hello, newbie here

[namehere]

hello everyone! i've been lurking this website for a while in hopes of gleaning some info on hiking. my hiking experience in the wilderness is virtually nil. i think a decade ago i might have spent 2 nights in a lodge that had no running water/electricity. it was a gruelling hike of fifty feet or so from the car to the lodge through ungraded and uncemented terrain. if i recall correctly, the brush surrounding the lodge had not been trimmed for what seemed like a few months. although the conditions were rough, we managed to survive the second night by hiking back to the car at one point to get the second cooler full of foodstuff (i grew up in the city).

in the coming months i will be afforded the opportunity to do some extended hikes. i am starting with a clean slate (meaning no gear, no experience). i am willing to learn from my mistakes (buying wrong gear, making poor decisions), but would rather avoid common and preventable ones if i can. unfortunately, i live in a metropolitan city in the midwest where the landscape is rather flat, and hiking trails almost non-existent. i will probably end up having to travel south in order to find some significant trails to hike.

i've learned a great deal already by reading through many of the posts here and will try not to ask questions that have already been addressed a billion times before- but i still may end up asking them... more so because i'm greener than green. i'd like to thank all those who have taken the time to impart their experiences to others; reading different people's observations really help. i haven't decided yet whether down or synthetic is right for me(i'm allergic to cats/down, but will the 'higher' quality down be ok?). i have yet to formulate an opinion on hammockers (are they strange people to be avoided, or elitist or lazy or...?). i expect to carry 30-40lbs on my back- i say this because i think i like the notion of buying into durable goods rather than the flimsier ultra-light stuff (but then, i never had to hike 2000 miles).

i posted this in the general forum since i've no clue at this point if a thru-hike in '07 is attainable for me. i've got the time and resources, but no experience. presently, the idea is quite appealing to me. enough rambling for now- just wanted to state again how much i appreciate the site and its members.

[peter_pan]

Welcome....

Do it the light, comfortable way and become a hammocker...

Pan

[TOW]

welcome aboard...........

[SGT Rock]

Don't sweat the small stuff. Gear will work itself out. Just remember we hike to have fun.

[K0OPG]

if you have the time and the resources then go for it!!!experience comes with trial and error. you will learn and it will become easier. Listen to the advise here but still hike your own hike. I like to add to that "pack your own pack". If you like external frame packs then carry one. If you would rather have a tent than a hammock, then get one. ask which are better than others, which are lighter than others and so on. Then MAKE UP YOUR OWN MIND.Welcome, and like the rock said...HAVE FUN.

[Gaiter]

Welcome, read as much as you can, then decide was is a good idea and will work for you, what is a good idean but not quite for you, and what is just plain dumb. Then go and try out things on small hikes, find someone with experience or an outfitters that does group trips. Have fun!

Hanna

[Heater]

i posted this in the general forum since i've no clue at this point if a thru-hike in '07 is attainable for me. i've got the time and resources, but no experience. presently, the idea is quite appealing to me.

Do you read trailjournals? Lots of people start with little or no hiking experience. Go for it!

[berninbush]

As one newbie-urban-hiker-from-a-flat-place to another, the best advice I could give is to remember that a two-mile hike uphill is a vastly different experience from a two-mile hike on the flat, particularly if you're not used to walking uphill at all. There are some leg muscles you probably aren't using right now that will screech and complain loudly if you set off in the mountains without giving them any warning.

I agree with the advice to start with short hikes and build up, and I would also say, do everyday conditioning exercises to prepare yourself to climb. One of the best and simplest, if you live in a city with tall buildings, is to put on a lightweight pack and climb lots and lots of stairs up and down. I guarantee you'll ache the next day if you're not used to that sort of work, but it gets easier with time and will make your first mountain hike a much more enjoyable experience.

[MOWGLI]

My advice to you would be to join a local hiking club. or attend a clinic at a local outfitter. Explore places near home.

It's not tough. It's just walking with some gear on your back. Good luck!

