Wordy Wednesday: When Good Knees Go Bad

Not my knee.
My husband's.
So the dream of the 100 mile 10 day backpack remains just that...a dream. 
Fifty miles in 4 days is pretty respectable however. I just wish it had only been forty, since he walked the last ten miles AFTER blowing out his knee.

The doc says it's the meniscus and ACL. Vicodin to the rescue; the MRI is scheduled for Friday; the orthopedic surgeon is booked till July 1 but we're working on moving that up. Ted, he of the superhuman pain threshold, doesn't think he can take it till July. For those who knew him for his previous neck fusions and knee surgery, when Ted says he can't take the pain it's about a 15 on the 10 point pain scale.

The only one who seems fine and dandy with being home early is Toby.

Wanna go for a hike, Toby?

Thanks, but I think Leo and I will just enjoy the cool kitchen tiles today -

So what did Toby think of his adventure? Apparently he didn't see why he had to sleep on the hard floor of the tent and was so insistent on getting on the sleeping bags that Kevin finally made him a bed out of their fleece jackets. He was too tired to eat his breakfast on that last 10 mile day (though on arriving home that evening he more than made up for it). He was the darling of the trail shelters though! He is now on the cameras of untold numbers of Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and other campers (I know Ted gave some of you this blog address - if you're reading this please leave a comment!)
They say Toby was happy every minute of walking on the trail. Putting on his backpack...not so much.

Grizzly mama and cub seen through a spotter scope at Yellowstone National Park

One night Kevin heard a bear (black, not grizzly) approaching the tent. The food was up in a tree for that very reason. Toby heard the bear too and listened intently to its footsteps without his usual alarm growl or bark. The two of them listened to the bear investigate the area for several minutes before lumbering away. I wonder if Toby sensed potential danger; it is very unlike him to be quiet when he hears strange noises.
Toby probably doesn't appreciate the views like we do. Here's a panorama shot Kevin took:

Why We Backpack!

My wifely advice to Ted was: next summer do the last 50 miles only and call the dream realized!