The Wonderland Trail circumnavigates Mount Rainier. My friends and I have permits to do a 33 mile section over three days, two nights. Today we started at Longmire and did 12 miles to Maple Creek campsite. I took a detour to Paradise, where I sat in a leather sofa and listened to an amazing jazz piano player. It’s been 11 months since my ACL surgery. Day in day out, I seldom think about my knee because it’s so stable. That’s not quite the case in the mountains. I noticed pain, especially on the long descents. I’m stretching, staying hydrated with electrolytes, doing all the things my chiropractor and personal trainer recommend. Worst case, I’ll push through 15 miles of pain tomorrow, get tons of rest, then hobble the final 6 miles out.