Arg!!

Well, I WAS going to do an amazing post tonight, featuring many great pictures and even a video (oooh...ahhh), but last night I pushed some strange combination of buttons on my phone and it went back to original factory settings. I lost all my pictures from the trail and earlier this year. Ugh. Bummer. This post will just have to be boring! Sorry!

I'm in Payson, which isn't even on the trail, though it is a gateway community. I arrived in Pine at the trailhead around 3:45pm, and made it to my resupply location, THAT Brewery and Pub, by 4pm, but when they checked for my two packages, they weren't there. To make matters worse, all accommodations were booked up because it was the weekend. I was finally able to find a place to crash with a trail angel in Payson. I had to zero out the weekend, though, so I can check on my packages at the post office Monday morning. If they haven't arrived, it'll be a Wal-Mart resupply until I get to my next place in Flagstaff, 6 days away.

My hiking has gone well, though the wind and cold has been too intense. I've been painfully cold at night, but I think I've remedied that as I head into the high country next.

The Mazatzals were both more established and more difficult than I expected, but water was a little more frequent, and I was able to stay one night at a lovely family farm near the East Verde River.

I saw my first snake on the trail. Got pictures and even video of this Arizona Black Rattlesnake. He was so cool. I was going at a pretty good clip when I saw him about a foot in front of me (good cammo in the leaves), but since we both surprised each other, he hardly reacted until I started trying to go widely around him. Then he slithered up a fallen tree, coiled up, and shook his tail in fair warning. I just gave him a wider berth...after getting some awesome video...and went on my way.

I'm still enjoying this process of covering ground one step at a time, but I am struggling to stay in the moment. I miss the girls, my mom and partner, and my Wild Man...and even my work! Maybe it's difficult on me, approaching each day not knowing if I'll get into trouble. Early on, that was a big part of the appeal, the unknown. But I also feel a great sense of appreciation for securities (whether real or imagined) that help keep my life outside the realm of survival. I think survival is supposed to be a temporary state of being, and if I knew this was my new lifestyle, many things would be different. As it is, I feel a great drive to push onward and finish this trail quickly without compromising a quality experience.

...like wresting away my trekking poles from pack mice all night, and finding they had eaten my straps clean off. Ahh. This is the life. 😂

It's All Fun and Games 'Til Someone Gets a Moth in Their Eye

I thought I'd never get it out. It flew right into my eye, chasing after my headlamp last night. The second I blinked, somehow it ended up under my upper eyelid. Since it had such dry wings, with all the dusting on them, my tears did nothing for a while. With no mirror or anyone around to help, I just kept blinking, rubbing, and tried using some water to rinse it out. Finally it came. But my eye was unhappy for a while.

I tell ya, if it's not one thing, it's another.

The past two days I've been in a funk. This weekend was terrific with my girls, using my mom's Hampton Inn reservation for a staycation...

Hanging out with Wild Man's family...

And purchasing my new pants and pack since my old ones were too big. My Osprey would no longer cinch tight enough on my hips, so I was carrying my pack weight on my shoulders towards the end, which is uncomfortable and ineffective. I opted for the Deuter, and am quite happy with it.

My mom also got me a new tent, which I haven't even set up yet. Cowboy camping is just so easy. I had two ladies ride by on horses this evening as I was cooking my dinner and ask if I had my snake rope out. I wonder if you're supposed to do a rope perimeter, and the snakes are fooled by it somehow. Then they asked for my name for when they read about me in the paper...you know...for when I'm famous, not dead.

But despite the fun weekend, I'm in a funk. This whole laughter thing is underrated!! I miss talking and laughing with friends and family. Besides those ladies and a trail crew today, I haven't seen anyone. I wouldn't necessarily say I'm lonely, maybe I'm just low on endorphins despite the sunshine and exercise. And it was hard leaving my girls again, too. Only 4 more weeks, though, and i should be done!! Tomorrow I reach mile 400. Crazy!

The trail has been good, challenging. I fell last week. I'm still sore from that.

Four Peaks and Roosevelt area had a lot of elevation gain, but was pretty.

I'm just past Sunflower now, a town that doesn't even have a vending machine. 😭 And I went under Hwy 87. Next week I'll be in Pine!

Now to eat my chicken burrito now that it has rehydrated... 🤓

I Don't Even Know What Day it Is...

Haven't had service for 40 miles. I think its Tuesday, but I wouldn't put money on it.

That damn sun. It's hot. It's oppressive. I'm very beaten and exhausted. This desert section, with its lack of shade and extremely hot trail has taken its toll. Even I have unexpected blisters after 20 days on the trail without much to speak of. Your feet just cook. And people wonder why I jog downhill....less friction!

I'm in the little town of Superior right now. I hadn't planned to come into town (the trailhead is less than 5 miles away), but I ran out of electrolytes two days ago, and my leg muscles have been seizing all day. Super painful. Probably could get some decent sodium, potassium, and magnesium out of my meals, but yesterday I hiked into the night and fell asleep before eating dinner, too exhausted to move, and this morning was too nauseated to eat more than a Clif Bar.

