The Swollen Appendage and A Full Circle

Day 11
Miles 8.5
I leaned over to put Oatcake’s pannier on his left side. He bent down and put my leg between his horns. He picked up my leg and began to twist. A little reminder about who was in charge. I yelped and swung my leg from his grasp and kneed him in his shoulder. That’s how goats show each other dominance. My Little Reminder about Who Was In Charge.
He quit his attitude after that.
It scared me a little. I don’t need a 215 pound goat thinking he can be aggressive and in charge around here. I’ve already got my hands full with Bosco.
The terrain was pretty easy and we moved along well. We saw so many PCT thru-hikers, I figure we must be at the beginning of The Herd, quickly making their way to Canada at about the same pace. They appreciated us, which was nice. They liked what we are doing, which was extra nice. And I liked interacting with Hiker Trash once again.
I noticed around noon that my left hand and arm was swelling up. I thought nothing of it for a while but it just kind of kept getting worse. It’s going to rain, Sophie said. No it’s not, I said. But we can hurry anyway if it makes you feel better.
Sophie sent a message to my Mom to see if she could look up anything online about The Swollen Appendage since we don’t have reception. Then we waited.
We hit Richardson Lake just as lightning ripped open the sky. Thunder pounded our little eardrums and I thought the goats would have a meltdown but no one seemed to really care that much. Our camping neighbors offered to help us and after our first campsite pick reeked like human shit, we picked a second site that was quite suitable. The neighbors helped us tie tarps over the goats to keep them from getting wet. We were worried that their bug spray treatment would wash off if they did get wet and we haven’t entered Desolation Wilderness yet. The Buggiest Place of All.
We threw coats on the boys and set up our tents and right then it started pouring. We put all of our gear underneath the tarps and took valuables into our tents and then there was nothing left to do. So we ate stuff and then napped until the storm was over.
Some of the best sleep of my life.
A bleating woke us up. Sophie was there first. Bosco had Oatcake’s leg between his horns and was twisting-twisting-twisting and Oatcake was crying. Sophie got them separated just as I came up. She was shook up. Oatcake wasn’t using his leg.
Oh fuck. Is it broken?
Maybe. She said.
We messed with his leg and watched him for a while until he put some weight on it. Then we ate some more while we watched him some more. He seemed sore but okay.
Dammit, Bosco.
Full Circle.