Wild (post 2)

The book has finally gotten into the trail and Cheryl's actual journey and there are two things that seem important right now. One is physical- her hiking boots are too small and as a result her feet are suffering really bad. So far she has lost four toenails and doesn't have access to new boots for 18 more miles. In the prologue of this book there is kind of a flash-forward, so I know that she accidentally loses one of these boots of the side of mountain, throws the other one away, and goes on without them. The fact that this is probably the biggest focus of the past few chapters, along with finding water, and getting from one place to another without running out of food, brings me to the other important topic/theme. Her problems right now are kind of primal, based solely around survival. As a result, the emotional issues from her past life have started to let up. Why would you worry about your guilt about a failed marriage when you literally have to find water before you die. No point regretting your unfinished education when you can barely walk and have to reach a new pair of shoes before your supplies run out. She realizes that she hasn't cried once on the trail, even though apparently she was quite the crier before this (173). This seems like a major perk to long distance hiking, that your social and emotional issues take a backseat while you have to prioritize survival. 

Included is a picture of someone with similar feet issues after hiking. This is not the grossest picture that comes up when you google "pacific crest trail feet" so you're welcome.