I tagged along with a few other thru-hikers today to help push me forward. I wanted to sit in the shade...and likely sleep for days...but I knew with only one water source in 22 miles, I needed to push. It would have been dangerous to do otherwise. One girl was pack riding, and she was a positive influence...though I really just wanted to throw my pack and myself on her horse.

The past three days have been hard. I miss my mom. But these days probably would have been very risky for her, too. I know she completed a feat few 61-year-olds could have even dreamed of, but I still wish she was out here with me. I worried all the time, despite her strength and athleticism. I hope she heals perfectly and begins her own journey of pack riding.

I did my first "cowboy camping" last night. I didn't even mean to. There are so many poisonous critters out here, it can be  dangerous to sleep without a barrier. Another thru-hiker, Lucky, found a scorpion on his pack, and a black widow on his hanging socks, all within a matter of minutes. Regardless, I was pushing through last night, trying to get some elevation out of the way before a very hot day, and decided to pull out my pad for a "rest." I was out and didn't wake until 5 am. I woke and packed up to begin hiking again. Some days it's not fun. Some days it's just about moving forward until it IS fun. The sky, at least, was gorgeous, with all the constellation and profiled canyon walls. I worried very little about the fact that it is a heavily populated mountain lion area.

I finally got to FaceTime Wild Man who is doing well in Safford after 232 miles on the trail. The GET is one bushwacking adventure after another. I reached 300 miles today, but never saw a rock sign. Can't believe I'm 21 days into the wilderness. Can't believe I have more than 30 to go!

Had fun with my brother and sister-in-law when they joined us.

I think they were happy to leave early with my mom.

The next day I did my first 26 mile day. The day after that, I followed along the muddy Gila River.

But rarely had access. 😯 It was just a cool, refreshing tease a quarter mile away most of the time. That evening, I saw a pack of a dozen havelinas. They look so weird out here, like they'd be the first bacon sources to disappear, but they are mean, vicious beasts that hold their own.

Nothing else to report, really. It's just one foot in front of the other that has no other purpose than propelling me from one adventure to the next.

Ready for a weekend with my girls! Gotta work hard the next three days to get to Roosevelt by Friday. Can't wait to see their beautiful smiles. 💗

Off the Trail (Heidi)

Well, I'm off the trail again. For good this time. I guess my feet just aren't made for long distance hiking. I'm glad I didn't quit after Patagonia because I think I would have always wondered if I could have done it. Now I know.

McKenna's few blisters were deep and, once drained, left nice thick calluses. My skin is tissue paper thin and tears and shreds, and I kept getting blisters no matter what we tried. Blisters on top of blisters. It's been discouraging and frustrating.

And it's been disappointing, of course, but it's been an interesting three weeks and I wouldn't trade it. I also think all of my training over the last year really paid off... Agility, strength, endurance, flexability are all good. I was tired at the end of each day, exhausted really, but muscles and joints all worked well. I emailed my physical therapist in Montana at one point to remind me how to tape my knee, and she not only emailed me instructions, but taped and photographed her own knee. But even that one problem was minor and more a preventative measure as much as anything.

I met so many interesting people and had so many experiences I would never have had if I had not been on the trail. I might have shed a few tears, but at 95 miles, this is the right decision for me.

McKenna is amazing. She's strong and determined and will probably finish this hike much faster without me. But she WILL finish, of that I have no doubt.

Thanks for all your well wishes and support. I'll be home in Montana by Tuesday night. And on Wednesday I'll start my new hobby: trail riding on horseback!

Wednesday, March 28th - Thursday, March 29th (McKenna)

Lemme tell ya a few secrets about backpacking. It ain't pretty. I mean, the scenery is, but you should see our feet. Our hair has a mind of its own, and our skin, despite sunscreen, is weathered, burned, dirty, and has scratches and rashes.

My lips are chapped regardless of the gallons of water I drink each day and the chapstick I wear. I smell. I ache. I'm either cold or hot, and I am pretty sure I've done some permanent damage to some nerves in my feet.

EVERYTHING is exhausting. You have to expend so much energy to eat, to drink, to go potty, even more for poop, and it's incredibly exhausting setting up your house each night, unpacking your belongings, and packing it all back up in the morning when you can barely walk. Those first few morning steps feel like you're walking on feet with shattered bones. And in the evenings, there's a lot of blank stares that occur even though you know you're supposed to be doing something. 

YET...

I love this torture. I'm not sure I could ever explain fully why. You either get it or you don't, and it's entirely okay if you don't! I love being out here with my mom, and laughing our delirious heads off. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to do this. I'm grateful for my daughters' support, their caretakers, my understanding employers, my loved ones' encouragement, and all the other AZT lovers, whether angels or hikers.

It's a desirable experience, and even though I feel beaten and bruised, I am happy.

