More Presi Rail Trail. Feb. 3, 2014

Presidential Rail Trail, Appalachia to Bowman, 6.2 flat miles, roundtrip.

This is Recovery Hike #3.  Recovery Hike #2 was a 5-mile jaunt up and down some hills near my home last week.  The leg is feeling great, thanks to the stretches I mentioned in a previous post, along with some new ones my local (and excellent) sports med doctor suggested (specific flexion and Range of Motion stretches -- see your doctor for individualized recommendations).  All these stretches, combined with light and cautious exercise, have brought me back into mountain-hiking shape.  At least, I hope I'm back in mountain-hiking shape.  I'll find out this Friday or next Monday, when I hope to summit something (anything!).

Thanks for all the well-wishes, folks.  I'm grateful for all the supportive emails!

The Presidential Rail Trail is barely used by hikers.  Guess it's too flat and boring compared with the gorgeous local waterfalls and peaks.  Even so, I enjoyed my stroll this morning.  Any stretch of forested trail is a good thing...especially in the Whites, where Mother Nature displays her beauty year-round.

The long and flat -- but effective -- road to recovery.

Frozen stream.

The intersection of a snowmobile trail, near Lowe's Path.

Heading west.

Nearing my turnaround point.

The intersection with Castle Trail.

Heading back.

The girls and I haven't been on a mountaintop in FAR TOO LONG.  I think it's been over a month -- that is forever as far as we're concerned!  Soon though, soon....just want to make sure my iliotibial band has its act together before we resume our usual hiking routine.  I hope to personally see a mountaintop within the next seven days.  Wish me luck!

Recovery Hike #1: Presidential Rail Trail, Appalachia to Randolph East. 1/20/2014

1.8 miles roundtrip with perhaps 30 feet of elevation gain.

One of the many great aspects of New Hampshire's White Mountains is the diversity of the trails.  Most of the trails are rocks, boulders, and roots -- but there are quite a few tame and flat paths out there too.  Today, I decided to take my injured gam to the Presidential Rail Trail (just west of Gorham).  This trail is wide, flat, long, and never comes close to going up a mountain.  Most hikers avoid it, but for me and my Iliotibial Band Syndrome, it was the perfect terrain.

The long and unwinding Presidential Rail Trail

Note -- I have yet to see a specialist (my first appointment is next week).  In other words, I hiked today on the advice of no one.  If you have ITBS, then follow your doctor's orders and don't exercise before you're sure you're ready.  In other words, I took a risk today.  My mind desperately needed my body to get back into the woods, though...so I feel the venture was worthwhile.

I stayed off my leg as best I could this past week, and I've been doing these excellent stretches.  There has been significant improvement in day-to-day leg function.  Walking these 1.8 flat miles, however, was challenging.  I walked normally from Appalachia to Randolph East, but the return trip was not so easy.  The pain reappeared and I had to slow my pace.  When I got home, I put my leg up for a couple of hours and took some ibuprofen.  My muscles now feel like I hiked ten miles instead of barely two.

I'm thrilled to have gotten out of the house and into the woods, though, and I don't mind the less-than-killer mileage.  An injured gal has to start somewhere.