Day 17 - Cold Springs

OMG. The Night of the Marauding Deer. Right after dusk last night the salt starved deer came a'calling. Shooing them didn't do much good and all the hikers in camp had to put up tents to keep the deer off of them and their stuff. I, of course, don't have a tent so I was on high alert all night. I had stashed all my gear directly underneath my hammock so a deer would have to come right up to me to grab anything, and I had tucked everything inside my pack I thought would be enticing. I guess I looked like a tent to the deer as they stayed a safe distance away. That didn't stop me from not sleeping though😨

They don't stand still for photographs. 

So that was last night. Today was a horse of a different color. Even though I didn't sleep well last night I still got on the trail at 6:45 (I ignored my alarm). Everything was going along fine. Climbing, dropping down, helloing nobo's. I snacked around 10:30 and got right back on the trail. Around noon I was completing a steep section when my hip started to act up. I took another break at the top but wasn't hungry so I just propped up my legs hoping that would help. After a bit I saddled up and was just about to start walking again when I had a very sudden need to go to the bathroom. And I mean sudden. In fact I didn't make it in time. WHAT? TMI I know but this was a first for me. Fortunately I had another pair of pants I could put on, my sleeping shorts. 

So that was noon. Every half hour, for the next couple of hours, I had to stop and dig a hole, pronto. As if this wasn't quite enough difficulty my right hip and leg became increasingly painful and by the time I covered the last 6 miles into camp I  was leaning on my sticks with each step. Sharp pain with each step. I've never experienced anything quite like this, especially 20 miles from a town. I've set up camp now and taken another 800 mg of Ibuprofen so we will see what happens over night. If it still hurts this bad there is no way I'll be able to walk 10 miles tomorrow, with or without a pack. That being half the distance needed to get to Belden the day after. Help!

My mind is racing of course to try and make a plan. Could I just walk 7-8 miles for three days? I would run out of food on the third day from now but I could conserve. 

How about getting a ride back to town? This spring is right on a road. That would be less painful, assuming I could get a ride. There is no phone reception here but a guy who is hiking with his kids has offered to let me use his sat phone with texting capacity. I could text Pipers Mom and ask for help... I hate that idea😡 

As I got to this spring late in the day I started hobbling up to where the campsites are and along behind me came a thru who cut me off and took the spot I was aiming for. Granted he got there first but it seemed a bit tacky to me, considering that it was pretty clear I wasn't moving very well. As it turns out my site is better for me, just farther from the water. And as its farther out, no one can see me when I'm doing my Festus imitation. 

The clouds came in this afternoon and I decided to put up the tarp before bed, just in case. I would have hated to do it in a hurry, in the rain, given the state I'm in. 

Here's a couple of images from the day while I was still feeling well. 

The last of Lassen in my rear view mirror. 

This is a new one for me. Anyone know what it is?

Oh, and I think this is the name of a bird I saw this morning. My iBird West app is great!