacket, rain pants, beanie and gloves. In addition, the tent from Zpacks was there. As the package fee was 15 dollars per item if you were not a customer, I decided to stay at the hotel. Having your own shower, access to hottub and good wifi made it feel worthwhile. In the end, I managed to get Street Fighter to share the room with me with reduced price.
During the day, I heard that the coming Monday is Labour Day which means that the post office is closed. That complicated my plans as I planned to be in Skykomish on that day. If I wanted to wait new shoes and rest until Friday, I could not get there in Saturday morning when the post office was open for 8-10am. In the end, I decided to rest the Thursday and just go slowly and get the package on Tuesday. Does not make sense to rush through these places just in order to finish sooner. What does that accomplish? A quicker trip pack to a city and the fumes?
Anyway rain was in the forecast for Thursday and I do not feel like hiking in rain. Rain means no visibility in the mountains and some have said that the views on the next section are the nicest on the entire trail. I briefly thought about if I should skip going to Skykomish as you need to hitch there and just redirect the resupply package, but that would mean that I would need pack food for 175 miles from here. Too much to carry when you going up and down constantly 3000 feet. So, I am gonna take it easy the rest of the hike and forget about the numbers game.
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