47. 19 Colorado, Durango: Perrin Peak, deceptively steep with some tricky features and strangely, a squeak to speak of...

View of Hogsback from Perrin Peak overlook.

“Pull in over here,” Jen said as we returned from a shorter hike following the wonderful Ice Lakes Basin and Island Lake experience in the high mountains. We had decided to ease up the day following such a wonderful adventure. She was pointing to the Jiffy Lube ahead. 

“What can I do for you?” The attendant asked. 

“We’ve noticed a squeak and were thinking that a lubrication might just do the trick.” 

“Well, you’ve come to the right place—that’s what we're here for, sir.” I smiled at Jenni—she had it all figured out. 

“Pull over there and let me take a look at your problem,” he signaled to me, showing where to park our pride and joy, the Kia. 

We add this tidbit because we know it will stir grandson Benny who favors autos a little higher up in the pecking order, commencing with a Tesla. Why were we there and what was the cause of our problem?

(continues at end)

The next 3 pictures are from an earlier period during which we walked along the edge to the top of Hogsback. In retrospect, it does not look that wise.

Across the way we spot Nighthorse lake/reservoir.

If you're going to rest, the overhang is as good as any. Definitely developing show-off potential.

Fall colors brighten the scene. Nature has an amazing way of looking good as it dies.

Trying out for the long jump.

Seems to be his fascination. Well, it takes all types.

Feeling stronger after Ice Lake basin experience, we set out for Perrin Peak. Soon into the hike, we heard an intermittent squeak. A few days earlier, Jenni’s whistle, hanging outside her backpack, created a clicking sound. She thought it was something in her pack generating the noise. I, however, thought it was coming from my bag. This continued for a while and Jen shared some of her thoughts. The one that took the cake—she guessed a mouse had entered her backpack overnight and was squeaking, hoping to escape. Her second thought was of a cricket or bird. 

I began to think my boots were causing the squeak. I tried different movements, but the squeak persisted, especially on the inclines. Jen then mentioned in jest that it could be my titanium hip. We had a laugh about her flippant comment. On the way down, I tried different moves again. I even had Jen hold my bag and keep still while I walked. Sure enough: Many a true word spoken in jest. My hip was squeaking. It was also getting worse, no longer intermittent but rather, sounding upon each step of the right foot. It became serious. It’s one thing passing a group of hikers with a burst of flatulence. A constant squeak could prove most embarrassing. And if it was the hip, what about bone and metal friction and the resulting effects. It was puzzling, worrying. When you need an orthopedic surgeon... 

We continued down the trail and I tried some exercises while walking quickly. With about 25 minutes to go, I twisted my hip around and felt very wobbly as if I would lose balance. It was another strange sensation, something occurred within. A minute or two later, I realized the squeak was gone…it has not returned…yet. 

We’ll have to provide a little context. We reached the high point of a hike two days earlier and decided to sit and take in the views. We found a fallen tree trunk and sat. After about ten minutes, I felt my thigh develop a spasm. It was a weird sensation; it seemed to go into what I would consider something like an electric shock. I stood immediately but had groin pain. I should add that it was on the same side as my hip replacement undergone near on 11 years before. I’m very aware of the hip at all times so I tried to figure what I had done wrong. Sitting on a trunk hardly seemed an error of judgment. Thereafter, I struggled to walk properly because the upper leg seemed to resist movement. 

The following day, I had to ask Jenni for forgiveness as I did not think I would make a hike. Besides the pain and hampered movements, it probably was an indication that I should rest. Jenni says I don’t always listen to my body signals. We walked in the town for a while and recounted our first trip to Durango some eleven years before. It was in the city, outside the railway station, that we formally decided the parameters of Hike-about. 

I still could not believe I could do damage to my body by sitting down and resting. At least go out in glory by jumping off a cliff, catching an overhead branch on the way down and swinging through the jungle and landing in a lake with a leg injury. 

 Imagine the conversation: “Hey, how did you sustain the injury?” 

“Well, I was sitting on a log.” “

Yes. And then what happened?” 

The follow up question anticipating something exciting. “Um…that’s it.” 

The big question is: Do we stick with the holistic approach to medicine and try an oil and grease? What do they say? ‘The squeaky wheel gets the grease’. On the other hand, should we pay a visit to the doctor and try and understand the issue and take it further. After all, I really love doctors’ visits nearly as much as dental sessions. Fortunately, two weeks later it seems the Jiffy lube was the answer.

Cheers,

Jenni and Jeffrey