Even with last week’s Dog Dirt incident(s), I managed to get 21 miles in my feet (one of them black and blue at the time). I could have probably got my 30 in, but I was worried about doing too much, too soon, in regards to my knee.
There was also a ton of football on, as well as a local college rugby tournament that I wanted to shoot at in an attempt to sharpen my skills for the sports photography side hustle that I often think about starting but always stop short of due to having failed at enough things in my life as well as having no business skills and somehow being the ONE American born without the blood thirst for capitalism.
Not to mention, no one buys photos/music/art anymore (thanks Internet). So, I end up doing it for free, just because I enjoy shooting sports. And that’s cool; I had a great time shooting and got some sweet shots. Plus, who doesn’t like watching people run around a pitch with a ball kicking the shit out of each other?
Come Monday, I was back in the woods hiking and had one of the best lumbers in weeks, and it was 98% pain-free! I barely touched my camera, but the hike was good, and I was looking forward to another one on Tuesday.
Unfunny Mid-Post Monday Anecdote:
I haven’t used a CamelBak with a bladder in almost 10 years; now, opting for a hydration vest with front bottle pockets for hiking. However I picked up a small bladder last week to test out as the weather warms.
Monday morning, after I rinsed and filled the new bladder, I slid it into my pack, took a sip to make sure the bite valve was working, and then promptly spit the water on the kitchen floor. Yes, the kitchen floor.
WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING????
No, there was nothing wrong with the water; however, after years spent using a pack for endurance racing, I developed a habit of spitting out the first sip to avoid the tepid water in the tube. I guess that shit got ingrained in my muscle memory real good! Also, I’m a moron. Oh well, the kitchen floor needed to be cleaned anyway. Dumbass.
And for the record, after two uses, I was not a fan of the weight on my back while lumbering, so I’ll be going back to bottles and or collapsible flasks 99% of the time.
The Unfunny Mid-Post Monday Anecdote is Now Over
Tuesday’s was the same 6.08-mile loop, except for doing one small section in the opposite direction, and I felt like complete shit. I couldn’t get my pack dialed in; my camera was irritating my chest, and my legs ached like I had been doing squats in my sleep. I blame Monday afternoon’s eclipse.
I almost took Wednesday off, but screw it, it was a beautiful spring day, and I wasn’t going to spend my morning doing chores that could wait until later.
I ended up doing another 6 miles, and it was way better than Tuesday. It was not completely pain-free yet, but better, and I made a few photo-pit stops as well.
Things aren’t perfect yet, but I finally feel almost normal again after a run of bad luck and goofball injuries, and I’m looking forward to what may be a rainy lumber on Thursday.
Later.