Yesterday, Day 14, we had a very hard decline day. Hard on the knees, made more difficult by the fact that our packs are dang heavy. We have to go 137 miles before our next resupply. Camped  at the High Jinks Ranch, and we're made eggs and a smoothie for breakfast by the awesome caretaker!

Today was lower miles and easier elevation, but it was hot and we both dealt with blisters. I also have had dizziness all day. Not sure if it's a bit of vertigo, or low blood pressure, but it's manageable. 

And this happened:

We are very excited to have my brother, Cody, and his wife, Ciji, join us for some hiking over the next two days! It may be kind of a dry, unappealing passage, but that's when they were available.

That's about it for now. I gotta eat something, though my appetite is pretty low with the dizziness. 😝

Wednesday, March 28 - Thursday, March 29 (Heidi)

Trail Miles: 196.4 (McKenna)
Trail Miles: 66.4 (Heidi)
Daily Miles: 12.4
Starting Elevation: 7815
Ending Elevation: 4994

Our Summerhaven resupply is the longest and heaviest of our entire hike. Our reasoning during planning is that by then we will be two weeks, and over 180 miles, trail tested. Unfortunately, that only applies to one of us. I leave Summerhaven this morning with the heaviest pack of my life. After a ten day break from the trail.

Good morning Arizona Trail!

We head down the Oracle Ridge most of the day, ending at High Jinks Ranch. Not going to lie, it's a hard day.

Hiker break.

High Jinks Ranch is a national historic site; it was once owned by Buffalo Bill Cody. https://www.highjinksranch.net/

The caretaker is welcoming and we set up our camp. Another hiker couple arrives about the same time. We settle in and I have beef stroganoff for dinner. I spent a lot of time prepping our almost 300 meals for this hike, and I've enjoyed them, even when I have been too tired to eat.

Tomorrow we'll hit the 200 mile mark...a quarter of the way!

Trail Miles: 206.9 (McKenna)
Trail Miles: 76.9 (Heidi)
Daily Miles: 10.5
Starting Elevation: 4994
Ending Elevation: 4067

We enjoy a hearty breakfast at High Jinks, prepared by the caretaker, and head out on the trail. It's a beautiful morning and the trail is much easier than yesterday, although it becomes quite hot by afternoon.

We end our  day at Tiger Mine Trailhead where my second son and his wife, who live in Phoenix, will join us in the morning for a couple of days on the trail.

We've been taking it easy with miles as I get back on the trail with my tender new feet, but tomorrow we hope to increase to about 15 miles.

Thursday, March 22 - Tuesday, March 27 (Heidi)

Thursday morning I pack up my gear at Nancy's Airbnb and walk into Patagonia for breakfast at The Gathering Grounds, after which I meet my shuttle in front of the Stage Stop Hotel.

As we near Colossal Cave where I'm meeting McKenna, I can see she had to make a pretty big climb from the trail to get up here. And when I see her, she's going through our resupply boxes, but is thoroughly disappointed because the cafe is closed. Knowing there's a cheeseburger waiting was most of her incentive to climb up here. Well, and to see me, but I'm not sure that is as important as the cheeseburger at this moment. I make an emergency request to our trail angel Laura to pick up cheeseburgers on her way to meet me at Colossal Cave.

Laura delivers cheeseburgers and then drives McKenna and another hiker, Jeff, back to the trail. She takes me to my next Airbnb in Sahuarita. I'm trying to slowly head north as I keep up with McKenna and heal.

I've stayed in several Airbnbs, always with a private room, private bath, and, well, privacy. This set up in Sahuarita is living with the family, and it's awkwardly uncomfortable. Laura is concerned about leaving me, but I thank her and I'm left alone once again with strangers. My feet are quite painful and after removing boots and socks I discover new blisters. Frustrated and discouraged, I think I should just go home.

But about then my oldest son sends me a message asking how I'm doing and I decide if I can get to Phoenix and stay at McKenna's and use her car to hit REI, maybe a medical clinic, and get healing supplies, I can get the better of this. He agrees to drive down and pick me up, which is probably a four or five hour round trip on the day that he just closed on buying a new home. What a way to celebrate.

So, I tell my new hosts that my feet are worse than I thought and I won't be staying.

Host: Let me see your feet; I work in a hospital.
Me: Oh, what do you do in the hospital?
H: I do psyche evals.
Me:

Anyway, I get fixed up at REI and get some calendula cream for my blisters. There's an amazing improvement within 48 hours.

I make a request on Facebook for a ride from Mesa to Mt. Lemmon. I'm finding that the trail is a great equalizer...it doesn't care if I'm a project executive with a multinational building company, or  an out of work waitress, or a college student, I still have to bum rides from strangers and rely on the generosity of others.

But I do secure a ride with Glenn, a section hiker from Tucson who is hiking from Lake Roosevelt to Bushnell Tanks, and who goes right past where I am staying, and drives me all the way to Mt. Lemmon on Monday night.

Tuesday I'm sharing a zero day with McKenna and we will hit the trail in the morning. She has covered 130 miles without me, is battle proven. I'm starting all over...