Hi all:

This Sunday’s email is written by LAC member, Lauren Dietlin.

Something I’ve always feared actually happened, and I made it through. In mid-August, my two sons (ages 16 and 19) and I went backpacking in Baxter. Our four-day, three-night plan was to hike about six miles/day leaving from South Branch Pond campground and staying in lean-tos at Pogy Pond and Wassataquoik Lake Island. 

I’m 52 and I have osteoarthritis in my knee and big toe, and leading up to the trip, I was nervous that it might be too much for me. But, I really love backpacking and it was important to me to share this experience with my boys. They took more of the heavy stuff in their packs, and I front-loaded with a strong anti-inflammatory and hoped for the best. My tenacity was certainly rewarded. With the exception of heavy, boot-soaking rain on our first day, the weather was great, the landscape was raucously beautiful, and I felt strong, competent and pain-free.  
 
At least until the afternoon of the third day when I stepped on a rock hidden by grass, rolled my ankle hard and fell over. Once my boys helped me up and took my pack, I limped/hopped with the support of my poles to the Pogy Pond lean-to, which thankfully, was only .3 miles away. The pain was bad, but not excruciating. When I got to the lean-to and took off my boot, my ankle and foot were very swollen. I iced it (with an instant cold pack*) and then sat with it in the cold pond for a bit. The rest of the afternoon and evening I kept it elevated while my amazing boys did the food prep, clean up, bear bags and everything else. Much to my own surprise, I did not totally freak out. Their calm and supportive attitudes helped me maintain my own calm. And I think knowing I had no way out but through gave me an extra dose of strength.
 
While I very briefly and not very seriously considered asking one of my boys to get a rescue crew, I knew I had to at least try to walk out. I gave the boys as much of my stuff as possible which took the weight of my pack down to 15-20 lbs. I put my boots on immediately after waking, hoping to create some compression for the swelling. 
 
We left at 7:00 a.m. not knowing how far I could go or whether I would make it out on my own. It hurt a lot, but with the support of my poles and my kids, it was manageable. I walked at a pace of about one mile/hour, barely talking, really focused on each step, stopping to take deep breaths to calm my fears and encourage myself when facing the particularly daunting parts of the trail: boulders, steep inclines and stream crossings. About four miles in, my other leg—the arthritic one—started to really hurt from bearing so much of the weight. The last mile was the most painful and difficult. At 5.5 miles, my kids canoed us across to South Branch Pond campground saving me a half-mile of walking.
 
I silently cried much of the way home in the car. While at first I hesitated to get so emotional in front of my boys for fear of worrying them, I quickly realized two things: (1) I needed to complete the stress cycle by releasing the anxiety and fear that had built up over the previous 24 hours; and (2) explaining to them what I was doing and why would be a good lesson for them. So the tears flowed and I felt better by the time we got home.
 
An x-ray the next day revealed that it is either an avulsion fracture or a bad sprain. As I rest, ice, elevate and reflect on this experience, I am so grateful to my boys for how they responded. I am so very proud of myself for remaining calm, and for all the work I have done to develop my inner strengths which allowed me to get through this arduous adventure. The thing I was afraid of happened, and I am still okay. In fact, I feel like I can do anything! Before the trip, a friend called me a badass outdoorswoman. Now that’s a badge I wear proudly.
 
*An instant cold pack was a last minute and terrific addition to my meager first aid kit. I will definitely be updating it. First on the list? An ACE bandage.

I saw the tale of Lauren’s back country story on social media and asked if she would share her narrative with all of us. Adventures, by definition, carry a certain amount of risk and while most often, everything goes smoothly and well, there are times when the adventure breaks the other way. To be emotionally and physically prepared for an unwanted challenge is an imperative and Lauren found her reservoir of strength and grit both inside herself and through the support of her boys. Thanks, Lauren for writing this down and letting us see your struggles and your toughness.

Upcoming Community (not all LAC) Adventures – These are not LAC adventures (except for the ones that say, “LAC”). These are adventures we’re sharing that are put-on by other orgs. If you have ideas for the calendar or want to organize an LAC community adventure, please send me a note.

Maine

☀️ September 8: Maine Audubon Fall Edible Plant Walk
☀️ September 9: Northwoods Gravel Grind
☀️ September 9: MATLT Community Hike @ Cranberry Peak
☀️ September 9: Maine Open Lighthouse Day
🎃 September 9/10: Pumpkinman Triathlon & Running Fest
☀️ September 10: Maine Lighthouse Ride
☀️ September 14-17: Camden International Film Festival
☀️ September 16: 12 Hours of Bradbury Mtn. Bike Race
🍁 September 16: Maine Audubon Bar Harbor Pelagic Trip
🍁 September 16: Outing Group for Women: Ecology & Geology of the Maine Coast
🍁 October 6: Pineland Farms Women’s Hike Night
🍁 October 7: Saddleback Mtn. 5K
🍁 October 14: Hike for Hospice
🍁 October 21: Outing Group for Women: Foraging

Happy (safe) adventuring,