Any other hikers, backpackers, campers out there?

[dmac4g]

Hope the ankle heals up quickly! Have enjoyed watching the journey so far.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Hope the ankle heals up quickly! Have enjoyed watching the journey so far.

 

Thanks, but unfortunately I may be down for a while. Seeing the DR tomorrow to get more info. Really really sucks all my training and conditioning in the two months leading up to my start is worthless now that I probably wont be moving much for 30+ days

[One_Putt_Blunder]

My view for a while. Waiting on MRI to get scheduled but looking like at least 30 days down

 

[dmac4g]

That sucks.....sorry man.

[Matt J]

My wife's real into hiking, I used to be more into it. Last weekend she was proposing activities for our "couple day" of the weekend and mentioned a summit hike on a local peak, it's about 11 miles round trip, but 4,000 vertical feet of relief. She has mentioned it several times and I know it's one she wouldn't attempt without me, so I acquiesced. Straight off the couch, it was painful. Probably a poor choice of footwear didn't help (I wore some super stiff approach shoes and didn't trim my toe nails short enough). Glad I summited although there were some moments I doubted myself.

 

 

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Nice pic Lefty ^^^

 

 

Little update, had MRI last night and could not resist taking a peek at the images. While me or the wife certainly are not docs we both saw the same things which appears to be a small tear in one of the peroneus(sp?) tendons and a good sized bone spur on my heel. Next follow up with the doc is in 10 days. I'd imagine I have a good bit of rest and PT coming up before I can get back on the trail. not worth damaging it more at this point.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Since I can't get back out on the AZT at the moment I decided to help out the current group of people thru hiking southbound this season. Took a little offroad drive up to the halfway point to drop some water. 4 gallons there and dropped 2 more down at the bottom of the range. Ran into a couple thru hikers while we were doing the drop. It was around noon so they sat and had lunch while we chatted. Gave them a few bags of trail mix and a couple cliff bars that I did not want to leave out since it is bear country. All in all a really good day, cleaned up the remote trailhead a bit by picking up a dozen discarded beer cans, that is a rant for another time. Drove up with the trail steward for the passage just south of this. Really cool to do that and hear how much work they had to put into these sections. It is a really remote and particularly nasty stretch of terrain. He was telling me last year they had to clear out 160+ blow downs off the trail, along with cutting back tons of catclaw. Unfortunately the spot we wanted to cache this weekend roughly 130 trail miles south of here is currently impassable due to the roads being severely washed out. Was told you would need a serious rock crawling rig to make it.

 

[MiniJ83]

Just getting started hiking out here in Asheville NC. Are there any forums like this you’d recommend for tips/discussions? Thanks!!

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Just getting started hiking out here in Asheville NC. Are there any forums like this you’d recommend for tips/discussions? Thanks!!

 

Forums not that I'm aware of but as much as i hate Facebook check out local hiking groups. I'm part of a huge az hikers group and a smaller Arizona trail group and an even smaller group of some friends who do some of the more adventurous scrambles with me. Seeing some of the stuff in the az hiking group is actually what spawned my azt adventure if it wasn't for that group 1 dude in particular i would have never thought it was possible for a working dude

 

For gear and general stuff here is kinda slow but ask away.

 

The Toyota Tacoma forum has a good gear thread with some SAR guys so always good to pick their brain.

[1puttTUT]

You west coasters and your Toyotas ???

 

Jeep for life! ???

[One_Putt_Blunder]

You west coasters and your Toyotas

 

Jeep for life!

[MiniJ83]

Just getting started hiking out here in Asheville NC. Are there any forums like this you’d recommend for tips/discussions? Thanks!!

 

Forums not that I'm aware of but as much as i hate Facebook check out local hiking groups. I'm part of a huge az hikers group and a smaller Arizona trail group and an even smaller group of some friends who do some of the more adventurous scrambles with me. Seeing some of the stuff in the az hiking group is actually what spawned my azt adventure if it wasn't for that group 1 dude in particular i would have never thought it was possible for a working dude

 

For gear and general stuff here is kinda slow but ask away.

 

The Toyota Tacoma forum has a good gear thread with some SAR guys so always good to pick their brain.

 

Worth a shot, thanks :)

[One_Putt_Blunder]

AZT Plan for 2018/2019 is officially over :( :( :( :( :( Follow up visit went worse than I imagined. I have a month to PT it along with rest to go back for another follow up which at that time we will see if surgery is going to be required. I am heartbroken at the moment. I know I will be back next year to finish it but still gutted because I had put so much into the last 6-8 months planning this thing and even bought a new truck to do it. I will probably take a few side trips while I am down to do some truck camping and exploring the back country in my truck.

Might have to change the thread title for a bit to camping

[dmac4g]

Although the hiking is postponed, does this make golf out of the question for the rest of the year too? I hope you heal quickly and the Doc's are wrong!

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Although the hiking is postponed, does this make golf out of the question for the rest of the year too? I hope you heal quickly and the Doc's are wrong!

 

Golf is out of the picture indefinitely at this point. I was already mentally prepared to not play golf for most of the year anyway. I am a bit bummed I had 4 days off for thanksgiving that was going to be a 0 mile hiking but play golf with friends from out of town weekend.

