Training Hike

Yesterday, I decided to take advantage of the weather. Since we had a few days of warmer temperatures and a few days of rain, the snow has melted away. Time to hit the woods!

I haven't had the new pack on for a training hike. (Trying the pack on and wearing it around the house doesn't count!) So I loaded it up, put it on, and hiked around some of the mountain bike trails in the area. My base weight (pack, tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, ground pad, first aid kit, clothes, guide books, hygiene products,trekking poles, and camping supplies) is 20.6 pounds. A little heavier than I had wanted, since I still have food and water to add to the pack. But I'm sure I'll figure out what to get rid of once I hit the trail.

I gotta tell you, it felt GREAT! 

The first thing I noticed were all the downed trees. There were alot of them.

I mean alot of them! I did a lot of climbing over trees. And climbing under trees. I was rather impressed with myself that I was able to scramble under trees like this one without disrupting the pack. (This tree was alot lower to the ground than the picture suggests. Trust me. Be rather impressed with me, too.)

Not this one, though. I had to do a bit of bush-whacking to get through this mess. I'm not that good!

In addition to a nice obstacle course, the woods provided me with other sources of entertainment and inspiration:

The last remnants of winter.

Next to the first signs of spring.

A few rocky hills. 

Some birds and animals (No pictures of them. They were too fast!)

And a few more downed trees.  (Plus my finger. What the heck is that doing in there?)

After the hike I felt great! The boots felt good, the pack felt comfortable, and after just a tiny bit of adjusting, no pinching or pressure areas. 

And best of all, I'm feeling a little less panic-y about the trail.

Now if I can just get the apartment packed up and the remaining work responsibilities taken care of!