Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Then again, maybe I wouldn't.
I don't like the idea of cutting back on my goal. To walk 500km (or more) sounds like a real accomplishment. But, alas, it is not to be. Not this time around anyhow.
Things started out with a splash. Or more of a dribble, really. It was when I went to buy those matches that I opened the lid of my pack where my 2L water bladder was stored and found that everything was wet. So the first stop after matches was the outdoor store to buy a new water container.
Things picked up when I stopped by the visitors' centre at the trailhead and managed to get a copy of the guidebook for the southern half of the trail for $15 - a bargain since it's normally $35. Thus, truly prepared, I set off.
The first day was pretty easy. I covered 20km, much of which was just walking on a boardwalk next to the beach out of town. Then over a hill and into a park with some really nice views out over the ocean from the clifftops. Eventually I crested a little hill and saw a little troupe of wind-power generators gracefully sweeping around and around. I saw three snakes on the trail as the shadows started to grow longer, but they were all pretty small and skittered off as I approached. I was a bit concerned by the fact that I was feeling rather tired and didn't arrive at the hut until 6 hours or more after I had left town, as I didn't think that the terrain warranted much exertion. But I had a good looong night's sleep and felt good in the morning.
The second day I decided to get an early start and to cover two sections (i.e. to skip Torbay Hut and sleep at the next one). The total distance was 33km - long, but certainly manageable. Well, as the day wore on, I found that my legs were getting dreadfully sore and stiff, the enormous blisters that had developed the day before were multiplying and worsening, and by 1 or 2 pm I was hobbling rather than walking. I just couldn't sort out what was wrong with me! I hadn't done any hiking for a month, but I had done some before that and hadn't been so defeated by it. I was feeling incredibly discouraged and it felt like it would take a gigantic effort even just to make it to the next town. Still, I managed to make it to the hut before sunset, somehow.
I had lots of sleep and took my time getting ready on the morning of the third day. I did lots of stretches and had a big breakfast. Then, painfully, I laced up my shoes and headed off. I had decided I would make it an easy day - only the 16km to the next hut. About a kilometer onwards, I had to stop for my first break. There were many such breaks, with stints of painful hobbling in between. I still could not figure out what the source of all these difficulties could be. Was I really that out of shape? By the last 2 kms of the walk, I had resorted to singing ALL of "99 Bottles of Beer On the Wall" just to distract me from the pain and to keep myself going. It didn't help that it was scorchingly hot either.
On the morning of the fourth day, as I was about to put on my shoes, I had a thought. Perhaps at least my feet would be a little more comfortable if I wore my sandals instead. The shoes had caused me all sorts of blisters and besides, they were a bit tight with the wool socks on (just a little snake protection) and filling up with sand all the time. Though blisters aren't really all that painful except right after you've stopped, I thought it would be nice to have a little change. WELL. Within 5 minutes of walking, I realized that my shoes had been the problem all along. Suddenly my calf muscles which had hurt with every step felt fine again. My hip even started to feel better. I soon came to believe that I had been effectively walking the last 75km in stilettos. The combination of the wool socks and the sand filling the toes of my shoes must have been causing me to curl up my toes more than I realized, and this had led to all sorts of strange muscles aches and tensions. For the first couple of hours of my walk that day, I felt better with every step, much unlike the previous 3 days.
Needless to say, the remaining portion of my hike will be done in the sandals.
But what is the remaining portion? Well, despite starting to feel better, my feet are still pretty beat up and my legs pretty sore. Last night, I stayed with a nice family who saw my Canada flag on my pack as I was walking into town. We had some delicious garden-fresh basil pesto and salad for dinner, I had fun playing with 3 year old Molly, and best of all, I had a shower :). Tonight I have moved into the backpackers' here in the town of Denmark, and I have been spending a lazy day resting my legs and getting my knotted hair chopped off.
Tomorrow, I intend to carry on on the track. I will probably take it easy as far as Walpole, which is about 100km further along. Then, well, that will likely be the end of this trek on the Bibbulmun. Perhaps I will come back another time to do the remaining 700+ kilometers. A bit of a disappointment, I suppose, but I'd rather do the hike when I'll actually enjoy it.
