The day started out just after Sun-up. Drove from Ed's to the same point I stopped walking yesterday...about 5 miles short of Marcing. Knew today was going to be a scorcher, so left SAM in the trailer. By the time I arrived in Marcing, I had drunk all my water.
Marcing was the first of four watering holes I used for the day. It became incredibly hot walking on the macadam. The heat penetrated thru my walking shoes. The road, Idaho 78, was a first class road with plenty of berm to walk. Traffic was minimal all day.
It is 29 miles from Marcing to Murphy, a distance I was certain I would have no problem reaching. Was I ever wrong. I quit after 22 miles.
Before reaching Givens Hot Springs, roadside park along the Snake River, I stopped a second time when two Sisters offered ice water for my water bottles. At the Hot Springs, I ran cold water into my Australian Outback Hat and 3 times dumped the whole thing over my head, soaking thoroughly all my clothes. Ten minutes later, I was completely dry. I repeated the water-in-hat trick many more times wherever a handy irrigation ditch came close to the road.
I walked 6 hours non stop. Twice more I asked for and received refills of ice water. I was beginning to be uncomfortable. I wore shorts. I put sunscreen on when I started my walk, but after 5 hours in the blistering Sun, my legs below my knees began to throb. At least 10 times, my right foot crumpled...I nearly fell to the pavement. I believe that even though I was drinking lots of water, dehydration was setting in.
At six & half hours, I could go no more. My legs refused to move and I was becoming disoriented. I walked up to a modern brick home...way out in the sticks...but no one was home.
I lay down in the front yard grass under a humongeous shade tree and promptly fell asleep.
A few miutes later I phoned Ed, who was driving my Van to pick me up in Murphy. Told him where I was and again fell asleep. 45 minutes later, Ed and his wife, Betty, arrived in separate cars. Ed took one look at me and said...you are coming back home with us...
Rode back with Betty while Ed drove my Van. In the last 72 hours, I have walked 115 miles under intense heat. Learned from this...I MUST have adequate water...soon, the Ranches will be spread out with limited opportunity to refill. That is when the Van will become really valuable...to carry extra water and provide shelter when the Sun becomes unbearable around noon.
I took a long cool shower and slept another half hour or so. Enjoyed another Ranch dinner, after which Ed & Son, Lee, took off to bring in the baled hay. It was too hot to do it earlier.
Ed advised me to take tomorrow off...to do NO walking. I agreed. So, I will probably drive to Nyssa, where there is a gem and Thuder Egg festival going on. They have guided tours into the hills to find thuder eggs and a BBQ at 5 pm. Sounds to be fun, so hope I get to attend.
Marcing was the first of four watering holes I used for the day. It became incredibly hot walking on the macadam. The heat penetrated thru my walking shoes. The road, Idaho 78, was a first class road with plenty of berm to walk. Traffic was minimal all day.
It is 29 miles from Marcing to Murphy, a distance I was certain I would have no problem reaching. Was I ever wrong. I quit after 22 miles.
Before reaching Givens Hot Springs, roadside park along the Snake River, I stopped a second time when two Sisters offered ice water for my water bottles. At the Hot Springs, I ran cold water into my Australian Outback Hat and 3 times dumped the whole thing over my head, soaking thoroughly all my clothes. Ten minutes later, I was completely dry. I repeated the water-in-hat trick many more times wherever a handy irrigation ditch came close to the road.
I walked 6 hours non stop. Twice more I asked for and received refills of ice water. I was beginning to be uncomfortable. I wore shorts. I put sunscreen on when I started my walk, but after 5 hours in the blistering Sun, my legs below my knees began to throb. At least 10 times, my right foot crumpled...I nearly fell to the pavement. I believe that even though I was drinking lots of water, dehydration was setting in.
At six & half hours, I could go no more. My legs refused to move and I was becoming disoriented. I walked up to a modern brick home...way out in the sticks...but no one was home.
I lay down in the front yard grass under a humongeous shade tree and promptly fell asleep.
A few miutes later I phoned Ed, who was driving my Van to pick me up in Murphy. Told him where I was and again fell asleep. 45 minutes later, Ed and his wife, Betty, arrived in separate cars. Ed took one look at me and said...you are coming back home with us...
Rode back with Betty while Ed drove my Van. In the last 72 hours, I have walked 115 miles under intense heat. Learned from this...I MUST have adequate water...soon, the Ranches will be spread out with limited opportunity to refill. That is when the Van will become really valuable...to carry extra water and provide shelter when the Sun becomes unbearable around noon.
I took a long cool shower and slept another half hour or so. Enjoyed another Ranch dinner, after which Ed & Son, Lee, took off to bring in the baled hay. It was too hot to do it earlier.
Ed advised me to take tomorrow off...to do NO walking. I agreed. So, I will probably drive to Nyssa, where there is a gem and Thuder Egg festival going on. They have guided tours into the hills to find thuder eggs and a BBQ at 5 pm. Sounds to be fun, so hope I get to attend.
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