Date: 2007-01-22
To: Shakedown Hike #1
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday I went on my first shakedown hike. I got underway at 9:50 am (later than I planned, as I forgot to turn my alarm clock on.) The 12-mile hike started out at NY17 & Arden Valley Road in Orange County. Clear sky, no wind, and a brisk 23 degrees out. Hiking southbound on the AT, armed with all my new equipment and a 20 lb. pack or so, I was extremely excited to try everything out. The trail starts with a steep 600 ft. ascent up Anthony's Grind. While my equipment worked great, my legs weren't as cooperative in the beginning. By the time I reached the top less than a mile from my car, breathing heavily and standing on shaky legs, I was thinking "man, am I going to be sore for the first month on the trail" until I get into better shape. But the views were great, and the trail leveled out a bit before descending and then running me through moderate ups and downs for a while. I quickly developed a good rhythm and kept going. I've never hiked with trekking poles before, but I've already fallen in love. Not only do they help take some pressure off my knees, they saved me from busting my rear on a few occasions. I had one particularly close call. About 8 miles into this little jaunt, you come to a beautiful waterfall, with a steep descent of about 200 feet off to the side. As I'm carefully picking my way down the rocks, I step on a patch of ice covered by leaves. Rather than bouncing down 100 feet of boulders and jagged rocks, my trekking poles helped bring me to a stop while still upright after a wildly flailing from rock to rock more or less out of control. That definitely got my heart pumping...I was making decent time, so I spent 45 minutes at Wildcat Shelter, just 2 miles from my ending point. Built in 1992, it was very clean and very solid. With time to kill, I pulled out my stove and cooked up some Lipton alfredo noodles. I read the shelter journal while munching on a hot lunch. Finally, with an hour left and two miles to go, I packed everything up and finished up at NY 17A with 15 minutes to spare. Now I just had to wait for Ally to find me in the middle of nowhere.I learned a few lessons yesterday. First, if it's below freezing, don't keep Snickers in outside pockets - they freeze quickly. Along a similar vein, remember to drink frequently from your drinking tube. Not just to avoid dehydration, but because the water will quickly freeze in the tube. Second, food = energy and heat. I noticed my hands getting cold after awhile, even with my gloves. One Snickers later they warmed up, and my pace noticeably quickened. Third, you don't need heavy clothing if you're moving. Despite the cold temperature, I was warm (and sometimes sweating) with just a tee shirt and mid-weight long sleeve baselayer, and lightweight polypropylene bottoms and nylon hiking pants. I didn't put on my fleece jacket until I was standing still at the shelter. Fourth, I need some pockets for things I want easy access to. I'll be ordering two small pouches that clip on to the shoulder straps of my pack. The Vapor Trail is a great lightweight pack, but lacks accessilbe pockets. I didn't stop to eat nearly as often as I should have because I didn't want to take the pack off, open it up, dig out the food, and then reverse the process. In addition, I took off my hat at one point because I was sweating, and lost it somewhere along the trail (again, no good pockets.) Finally, I learned that I definitely need to find a solution to my boot issue. I love my boots, with the one exception that they put pressure on my right shinbone. By the end of the hike, there was a spot that was rubbed raw. No big deal for a day hike, but it will be a problem doing this day after day. It was a great hike. I'll be doing these as often as my schedule and the weather allow. Sorry I don't have any pictures up yet. I hope to purchase a digital camera within the next week or so, and start posting photos soon after that. Until next time...