We have a delightful trail network behind our neighborhood. Several miles of trails zig zagging through the woods, ups and downs, over a bridge that spans a trickle that may have at one point been an actual creek, down an old logging road, to Buck Lake, etc. They are all very well maintained, all trail heads carefully marked with the distances from one point to the next. We've walked them on and off over the last couple of years, and we are always amazed by the beauty that is nearly in our own backyard. We decided to start walking those trails more to get prepared for going on our hike, the goal being to hike into the mountains with everything we need loaded into our packs on our backs. This isn't something I am ready to do just yet, so for now we opted for baby steps, and those start on our neighborhood trails.
I dug out my old pair of hiking boots, which really weren't that old in terms of how often they'd been worn, dusted them off, put them on, and together we set out on a sunny Saturday afternoon for a walk. The woods were beautiful, the sun was filtering down through the vibrant greens of the trees, the birds chirped, and once on the old logging road we saw signs that many other creatures had traveled the same path, and some not long before us! My time with R is always good, and this day wasn't any different. We set out at a good pace, water bottle in hand, pedometer on my hip . . . and before long something very important became quite apparent to me. My boots were not going to be sufficient for the trips we had planned. As the walk went on I became quite aware of just how important new boots were going to be as my feet began to have rubbed spots on my heels and around my ankle. Well, shoot . . . that wasn't an expense I was prepared to deal with . . . but if I eventually want my big hike, I was going to have to just give up on my stubborn ways and buy some new, better boots.
So 1st baby step - make a list of the supplies and equipment needed for the activity you are going to undertake. Here's the list we came up with that night. Some of these things we had already, some we had to go and buy. A well thought out list is very important. I'll list the basics, but research the trails you'll be planning on hiking and plan your list according to weather common in that area, the conditions of the trails, etc.
BOOTS - good ones. The boots you get at any lower budget sporting goods store likely aren't going to give you the support and stability you need. Keep in mind the difficulty level of the hikes you are going to be taking - are you going to be heading out on simple little trails, medium to difficult trails, or are you going full on alpine hiking? If you are going to be on trails that are very well maintained then you may be able to get away with a light hiking shoe, however if you are going to be on even easy trails carrying a load, you will need more supportive boots. If you are hiking trails that are unimproved with roots and loose rock you will need even more stability, and an aggressive tread - Vibram soles are the standard that other boots are measured by. Because we live in the often wet Pacific NW, it would be a good idea to make sure you have a breathable waterproof boot. Go to a sporting goods store that has experienced staff who are knowledgeable about their product. We went to Sports Haus in Poulsbo and were given some of the best customer service we'd had in a long time. They sized us, watched us walk to see how our feet did in the boots, and they made great recommendations and had a good variety of quality brand name boots.
CLOTHING - Since most hikes that we'll be doing together will be in warm weather, I'm focusing right now on warm weather clothing - light weight, breathable clothes with lots of pockets for carrying miscellaneous stuff, shirts with venting under the arms, and at the back. Hiking is hot work and you need to be able to release the heat. Hats are very important too - they keep the sun off of your head, as well as the rain. I ended up with 2 baseball caps (ok, I admit it, I like to color coordinate), and 1 black rain hat. Socks. Oh my goodness - this one nearly needs a separate category. I realize that spending a lot of money on socks goes against the grain for many people, and I admit that I felt a little choked up at the cost of these, but we ended up getting socks that were specially made for hiking that are made of a combination of merino wool and bamboo. OH MY GOSH! These things are AMAZING! They are cushy and soft, but even when the feet are sweaty and hot, they don't smell funky! They also dry quickly once you've taken them off. The socks will affect how your boots fit, how your feet FEEL in your boots, and by the end of your hike, the right socks could make or break your whole experience. Always carry a backup pair of socks. *REMEMBER* NO cotton socks - they get wet and sweaty, they do not wick the moisture away from your skin and you will be utterly miserable after a hike in cotton socks, probably with hot spots and blisters. For the ladies, a sports bra isn't a bad idea - the girls need to be kept comfortable and face it, if you find yourself doing a quickstep down a steep hill, you'll want everyone strapped in appropriately. A lightweight rain jacket - Like I said before, we are in the Pacific NW - it rains here a lot. If you are near the coast or in the mountains, it rains more often than a lot - so a rain jacket is pretty important thing to have. Mine is a water resistant, breathable jacket that squishes down very small and fits into its own pocket so I can stuff it into my little day pack without taking up much room. Layers - dress in layers, shirts, polar fleece jackets, etc. that you can compress and stuff into your pack. You can always take off layers if you get too warm, but if you start out without enough layers to put on to warm up, you'll be miserable if cool weather comes or if it starts to rain. Always have your extra insulation with you, even if you think you'll only be gone a little while.
