hrmph

i shall continue my theory that i'm not meant to be a hiker:

first it was the horrific downpour in which we were caught. the following weekend, we were a good mile into our hike when the thunder started.

then there was the nasty heat rash i developed (from hiking in high humidity and soaking wet clothes).

yesterday i woke up with my knee swollen and aching.

and today i find out that the access roads and summit of the highest mountain we'll be traversing in the fall are closed for two years. so, we either have to hike the entire range in one day, or learn to camp. i'm pulling out the map tonight to explore our options. maybe we can rely on some nearby friends to pick us up.

i keep thinking this all means i just shouldn't hike. but then everything i read from thru-hikers has them suffering much worse just on the first few days of their journey. i guess rain and rashes and swollen joints and altered routes are just part of the package, part of the thrill of hiking.

adventure's supposed to be...adventurous, i suppose. right?