Hi Jeff,
Thanks to the PT and all the work we did, our summer hiking trip went well!
We did not end up going to Minnesota and the Superior Hiking Trail portion of the NCT. Our trip was scheduled for just a few days after all that ground level smoke started coming through, so we pivoted and went west to North Dakota instead.
We hiked the westernmost 150 trail miles of the North Country Trail (157 ACTUAL miles) in 10 days, so an average of 15 -16 miles a day. When the trail followed a canal, it was straight, flat, and with long periods of using the same muscles. When it went through a wildlife refuge or cattle range it was rolling hills and involved walking through tall grasses (or on stubble if it had been mowed). Overall it was HOT (temps reaching upper 90s most days) and there was practically no shade. We learned to starte early (5:30?) so as to be done with our day before the worst of the heat, and to stay hydrated, etc.
I did the “basic” exercises in the morning before starting out, and tried to remember to stretch at stops during the day. (Only one day did we encounter some picnic tables on which one could lay flat for a bit. (The ground was not an option for that….too many ticks!) There was only one day I felt a “hitch” in my SI, and realized we had walked about 12 of the flat canal miles without much break, and I had not yet put my support belt on(I usually had worn it the second half of each day). Once I corrected that, it was much better.
Thank you (and your team!) so much for all the assistance and encouragement you provided to get me back on the trail! I have attached a few pictures for you to enjoy.
With appreciation,
Susan Miller
