CDT a Day 67 Too tired to continue

Last updated:December 14, 2020

23rd June

0 miles

Twin Lakes (983.6)

I woke with all the best intentions of leaving. I had breakfast and certainly felt a bit better than previous days. But something is still not right. I’m tired, weak, nauseous and my stomach is a bit bloated.

Many years ago I traveled to Africa, well, I’ve traveled there a couple of times. On the first trip I picked up Malaria in Cameroon. That wasn’t fun.

On the second trip I picked up a parasite called schistosomiasis or bilharzia. This parasite fell in love with my liver and weakened me the same way I feel now. Which got me thinking. Is it really the altitude or are there some hitchhiking parasites in my body. The most common parasite in this part of the world is Giardia. I have medication to combat Giardia. Should I take it, it can’t do any harm. If I still feel average I’ll get some tests done in a couple of days.

So I took the medicine to kill the Giardia. And promptly fell asleep. I can’t remember the last time I slept in a bed during the middle of the day. This trail is brutal. In every way. I guess that’s why the term ’embrace the brutality’ is used by CDT hikers.

By the afternoon I had stomach cramps. My stomach was making all kinds of noises. I couldn’t handle eating food, my appetite has disappeared. Maybe I do have parasites and they are dying inside me.

It’s times like these I need to dig deep. Every part of me just wants to be in a quiet room watching a movie or mindless tv. The last place I want to be is on the trail. Having said that I’m not quitting. I’ll have a good nights sleep and see how I feel in the morning.

Next – Day 68 I just hiked 1000 miles

Everything you need to know about hiking the CDT:
Complete Guide to Hiking the Continental Divide Trail
CDT Resupply Guide
CDT Gear List