When it rains, it pours. – Morton Salt
About six days ago I started having trouble sleeping because my side hurt. I thought I had pulled a muscle, or dislodged a rib. Right under my shoulder blade I was having a ton of pain that would keep me up, or wake me up at night. It was sore during the day too, but it didn’t seem to bother me as much when I was walking. Yesterday I broke out in a rash and realized I had shingles. The fun on the Appalachian Trail never stops!
If you have never had shingles I can only describe the pain as if someone had used you as a punching bag. You are simply uncomfortable and hurt. The strange thing is I feel much better when I’m hiking. I think there is so much more to worry about – the rocks, going uphill, freezing your butt off, that you don’t worry about the shingles.
Shingles are a virus and they just have to run their course. So I’m going to let them and keep on walking. With that as the plan Hugh dropped me off and I hiked up a mountain only do find… Snow!
Granted it wasn’t a lot of snow, but the weather was 32° and it was cold. Immediately my feet got wet, and stayed wet for the entire day.
It was so cold on top of the mountain that I wore my puffy coat hiking all day long.
The snow had clung to the leaves and the branches of all the trees which made it very interesting when the sun came out and started melting the snow. Clumps of ice fell from the trees and of course they had to land on my head. I felt like someone was out there tossing ice cubes at me.
The snow also made it difficult at times to see the Blazes. Twice today I had to backtrack to pick up the trail when I had gone the wrong way.
Today’s hike was across a mountain ridge. As soon as I started down the snow went away and it became a beautiful day. Unfortunately that was only the last 45 minutes of my hike.
Hugh picked me up at our designated spot and we drove to the Ford dealership to find out what was going on with the RV.
We pulled in and learned that we needed a new engine. This last week of the trail has been full of surprises. Many of them bad.
The Ford dealership has ordered a new engine and it should be here Thursday morning. It will take two days for them to put the new engine into the RV. So we are without a home until Friday evening. That is if everything goes perfectly. It might be the next Monday.
So we will continue to stay in motels and use the rental car to take me back-and-forth to the trail. It looks like both the mechanic and I will be done on Friday if everything goes according to plan.
I keep thinking of the saying… Men plan, God laughs.