Round 2 of "Get in Shape for the IT" (Brushy Mountain Hiking)

	Trail Features:		Outstanding Views, History, Wildflowers
	Trail Location:		Greenbrier
	Roundtrip Length:		11.7 Miles
	Total Elevation Gain:		3000 Feet
	Avg. Elev Gain / Mile:		513 Feet
	Highest Elevation:		4937 Feet
	Trail Difficulty Rating:		17.70 (strenuous)
	Parking Lot Latitude		35.69696
	Parking Lot Longitude		-83.38773

Round 2 of the "Get in Shape for the Inca Trail" was a day hike up Brushy Mountain.  It was a big step up from the 4 mile hike 2 weeks ago.  I had a great time with my hiking companions:

April Hurst Warren, Kariss Blalock Waite & Scott Waite

It was a HUGE challenge though.  There were a few points I just thought, I've made it far enough, no need to go further... but I did! I made it to the top of Brushy Mountain.  I knew going in that I was the one to slow everyone down, and I did, but they were so encouraging, especially Scott who I did not know that well before but had a great time chatting with when I was able to get a breath to talk.

The first 1.5 miles is pretty easy, then it get tough.  At 3.5 miles I thought we were surely done.  Then we hit the snow and fallen trees.  I think we crossed about 5 tiny to small streams and we had to climb under 2 trees and over 3 large trees that covered the path.  I have a lovely bruise on my leg where I hit a stump of a limb climbing over one set of trees on the way back down.  But we were finally at the junction of multiple trails, just .2 miles from the top of Brushy (well, it was a little more and it was along a stream bed that was difficult to walk over and very muddy in parts):

Me, Kariss & April at the trail junction

But we finally made it to the top in just 4.5 hours and this was the view we enjoyed while we had our lunch:

Not a bad reward.  It only took 2.5 hours to get back down.  My legs felt like rubber but I was doing pretty good until the last half hour when my feet started hurting a little.  After driving down from Greenbrier and home though I could barely climb the stairs to my apartment.  I am in pain.  It's 9.30 and I'm going to bed.  Not sure how I survive 4 days in a row of this!

UPDATE: Three days later my calves are still sore but I'm not walking so funny.  My sore feet went away with a good night's rest.  My calves however.... Let's see, Saturday night I tried massaging my calves, elevating my legs, compression socks.  Sunday morning I took a hot bath and more massaging just to make it to church.  Believing the old adage that it helps to get back on the horse, Dad and I joined Alex, Sheena and Jagger for a 2 mile round trip walk along Sevierville's River Walk.  And still I was walking funny all day yesterday.  They laughed at me at the office - rightly so.  But after more stretching and a good night's sleep, I can walk normally today...mostly.