June 22, 2008

• Five Loaded Miles Under My Belt

  Yesterday I did my first 5 mile hike with a pack of gear on my back.  The pack was 20 lbs and included all the equipment I will take for the real backpacking adventure.  It didn't include food or extra clothes and toiletries.

  Anyway, I did the whole 5 (fairly flat) miles with the pack on, and my hiking boots on (another 3 lbs), and was happily tired but fine at the end of it.  I was very pleased with myself.

  We had Mexican food for lunch, then we came home and I took a bubble bath, then we went to the mall (more walking - it's a huge frakkin' mall), then we saw Ironman (don't bother - the flying is cool, but the rest is duller than dishwater).

  I'm less sore than I expected to be today, which is also a good sign.  My mid-back muscles are a smidge tired and my legs are still a smidge tired, but overall I feel fine.  All good.

  Later, I'll do a walk around the neighborhood, with the dogpack (Lucky and Baby) but not the backpack - it'll be an easy exercise day.

  In a couple days, I'll do another backpacking trial run, spending 48 hours on my own at a local national park, and if that goes well, next weekend I'm planning to go back down to Kiptopeke State Park and spending a few days on my own down there, hiking and practicing my hermit skills for my 100 mile AT experience.

  • 7:05 am
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