Disclaimer: This post is a lot of me thinking out loud, so if you read this you’re tapping into my processing.

I left Idyllwild on Friday daybreak armed with hot cider and a gluten free lemon blueberry loaf care of a generous ride from the great Rick Carlton (sevachild.org). He brought me down from town to 207. Yes, effectively I bypassed 151-207 in the name of giving three days relief to the IT bands and not immediately shocking the system with insane thousands of feet elevation climb/decent. I’m not a purist hiker. That’s me hiking my own hike.

The time off did wonders for my right side, but the chronic left—rooted to a 2006 Honolulu Marathon—that has occasionally flared throughout the years, was much abated albeit not fully released.

I did a “gentle” 22 on Friday followed by 27 on Saturday, in part because I didn’t want to dry camp and the idea of a truly low 10 miles rolling into Big Bear Lake today/Sunday was quite appealing.

Sure, I expected some consequence of such a long walk, but it was not what the it-just-so-happens-foot-and-ankle-professional specialist/side-hustle-Uber-driver from the trail head at 266.1 who gave me a ride into town was able to assess and relay to me today:

“You have peroneal tendonitis due to decreased ankle dorsiflexion because your talus is not positioned properly because you over pronate. You should consider getting a shoe that is more supportive that helps to eliminate over pronation.” Read: “new” injury where I can’t flex my left foot up past the horizontal axis; all is still interconnected with the IT.

Hmmm. Where’s that analysis been from my Maui training support team...in all of the training two years ago and especially this past year? Sure, at some point the passing comments of a supportive shoe were made, but not deeply pushed and explained in detail related to the effect of over pronation. And yes, upon reflection I have felt this before, but not to such searing pain and limitation. Those instances I merely tossed it off to overwork or stress. And part of that is also on me for not researching more deeply.

Okay. Now I’ve got a whole external side systems issue stretching from hip/butt to toes.

I was grateful and perturbed getting this news from a complete stranger who was immediately able to assess my situation and kindly offer on the spot adjustment to temporarily relieve some of the discomfort. No blame to the good Hawaii people, but there are lessons to learn in this experience and that is what the trail does well.

What to do?

These words of assessment came late in the day by text when I didn’t have the language to understand what she told me during the morning car ride because hiker hunger was on my mind. In the morning they were self-summarized as: Hey, do I want to create a worse situation in the short run and possibly something worse for the long run of decades ahead if I keep hiking? And how much on again off again hiking/hole up and rest is sustainable? But when couched that the right shoe might be the simple answer and allowing for some time of adjustment to figure that out, maybe the situation is not soooo dire. But these are maybes and I’m out in the field on a First World extended playtime of indulgence designed to offer personal growth in many ways...it’s not singularly about walking all the 2660 miles. Plus, even if I get the new shoe there is a recovery time to let the inflammation in all tendons up and down the left side to subside.

Guess where the one shoe I’m willing to entertain, more of a low cut hiking shoes than trail runner, which is fine, happens to be? Almost two hours away, west, midway between Big Bear Lake and Los Angeles. This means after picking up my hopefully arrived resupply box at the post office first thing in the morning, I would have to rent a vehicle and drive to a particular REI mid-morning and try on three different sizes of shoe. There might also be snow overnight. There is no provider of well-designed, supportive hiker footwear in Big Bear.

What then, I must ask, is the opportunity cost of reappropriating this arranged time away from teaching/next school year to pursue a variety of enriching experiences rather than just the PCT? After all, at this point I have done 3/4 of the Arizona Trail (that was awesome) and an acknowledged 10%, or so, of the PCT. I fully understand and appreciate life of a thru hiker, even if it has not been for several months on end.

Bottom line, I need a better shoe. So somehow that has to happen. After that, it can be the PCT, slower, differently than planned. Or maybe gentle day hikes unrelated to the PCT in other great spots of Americana. Or maybe I jump around and do select snippets of the PCT as my permit allows. Maybe I visit important places and monuments that I may never get the chance to see just in the normal flow of life. Maybe (certainly) I c/should visit with family and friends as well. I guess the next day or so will shape up the plans.

For whatever it’s worth, the nature of these past two and a half days has been truly among the best on the PCT. Canyons with creeks. Lush forests with tons of birds. Gentle and gusts of wind. Rolling hills and healthy climbs. Multiple sets of nice people to hike with. Good times.