Date: 2005-10-17
To: Fit for the Trail
Miles today: 0.0

Physical Prep: I have read experienced hikers¢ advice so many times saying that the best preparation for long-distance hiking is lots of hiking. So that is what I am trying to do! It¢s also the most fun kind of preparation, in my opinion. I love to hike. So my routine is to walk up the mountain behind our property each morning (at least 5 days a week), use ¢my¢ special tree up on the ridge to hang on to while I do leg and back stretches, then walk back down again; about 40 minutes. I also do about 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on a rebounder (mini-trampoline) about 5 days a week. Also some stair-step stuff with hand weights a few times a week. At this point I aim to get out on the trail once a week and do minimum of 8-10 miles of hiking, try out different trail foods, and decompress from the busyness of the week. As it gets closer to March, I will try to do more like 12-13 miles once a week, carrying full pack, work permitting. I plan to quit work the last of February and will then do several day hikes a week for the next couple of weeks, with fully loaded pack, to give my heart, lungs, feet, and knees some idea of what¢s ahead. Poor things ¢ they have no idea!   Mental Prep: I believe the key here is to stay positive! I am well aware that there are any number of things that could happen to derail this adventure before it ever gets started, and family needs should and will come before hiking needs. So, there is a bit of a quandary here; the need to be positive, ¢can-do¢, ¢go, go, go¢ in attitude, yet hold on lightly, being willing to change plans if necessary. I believe the best way is to receive and appreciate every day, whether a routine day of work and home or a day of adventure on the trail, as the gift from God that it is. I¢m happy to report it is ¢all systems go¢; I am just trying to keep myself both physically and mentally flexible!On those rare occasions when I have the thought ¢I can¢t do this!!!¢ I turn my thoughts to being in the woods, walking one step at a time, and immediately I feel calm and realize, ¢Yes, I can!¢Next journal entry I plan to do some gear notes ¢ hopefully sometime I will find time to figure out how to do the gear list on the left, but haven¢t yet. Speaking of gear, I have a confession to make. I CAN lose gear! Whenever I read of some hiker leaving their poles in someone¢s car, or their sleeping pad at a hostel, or their guidebook or bandana somewhere, I would always think ¢Well, I know I will have plenty of difficulties on the trail, but I least I won¢t be losing my gear!¢ I am GOOD at taking care of my stuff, and knowing where it is¢¦just ask DH. Well, a week or so ago on my AT day hike, I stopped at a shelter for a break. When it was time to go I reached for my poles and they weren¢t there; in fact they were nowhere around the shelter. Well! Then a picture flashed before my eyes of my poles leaning against a tree¢¦I had taken a pit stop about 0.2 of a mile before the shelter, and of course, leaned my poles against a tree. How could I possibly have hiked 0.2 of a mile without realizing I was missing my poles! More importantly, how could I now go back and find one certain tree well off the trail out of a whole forest of trees! Well, I made my way back to the area and went right to the tree with 2 poles leaning against it - YES! So, I now know that I am perfectly capable of losing my stuff, not a real comforting thought. But so far my sense of direction still seems to be intact!