BACKPACK - The size of the pack depends on how long you plan on being gone. Regardless of whether you are taking a few hour day hike and only want to carry some water and a couple protein bars, or if you are heading into the mountains for a several day stay, you need to make sure that your pack is well made, ergonomically suited to your frame, and has good shoulder, hip and chest support straps. The hip straps are very important the heavier your pack is going to be - you want the heaviest weight to be at the hip line, and the straps keep it from flopping around and adding strain to your spine. Having pockets that hold water bottles and snacks within easy reach without having to take your pack off is important. You can hydrate and get energy snacks along the way without having to slow down your pace.
MISC - Day hike items to take along (I'll cover overnight stays later on) that come in handy: a good pocket knife, trekking poles, water, protein bars/gorp, sunglasses, camera (you know you want to take pictures of all the beautiful nature you're hiking through), extra socks, mole skin for any hot spots you may develop, mosquito repellent (that could easily be #1 on this list).
The list of items could be endless, but your pack isn't bottomless so plan carefully. I have a lot to learn, and I know I'll be learning for a good long time. I'll be back with a more detailed plan on getting the right boots, socks, equipment, etc. Until then, happy planning!
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Baby Steps . . .
We have a delightful trail network behind our neighborhood. Several miles of trails zig zagging through the woods, ups and downs, over a bridge that spans a trickle that may have at one point been an actual creek, down an old logging road, to Buck Lake, etc. They are all very well maintained, all trail heads carefully marked with the distances from one point to the next. We've walked them on and off over the last couple of years, and we are always amazed by the beauty that is nearly in our own backyard. We decided to start walking those trails more to get prepared for going on our hike, the goal being to hike into the mountains with everything we need loaded into our packs on our backs. This isn't something I am ready to do just yet, so for now we opted for baby steps, and those start on our neighborhood trails.
I dug out my old pair of hiking boots, which really weren't that old in terms of how often they'd been worn, dusted them off, put them on, and together we set out on a sunny Saturday afternoon for a walk. The woods were beautiful, the sun was filtering down through the vibrant greens of the trees, the birds chirped, and once on the old logging road we saw signs that many other creatures had traveled the same path, and some not long before us! My time with R is always good, and this day wasn't any different. We set out at a good pace, water bottle in hand, pedometer on my hip . . . and before long something very important became quite apparent to me. My boots were not going to be sufficient for the trips we had planned. As the walk went on I became quite aware of just how important new boots were going to be as my feet began to have rubbed spots on my heels and around my ankle. Well, shoot . . . that wasn't an expense I was prepared to deal with . . . but if I eventually want my big hike, I was going to have to just give up on my stubborn ways and buy some new, better boots.
So 1st baby step - make a list of the supplies and equipment needed for the activity you are going to undertake. Here's the list we came up with that night. Some of these things we had already, some we had to go and buy. A well thought out list is very important. I'll list the basics, but research the trails you'll be planning on hiking and plan your list according to weather common in that area, the conditions of the trails, etc.
