Thankful for Chance at Backpacking

[wvbreamfisherman]

Working on a trip report for my AT section hike. Finally got all the pics from my hiking partner. She's out of town and hasn't sent me the journal entries yet, and I want to make sure I have the details right.

[ponderosa]

I get it. I've done little "real" backpacking since becoming a mom five years ago. We did some little trips with our first baby. Those trips shrunk back even further when our second was born. It's tough to pack two kids and all the gear on two smallish adults. We're mostly base campers and day hikers these days. I miss long, hard backpacking trips immensely. I had the chance to leave my kids home with my husband while I backpacked with my dad for a few days last fall. It was an emotional thing for me, too. Have a good trip.

[ppine]

Ponderosa,
The important thing is to keep going out there. I am walking every morning with our dogs to get legged up. Hunting season will start this year in late October, and the steep high mountains will require some time in th gym on the stair climber and soft treadmill.

As we age I think it takes a certain stubborness to keep going even when your friends are going out to dinner and drinking wine for entertainment. I appreciate the emotion in your writing that can only come from people who are "real" backpackers. I was invited last year on 2 very difficult long trips by close friends. They are younger than me in their 50s and in good shape. Some people are trying to get in those last hard trips while they are still able. I passed on both of them due to arthritic knees and the bad hip. My worst night mare is to go on a trip like that and slow down the group. I have spent my life organizing trips and leading other people. It is okay to go slower and not as far, but it is important to keep going. When I am too old to hunt I will be the camp cook.

I have met some young families with small children out on the volcanic plateau where we are headed on Wed. I will raise a cup to you, Grandpa, Ghost Dog, Old Sarge, Dinosaur, WVBream, Pathfiner and any others I can think of that will be with me in Spirit. Old Guys and Gals rule.

[Pathfinder1]

ppine;
Ponderosa,
The important thing is to keep going out there. I am walking every morning with our dogs to get legged up. Hunting season will start this year in late October, and the steep high mountains will require some time in th gym on the stair climber and soft treadmill.

As we age I think it takes a certain stubborness to keep going even when your friends are going out to dinner and drinking wine for entertainment. I appreciate the emotion in your writing that can only come from people who are "real" backpackers. I was invited last year on 2 very difficult long trips by close friends. They are younger than me in their 50s and in good shape. Some people are trying to get in those last hard trips while they are still able. I passed on both of them due to arthritic knees and the bad hip. My worst night mare is to go on a trip like that and slow down the group. I have spent my life organizing trips and leading other people. It is okay to go slower and not as far, but it is important to keep going. When I am too old to hunt I will be the camp cook.

I have met some young families with small children out on the volcanic plateau where we are headed on Wed. I will raise a cup to you, Grandpa, Ghost Dog, Old Sarge, Dinosaur, WVBream, Pathfiner and any others I can think of that will be with me in Spirit. Old Guys and Gals rule.




Hi...


Excellently put, ppine.

[IndianaHiker]

Getting out to me is a spiritual thing. Many go to church I go to the woods. Face book post from my last over night trip.

Laying in my hammock with the light rain creating a gentle beat on my tarp. Listening to Jason Mraz and not a care in the world at the moment. Times like this truly remind me of how great life is. A feeling of total peace and gratitude fill me. So thankful for another day walking this earth and experiencing the simple wonder of just being. Hope wherever you are and whatever you may be doing you take the time to totally enjoy the moment. Goodnight my friends going to lay here feeling the breeze on my flesh, the smell of the campfire, and listen to the bull frogs. As Jason just said in the song that is playing the world as I see it is a wonderful place.