9/24/12 – 2138 miles
For two days now I have been resting at a place called White House Landing, located on the Pemadumcook Lake, 45 miles south of my final Appalachian Trail destination. For reason I can’t explain… well, maybe 2100 miles, my foot suddenly developed pain behind the toes, which became more and more sore as I continued my hike. Somewhere after descending White Cap Mt., I informed the Troverts and Kleenex that I was in trouble. I knew it would take a lot of pain to stop me – I had a lot of it then.
There is still plenty of time to finish my thruhike, Baxter State Park doesn’t close until Oct 15. The bittersweet ending will be that I will miss summiting with my friends. They want me to shuttle north and climb Katahdin with them, but I want more than anything for my journey to end on the Mountain and not some back road.
So my plan is to go on alone and finish this thing. I intend to go slow and easy on my foot, hoping it will get me there. I probably won’t have cell service from here to the end and I want to save what battery I have left, so you may not get any updates for a while. Wish me luck, I’m going to need it!
That’s a terrible thing to have happen so near the end. I sure hope you can push through. Is the rest helping any?
I’m so sorry you foot hurts and hope you get enough relief to finish your hike and then get it treated. I wonder if you have a Morton’s Neuroma, like I did. Hope you don’t have to have surgery. 🙁 Good luck Castaway!
Oh no! You must be so frustrated. I am hoping and praying for you that a little rest will be the right “medicine” for you to continue and conquer those last few miles. I believe you WILL do it! Heal quickly, my friend. Katahdin awaits your arrival!
I have faith you’ll get better so you can finish this thing.
You can do it!! Hang in there. Hope your foot feels better.
Be careful. We love you.
Like Donna, I thought of a neuroma. How I hope you can finish now, if only a few miles a day–just make it by Oct. 15.
I imagine you’ll crawl the last few miles if you have to, but I hope you don’t have to. Good luck..
Castaway what a hell of a thing to happen this close to the end. Maybe some rest will be the answer sure hope so. While I was out I heard of a guy from Denmark broke his ankle descending White Top.
That should have been White Cap not White Top
I hope your foot feels better! We are thinking about you.