Breaking Protocol!!

Normally I like to keep my blog postings in a form or fashion that would be considered as orderly. For example, if I post a blog that is for day 15 it would appear at the top of the page with day 14 below it, day 13 would be next and so on and so forth.

However, my trusted walking partner from Day One, Tina Donkers, walked her final miles on May 11th after 26 days of walking. I cannot speak too highly of Tina, (aka Medicine Woman), and believe it’s more than appropriate to acknowledge her contributions to my success so far.

Right from Day One I insisted that Tina take the lead, primarily because I have been accused in the past of going too fast, and it can be mentally demoralizing if you are always chasing people down! 

Tina did a great job setting a pace that we were both happy with, especially those sections that had huge climbs of several thousand feet.  

Tina’s trail name of Medicine Woman was richly deserved, and what started out as a bit of a joke quickly morphed into something more serious. During the week prior to our departure I had not one but two stress tests, as part of my annual visit to my cardiologist. So on the Monday of our first day of hiking, and within the first 3 miles, I started to lose feeling first in my left hand and then my left arm. I mentioned it to Tina, thinking it might be serious, and she calmly suggested I loosen the strap on my pack, which worked almost immediately. Later In the afternoon I mentioned I had a headache and Tina asked if I had been peeing! When I said no she suggested I drink more water, which I did, and that cleared the problem. I would add that I’m now drinking copious amounts of water and my trail name could easily be Camel.

This next piece about Tina is a little more personal but I know Tina will not mind me sharing this information. 29 years ago Tina’s body was riddled with Arthritis and she needed a cane to get around. Tina had great difficulty in opening doors and couldn’t even rotate the pedals of a bicycle. The prognosis for her long term future was not good. A friend then suggested that Tina might want to investigate eating of red meat as that might be a part of the solution. Tina immediately cut out the meat and noticed instant results but not enough that she was out of the woods just yet! Tina then started a process of experimentation which resulted in caffeine and alcohol being eliminated from her diet, and also dairy products. Tina’s final breakthrough was going gluten free. If Tina had not persevered she would, in all likelihood have been in a wheelchair by now, but because of her drive and tenacity Tina has just walked over 450 extremely tough miles along the PCT pain free (apart from the blisters)!

Tina’s story mirrors both what the PCT is all about as well as that of the clients Opportunity International serves. Tina’s story you now know, but the PCT is a beast and every day is a tremendous challenge and you have to work incredibly hard for your success, a journey Tina started 29 years ago with staggering success. Those people living in poverty face these same challenges on a daily basis, and walking the PCT one can really relate to the poor. If you haven’t donated yet can I please ask you to consider doing so? It would most greatly appreciated. Donate here: https://ca.opportunity.org/fundraisers/2018pct

In closing let me say a huge thank you to Tina for her contribution to the success of the walk thus far. Her trail name could so easily have been Duracell, Pocket Rocket, Wonder Woman, Gritty Woman or one of half a dozen names, but I believe Medicine Woman was the right call. 

Thank you so much Tina, take a bow and enjoy your well earned rest from the trail. 

Tina, aka Medicine Woman, enjoying a cool, refreshing drink in San Diego before the big ordeal!