I would have never guessed that I would be posting more often while on the Appalachian Trail (AT) than when I was home. The last month and a half since I returned has been relatively quiet so I have not been inspired to write about the mundanity that I have been living. Not that I've been not having fun, mind you, but it just hasn't risen to the level of being post-worthy. So, to fill everyone in on what I've been doing I am merging all these non-post-worthy stuff into one single post.
Firstly, I have been healing. Aches in several parts of my body have slowly faded, disappearing one at a time over the last month and a half. The last thing to go away was the lump under my right knee - the result of me diving off the bridge near Pinkham Notch. I was surprised that it took over a month and a half for the swelling to finally go down. I must of done more to it than I'd initially thought.
Along with the aches and pains, I went to the dentist to get some trail related damage fixed. A wisdom tooth and a filling cracked when I was in Virginia, the victims of some particularly hard trail mix. The wisdom tooth has been extracted and the cracked filling will be repaired next week. Later this year a crown will be put on another tooth broken somewhere along the trail.
Finally, in the health department, I order a new set up orthotic insoles. My old ones didn't fair well over the one thousand eight hundred and ninety four miles of the AT I hiked. I should have replaced them in Harper's Ferry I think.
Secondly I have been catching up on my entertainment. This means binging multiple television shows across four streaming services. My binge threshold apparently is a bit low and I can only handle one series before I need a break. This has slowed me down a bit but I am slowly approaching the end of my list of things to watch.
The Wife and I have gone out to see a couple movies since I've been home. The first was a documentary about Father Theodore Hesburgh, former president of Notre Dame and major civil rights figure. The screening was sponsored by the local Notre Dame Alumni club. The second movie was a compilation of short subjects filmed by local Nebraska and Iowa filmmakers. It was interesting. As you can see, the Wife and I have eclectic tastes.
I also have caught up on my video games and other brain wilting entertainment. Sometimes you just have to submerge yourself into something mindless, vapid, and entertaining.
Lastly, I have tried to get back to walking. This has turned out to be a harder exercise in self-motivation than I expected. All the walking I've done in the past couple years has been in preparation for the AT. With the AT behind me I have to struggle to get myself out of the house and on the sidewalks and hiking paths. Since My return from the trail I have walked only twice. The first was 3.2 miles (5.15 km) - it was shortened by rain and I didn't have my rain gear with me. The second was 6.45 miles (10.38 km). This was my target distance and my legs felt wobbly when I got back to the car. I guess my body is still recovering from my hike ... or it may be because I have been mostly sedentary since I've returned home.
That's about it. Not really that thrilling of a November so far but that is what I am going for right now. I just want to settle into my home with the Wife and Iago and soak up everything I have missed since April. For now, that's good enough for me.
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