BOOTS - good ones. The boots you get at any lower budget sporting goods store likely aren't going to give you the support and stability you need. Keep in mind the difficulty level of the hikes you are going to be taking - are you going to be heading out on simple little trails, medium to difficult trails, or are you going full on alpine hiking? If you are going to be on trails that are very well maintained then you may be able to get away with a light hiking shoe, however if you are going to be on even easy trails carrying a load, you will need more supportive boots. If you are hiking trails that are unimproved with roots and loose rock you will need even more stability, and an aggressive tread - Vibram soles are the standard that other boots are measured by. Because we live in the often wet Pacific NW, it would be a good idea to make sure you have a breathable waterproof boot. Go to a sporting goods store that has experienced staff who are knowledgeable about their product. We went to Sports Haus in Poulsbo and were given some of the best customer service we'd had in a long time. They sized us, watched us walk to see how our feet did in the boots, and they made great recommendations and had a good variety of quality brand name boots.
CLOTHING - Since most hikes that we'll be doing together will be in warm weather, I'm focusing right now on warm weather clothing - light weight, breathable clothes with lots of pockets for carrying miscellaneous stuff, shirts with venting under the arms, and at the back. Hiking is hot work and you need to be able to release the heat. Hats are very important too - they keep the sun off of your head, as well as the rain. I ended up with 2 baseball caps (ok, I admit it, I like to color coordinate), and 1 black rain hat. Socks. Oh my goodness - this one nearly needs a separate category. I realize that spending a lot of money on socks goes against the grain for many people, and I admit that I felt a little choked up at the cost of these, but we ended up getting socks that were specially made for hiking that are made of a combination of merino wool and bamboo. OH MY GOSH! These things are AMAZING! They are cushy and soft, but even when the feet are sweaty and hot, they don't smell funky! They also dry quickly once you've taken them off. The socks will affect how your boots fit, how your feet FEEL in your boots, and by the end of your hike, the right socks could make or break your whole experience. Always carry a backup pair of socks. *REMEMBER* NO cotton socks - they get wet and sweaty, they do not wick the moisture away from your skin and you will be utterly miserable after a hike in cotton socks, probably with hot spots and blisters. For the ladies, a sports bra isn't a bad idea - the girls need to be kept comfortable and face it, if you find yourself doing a quickstep down a steep hill, you'll want everyone strapped in appropriately. A lightweight rain jacket - Like I said before, we are in the Pacific NW - it rains here a lot. If you are near the coast or in the mountains, it rains more often than a lot - so a rain jacket is pretty important thing to have. Mine is a water resistant, breathable jacket that squishes down very small and fits into its own pocket so I can stuff it into my little day pack without taking up much room. Layers - dress in layers, shirts, polar fleece jackets, etc. that you can compress and stuff into your pack. You can always take off layers if you get too warm, but if you start out without enough layers to put on to warm up, you'll be miserable if cool weather comes or if it starts to rain. Always have your extra insulation with you, even if you think you'll only be gone a little while.
BACKPACK - The size of the pack depends on how long you plan on being gone. Regardless of whether you are taking a few hour day hike and only want to carry some water and a couple protein bars, or if you are heading into the mountains for a several day stay, you need to make sure that your pack is well made, ergonomically suited to your frame, and has good shoulder, hip and chest support straps. The hip straps are very important the heavier your pack is going to be - you want the heaviest weight to be at the hip line, and the straps keep it from flopping around and adding strain to your spine. Having pockets that hold water bottles and snacks within easy reach without having to take your pack off is important. You can hydrate and get energy snacks along the way without having to slow down your pace.
MISC - Day hike items to take along (I'll cover overnight stays later on) that come in handy: a good pocket knife, trekking poles, water, protein bars/gorp, sunglasses, camera (you know you want to take pictures of all the beautiful nature you're hiking through), extra socks, mole skin for any hot spots you may develop, mosquito repellent (that could easily be #1 on this list).
The list of items could be endless, but your pack isn't bottomless so plan carefully. I have a lot to learn, and I know I'll be learning for a good long time. I'll be back with a more detailed plan on getting the right boots, socks, equipment, etc. Until then, happy planning!
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