[Shutterbug]

While you are selecting your gear, don't forget the camera. Long after the sore muscles are past, you will enjoy the pictures that you take.

One lesson it took me a while to learn is to take pictures of the people you meet on the trail. The scenery is beautiful, but the friends you make on the trail are important too.

[namehere]

thanks folks! as i mentioned above, my time will be freeing up soon so i hope to be able to get to a local outfitter and at least physically look at some of the gear i've been reading about. and yes, trailjournals is great- spent hours reading through some of the journals of the thru-hikers with envy. good advice from everyone so far. i must mention i am a bit of a gadget-freak. i enjoy doing some r&d before buying stuff. but i hear what you're saying sgt rock. in the end, the gear will only help me get there, whereas the 'getting there' part is perhaps more significant. i just don't want my gear to work against me. i'll try to get a better understanding of the HYOH mantra once i've done some myself.

[SGT Rock]

Yes, get a camera and keep a journal. I once thought I would always remember all those times. But as the years go by I find journaling during a trip helps it more - just like pictures. Then years later when you read the journals, you will love the memories they spark.

As to gear. It is fun to research and play with. I am still a gear freak when it comes to just playing with new stuff. But to be honest, the more I get comfortable with a good kit, the less I want to change parts of my basic stuff. I think when you finally get a good, comfortable packing list and gear, you don't want to just change for the sake of change. In the end, the less you have to think about your gear while hiking, the better the hike (and the gear if you think about that).

[FanaticFringer]

Peter Pan is right. Light and comfortable is the way to go. Camped out in my hammock this past weekend in near freezing weather. Total weight carried was 13 lbs. Slept like a baby after a warm bottle of milk. Check out www.hammockforums.net for great hammock info.

[Jaybird]

Welcome "Name Here"...

the gear thing will work itself out....do some "practice" hikes around your neck-of-the-woods....maybe investigate your local hiking club & head out with them on a few "overnighters"....ask questions...then purchase what you need.

It's a GRAND Adventure....glad you're here!

[bigmac_in]

Dude - you are at the right place. You will learn more on these forums than you can in any book. I started the same way a little over a year ago, and have taken two section hikes since. I have the resources, but not the time, for a thru-hike. If you have both - go for it. I wish I could. Practice hikes are a great idea. Get your gear, load up and take a 10 mile day hike in some hilly terrain. You'll figure things out pretty quick.

[trlhiker]

Welcome and learn what I have learned already, light is right and much more fun to carry than heavy. Go with quality lite weight gear. Good luck to you.

[skeeterfeeder]

Welcome. I will attest to what others have stated, you've come to the right place. I picked up enough in a few months from Whiteblaze to to do the AT in '05 with little previous experience. You will more than likely make mistakes with gear choices, but learn from them. Also, go to a good outfitter and get properly fitted on your pack and boots. That will save you much grief later. I KNOW first hand.

Also, if you are looking for a trail to get some experience, try the Ozark Trail. It is west of St. Louis and goes through some beautiful country.

[River Runner]

Get the best sleeping bag you can afford.
Buy the lightest gear you think you will find serviceable. You might be surprised to find that much of the light gear is well constructed (part of the expense) and as durable as the heavy stuff.
I have never regretted buying something lighter. I have regretted buying something heavier & usually ended up replacing it with something lighter, and relegated the heavier item to car-camping, everyday use, or taking up space in the gear totes.
A hammock has worked wonderfully for me and many others. Some don't like them, but I find I usually sleep better in my hammock than in my bed at home.
Don't spend a lot on a stove at first. Make a simple alcohol stove, try it, and see if you like alcohol. If you don't, you can always buy a stove later, hopefully after you've seen a few in operation in the field & know what you might like.
Don't buy a lot of "gadgets" that aren't necessary. You will probably end up leaving them at home after a few trips.

[Big Dawg]

, newbie Namehere!

[namehere]

thanks again everyone for the welcome and advice!