John Muir Way Scotland 2022

The real backpack and carry-on backpack are packed and ready for an early morning flight tomorrow.   Because the trekking poles are taller than the backpack I stuffed the empty space with old towels to cushion their ride.  Towels will be discarded on arrival in Scotland.  The dark gray Osprey bag cover folds into its own pocket and will be left at the hotel in Dunbar until the walk is completed.   Purse/waist/Fanny pack and light weight IKEA pack with carry-on items, mainly the Altra boots, snacks, electronic cables, reading material, and 3 empty Smart Water bottles.  This pack also folds into its own pocket.   World travel opens the mind to the fact life doesn’t really exist only around our small towns across America.  Visiting Eastern Europe helped my mind better understand in 3-D the global map.  Exploring cities, meeting local citizens, and learning their life stories made the map suddenly like a pop-up book.  

I shall also be taking 2 COVID tests kits with.   To enter the United Kingdom a test is not needed, but on the return the to US there possibly will be.   Decided it was easier to just haul the tests with me (they are light weight) rather than spending my last day searching Edinburg for one.  

Visited my doctor this morning.  X-ray of left knee showed bone close to rubbing on bone.  Not a good outcome, but at least there is a definite reason why that leg has begun complaining.  And no, it was not jealousy over the attention its twin was getting.  Received a cortisone injection into both knees.  Now those two need to stop their bickering. The Stuff going to Scotland has been whittled down about as much as possible as each ounce/pound extra means it has to be carried on the back. All the small stuff deemed necessary.  A change from previous hikes is that the pinkish and bluish bags at the top contain bar shampoo and conditioner to save weight, as is the green Dentitabs which are tiny bites of toothpaste.                                              Glasses and electrical cords and outlet adapters.  The iPhone w...

This morning walked for the last time using the real pack loaded with alternative items to simulate the actual stuff going to Scotland.  For the next week walking will continue without the heavy weight, but will try to up the distance expected of the feet.  Now to get these knees to be functional in the proper way - without aches, pains and creaks.   In the process of unloading the pack of items that have been hauled about for the past month or two - I found the little bag of AWOL British coins.  They had been riding about in the toe of a shoe.    Happy hiker!

AWOL Coins and iPhone Between elaborate dreams last night I woke and realized the fist size coin purse with leftover British Money was AWOL. Today have totally gone through all sorts of possible hiding places, and not so hidden hiding places, at least 4 times.  Can not figure out where the heavy little bag could have escaped to.   Has this brain gone wacko? On the Plus side of the day a visit to AT&T resulted in an iPhone 13 Pro Max!  And, there was a good buyout on the phone it was replacing.  The 3 sample photos taken of a random bookcase look Good!  Scotland is ready to be documented.    And hopefully the British AWOL coins will surface from some obscure spot.  

  Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?  NO - Where in the World is Scotland? Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, which is made up of Northern Ireland (red), Wales (purple), England (green) and Scotland (yellow).  Scotland is north of England, which it shares a border with. Scotland is more than the mainland which is composed of the Highlands, the Midlands, and the Southern Uplands (lowlands).   There are also over 900 offshore Islands which are part of Scotland.  The main areas of the islands are:  the Outer Hebrides, Inner Hebrides, Shetland (130 miles north), and Orkney. I have now scanned and printed the accommodations lists with directions to locate each night's sheets and pillow, and notes in the official John Muir Way guidebook.  They have been trimmed down as much as possible to save weight.  Highlighted for easier reading while out in the middle of pouring rain.  😃

A few blocks from my home, going north on Union Street, on the side of a garage, is a tribute to John Muir.   3 weeks from today the journey will begin.  

  Which pair will have the privilege of being the chosen  to fly to Scotland.    Will it be the AHNU on the right?  This is the 9th pair of AHNU’s I have had, but these were different than their predecessors.  Rather than feeling amazing to the feet - they actually hurt.   The gray in the middle is the ALTRA Lone Peak All-Weather Mid Trail running shoe with a very wide toe box.  When trying them on at REI they felt fantastic.  Once home realized the zero drop footbed wasn’t quite right for this person’s feet.  Then began a series of experiments with orthotics, and socks with and without liners.  Semi solved that situation.   Realized I really did like the ALTRA and decided to order a second pair while this style was still available.  Chose black this time because - well - black, what else can I say.   Four weeks left to fully make the decision about which goes and which remains at home for future adventures.  

All was going well for the past couple years - well, not so well - COVID happened.  Everything.  Every idea.  Every plan.  Every person's life was tossed into a Pandemic Turmoil.  As life slowly made a turn towards being more positive, and future became a possibility, this person once again began the process of aiming for another hike.  Another hike at my age!  Can it be done??? Things were going forward.  Possible hiking routes researched.  Narrowed destinations down to four in Scotland (of course).   1.  The Rob Roy Way.    2.  The Southern Upland Way .   3.  The John Muir Way .   4.   An elaborate assembly of four connected routes with complicated travel plans to get from one to the next.  The East Highland Way and the Dava Way and the Moray Coast Trail and the Speyside Way (the Whiskey Distillery route).   In the end the John Muir Way was chosen because of th...

  May is the final month to Prepare for hiking once again in Scotland.  28 days to solve the feet issue:  Boots?  Socks?  Inserts?      And, to up the daily practice distance to get these soft feet, creaky hips, and very bad knees into somewhat of cooperating with this person who expects total participation in all limbs and joints and skin.