Date: 2010-02-08
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Miles today: 0.0

Last Saturday I finally got the chance to do some ¢actual¢ hiking. Finally! Seriously, it¢s tough to just ¢get away¢ on a trail when you live in Texas. There¢s not exactly a trail at every stop here in the Dallas area so you have to just make due with what you got, feel me? However, I did do some research and found the North Shore Trail on the banks of Lake Grapevine. Nice little trail. From one end to the other it¢s approximately 9 miles. It was built in the 1930¢s as a public works project (quiz: who was the President during that time period? Answer at the bottom) and is now maintained by the US Army Corps of Engineers. When my friend Kristin and I set out it was overcast and about 43 degrees. I had a few main reasons for wanting to do an actual hike. First, I had to test my shoes (Vasque Blur). Second, I had to test my endurance as I have only been doing my daily walks of 4 miles or less a day. Third, I wanted to get out and into the woods. We had a good time. It was great to get back into the woods. I brought a backpack with about half of the weight I am going to be carrying on the AT. I have to get used to carrying weight but I didn¢t want to overdo it for this trip. Anyways, we walked about 11 miles in all. The shoes: I am so very impressed with my Vasque trail runners so far. After 11 miles with beginner ascents and descents my feet did not even have a hot spot let alone any blisters. My feet were in great shape and I am sooooo happy about that. I am probably going to stick with trail runners. The only variance I have yet to test out is the weather and how the shoes hold up in the rain or muddy conditions. That will come while I am on AT because I will not be testing my Vasque¢s in rain beforehand.My endurance: So-so. Nothing awesome. Only walking 3-4 miles a day due to working full time and being a single father (to Charlie the Black Pug) I can¢t walk a ton each day. I am more relying on the weekends for more distancy type walks. Anywho, I was pretty tired at the end. I was also starved. I don¢t really appreciate my stomach having a hikers appetite after only 3 hours of hiking. That¢s supposed to happen weeks into a hiking trip, not hours. Also, the place on my foot where my heel and ankle come together was quite sore on my left foot. Two years ago I sprained my ankle in the exact spot (at least I think I did) while playing against the DFW Doom in arena football. It never seemed to heel and I had to get it taped a lot for last season. I hope that it¢s just a soreness thing and not a damage/foot needs to be amputated thing.Into the Woods: Yaaaaaay, it was awesome¢¦.aside from the 757¢s that were flying over head constantly due to the DFW International Airport being right next to Lake Grapevine. Other than the occasional jet, it was quite peaceful.On another note: CALLING ALL APPALACHIAN TRAIL THRU HIKERS. I¢m about to buy a down sleeping bag. Yes, I am aware of the effects of when it gets wet. Hear me out though. I hate being cold at night. I absolutely hate losing sleep due to being chilly. Am I taking a well calculated risk or is this foolhardy and I should stick to synthetic? I need your input.Gear Update: After several hours of intensive research on Trailjournals.com I decided to buy the Patagonia Micropuff Nano Jacket. This will be my warmth or at least some of it. I also bought the 2010 Thru Hikers Companion book. Oh, and I purchased some University of Texas Crocs. I looked for University of Kentucky, my alma mater but they didn¢t have any so I figured I would have my crocs be the piece of Texas I carry for this trip¢¦TX being the state I currently reside in I feel obligated to bring something from the Longhorn state short of a TX flag. I think I¢m gonna wear my favorite Red Sox hat as I grew up in NH and I am a die hard New England all around sports fan. Now, I need some ideas on what I can carry as a piece of KY on this trip.(Answer: Franklin D. Roosevelt) www.awalkforthefuture.com