A little Heat Exhaustion

 It was a hot one....so very hot!  We were not going to let that deter us though!  So we headed out to the Appalachian Trail.  We just picked a spot.  We didn't know what we would see, if anything.  We were ok with that! We just wanted to be outside and enjoying nature!   We headed Southbound on the AT and we were loving the trail.  

The trail was mostly shaded and it was gently rolling.  There were no major grades and we knew that the hike was going to be awesome.  We were just moving along at a nice clip!   A few miles into the hike we hit it.  We hit the rocks.  We hit the incline.  We hit the yucky part!   Ok, not yucky but rather the hard part! The hill  didn't stop. 

 I had a mileage goal in my head.  I was determined to reach that mileage goal.  So I kept climbing!   My trekking poles continued to do a fabulous job and I trucked on up that hill.   We made it to  my mileage goal and I was so happy and proud of myself. I could feel the first tingling of tiredness and knew that I could get back to the car but would be tired.  It was a great place to turn around!

"But what if we are only 10 feet from an overlook,"  Jason asked?   Well, that is a good question.  We were climbing. Surely we were going to climb to an overlook right?  But how much further was it?  Jason started to walk ahead to see if there was anything in site around the corner.  I reluctantly followed.  We hiked a bit further unsure and then we got lucky!   A hiker was coming down the hill and we asked him!   The answer was a mixed bag.  There was an overlook.  YAY!  But this said overlook  was about a mile further!  BOOO!   Jason left the decision up to me.  I'm either brave or a sucker for that man  since I knew he really wanted to see the overlook!  (probably a bit of both!)  I decided to hike onward toward the overlook!

I did make it and I enjoyed the view.  But then it was time to turn around and head back.  Luckily it was downhill....but it was still a hike!   About a mile into the return trip, I started to feel it.  What is it?  I was started to feel the early signs of heat exhaustion.  We immediately stopped and I allowed myself to cool down and I drank water.  We started hiking again.  It was a long walk back!   I had to stop and sit about 3 times on the way back. (It could have been worse!)  As if that wasn't enough fun?  About a mile from the car we ran out of water.  We had not planned on hiking as long as we did...ooops!  Luckily we had waters in the car which we guzzled as soon as we got back!     

And yes, we made it safe and sound.  My last 'sit down' was literally in sight of the parking lot (although I couldn't see our car or any cars from there...just a wee corner of the parking lot).   I had progressed past just the first stages of heat exhaustion and I was so sick to my stomach.  I thought I was going to hurl!  Luckily for me, I didn't!  After I cooled down a bit (no water so I couldn't drink also) we headed for the car where we did have water!  That water tasted so good!  

I am actually super proud of our longer than planned hike.  It was tough...especially with the heat exhaustion.  My legs were super tight and achy the next day.  My planters fasciitis was kicking after we were done.  But I did it!   GO ME!