I'm back a failure, and full of shame.

[jbob]

Let me tell you a story...

back in 2010 I thru-hiked the entire Pacific Crest Trail. One week in, I injured my foot (never went to a doctor for it, but in hindsight it was probably a stress fracture, but hey I'm no doctor). I spent a week and a half sitting in a campground with my brother watching other thru-hikers go by day after day. After spending a solid year getting ready for my long hike, it looked like I was headed back to San Diego a week in. Some days, sitting in that campground feeling sorry for myself, I almost cried. After 10 days my brother and I decided that it was best for him to move on and keep hiking north, and I would hitch out back to the city and a doctor. He left in the morning and I got up around noon to hobble over to the nearest highway. Standing there, I thought to myself: 'what if I just kept walking?'

So I turned around and set off down the trail leaning heavily on a walking stick. 2,658 miles and 5 months later I finished at Manning Park B.C.

The Sierras were rough in 2010 and there was a big wave of drop off as people realized what they were getting into. The most likely people to drop out were the ones who started their hike on the JMT. My point is, I had a hard time in those mountains and I had already been toughened up by a month and a half of brutal desert hiking. The high sierras are no joke. People die there. I witnessed two helicopter rescues just in the time I hiked through there in 2010.

Pat yourself on the back for what you accomplished and just remember to keep walking.

[Yves]

Oddly enough a guy nearby recognized my hammock and said "Hey you're John Smith (My fake Facebook name), the one stirring up all the **** about guns!" Then he proceeded to criticize me about guns being bad. Can you believe it? He really recognized me from the gun flaming thread on the JMT page.

lol, wtf?

I would have -- at first -- told him kindly to drop the subject as I would have been creeped out. Otherwise, I would have been more forceful in my language or picked a different route. This type of thing is beyond annoying.

[Sourdough]

Do they have "Huts" or "Lean-to" on the trail........??? When I trail hiked in New Zealand they had shelters.

[crashdive123]

While you didn't achieve your goal yet, the trail will still be there when you are ready. Yes, I suspected altitude sickness as soon as you started describing it. The incubation period for Hantavirus is much longer than than when you were experiencing symptoms.

[RandyRhoads]

Good story jbob. Stress fractures suck..

Crash as soon as he started on his political views I interrupted and said ok goodnight ill be in my hammock.

No SD in most areas it's illegal to move a stick.

[Sourdough]

No SD in most areas it's illegal to move a stick.

In New Zealand Hiking is the national sport, and they have huts every 7 miles or so along trails. So you can hike 7 or 14 or 21 miles per day and find shelter, and really "WONDERFUL" people.

[thefemalesurvivalist]

As the saying goes, "Quitting while you're ahead is not the same as quitting." I'm glad you paused your JMT quest while you still could. The Sierras will be there next year, and the year after. It can even be a section hike...glad you're still with us.

[1stimestar]

Oh and I forgot to say it but HOLY COW MAN! You hiked 57 miles with altitude sickness? You are my new hero hahaha.

[Phaedrus]

No way that I'd call that a failure! Altitude sickness is nothing to scoff at. And look at it this way- how many bad endings have we read about by now? The kind where the body is found weeks or months later? We'll never know what happened to some of them but I wonder how many of them heard a little voice in the back of their head warning them but chose not to listen? You were wise to turn back before you got yourself into worse trouble, and maybe putting others at risk to haul you out.

Sounds to me like you did good.

[crashdive123]

As the saying goes, "Quitting while you're ahead is not the same as quitting." I'm glad you paused your JMT quest while you still could. The Sierras will be there next year, and the year after. It can even be a section hike...glad you're still with us.

This post made me think of it this way.....

You didn't quit, but rather postponed the trip.

[Oddmott]

I agree with all the others RR... you didn't quit... the terrain taught you a harsh lesson and said "Come back next year, friend".

You'll lick it next try. 60 miles with altitude sickness insane. I had a very light case of it years ago just motorcycling through the Rockies. Not fun and I can't imagine exerting myself on the trail with it.

You ain't beat cuz you ain't dead. Chin up.

EDIT ADD: I propose a Mod change this thread's "thumb down" to a "thumb up"

[Rick]

Actually, that was the OP's selection. If he wants it edited we'll be happy to do so.

[hunter63]

I guess it's a point of view....some would say "I did do this...was a PITA, but I made it"....and some would say, "I planned this, and this is what happened ..so I fail my mission".

I thinking that in light of the slightly tongue in cheek account of the "needle incident".....I am taking this as a masked success....
Guess I kinda a "glass half full" kinda guy.

Murphy will always rear his head....no matter what, success is overcoming what ever happens, and returning to try again.......called "experience".

[Canoetripper]

I didnt see where you failed. I saw someone out doing something.
you are way ahead of a lot of people. That was a great video!
Some nice pics. also. I bet you will have better luck next time.
The mountian will be right where you left it. Thanks for the video.

[MamaBear]

Hey you didn't fail... if you had failed you'd be coming back to town in a body bag. You had an experience, and you survived & you learned from it. And 57 miles is nothing to sneeze at!! Thanks for sharing the pictures! And glad you feel better

[RandyRhoads]

I really expected more more chastising, or at least a snide comment or two. What a pleasant surprise, but I do look at I didn't complete it so I did fail, regardless if I had an option or circumstances. I' feel better about why I failed, but I still failed. BUT I might be able to finish with some dive guys going sep 10 if I want to risk missing opening day for deer and severely piss of a friend.

[bacpacker]

RR, Nothing to hang your head over. I've never had altitude sickness, but from what I know about it is deadly serious. It's hard to imagine you made it 57 miles in that condition. I admire your determination and drive. You have also given me enough details of what to look for should it ever happen to me or one of my party.
You didn't fail, you just haven't finished yet.

[Desert Rat!]

RandyRhoads,not a failure at all, here's a quote I carry with me, it brings me a little inspiration at times " It is not the critic who counts:not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly... who, at best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who new neither victory nor defeat. " Theodore Roosevelt. Recover, reorganize, and go at it again, its worthwhile to try it again.

[aflineman]

You went and you made it back. Learned a few things on the way. How is that a fail?

[BENESSE]

RR, everyone has expressed my sentiments exactly. You did great, considering how badly you felt. The only thing I can add FWIW, is about altitude sickness. We go skiing out west a couple of times a year and always sit out the first day to get acclimated. Seems to make all the difference.
Now, one year we went out with a bit of a mild cold, and sat out the first day as always, started skiing the second. We quickly got sick (body aches, throwing up, intense, killer headache, etc.) Took Tylenol (hospitals give you that, so it must be right?) and there was no relief. A couple of days later when we ran out of it and still sick, we went to the front desk asking where we can buy some. They said, Tylenol?!!!...that is ineffective against altitude sickness, you need Advil. Sure enough, in less than a day of taking it, there was a huge difference and we could finally make it out to the slopes. That was 3 days out of 6 that we sat out in the room feeling miserable.
So carry Advil in your pack, is my 2¢.