[at-l] Wanchor/Sloetoe Report

[Bluetrail@aol.com (Bluetrail@aol.com)]

Jon called last night and this morning from Manchester Center, VT. =A0He's=20
complaining that others who started with very low mileages are now doing=20
better mileage than he is. =A0His foot seems to be a bit improved; he though=
t=20
maybe due to all the Osteo-bi-flex he's been taking on Nimblewill Nomad's=20
recommendation. I think he'd actually make better mileage if he'd taken a fe=
w=20
more days off, but....I also think low 20's is lots better than I'd ever do!=
=20

He spent the night at a kind of hostel--$19 to sleep on the TV room sofa, bu=
t=20
he was glad to have a chance for a shower and a place to dry his stuff. =A0I=
t's=20
continued to rain a LOT. =A0He says the trail is ankle deep in dark mud.=20=
=A0The=20
mud has, however, made it easy to see lots of moose tracks and droppings--bu=
t=20
no moose yet. =A0

At the Congdun (?) shelter he ran into our hiking friend Sloetoe (Tom) and=20
his boys, The Boysenberries. =A0Jon said the boys were very nice, well behav=
ed=20
fellows. =A0The Boysenberries worked on a civil engineering project in the=20
nearby creek while Jon and Tom talked as Jon ate his dinner. =A0Jon also=20
reported that the boys were very well equipped; Tom had even made them=20
pint-sized gaitors. =A0Jon says he hopes that their lighter weight will keep=
=20
them from sinking so deep in the mud. =A0The boys (and Tom) seemed to be hav=
ing=20
a great time. =A0Jon hiked on after eating his dinner.

In our phone converstaion I told Jon about the MRI results and the pain shot=
=20
(and two more to come) and the possibility of surgery. =A0He said the sweete=
st=20
words I've heard in a long time when I said I was hoping to hold off until h=
e=20
finished the hike: =A0"Screw the hike. =A0The hike isn't important. =A0I'll=20=
come=20
home if you're going to have surgery." =A0Fortunately, since I now know I ha=
ve=20
to have two more shots at one-week intervals to see if this works, Jon will=20
be within a week or so of finishing before the results are known. =A0So far=20
(about 30 hours from the first shot), no improvement. =A0But they said it mi=
ght=20
take 2-3 days or more shots. =A0Dr. Gary Buffington "Bear Bag" AT 2000 says=20
from what I've said, it looks like surgery is on the schedule unless the=20
course of steriods works--and even then I think it would be a stop-gap=20
measure. =A0I'm just hoping I can (1) work enough before the surgery to stop=
=20
burning up my leave and (2) go to Maine as planned and have the surgery late=
r.

After talking with me, Jon got on the phone with my brother who's been here=20
visiting this week and quizzed Rick about my condition.  Somehow that felt=20
better too.

Joan


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