PCT Day 98, SoBo Flip Day 17

We decided to take it slow today, only planning to hike 15 miles or so. We called for a late check-out and headed out to breakfast around 1045 then over to an espresso shop for some chai tea. While walking back to the hotel I told Matt that I wasn’t feeling the hiking today- my shins have been feeling like they are on the verge of shin splints and I was tired. It was also cold and cloudy out and neither of us wanted to head up into the mountains in crummy weather- we wanted to start this leg of the journey on a good note!! (Fun fact: we have had 6 days of rain on-trail + 2 days of rain on zero days for a total of 8 rainy days in Washington so far! Running total, including the desert rain, is 22 days!)

We agreed to check the weather: if there was a chance of rain, we would stay another night. If there was no rain in the forecast, we would hike.

Welllll, when I saw the forecast I was kinda bummed: no rain. I just really didn’t feel up to hiking and Matt was on-board with me. He would have hiked if I had wanted to, but he was also cool taking another day off- we haven’t had a truly restful day off, so today could be that.

We lounged around in the room all day, me writing my blogs and Matt fixing our ripped gear- both of our rain pants had ripped AND we have a hole in the netting of our tent.

I chatted with my mom on the phone for a bit, and she said it sounded like I had a cold. At the time I felt fine and thought she was crazy, but later on I started to feel slightly shitty. I ended up getting my second ocular migraine in two days (it looks like I’m looking at the world through a kaleidoscope, just minus the fun colors!!) and then felt a little headachy. Moms know best, I guess!!

Around 5:30 we headed out to dinner- I was really looking forward to spinach artichoke dip, BUT the restaurant had a special BBQ thing going on- for $22 you get a beer and a pass at a BBQ buffet. I wasn’t starving so I encouraged Matt to enjoy the BBQ before finding Ali-friendly food.

Matt practiced LNL principles again!! 🙂

I grabbed a hummus and spinach bagel with soy bacon from the Aardvark Express and an ice cream sandwich before heading back to our hotel to relax.

We hope for an early return to the trail tomorrow!!