Exciting Hike Last Weekend

[buck]

Guess the location -  here's a hint:

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/PZ-vU4JUmqY&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/PZ-vU4JUmqY&rel=0</a>

[squidbilly]

The trees aren't green yet, so it has to be north of here. We were in north Georgia this past weekend hiking the four northern sections of the Pinhoti. The trees there were just starting to sprout leaves.   Double white blaze- A T perhaps?   

[Skippy]

Looks like Bly Gap on the AT.

[buck]

Looks like Bly Gap on the AT.

Bly Gap it is.

We drove up to Neels Gap Friday night and I left my truck at the Byron Reece Trailhead. Then we went over to Blairsville and spent the night. Saturday morning my wife and kids dropped me off at the Deep Gap Trailhead in North Carolina where I began hiking south toward Neels Gap. As you can see in the video clip, I was in the clouds for most of the morning.

My goal was to complete the Georgia part of the Appalachian Trail I had not hiked, but during the long, long, long climb up and out of Dick's Creek Gap I began to experience pain on the outside of my left knee and hip. I made it to Deep Gap shelter for the night and the following morning the leg began to loosen up after a couple of miles and I felt fine. However, some 10 miles later as I was climbing out of Indian Grave Gap up Rocky Mountain, my left knee literally locked up. Never felt anything like it before, but I knew I best turn around and head back to the Indian Gap Trailhead.

Thankfully, I had a cell phone signal and was able to call a shuttle to pick me up and take me to my truck. The mistake I made was hiking 20 miles that first day - I started at first light and just kept hiking. I learned a hard lesson on this hike and will make myself stop sooner from now on. It'll be easier to stop when my wife gets back on the trail with me because she usually stays around 12 miles a day. Without her, I just keep walking. There were a ton of thru-hikers and weekenders - thoroughly enjoyed meeting and talking with so many people.

I iced my knee into the late hours last night and this morning and things seem fine - just a little tight. Hope to head back up when healed and finish the last part of Georgia.

Lot's of pictures and video to share later on.

[Skippy]

I thought that the Tree looked familar. It was snowing the time that I went by it. I look forward to reading your trip report.

[buck]

... I iced my knee into the late hours last night and this morning and things seem fine - just a little tight. Hope to head back up when healed and finish the last part of Georgia....

Does not look good for the home team right now. I decided to go on to the doctor and this morning he set up an appointment for an MRI this afternoon. He suspects torn cartilage .... The doctor is also a hiker and understood all the lingo, pain descriptions, and even where I was when it happened.

[buck]

Received good news today - the MRI showed nothing tore, loose or broken, rather a very inflamed Iliotibial Band.

Lesson learned.

[Rigormortis]

Looks like Bly Gap on the AT.

Known as"Old Knarled Oak" in Bly Gap, NC.

[squidbilly]

Received good news today - the MRI showed nothing tore, loose or broken, rather a very inflamed Iliotibial Band.

Lesson learned.

Glad to hear this.  ITBS is manageable.

[Uncle Wayne]

Glad to hear you'll not need surgery.  My son did the same thing when we were in Virginia on the AT.  His knee started swelling  and finally coming down the Priest, his knee just simply locked up and he was in a lot of pain getting on down that mountain. I knew we had to postpone our thru hike and get him to a doctor.  We caught a ride into Dalesville (? is that right?) and went to a doctor.  After the MRI and etc he had a torn meniscus and it required surgery and rehab the rest of the summer.

And with each year, Katahdin gets further away for me.

I understand about the wife being along.  Mine has the same effect on my hiking as yours apparently does. it's all good.

Heal up and try it again.

[buck]

An athletic trainer friend of mine told me to take a roller, something similar to what you roll dough with in a kitchen, and let someone roll it up and down the outside of my leg along the IT Band. He said they do it to athletes with the same problem and it causes the band to lay flat - relax. Tried it today and I could tell a difference for a short while.

For those interested, here's some video and pictures of the 30 miles I hiked from Deep Gap Trailhead to Indian Grave Gap Trailhead.


Part 1 - from Deep Gap Trailhead, NC to Dicks Creek Gap Trailhead, GA.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/SYxvpsvKfvg&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/SYxvpsvKfvg&rel=0</a>


Part 2 begins with the climb out of Dicks Creek Gap, recaps day 1, and then ends at the Swagg of the Blue Ridge

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/stGvWBvHlmM&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/stGvWBvHlmM&rel=0</a>


Part 3 begins with the approach to Tray Mountain and ends at Indian Grave Gap Trailhead

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/pf4SxBr4io4&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/pf4SxBr4io4&rel=0</a>