 

Unfortunately I don't think the doc is wrong on this if anything he might be too conservative. To my laypersons eye and my wifes the tear was pretty visible on the MRI. The good news is the sleeping boot has really helped my heal tendons out much less pain these last couple days. I can start doing some more stretches and start PT next week.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Went up to the Mogollon Rim Saturday and spent the night. Did some exploring in the truck around the area trying to find some elk to watch. Of course in hunting season none to be found. Did see a couple red foxes though. Cool area full of AZ history as this area is where a lot of folks originally settled in AZ. Ranching history, and lots of indian battles with the apache up here.

 

Pretty epic camp site right on a point at the edge of the rim

This is right at the start of passage 28 on the AZ trail. Look forward to hiking back here next year when I resume the AZT. This spot signifies the end of significant climbs for a while and turns into a nice stroll through the forest.

[1puttTUT]

Went up to the Mogollon Rim Saturday and spent the night. Did some exploring in the truck around the area trying to find some elk to watch. Of course in hunting season none to be found. Did see a couple red foxes though. Cool area full of AZ history as this area is where a lot of folks originally settled in AZ. Ranching history, and lots of indian battles with the apache up here.

 

Pretty epic camp site right on a point at the edge of the rim

This is right at the start of passage 28 on the AZ trail. Look forward to hiking back here next year when I resume the AZT. This spot signifies the end of significant climbs for a while and turns into a nice stroll through the forest.

 

The highlight here is obviously the barrel aged ten fidy

[One_Putt_Blunder]

 

The highlight here is obviously the barrel aged ten fidy

 

Canned 11/04/2016 Meant to post that in the beer thread too

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Little over a month since I went down with the ankle injury. I am sitting at work today with my ankle on ice. Not much progression in a months time. Have a bad feeling surgery is in my future, nothing seems to be making improvement, rest, stretching, PT etc.

[dmac4g]

When do you find out if surgery is coming? The quicker its over, the quicker you are healing.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

When do you find out if surgery is coming? The quicker its over, the quicker you are healing.

 

Next doctors visit is 12/11 Should have 6-7 more PT sessions between now and then, Honestly dont expect much from that. Monday was a month off the trail no hiking no walking to work no exertion on the ankle and it still bugs me to make a normal walking stride.

 

 

Making some spring/summer plans currently. Spring= trail angel stuff for the class of 2019 North Bound AZT Thru hikers. 4-5 weekends providing resupply for them at different spots.

 

Summer head up to CO run the Taco on the Alpine loop near Telluride, hit up Imogene pass and hopefully tackle a couple 14'ers if the ankle is better by then.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Did some 4 wheeling and camping this weekend since the ankle is still jacked.

 

Saguaro lake OHV to the 4 peaks saddle, roughly 40 miles of offroading to get to our camp on the saddle which was a pretty epic campsite. 6k feet a bit chilly in the morning though.

 

Our end destination is the saddle to the left of the left most peak.

 

The valley was fogged in in the morning cool to see the fog covering the Superstition's

 

Campsite views

Looking the other direction to Roosevelt Lake

 

 

Morning headed down

[One_Putt_Blunder]

Going in for surgery on the ankle as soon as tomorrow if all works out scheduling wise. Getting in in 2018 would save me thousands on my insurance since we've hit our deductible

[scratchswinger]

Good luck man! Hang in there

[dmac4g]

Heal up quickly!

[scratchswinger]

When is One Putt going to add a rack and overland tent to his truck?

[One_Putt_Blunder]

 

Thanks guys surgery was indeed today everything went well. Home recovering tonight.

 

When is One Putt going to add a rack and overland tent to his truck?

 

Never not into the whole over landing thing. Maybe one of the tents that fit inside the bed but that's just too entice wifey to come along

[scratchswinger]

 

Thanks guys surgery was indeed today everything went well. Home recovering tonight.

 

When is One Putt going to add a rack and overland tent to his truck?

 

Never not into the whole over landing thing. Maybe one of the tents that fit inside the bed but that's just too entice wifey to come along

 

It’s definitely a trend and almost cult like. Nothing quite like hiking into an area that doesn’t allow any motors of any kind and being self sufficient for a few days.

[One_Putt_Blunder]

 

Thanks guys surgery was indeed today everything went well. Home recovering tonight.

 

When is One Putt going to add a rack and overland tent to his truck?

 

Never not into the whole over landing thing. Maybe one of the tents that fit inside the bed but that's just too entice wifey to come along

 

It’s definitely a trend and almost cult like. Nothing quite like hiking into an area that doesn’t allow any motors of any kind and being self sufficient for a few days.

 

Yeah most have way over built rigs only to cruise 2wd FS roads. I prefer a simpler version or true backcountry camping. Although with the ankle being down I am looking to upgrade to more comfortable truck camping amenities

[TerpFangolfer]

OPB...oh wow, always enjoy this thread and just catching up (been too busy) - sorry about your foot. I backtracked the posts and you said it "just gave out" - so you didn't slip/fall?

I did exactly 0 real hiking miles in 2018 due to a fall in January. Not something exciting like falling while hiking a tough trail or something - slipped on wet steps after shoveling snow...so silly.

 

I thought it was just a severe sprain - which I have done many times, but it took 2-3 months to heal. Like an idiot I never went to the doc...probably was worse than a strain, but by March I could play golf, so I didn't worry about it...but still feel it when I overstress it.

Did walk all my golf in Scotland in June (7 rounds in 10 days) but not confident enough to really test it out in the backcountry. That, and it has seemingly rained all year here in the Mid-atlantic...my hiking buddy is my teenage son, and he doesn't do rainy hikes...lol

 

Good luck to you...and keep us posted. Hopefully 2019 will be better for both of us...