The frightening consequences of electroshock therapy
I'm a middle aged government attorney living in a rural section of the northeast U.S. I'm unmarried and come from a very large family. When not preoccupied with family and my job, I read enormous amounts, toy with evolutionary theory, and scratch various parts on my body.
This journal is filled with an enormous number of half-truths and outright lies, including this sentence.
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Pushing myself
Yesterday, the woman I've been dating and I went on an eight hour hike in some mountains a couple hours drive from where I live. The plan of the group I was in was to ascend two peaks, each of which had an elevation slightly over 3000 feet. For the second one, we needed to do about two miles without a trail through the brush to get the summit. (otherwise known as bushwacking) After increasing my physical activity level this summer, I thought was ready for it.
I was wrong. Two thirds of the way up the second peak, my feet started to give out. The bushwacking portion was over loose rock and involved some fairly extended steep portions. By the time we reached the peak, my legs were shaking and my feet were killing me. If there had been anyway to get off that hill other walking back, I would have taken it.
Less than a third of the way down from the second peak, my knees started aching in addition to my feet. After a certain point, every step I took was painful. I really wanted to hobble, but the woman I was dating made me take long steps so I wouldn't slow the rest of the group down more than I was already was. The sun was sinking in the west, and hiking in the dark would definitely not be fun. Eventually, we made it back to the main trail and had a mile and half to go. Since the terrain was flat and smoother, the pain lessened and I was able to pick up my pace. Finally we made it back to the van and drove back to our meeting point. I drove home and stumbled up the steps of my apartment.
This morning, I have a blister on one toe, my knees ache a lot, and my feet are sore.
Here's a photo taken from the fire tower at the top of the first peak. I'm the dude with the long hair in the back.
Next weekend's hike should be over flatter terrain. I think I might go again. I really do need to get my feet looked at though. They are better than they were last year, but everyone seems to think I should see a podiatrist.
(Naturalist notable on the hike - lots of beech trees and something called "beech drops". These are foot tall plant parasites that attach themselves to the roots of beech trees. Produce a pretty flower earlier in the year. Beeches have root systems that run close to the surface, which makes parasitism easier)
I was wrong. Two thirds of the way up the second peak, my feet started to give out. The bushwacking portion was over loose rock and involved some fairly extended steep portions. By the time we reached the peak, my legs were shaking and my feet were killing me. If there had been anyway to get off that hill other walking back, I would have taken it.
Less than a third of the way down from the second peak, my knees started aching in addition to my feet. After a certain point, every step I took was painful. I really wanted to hobble, but the woman I was dating made me take long steps so I wouldn't slow the rest of the group down more than I was already was. The sun was sinking in the west, and hiking in the dark would definitely not be fun. Eventually, we made it back to the main trail and had a mile and half to go. Since the terrain was flat and smoother, the pain lessened and I was able to pick up my pace. Finally we made it back to the van and drove back to our meeting point. I drove home and stumbled up the steps of my apartment.
This morning, I have a blister on one toe, my knees ache a lot, and my feet are sore.
Here's a photo taken from the fire tower at the top of the first peak. I'm the dude with the long hair in the back.
Next weekend's hike should be over flatter terrain. I think I might go again. I really do need to get my feet looked at though. They are better than they were last year, but everyone seems to think I should see a podiatrist.
(Naturalist notable on the hike - lots of beech trees and something called "beech drops". These are foot tall plant parasites that attach themselves to the roots of beech trees. Produce a pretty flower earlier in the year. Beeches have root systems that run close to the surface, which makes parasitism easier)
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