Sunshine Chris
New member
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here is the slide show: may be in backwards order though going from Dickey to Welch
http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/C... Pics/Welch-Dickey Loop hike on 4-21-13- solo
I have had some type of back issue the past 4 weeks which has really put a damper on hiking or exercise of any kind without pain. I believe it's a cracked rib but with no health insurance I have not been able to look into it. I know the chiropractor visit did not help. Having had to cut my weekly exercise to less than 1/2, and having only pulled a pulk up to Lonesome Lake in the last 4 weeks as far as mountain hiking goes, I decided that pain or no, I was hiking this weekend. I chose Welch- Dickey for it's close proximity to home, low elevation, southern exposure and awesome cliffs and ledges.
I left the parking lot around 11:00 am and started up the trail, happy as a clam to be hiking in the woods again. The last time I was on this trail there was alot of snow and ice near the summits and coming off of Welch into the col was an ice skating rink requiring nothing short of full crampons. This time around was completely different. The trail was clear of snow and mostly dry for most of it's length. I started out counter clockwise heading toward Mt. Welch. When I got to the first ledges a couple were sitting and enjoying the views and a snack. I met a hiker coming down off Welch and asked him how the trail was and what I might need for traction and knowing I had what I needed I continued the climb. It was much as I remembered it from the first time I had hiked here. I did not see many signs of spring at ground level but trees and bushes were budding. There was some black ice occasionally and one patch early on caught me off guard and down I went. I jammed my thumb and hurt my shoulder with the recovering torn rotator from last July. My thumb swelled making it hard to hold the hiking poles and I was feeling discouraged and just stood there for a moment feeling sorry for myself. When I looked around at my surroundings and realized things weren't all that bad and that I was lucky to be out here at all, I continued onward feeling thankful for the gorgeous day given me.
I was pleased that I least had some conditioning left in me and the climb was easy. I didn't linger long on Mt. Welch as there was a crowd there enjoying the sun and views. Heading down toward the col there was occasional ice and snow so I slipped on my micro-spikes which relieved me of any worrying about falling or slipping and hurting my back or shoulder. Geez, I'm falling apart here after a strong first full winter of hiking. I hope to get past all these ailments soon. On the climb up Dickey there was occasional snow/ice now and again but no big deal and before I knew it I was atop Dickey soaking in the views all by myself. Yes, It was wonderful looking across towards the cliffs I would be hiking past in just a short while. I took the spikes off so I could get by all the ledges and didn't put them back on until after lunch on the lower ledges just before heading into the trees. I suspected I might want them on for the section where there are some small cliffs to the left of the trail where icicles love to develop during the colder seasons. Soon after I shed the spikes for nice dry trail and started my descent. My back/ribs were doing pretty good up till now but the continuous pounding on the descent started annoying it so I decided not to turn around at the bottom and head back up and around clockwise as I had intended to when I started.
I was content to just get out and test my back on the trail again and get a little exercise in the process. I was able to clear my head of a great deal of worry and simply enjoy all that God had intended for me to enjoy out in His great world. Feeling refreshed and with a new found bounce to my step I climbed into my truck knowing that next weekend would be the beginning of a new quest to begin my conditioning for my bucket list goal of a Presi Traverse the first week of July. If all goes well, my son Mountain Man Matt will continue hiking with me this spring and work on his all season 48 in the process and hike the Presi's with me.
here is the slide show: may be in backwards order though going from Dickey to Welch
http://s1343.photobucket.com/user/C... Pics/Welch-Dickey Loop hike on 4-21-13- solo
I have had some type of back issue the past 4 weeks which has really put a damper on hiking or exercise of any kind without pain. I believe it's a cracked rib but with no health insurance I have not been able to look into it. I know the chiropractor visit did not help. Having had to cut my weekly exercise to less than 1/2, and having only pulled a pulk up to Lonesome Lake in the last 4 weeks as far as mountain hiking goes, I decided that pain or no, I was hiking this weekend. I chose Welch- Dickey for it's close proximity to home, low elevation, southern exposure and awesome cliffs and ledges.
I left the parking lot around 11:00 am and started up the trail, happy as a clam to be hiking in the woods again. The last time I was on this trail there was alot of snow and ice near the summits and coming off of Welch into the col was an ice skating rink requiring nothing short of full crampons. This time around was completely different. The trail was clear of snow and mostly dry for most of it's length. I started out counter clockwise heading toward Mt. Welch. When I got to the first ledges a couple were sitting and enjoying the views and a snack. I met a hiker coming down off Welch and asked him how the trail was and what I might need for traction and knowing I had what I needed I continued the climb. It was much as I remembered it from the first time I had hiked here. I did not see many signs of spring at ground level but trees and bushes were budding. There was some black ice occasionally and one patch early on caught me off guard and down I went. I jammed my thumb and hurt my shoulder with the recovering torn rotator from last July. My thumb swelled making it hard to hold the hiking poles and I was feeling discouraged and just stood there for a moment feeling sorry for myself. When I looked around at my surroundings and realized things weren't all that bad and that I was lucky to be out here at all, I continued onward feeling thankful for the gorgeous day given me.
I was pleased that I least had some conditioning left in me and the climb was easy. I didn't linger long on Mt. Welch as there was a crowd there enjoying the sun and views. Heading down toward the col there was occasional ice and snow so I slipped on my micro-spikes which relieved me of any worrying about falling or slipping and hurting my back or shoulder. Geez, I'm falling apart here after a strong first full winter of hiking. I hope to get past all these ailments soon. On the climb up Dickey there was occasional snow/ice now and again but no big deal and before I knew it I was atop Dickey soaking in the views all by myself. Yes, It was wonderful looking across towards the cliffs I would be hiking past in just a short while. I took the spikes off so I could get by all the ledges and didn't put them back on until after lunch on the lower ledges just before heading into the trees. I suspected I might want them on for the section where there are some small cliffs to the left of the trail where icicles love to develop during the colder seasons. Soon after I shed the spikes for nice dry trail and started my descent. My back/ribs were doing pretty good up till now but the continuous pounding on the descent started annoying it so I decided not to turn around at the bottom and head back up and around clockwise as I had intended to when I started.
I was content to just get out and test my back on the trail again and get a little exercise in the process. I was able to clear my head of a great deal of worry and simply enjoy all that God had intended for me to enjoy out in His great world. Feeling refreshed and with a new found bounce to my step I climbed into my truck knowing that next weekend would be the beginning of a new quest to begin my conditioning for my bucket list goal of a Presi Traverse the first week of July. If all goes well, my son Mountain Man Matt will continue hiking with me this spring and work on his all season 48 in the process and hike the Presi's with me.
