Kungsleden, days 8 & 9

July 30, 2023, Kungsleden, day 8
There was a horrendous storm last night around 9 pm that woke us both up. The tent was getting pushed all over the place, but it held firm, the storm slacked off and we fell back asleep, only to wake again at 3 am when the alarm went off.
The sky was cloudy but the ground was fairly dry. The sky was nevertheless almost 100% overcast. We ate breakfast and packed up in record time, ready to go at 4.05 am.
After two hours walking, and just before we reached Pårte Stuga, it started raining. I stopped to put on my rain pants and pack cover while Patsy continued. At the Pårte / Kvikkjokk junction I wasn't sure which way she'd gone but chose the latter. Fortunately, that was the correct choice. We stopped to eat second breakfast but the mosquitoes were really bad so we didn't tarry.
About an hour before reaching Kvikkjokk two other hikers overtook us. We wanted to get a room at the Kvikkjokk Fjällstation so I sped on ahead of Patsy and reached the station at noon. It was to no avail, however, as they were fully booked. Camping was free, unlike outside the Fjällstugor where camping costs 200 SEK per person.
I booked dinner at 6 pm, breakfast for 7 am tomorrow, and arranged a 10 am boat ride for tomorrow morning with Björn. Patsy had meanwhile arrived, and not too long after me.
We sat at a table, me drinking a beer, together with two girls, Caoimhe (pronounced Quiva) and Aislinn (Ashlyn), who are Dublin, Ireland. They're doing the same hike as us, camping along the entire Kungsleden from Abisko to Hemavan but they're moving about 50% slower (12 days to Kvikkjokk as opposed to our 8 days). They sleep a lot longer than us.
For dinner, Patsy and I split a char entree, and then both had reindeer thigh for our main course. Mmm, it was so good!
July 31, 2023, Kungsleden, day 9
We were awoken at 5.30 am by heavy raindrops splattering on the tent. There was also a distant rumble of thunder. Looking outside the tent I saw a double rainbow. Cool!
We packed up, except for the tent, in a light rain and went to the excellent, as always, breakfast buffet at 7 am. We sat with Nicole from Germany, a botanist. She'd done half the Kungsleden and was finishing here in Kvikkjokk.
It rained on and off while we were eating breakfast but had stopped when we went to pack up the tent. We returned to the Fjällstation with our backpacks, now with a little more food since we bought some yesterday and hung around until 9.40 am because we'd arranged a 10 am motor boat ride across Sakkat Lake.
Nicole had told us there was a box of isobutane canisters next to the trash bins. I went to investigate, planning to transfer some gas to our 1 lb canister. I was carrying my transfer device but there was an almost full 1 lb canister. After testing it to ensure it wasn't defective I swapped it for mine, which was now maybe only one third full. Score!
We met Helena, our motorboat skipper, at the dock. It was raining and she had no one else to ferry across but she took us for 250 SEK each. This was very reasonable vis-à-vis all our other boat rides and she was very pleasant, giving us some hints about the upcoming trail, including to be watchful for seesawing planks and slippery rocks.
It stopped raining just as we were approaching the dock on the southern shore. We had a quick look in the shelter that was located nearby. There's a cell phone hanging on the wall so people can call to request a boat from this shore.
Again, we had to climb after leaving the dock, to a plateau and then descend to a river valley where there's an unmanned Stuga.
On the descent, I stepped on a rock and my right foot skidded out from under me. I fell, hard, on my tailbone on the same rock. It really hurt but I didn't think I had broken anything. It took me a little time before I regained enough composure to stand up and walk again.
We started down the hill but after a minute or two I realized that my hat had gone missing. Patsy went back to collect it for me and found it some distance off the trail.
We continued, me in some pain, and then the rain started. It was torrential but we had our raingear on, pack covers on, and our umbrellas.
At the river, we checked out the stuga on the south side. It didn't look great so we set up our tent back across the river.
Looking at the forecast via our InRreach we decided to set the alarm for 1.00 am to hike the next stage before the afternoon rain started.
I took an Advil+codeine with dinner. Walking wasn't too bad, but applying pressure in the area of my tailbone was painful. I also have some Percocet but if I need to take any of these I think I'll also need to call for a helicopter. I found I could lie on my back on my NeoAir Thermarest without discomfort.
I slipped on a rock once before, while hiking the Sierra High Route. That time I broke a trekking pole and hurt my right wrist but this time was a lot more painful. I should have paid more heed to Helena's advice.

[@JamesMcGlynn-ub2ld]

You captured the Kings trail really nicely. The weather up there is always so extreme, one minute it’s hot and sunny and the next it’s cold and snowy. You just never know what to expect.

[@warnoter]

Thanks for entertaining us lazy folks.

[@laurenbouchie2394]

Just beautiful, but unfortunately the weather had other ideas. Can't really complain you have had good weather for the most part on this adventure. Looks like you had a little bad luck all around , falling on your tailbone is painful! I have once it was no fun at all! I am glad you were able to keep on going though.

[@OvertheHills]

Looking back, uncharacteristically for me, I downplayed how much pain I was in. I came close to pushing the SOS button on the InReach but I managed to continue. We ended up cutting short our backpack but still had a good time. Happy New Year!

[@laurenbouchie2394]

@@OvertheHills HAPPY NEW YEAR!