sad day in paradise

We arrived a week ago here in Ashland, OR.  What I haven't mentioned is that Roxi went to the vet the moment we got into town.  She had been having a fabulous time, truly a Rockstar.  I first suspected something wrong a week before, her feet were sore and I was guessing it was the rocks we were hiking on, despite her pads looking great.  I lightened her pack and gave her some anti-inflammatory meds to help her feel better but the limping and general soreness continued.  I carried her pack the rest of the week and she continued to be excited about hiking but she was not improving, in fact her left elbow and right knee were a little swollen the day we hitched into Ashland.  She tested positive for Borrialia burgdorferi, LYMES DISEASE.  The rest of her bloodwork was normal, thankfully, and she has been on meds and resting here in town.  It took her 4 days to start feeling like herself again but she is still not back to the Rockstar that she needs to be for the PCT.  She will be on antibiotics for at least a month and her knee and elbow are still swollen.  The only decision to be made is obvious, it is time for us to go home.  Life catches up with us all and Roxi is in no condition to be hiking one of the most physically demanding trails in the US.

That's life, it is a culmination of the decisions we make and the outcome that follows.  I will never regret bringing Roxi, we are a team, she is my co-pilot.  She is a decision I made 6 years ago and our journey has been simply incredible.  This adventure of hiking the PCT was a monumental undertaking.  I understood Roxi is not the pup she used to be when we did the Appalachian Trail, she absolutely thrived on that trail, truly one of the only moments I have seen her insane energy in a state of fulfillment.  But even at her age there was no reason not to try.  She is a cancer survivor with a big heart and a passion for long, hard hikes.  Truth is, she could have gotten sick the first day, or even the last.  Heck, with life's uncertainties any number of accidents could have happened to either of us every single day, we have certainly been in some precarious situations.  There are no guarantees and we have been so incredibly blessed to have the support of so many good friends that made this trip possible.

One of the biggest life lessons that a thru-hiker learns is that it is about the journey, not the destination.  This trip is not a failure, not even close.  We took in over 600 miles in the beautiful Cascade mountains and it has wet my appetite for doing the entire trail when the time is right, the trail will always be here.  I took almost a thousand pictures and have many incredible stories from beyond the trailhead, it has been worth every moment.

With heavy hearts, we are going home.

Peace and Love,
Beads & Roxtar