Hold on… I’m not invincible??

I know I looked and felt worn out from my visit at home, but as I walked out of the house on Sunday morning I started fading fast.

Climbing the 700 ft hill was really tough (should be a piece of cake by now) and I needed to rest at the Ed Garvey shelter. Granted it was noon and in the upper 90s that day, but man I was feeling somethin’ awful.

So I kept pushing on… muscles were tight and I couldn’t seem to look any direction but forward. Finally I hit Gathland, drank some water and took a nap on the ground. Woke up and pushed on…

I felt worse. Each step was way more tough than it should have been. I made it about 15 miles to wear my parents had set up trail magic and sat down to enjoy a soda. I wanted to call my mom and ask her more about symptoms of lymes disease but I didn’t have service.

Something just wasn’t right with my body! Even though I had searched my legs for ticks several times, I looked a little more thorough this time…

No ticks… but what’s this? A HUGE BULLS EYE! shiiiiiit! I didn’t need to know any other symptoms. Lymes disease it was and is. aaaarg.

(yes I’m naked taking pictures of myself and my new tattoo)

I called mom and was surprised to find out her and dad were in the woods about 100 yards away. They were checking out some monuments after dropping off the trail magic. haha.

Perfect timing. Mexican dinner and 800 mg ibprofin tucked me in for the night. Today I got meds and laid around resting. I’d love to get on the trail tomorrow but we’ll see. At the best I’m simply feeling lethargic and sore. Things I can deal with while hiking, but should I? I guess I’ll see in the morning. There’s only so much laying around a hiker can do. I need to get back into the woods!

(check for ticks and listen to your bodies! i never saw the dammed thing and most people probably don’t. if you’re feeling worse than normal for no apparent reason GET CHECKED OUT)

These things are you enemy!!