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Killington to Woodstock

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    • Killington to Woodstock

      So I set out to hike Killington to Glencliff, but got sidelined very early with knee injury. I still had a lot of fun (even gritting my teeth with pain at times) and met a lot of good people. By chance I met Teacher of Teacher & Snack Time at Thunder Falls- small world- she was passing out vitamin waters and snacks to hikers at the parking lot. About 8 miles in the first day I felt I sudden pain in my right knee, on the outside. Crap I thought, how can that be? I stopped, took a long break and put on my knee brace. It was only about one more mile to the first shelter and I was in a lot of pain when I got there.
      I chose to camp a little passed the shelter down by the creek and slept really well. Met Turtle77, a 77 year old man hiking the trail, doing his sobo portion; and Special Ed doing a nobo section. The next day I stopped every hour to rest my knee and doubled up on the naproxin, but it was very painful all day. Took the side trail to the Lookout Cabin and Observation deck which was totally worth it for the 360 degree views. Met Marsmellow and Cookie, sobo flippers, at the shelter that night.
      nee starting hurting from me favoring the right. Crap. A check of the map/guide showed it was either get off at Woodstock or hike another 30 some miles to Glencliff. I knew there was no way I could make it to Glencliff, so I called for a

      shuttle back to Rutland. :( Checked into the Yellow Deli again, then hobbled down to WallyWorld and bought a pair of $10 blue jeans, showered and went to my new favorite pub, Roots, and got another of the Jack's Abbey House Lager. Caught the train out the next morning and had a nice relaxing ride back home. I'm back now doing PT on my knees to build them back up for next year. I've had this trouble with my knee/knees before and thought I was past it and I guess I will need to always do these special exercises for my knees. About 15 years ago, my left knee was so bad I had to use a cane about half the time and it took me about 6 months to heal my knee- so I know what I need to do. Looking forward to getting my knees built up and heading to NH and ME next year.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • So did anyone see the thread on TOS discussing a youtube blog where a thru hiker claimed the trail was poorly marked and hard to stay on north of Killington?
      I responded politely, but what I really wanted to say was that if you can't safely follow that section of trail then you might want to hire a sherpa.

      whiteblaze.net/forum/showthrea…ngton-VT-and-Guthooks-App
      Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
    • No, but there was a middle aged man missing for two weeks in that section while I was there. There were a spot or two, one at a blow down, where I had to stop and think about 30 seconds to see which way to go. A lot of the blazes could use touching up, but it was marked as well as the rest of the trail that i've hiked.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • Just got back from the orthopedic surgeon. Good news and a little bad. X-rays show a still have a nice gap between my bones and just a little wear showing (pretty good for an older guy). But they suspect I have a small tear in my meniscus :( , but they don't think it's a flap (yet) and he says I don't need surgery (for now) and I can keep on hiking and biking :-). Plan of action: continue PT exercises to build up knee muscles and no knee bending beyond 90*. Take anti-inflamatories until pain has subsided and ice after exercising.

      And I got a cortisone shot behind my knee cap with the world's fattest and longest needle- holy crap I didn't know they made them that big!!!!! I mean I got ready to say no way when I saw that thing.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Just got back from the orthopedic surgeon. Good news and a little bad. X-rays show a still have a nice gap between my bones and just a little wear showing (pretty good for an older guy). But they suspect I have a small tear in my meniscus :( , but they don't think it's a flap (yet) and he says I don't need surgery (for now) and I can keep on hiking and biking :-). Plan of action: continue PT exercises to build up knee muscles and no knee bending beyond 90*. Take anti-inflamatories until pain has subsided and ice after exercising.

      And I got a cortisone shot behind my knee cap with the world's fattest and longest needle- holy crap I didn't know they made them that big!!!!! I mean I got ready to say no way when I saw that thing.
      I get them needles every 6 months, for me it's been working...not cortisone but A lube called "Synvisc one" yup, not to comfortable.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      Just got back from the orthopedic surgeon. Good news and a little bad. X-rays show a still have a nice gap between my bones and just a little wear showing (pretty good for an older guy). But they suspect I have a small tear in my meniscus :( , but they don't think it's a flap (yet) and he says I don't need surgery (for now) and I can keep on hiking and biking :-). Plan of action: continue PT exercises to build up knee muscles and no knee bending beyond 90*. Take anti-inflamatories until pain has subsided and ice after exercising.

      And I got a cortisone shot behind my knee cap with the world's fattest and longest needle- holy crap I didn't know they made them that big!!!!! I mean I got ready to say no way when I saw that thing.
      1.5 inch needle but only 26 gauge. Try getting your knee drained. Same 1.5 inch length, but 18 gauge.

      "So, this is going to hurt. Please look away and don't look until the pain stops."
    • ScareBear wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      Just got back from the orthopedic surgeon. Good news and a little bad. X-rays show a still have a nice gap between my bones and just a little wear showing (pretty good for an older guy). But they suspect I have a small tear in my meniscus :( , but they don't think it's a flap (yet) and he says I don't need surgery (for now) and I can keep on hiking and biking :-). Plan of action: continue PT exercises to build up knee muscles and no knee bending beyond 90*. Take anti-inflamatories until pain has subsided and ice after exercising.

      And I got a cortisone shot behind my knee cap with the world's fattest and longest needle- holy crap I didn't know they made them that big!!!!! I mean I got ready to say no way when I saw that thing.
      1.5 inch needle but only 26 gauge. Try getting your knee drained. Same 1.5 inch length, but 18 gauge.
      "So, this is going to hurt. Please look away and don't look until the pain stops."
      Surprisingly the first time I had a knee drained, hardly no discomfort. The tech showed me how to do the procedure and I did it the second time. Positive results both times.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC