Day 53

Day 53 from surgery provided a little sense of normalcy for me, in the respect that I got out for a hike that wasn't super short, and to a place out of the city, albeit not far. After spending a quick but valuable Saturday with Alison while she got to come home from Memphis, I dropped her off at the airport again, and needed to find a way to keep myself busy. I sat around the apartment, tried to read, got some chores out of the way, and did some cooking, but I didn't feel much satisfaction with the day. I really felt like I needed to get out and spend some time outside. As stated in previous blogs since surgery my outdoor abilities are pretty much restricted to walking around in places I'm not likely to fall over (not that a have a falling over problem or anything- I just can't put much force into my upper body and slipping and catching myself would result in unpleasantries). I suppose luckily in this sort of case, I'm not likely to find myself clinging to any knife-edge ridgelines in Southern MN. I headed out to Afton State Park and took a summer hike along the snowshoe loop system in it's southern portion. I'd never hiked it in the winter (or at all actually), and I imagine it's a very different looking place then. It felt odd to be following posts with snowshoe graphics marking a trail that was currently overgrown with prarie tallgrass, flowers, bushes, and lots of leaves (quite a few bugs too, but we won't talk negative for now.) I managed to get in exactly 4 miles of hiking, with an ultra-light daypack weighing in under 3lbs (although I can technically carry up to 25lbs via doctor instruction, I don't know what I could possibly need for this kind of walk that would neccesitate my dealing with what would be an allowable but uncomfortable pack at this point). I went light on the footware side too, hiking in FiveFingers. I was a good way to get out and return to something outside, and go on my longest walk since the pectus operation. I'll probably try to get out again soon and walk more of Afton's trails since it's close to town and doesn't take much effort. I'm not quite ready to sport the Dana and Sundowners on the Superior Hiking Trail yet. :) Little steps back to normal...