Hiking

[Catrin]

Great Smoky National Park - Tremont. Beautiful! We tried a more aggressive trail but it was too steep for my knee. Climbing wasn't the problem, getting down was a different story so we turned around and went to Tremont. Still pleased with how my knee did






It may be that steep vertical step-downs will just be my knee "kryptonite" but I was still able to get down without sliding down on my bum. Patella was twinging by the bottom so it's good we turned back when we did. The trail we moved to, and where these shots were taken was fine. Time will tell what we do tomorrow

[Crankin]

Really nice!
Glad you are having fun.

[Catrin]

FINALLY, after more than a year since my initial fall, and almost a year from my surgery, I finally was able to hike at my favorite state park in southern Indiana. I wouldn't even risk it before this weekend. My choice of trail was questionable - it was the second most advanced mtb trail in the park. There was one section that had me standing there holding my breath and praying before I risked it (more erosion since I've last been there), and both directions was scary as it was an out-and-back but it was the only spot that really felt sketchy. There were a couple rock armored crossings that were weird, but I was able to get around those without a problem. I did think a few times that it probably shouldn't have been my first choice but I completed the 4+ mile out and back in about 2.5 hours. No falling, no tricky knee, love the two trekking poles and there is no way I could have done it without their support.

Odd thing about my phone's hiking/activity tracker. The trail is listed as being 2.1 miles in one direction, and my phone said it was 1.99 miles - but that isn't the strange part. The odd part is that while the start-end time was clearly right at one hour for the out-bound direction - but it only showed 30 minutes duration. Perhaps the twisty-bendy nature of cross-country mtb trails had it confused, especially if it had an iffy GPS connection. The return trip was slower (and I did rest before returning), but that's ok. It isn't for a speed record - best way I know of to wind up needing emergency services to have to search for me and carry me out of the woods - NO THANKS.

I'm bringing a couple women from my church next weekend to hike so I figured I had better come early to really test my knee out first. Glad I did

[Pax]

That is great, Catrin, you give me hope!!

And agree on the poles, they make me feel so much more confident.

[Catrin]

That is great, Catrin, you give me hope!!

And agree on the poles, they make me feel so much more confident.

I think it's more than confidence, though they certainly provide that. Some of the armored crossings I did today really required me to have something to grab onto as support - I don't think that's a good explanation but it's as close as I can get. I DO know they take enough stress off my legs that my knee has yet to perform tricks when using them. I do think my knee/quad is finally starting to strengthen. It may not get all the way back to normal but I will take what improvement I can get

[emily_in_nc]

That's great, Catrin. What a milestone for you!

What are "armored crossings"?

[Catrin]

That's great, Catrin. What a milestone for you!

What are "armored crossings"?

These are mountain bike trails I'm hiking, and at least around here, they are literally carved out of the side of the hill/ridge, usually by hand. I've helped build them So think about the trail climbing up/down following the side of the hill or ridge rather than going up and over the hill. Of course there are fall lines and actual stream crossings that intersect the trails, and these areas are lined with rocks to assist draining and to allow the area to dry more quickly. Here is a post on the Hoosier MTB Association page that discusses this and include pictures (in Indiana all MTB trails are built and maintained by volunteers). Usually these areas are quite short but sometimes they are longer sections depending upon the landscape. These are sometimes easier to ride than to walk, especially when wet

I've also figured out the route that I'm leading some friends on a hike next weekend! It won't be the same trail, but that same park has 28 miles of MTB trails and each trail has a different character - though they are all full of switchbacks. Many of those miles are VERY remote, so a good map or knowledge of exactly how the trails interact is very important.