The wind blew in strong gusts last night, though the temperature stayed warm. I had to sleep halfway out of my bag, and wore my t-shirt rather than the normal fleece. The temperature stayed warm all day today, though I managed to sleep in until 8 despite the glaring sun.
It was a long slow day, between the heat, the mental strain of getting back on the trail, and the 5000 feet of climbing. I dragged ass all day, and slowed more than normal to take in views of Castle Crags (pictured) and Mt. Shasta.
I just managed to eek out 28 miles, with enough daylight left to bathe and read a bit before bed. I'm camped on a ridge above Toad Lake, with a spectacular view of Shasta off to the east. As I write I am listening to the far off booming of fireworks probably over at Shasta Lake.
After a little research I have diagnosed myself with Metatarsalgia. It's kind of a catch-all term for pain in the balls of the feet. Usually the cause is repetitive stress on the feet, especially from load bearing activities. It is an inflammation at the distal end of the metatarsals, and when hiking it feels like walking on bruises. By the end of the day my feet ache all over, and the discomfort sometimes continues as a sharper pulsating pain in the ball of the foot. I was hoping new shoes and socks would fix the problem. It has certainly helped, but WebMD says staying off of my feet is the only effective treatment. Since that is not an option, I will try soaking in cold stream water and trying to rest more frequently. We'll see how that goes.
Happy 4th of July to all!
