So, yes, it’s all about the feet. I have not yet had a pain free day, but thats not really as bad as it sounds. The real problem is that we are putting an extra 20 pounds of load (ie your backpack) on ALL our joints and our feet. Then, while loaded up, we are walking a crazy number of kilometers everyday. And your feet don’t really get to drink beer at the end of the day (although the concept of “fortifying with alcohol” has been successfully tested a number of time with feet paying the price). So blisters, tendinitis, swollen feet are just par for the course. The more pounds someone is carrying the more likely they are to be sidelined.

So, then I got this crazy idea, instead of throwing out all the extra things in my pack which really only reduced my load by a couple of pounds at most, how about I stop eating 3 or 4 chocolate pasteries for breakfast and cut out a few of the beer stops, perhaps I could reduce my “load” by a few pounds. Tee her

But even without extra pounds, the feet are still paying the price. Pharmacies along The Road stock blister “kits” and there is much discussion over “to pop” or “not to pop” your blisters. I fall squarely in the “cut them open and let them dry out” camp.  But mostly I believe in stopping every few hours to give my feet a little loving. I try to do “restorative pose” (lie on back with feet up in air) a few times a day and I message my feet with almond oil and whisper sweet nothings to them. So far so good, although I do have nasty pain in the middle of my arch.

Most people have it much worse than I. Even Troy has gotten some shin splints as the youngsters seem more susceptible to, and a lot of people have tendinitis in their ankles or other ankle problems.  And knee problems!!!! When I saw all the knees problems sidelining people is when I really decided to “reduce my load.” A lot of people taking the bus due to knee issues, and I hope I am not going to be one of them.

Anyhow, for those with foot fethish I have posted a few pictures of my feet. If you want to zoom in on the heels you will see the worst of my blisters. The blisters just keep coming; I got another one yesterday. One would have hoped we’d be done with that by now, but apparently not.

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