Skeemer
12-29-2004, 11:00
Since I'm on kind of a rampage today I thought I'd try post something that might be helpful. I hit on it in Dainon's rookie question thread.
IMHO, the shakedown hike is too valuable to take lightly for someone who has little backpacking experinece (as I had before my thru-hike.)
I'm not sure a weekend or several days would have been enough for me.
Reasons:
I felt good the first two days then, after losing my appetite and not eating right, was nearly exhausted the 5th day limping into Harpers Ferry in 95 degree weater. By that time I had reached a level trail into town and was taking breaks every five minutes while filtering water out of the Delaware river. Obviously I knew I should be eating right, but in my case I learned it the hard way.
After 2 weeks I was more than ready to go home and assess whether I really wanted to walk and climb for six months.
I learned my pack was too small (one of the reasons I did not carry the right food).
I met and talked to a number of experienced hikers. Most, like I am now, are more than willing to take a few minutes and share some advice.
I'm not an expert, but I would think you would want a couple of weeks to break in new boots. Having said that, I did recognize a boot problem the first day out on a one day hike.
You learn to manage your water. My shakedown was in the summer and one of the water sources was dried up. On an extended hike one of the most frequent questions from the hikers you meet is about the next water source.
I'm sure weekends are better than nothing but I wouldn't have learned what I did in a few days
IMHO, the shakedown hike is too valuable to take lightly for someone who has little backpacking experinece (as I had before my thru-hike.)
I'm not sure a weekend or several days would have been enough for me.
Reasons:
I felt good the first two days then, after losing my appetite and not eating right, was nearly exhausted the 5th day limping into Harpers Ferry in 95 degree weater. By that time I had reached a level trail into town and was taking breaks every five minutes while filtering water out of the Delaware river. Obviously I knew I should be eating right, but in my case I learned it the hard way.
After 2 weeks I was more than ready to go home and assess whether I really wanted to walk and climb for six months.
I learned my pack was too small (one of the reasons I did not carry the right food).
I met and talked to a number of experienced hikers. Most, like I am now, are more than willing to take a few minutes and share some advice.
I'm not an expert, but I would think you would want a couple of weeks to break in new boots. Having said that, I did recognize a boot problem the first day out on a one day hike.
You learn to manage your water. My shakedown was in the summer and one of the water sources was dried up. On an extended hike one of the most frequent questions from the hikers you meet is about the next water source.
I'm sure weekends are better than nothing but I wouldn't have learned what I did in a few days