Trail aile

Like all fairytales things were going well. Really well. Then things escalated... 

We had reached mile 498 and were camping 7 miles from the Washington / Oregon border with the hope of waking early and getting to Cascade Locks for a 'nero' or maybe a 'zero' day off with pancakes, bacon, high fructose corn syrup maple syrup (only the best, right) and all the trimmings, 'coffee' and postmix we could handle. 

This plan changed about 7pm. We had done 3 back-to-back 20 - 23 mile days and felt a bit thirsty and a bit hungry. Neil was a bit spacey, knocking over his soup and talking about the Tour de France ad nauseam while my hunger and tiredness escalated. Nothing new really. Neil then said he didn't feel too well. He went to the 'bathroom' and all would be well. Neil then said he felt a bit nauseated. I ignored him. We finished our soup, ate noodles and tuna, and boiled water for the ritualistic hot chocolate. 

We went to bed. Neil still nauseous. I was elevated to narrator status for The Magician this night. We attempted to sleep. I fell asleep. 

I woke up. It could have been 10pm, 11pm or 2am. It was likely all three. The moon was intense but split by the trees; a sense of diffused car headlights. I could see Neil or rather a silhouette of his head on his hands resting on a log. His torso in darkness from his black thermal and his haunched legs painted in red and white thermals. Squatting. Resting his head. The next minute I heard a Dead Poets' barbaric yaulp followed by a whimper. Yaulp whimper yaulp whimper. I have never heard something so violent and also scary... being sick is one thing; being sick without creature comforts and well... basic hygiene is another. He crawled back to the tent and I gave him (the wrong) antibiotics and electrolytes.

All seemed well. 

I woke up again to a similar scene; only to find out that this had happened four more times while I slept. It escalated. Neil had wanted to vomit but instead the other side was calling. In standing up he passed out and fell... napped for a bit... then got up to finish wiping his behind. He then slept outside in the sticks for about 20 mins before he got the energy to crawl back to the tent. 

He got about 2 hours sleep. I got some sleep but felt nervous the whole time. Nervous that we had to walk (thankfully only) 7 miles to town the next morning and more nervous that we have eaten and drank and touched the same things for the past 30 plus days... it was only a matter of time before I fell too. 

Fortunately this never unfolded. By about 2.30am Neil had exhausted his body of all fluids and simply waited for the morning to come so we could walk slowly yet deliberately into town. Into water. Into hygiene. And into a kingsize bed with CNN. 

We remain here for 2 days... just to make sure (and it feels so good to be in a bed and choose to shower!)

Ps. The scenery continues to be beautiful yet challenging but should flatten out a bit through Oregon. We will aim for 23 plus mile days from here. 

The trail is long but has few secrets.

Stay safe

J x