PCT Day 33: Gas Station Heavenly Oasis

Day 33 6-20-2015       Sleep  2330 – 400
Miles 1478 – 1506
           
            I woke up feeling exhausted and depleted.  Nonetheless, I started moving.  I always feel better once I start moving.  But here I was moving and all I felt like doing was stopping.  Resting.  All I need is a bit of rest.  To get some energy back in the tank.  I need a break.  I moved a long an overgrown trail. I was annoyed.  I had my hand ups blocking the branches from slapping me in the face.  My knee clunked into and rock.  I tried to ease off as I did a forward somersault to the ground.  I was pissed.  Cursing, I punched the ground, threw a rock and then started crying.  Why can’t anything just go my way.  I just need to catch a break.  I got up and kept moving, I always feel better once I start moving. 
            I was feeling in a fog but just trying to keep the forward progress.  I decided to call my brother and get a second opinion.  He answered, I explained.  He listened so well and just calmly suggested that maybe I just need to take a break.  Yes.  Why hadn’t I thought of that?  The old proverb, when you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.  Oh yeah, now it is on.  I had a plan, motivated and moving well once again.  Now I am flying downhill to my resupply.  I was feeling so good; I couldn’t help but think, maybe I should just grab my resupply and keep going.  Geez Joey, not even an hour ago you were crying on the ground.   Okay, just a thought.  Calm down.  We can decide when we get there.  Or let the trail decided.  As I finished the long downhill it was the middle of the day and a scorcher again.  I hit the road and started on my two mile approach to heaven (a highway gas station).  The sun cooked me and my brain rotted once again.  By the time I arrived at the gas station, hiking was the last thing in my mind that I wanted to do.

I went to town.  I had five of those Juice Smoothies, got to rehydrate (can’t choose a flavor, try em all!)  I should probably get a half gallon of OJ too, wouldn’t want to break tradition.  Then to get some calories in, I bought two of the nasty gas station sandwiches, two blocks of cheese, 3 bananas, a sleeve of oreos and a half gallon of ice cream.  As I devoured it all sitting against the shady wall of the gas station, I realized… I said no ice cream before the trail.  It was over 100 degrees out and “Ice Cream was a bad choice”  I passed out comatose and dripping sweat.  I woke up probably no more that an hour later, hungry, super dehydrated and now my feet were in shooting pain.  I was a sloppy drunk just trying to get my shoes on to go back into the store.  Struggling for a bit, I finally made it in and out of the store acquiring some lotion.  Making it back to my shady cement heaven.  I ripped off my shoes and applied copious amounts of lotion somewhat easing my pain.  I was falling asleep again.  Food comatose? Dehydration? Extreme fatigue? Heat exhaustion?  Probably a bit of a combo of each.  Still, makes it difficult to get anything done.  Thirty minutes asleep.  Wide awake feet aching like crazy.  Apply lotion.  Fall asleep.  Rinse and repeat for the next few hours.  Finally, around 1800, the sun was going down and the temperature had dropped a few degrees.  I finally was awake and ready to go grocery shopping.  I was under the impression that I was getting my energy stores very depleted and that was ultimately leading to the fatigue, foggy and otherwise edgy me.  So to prevent that from happening again, I would make sure I would get plenty of extra calories and make sure there were a lot of carbohydrates.  In my nature I over did it; $150 later, I walked out of the gas station with only a hint that I had bought too much.  As I tried to fit it all in my pack it was confirmed, yes, yes indeed I got too much food.  I off loaded some stuff to two hitchhikers in the parking lot.  They wanted to give me something in exchange.  I tried to explain to them, that was the problem.  I have too much stuff and am too lazy to carry it all.  They did not understand nor complain.  Finally all resupplied, I walked back a half mile to the Highway underpass and set up camp right under the rafters.  I was not going to hike the two miles back to the woods in my current state.  I have always been curious about people sleeping in the highway underpasses, so I figured I would give it a try it.  Goodnight!  
Shady 5 feet of heaven: between a bathroom and a portapotty

Comments

  1. mkirkFebruary 24, 2016 at 5:43 PM

    Let me just say I'm as excited about these posts as I am a new album from my favorite band...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joey CampsFebruary 24, 2016 at 8:54 PM

      haha, you must not be that into music. Kirk you are my motivation to finish...thank you:-D

      Delete

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