Burning Through $ero Day$

Well... when we budgeted for this trip, one of the things we didn't take into account was that I would somehow become infected. Much like the zombie plague. Fortunately, I'm curable. I think that's very likely accredited to my self motivation, something perhaps Caleb is underestimating.

He tends to forget I have walked every mile he has, even though I've been injured. Well, I take that back, he has been very helpful taking care of me. Running errands, grabbing dinner, cleaning up around the apartment. If I'm his Nancy, he is my Nellie. Ol' Nellie. Grab him a feather duster.

Quack, quack, quack. See y'all in Big Bear City.

Ducks Fly Together

Quack. Quack. Quack...

After looking over many options for myself and weighing the constant opinions of the women in my life I have decided that sticking with brandon this week is my "best" option.  I'd like to hike into Big Bear City (or Spencer City as we call it) from Idyllwild but the logistics around getting through the fresh snow up on the trail by myself and without "proper" gear is sort of a headache. If we didn't have a schedule to keep, we'd likely just hang out here until Nancy's leg healed. However this is a solid excuse to come back here at a later point and time and hike this 100 mile leg.  So we will be in BBC for the next three days

If feels like cheating on the trail, taking this 5-6 days off, but these are the unexpected obstacles we'd knew we'd have to overcome during our trek. Anyhow, we're about to catch a ride out so we should have cell service if anyone wants to give us a shout over the next few days.

BTW, Brandon's trail name is 'Nancy' until he gets back out on the trail and starts acting like a man. HA.

Cellulitis it is. Brandon has ten days of medicine and four days of rest. Headed to big bear. idyllwild to big bear will have to revisited. Marching on.

The Situation

Here's the situation on the situation. Tomorrow (Monday) at 8:30 am I (Brandon) am going to the Idyllwild Health Clinic to figure out what is going on with my right hoof. We've come 178 miles in 8 days, obviously, progress is on our side. With that said, I need a diagnosis. We are hoping for a staph infection called cellulitis, which is treatable by penecillian. If so, it takes a week to kill. There is a pharmacy right here in Idyllwild that I can get my meds from, and then hitch a ride to Big Bear City and wait for Caleb to hike the 100 miles there.

I do hate that I am going to have to revisit this 100 mile stretch, which is supposed to be some of the most scenic on the entire trail. I also worry for Caleb, granted, he is much more accomplished than I. But, it's a 7,000 ft lose in elevation followed by a 7,000 foot gain in elevation. Hopefully he finds some hiking partners out there. He's been very helpful over the past 48 hours. A regular ol' pal.

As Caleb noted, worst case is a stress fracture. We aren't discussing this option. It would be a frustrating tragedy.

Today is snowed in Idyllwild, which by the way, is a beautiful little mountain town in So. Cal. Caleb and I are semi-joking about starting a restaurant here. I'm suggesting we theme it around Chicken and Waffles. Yes, Chicken and Waffles. It would be a huge hit. Hot Sauce, Fried Chicken, and Waffles. Hello.

The people at the Silver Pines Lodge are amazing. Giving rides, helping with laundry, providing discounts. It's the first home away from home.

I'll add a couple of pictures here for viewing (dis)pleasure. It's not really my ankle as much as it is my lower tibia. I feel like a hobbled ol' cow. We are patiently waiting, surviving on Pizza, mexican food, Ben and Jerry's ice cream, Friends re-runs, Iron Chef America, TV movies, and a warm room. It's not half bad, except, after moving for so many days in a row, you get ancy. Ready to move, ready to continue. Our Mammoth date of June 30th isn't changing, and we aren't slowing down.

- Brandon

But if I need to wait until monday that's cool too because its literally freezing on the trail ahead. Here is overcoming the next obstacle on the trail. -Brandn

idyllwild. I glad to see you today. I've been hobbling around on a sour hoove and I need a fix. Firefighters say I need a xray or penecillian. Can I get ride?

Anklewild

Good News;We made it into Idllywild, and what a lovely little mountain town it is.

Bad News; Brandon has been having ankle issues for the last 4 or 5 days, its been swollen and painful for him, especially on downhills and flat ground. We have just been to the Fire Dept. here and they believe it to be a bacterial infection. We're trying to figure logistics to get to the hosipital 40 miles away, where they can do blood test and and an xray. We have our fingers crossed that it isnt a stress fracture, that would be disasterous. The FD said with antibiotics that it could clear out in 7 days, but might be useable earlier. At least we've made it to a town and we're not out in the middle of nowhere where it could get worse. There will be more info to come later today, but for right now keep him in your prayers and knock on wood, this will only be a temporary setback for us

-Caleb