Today was a pain in the butt. Literally. I had tight hamstrings last night, and rubbed some arnica on my legs, but this morning when I started to walk I had a shooting pain in my left glute. What???? I didn’t know what was going on, it felt like there was a problem with my hip…and I had a flash to my friend Luigi who needs to get his hip replaced…his quality of life has been severely impacted by the bad hip…and I didn’t want to fathom that this could be happening to me too.

I took some vitamin I (Ibuprophen) and hobbled down the trail. I wasn’t going to let a little pain stop me from making some miles! The trail was beautiful and climbed up and up, trees and grasses bordered the trail and I reveled in the change of scenery. After a quick trip to a cow tank to get more water, I kept going…and found that climbing Jacks Peak and Burro peak wasn’t nearly as painful as flat walking.

Lovely

Views

I called Kirk from my lunch spot on top of one of the mountains and described my symptoms…he said it sounded a lot like a tight or pinched sciatic nerve. He used to have the same issue when he was a competitive runner, and explained a few stretches that might help.

And they did! Or it could have been the handful of Vitamin I…regardless I was able to put in some more miles and really enjoy the views all around. A few hours later however, I was back to hobbling and before long could barely walk.

Big trees!

I hobbled down Tryone Road trying to get as close to Silver City as I could so the walk in would be bearable tomorrow, but had to call it a night before it was even 6pm, I was barely walking a mile an hour.

I can be really stubborn. A woman offered me a ride, and I declined. If I got a ride from here I would have to return when my bum was feeling better and walk it again. I’m cowboy camped just off the road and will do my best to walk into Silver City (17.5 miles) tomorrow, but if I just can’t I should be able to hitch in. I’ve already gotten the name of an acupuncturist in town, and I’ve looked up a bunch of stretches that should help.

This sucks. And I can’t believe I still hiked as much as I did!