I used to be an avid backpacker until I had kids; so when I went out this past weekend for a strenuous hike in Tennessee with some friends I tried to channel the spirit of my youth. Mistake. I hiked almost 14 miles in one day in 96º weather up and down ridge after ridge.
We left around 7:30pm from the trail head to hike into our campsite about 2 miles in and within minutes I was sweating like a pig. We get to the campsite after dark and try to settle in for the night BUT sleeping in a sleeping bag in 80º heat is not ideal...actually it's like sleeping in a small slice of hell. Then add on the fact that one of the guys with me finds a black widow in his sleeping bag and you have a recipe for almost NO sleep (90 minutes for me, thank you very much)
The next morning we hiked through crazy trails overgrown with stickers and poison ivy (my legs look like I've been attacked by a cat), and as we moved slowly and sweatily toward our car on the other end we heard from several hikers that "it's not too far". Yeah...we thought :(
Two of us broke off to grab the cars and meet everyone ahead BUT thought we wouldn't need to water up because the hikers told us "it's not too far". THREE miles later I had almost literally collapsed of complete dehydration and heat exhaustion...marching through boulder fields, hill upon hill begging (and cussing) at the trail.
When I finally found the car, my hiking partner said I looked horrible, and we rushed to the nearest gas station to get liquid. I drank over 100 oz. of liquid in 30 minutes and didn't pee (sorry...) for hours. It was crazy! My wife asked me when I got home how I thought what I did was fun...I smiled and said, "It all makes for great stories and that's what I love!"
2 comments:
In the spring I did 70 miles in Pennsylvania. It was my first big trip in YEARS, and the longest I ever hiked. It was great. After the first 3 days or so the soreness wore off and I was hiking fairly well.
Last August a buddy and I were going to do 4 days in Southern Ohio. Halfway through the first day he was whining so bad we ended up going home the next day!
And for some reason, I still love backpacking.
Me too...in the middle of it I'm thinking of my couch and Starbucks but by the end there are few places I'd rather be.
BTW...70 miles is impressive!
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