Failure to Launch

The Goat | This impeccably groomed mountain goat posed or a moment in the Great Burn Recommended Wilderness.

My first official Wilderness to Wilderness trip ended almost as soon as it began.

Heading into this first trip to the Great Burn Recommended Wilderness, I'd been struggling with a recurring IT band issue. The discomfort had become especially acute in the final weeks leading up to the trip. I had my doubts about hitting the trail, but optimism ultimately won out (along with the expectant joy of doing this trip with a dear friend). My most generous thoughts were of the 'maybe the pain will magically disappear once I start hiking with a 40lb pack' ilk. Nope. Not to be. Every step hurt.

I conceded a mile in. I could go no further if I had any hope of also getting out. First, I messaged my friend with a satellite messenger in hopes of reaching him before he began the 7-hour drive to the trailhead (he was to catch up with me the following day). Second, I wrote in my journal, "I'm not sure what happens next. Treat the leg, I suppose." Deep wisdom. I continued, "Onwards and downwards, back to the car."

Writing this, I am concious of the pacing of this project. Using the classic marathon, not a sprint, metaphor, this project is closer to a multi-stage ultra marathon. I, of course, had hoped for the first trip to go a bit better, but here we are, on the couch instead of a ridge. Time to heal.

Onwards and upwards.