One Step at a Time: Sprained Ankle Redemption

Since leaving the PCT with a sprained ankle three weeks ago, I've been torturing myself with regrets and second thoughts. I keep thinking, "It wasn't that bad, I could have gone on." I've also been dealing with a lot of guilt because I ruined my friend's backpacking trip. She attempted Oregon last year but ended up off the trail at Big Lake (same spot as me) with extremely bad tendinitis in her foot. This year, she was going to try to finish the trip with me. Instead, she ended up driving me home. On top of everything is this feeling of unfinished business. I didn't set out to do what I had intended and that bugs me. I will be back. My plan is to reattempt Oregon in 2016.

In the meantime, I have a ton of unused backpacking food and supplies that are just wasting away. To salve my soul a little and to use up some of my supplies, I have been toying with the idea of doing the Tahoe Rim Trail as a series of four weekends. That's only 40 miles per weekend. No biggie. I meant to start this weekend but ended up cancelling due to some scheduling issues. So instead, I took one of my dogs up to the Tahoe Rim Trail and did a day hike. I'm glad I did.

Any thoughts of "My ankle wasn't that bad, I could have gone on" are gone. My ankle hurt like heck from about Mile 2 to the end (I did eight miles). It's nearly a month since I sprained my ankle and it's not fully healed. An easy day hike with a light pack nearly crippled me. Had I chosen to go on in Oregon, I would have seriously destroyed my ankle. It eases my mind considerably to know this.

But, Oregon, I will be back.