Mountain Wandering: Day 1

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Can awe overcome pain?


The planter faciatus that I developed on the Blue Mountains Trail continues to plague me. I’ve made attempts (some successful) at solving the piercing pain in the heel of my right foot, but it always comes back. 


Oh, and I tweaked my back this summer for the first time. Kirk and I were up at Elk Lake for his birthday, moving paddleboards to the lake, when I twisted while picking one up and my whole lower back twinged and I had very little movement and a lot a pain. I did it again to a lessor degree last weekend when I tried to get out of my tent. 


Both are plaguing me on day one of a 4-day solo backpacking trip into the Wallowas. Maybe I can walk it off? Not likely with the heel pain, especially since I walked that one on last fall.


Ok, it is manage it then…but I’ve got to get serious about healing both. I have a 2-month sabbatical at work next year and I’m going hiking!


So to the awe: this marble and granite chunk of Mountains in NE Oregon (where I started the Blues Mountains Trail last year) is out of this world. I’m hiking (it really feels like plodding) up Eagle Creek towards Horton Pass. The golds and reds from the October fall days are piercing blocks of color against the green and silver rock of the canyon walls. 


A family out horsepacking passes me while I pulled over to eat lunch. They look prepared to set up somewhere for a few days, and when I saw their tracks headed up to Hidden Lake (my intended destination for the night) I found something lower, saving me the 1000′ climb. I’ll take it, for the views at my new camp are already making me forget my worries. 


It was a short day, relatively speaking, but I have no agenda, only loose ideas, and there are countless options for trails, and lakes, and passes, and loops, so I’m just going to take it as it comes this time. No imposing my will on the miles, instead, letting the Wallowas (and my body) impose their will on me.

11 thoughts on “Mountain Wandering: Day 1”

  2. I know that trail from summer wildflowers–glorious to see the rich autumn colors. Darn! On the plantar fasciitis and back–I hear you. Good for you to go slowly and know you will find healing in the journey. Looking forward to your next entry. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Thanks for sharing this, Renee, and a special thank you for including us in your itinerary! It’s always good to have contact with you, especially if the contact is a visit. Hope you weren’t bored by a couple of elderly folks!

    Friends, Mike & Donna

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  5. Hi She-ra, Sorry to hear about your plantar fasciitis. Just wanted to share my husband’s (Woody Keen) experience and successful treatment. He had tried a lot of things but what cured him was PRP injections from Dr. Payson Flattery at Center for Integrative Medicine in Bend. He is great with athletic injuries using PRP, Prolotherapy , stem cell and other modalities. Woody also had PRP in his bad knee and afterwards was able to take up telemark skiing again. I have had it to fix shoulder pain. Have also had success with prolotherapy when injuries were not so severe. I wanted to share this with you in case this is something you have not tried.

    https://centerforintegratedmed.com/physicians/naturopathic-doctor-payson-flattery/ Wishing you well, Jo Keen Sent from my iPad

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  6. For your PF, stretch and roll your calves with a stick and hamstrings religiously. Stand on your toes and down flat, repeat. Draw the alphabet with your toes every night and morning, and those PF socks that keep your toes pulled up all night work, you can find lightweight ones on Amazon. This knowledge cost me thousands and is yours for free!

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  7. Keep up the good work. I am going through my second bout of Plantar Fasciitis in a few years. I have found using a Plantar Fascitis Night Splint https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Medical-Plantar-Fascitis-Splint/dp/B075FCKXTW/ref=asc_df_B06X168FQY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309770208664&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=470457531916438733&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030751&hvtargid=pla-571584925861&th=1 And the Onestretch step https://onestretch.com/ have helped. It takes time (months of stretching), but eventually I feel better.

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