Mile 1509.0: good talks and a long resupply in Castella

Microburst had and I had a long, serious talk as we hiked down toward I-5. What if I'm doing permanent damage to my knees? What if I had to get off the trail? Would I be able to think of what I've already done as a partial success, or would I view my lack of finishing as a failure? Given my history of knee problems, was this whole hike a really stupid idea? Should I give up hiking (more specifically, downhills), running, and downhill skiing in favor of swimming, biking, and cross country skiing? A switch like that could be a cop-out, but I could also be the doorway to a happy, active future- with less pain and limping. The conversation ended with us both crying and hugging, suddenly very emotional about the idea of me leaving.

When we caught up to Sweet 16, conversation turned sillier. Ever since Micro thought she saw/heard a cougar hiking into the night, we've been discussing the merits of cougars, and cat's in general. They can hang out and jump on you from rocky outcroppings and cliffs, they can sneak around, etc. No wonder there's a Cat Woman. Felines can do cool shit. But what if there was an enemy, or maybe a side kick: Dog Woman. Her powers: loyalty, happiness, and rolling in smelly stuff.

In Castella, I talked on the phone to a friend's husband who is an Orhopedic surgeon's P.A. From our converstion, this is what I gathered:
I'm probably not doing