Cheerio,
kat.
Things started out with a splash. Or more of a dribble, really. It was when I went to buy those matches that I opened the lid of my pack where my 2L water bladder was stored and found that everything was wet. So the first stop after matches was the outdoor store to buy a new water container.
Things picked up when I stopped by the visitors' centre at the trailhead and managed to get a copy of the guidebook for the southern half of the trail for $15 - a bargain since it's normally $35. Thus, truly prepared, I set off.
The first day was pretty easy. I covered 20km, much of which was just walking on a boardwalk next to the beach out of town. Then over a hill and into a park with some really nice views out over the ocean from the clifftops. Eventually I crested a little hill and saw a little troupe of wind-power generators gracefully sweeping around and around. I saw three snakes on the trail as the shadows started to grow longer, but they were all pretty small and skittered off as I approached. I was a bit concerned by the fact that I was feeling rather tired and didn't arrive at the hut until 6 hours or more after I had left town, as I didn't think that the terrain warranted much exertion. But I had a good looong night's sleep and felt good in the morning.
The second day I decided to get an early start and to cover two sections (i.e. to skip Torbay Hut and sleep at the next one). The total distance was 33km - long, but certainly manageable. Well, as the day wore on, I found that my legs were getting dreadfully sore and stiff, the enormous blisters that had developed the day before were multiplying and worsening, and by 1 or 2 pm I was hobbling rather than walking. I just couldn't sort out what was wrong with me! I hadn't done any hiking for a month, but I had done some before that and hadn't been so defeated by it. I was feeling incredibly discouraged and it felt like it would take a gigantic effort even just to make it to the next town. Still, I managed to make it to the hut before sunset, somehow.
I had lots of sleep and took my time getting ready on the morning of the third day. I did lots of stretches and had a big breakfast. Then, painfully, I laced up my shoes and headed off. I had decided I would make it an easy day - only the 16km to the next hut. About a kilometer onwards, I had to stop for my first break. There were many such breaks, with stints of painful hobbling in between. I still could not figure out what the source of all these difficulties could be. Was I really that out of shape? By the last 2 kms of the walk, I had resorted to singing ALL of "99 Bottles of Beer On the Wall" just to distract me from the pain and to keep myself going. It didn't help that it was scorchingly hot either.
On the morning of the fourth day, as I was about to put on my shoes, I had a thought. Perhaps at least my feet would be a little more comfortable if I wore my sandals instead. The shoes had caused me all sorts of blisters and besides, they were a bit tight with the wool socks on (just a little snake protection) and filling up with sand all the time. Though blisters aren't really all that painful except right after you've stopped, I thought it would be nice to have a little change. WELL. Within 5 minutes of walking, I realized that my shoes had been the problem all along. Suddenly my calf muscles which had hurt with every step felt fine again. My hip even started to feel better. I soon came to believe that I had been effectively walking the last 75km in stilettos. The combination of the wool socks and the sand filling the toes of my shoes must have been causing me to curl up my toes more than I realized, and this had led to all sorts of strange muscles aches and tensions. For the first couple of hours of my walk that day, I felt better with every step, much unlike the previous 3 days.
Needless to say, the remaining portion of my hike will be done in the sandals.
But what is the remaining portion? Well, despite starting to feel better, my feet are still pretty beat up and my legs pretty sore. Last night, I stayed with a nice family who saw my Canada flag on my pack as I was walking into town. We had some delicious garden-fresh basil pesto and salad for dinner, I had fun playing with 3 year old Molly, and best of all, I had a shower :). Tonight I have moved into the backpackers' here in the town of Denmark, and I have been spending a lazy day resting my legs and getting my knotted hair chopped off.
Tomorrow, I intend to carry on on the track. I will probably take it easy as far as Walpole, which is about 100km further along. Then, well, that will likely be the end of this trek on the Bibbulmun. Perhaps I will come back another time to do the remaining 700+ kilometers. A bit of a disappointment, I suppose, but I'd rather do the hike when I'll actually enjoy it.
Cheerio,
kat.
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