[pct-l] Goforth home in Concrete, WA

["Joanne Lennox" <goforth@cio.net>]

Yesterday, I enjoyed my first rest day since leaving South Lake Tahoe by
first viewing Crater Lake (stunning!), and then riding to Portland, meeting
my husband after 4 months, and driving part of the way home.

After grocery shopping(lots of lettuce), and a number of necessary details
in Seattle, I finally arrived home after dark today.  In some ways, it
seems like I was never on the Trail.  Except, of course, for the 1500
unread messages on my E-mail.

After 1800 miles and 5 months on the trail, it is unlikely that I will
return.  However, I still am giving it some thought.

During much of the last month I had been feeling subpar.  When the Giardia
symptoms returned again, I started on another course of Flagyl, and found
that the first course in Big Bear had been half of what my doctor
recommmends ( 1 gram per day for 7 days -gasp!).

In the end, I felt that I was beganning to just try to get the trip over
with and get to Canada.  I found this bothersome.  Clearly, my general
tiredness and  the rundown feeling did not contribute much to an upbeat
attitude.   I am presently trying to evaluate what is toxicity of the drug
(finished the Flagyl course today), what is the result of the giardia, what
is lack of sleep, nutrients, etc., and what is just too much walking and
not enough rest.

I think the biggest problem was that there was never enough TIME.  I was
doing everything I could while I was walking (eating and drinking,etc  -
haven't learned to pee or sleep while walking yet.).  I am not a fast
walker, it took 12 hours of effort to do over 20 miles a day.

In the last analysis, my most important goal of making this hike a
pilgrimage, lay at the wayside.  This too takes TIME  (moments of
quietness, centering, of examination, of reading, of prayer or thought
without interruption). The spiritual creativity that always developed on my
shorter, less focused trips, did not arrive on this one.

I would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding my recent
experiences, or folks I saw on the trail. (Jordan, Suzanna,David and Ellen,
Troubadour and Rerun, Homebrew, Pigpen and his Dad,and Greg were all
leaving Crater Lake headed North the day I left.  Jan and Anna, Kevin and
Colleen came off the trail in Ashland.) 

Sincerely
Goforth 
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