Revisiting Beautiful Spectacle Lake, day 8
Gaining elevation again
Ah, but that was then and this is now. I put the camera away and started up the switchbacks towards Escondido Lake. After the 12th switchback, my right leg and glutoid started feeling stiff and really sore. At the 17th switchback, I was in definite pain. My foot felt odd, almost like it was wet inside my dry boot.
I stopped and sat down on a handy rock, thinking I’d rest the sore muscles. But the weird thing was that sitting made everything hurt even more! Desperate for relief from the now sharp, stabbing pain in my right leg, I took my pack off and lay down right in the middle of the Pacific Crest Trail. That helped a little, seemingly taking the pressure off affected limbs. But I could not lay there all day. There were two options: I could go on, or I could go back.
I decided to push on, optimistically thinking that if I only got to a flat spot big enough for my tent, I could rest for the night and everything would be fine the next morning.
