Werner - Backpackers Start-Up

Image C: Just seven miles into a 45-mile hike.

Image D: Getting off outdoors.

Introduction

Image E

The ultimate antidote to modern living is the outdoors. Natural surroundings speak of beauty, eternity and true origins. Theres an ageless order that sorts out the mundane and creates a primary perspective.

Simply put, its a place to become recharged and refreshed. Its more than that, but its difficult to describe very well because the spiritual refurbishment sounds like religion. And that misses the mark. For folks who allow themselves to know, the natural world is an enormously comforting place to be. Comforting to know how great it is and how small we are in it.

Roving about in a natural place yields a number of rewards: physical challenge, wondrous sights, breathing sweet and fresh air, sharing space with wild creatures. Moments you take back and cherish in your mind one thousand times. The profound satisfaction of self-reliant behavior runs deep. Tiny triumphs feel Olympic. Like lighting a match in damp weather. Character is built and rebuilt in a place that demands every moment of your attention. And that you succeed. (Image F)

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Backpackers Start-Up is an introduction to this roving about for modern people. Hiking and camping in the wild requires an attitude and a load of preparation. This book covers the essential gear, preparations, precautions and techniques required for dayhiking and short backpacking trips. Stuff is straight to the point and backed with insightful first hand experiences that beginners can relate to easily.

Chapter One:

My wife and I dayhiked for years. Scores of hikes of various distances over different terrain in all kinds of weather. Before we ever considered backpacking, we were accustomed to the pounding in our joints and the utter weariness of occasionally hiking too long and far. We knew the importance of hiking with essential gear because we had suffered without a time or two. (Image 1.1)

Image 1.1: Not another soul around.

Our hikes averaged around 10 miles, but there were times we covered up to 20 in a day. Three times we hiked from 5,000 feet to 10,000 feet (and back) covering more than 16 miles. With friends I hiked up and down Mt. Whitney (14, 494 feet) in a day and thats a 22-mile journey.

Hiking in and out while the suns up defines dayhiking. You need little beyond proper footwear, clothing and water to enjoy a complete escape into nature. Your dayhiking experiences can be so fulfilling that you may never feel the need to camp. Once youve developed as a hiker, 10-, 15-, even 20-mile excursions are very doable in a day. Youll reach (and come back from!) those places that you once only dreamed of or saw on the nature channels.

If your ultimate goal is to pack it in for days on end, dayhiking is where you begin and develop.

Dayhiking will get you used to the physical and mental requirements needed for tromping over miles of natural terrain. Youll use certain muscles to go up and different muscles to go down. Youll feel the pounding in hips, knees, ankles and feet. Although we all walk everyday, most dont do it in five-mile chunks over hill and dale. Like any new physical activity your body will complain the next day or two after a hike, but you will grow accustomed to the new exercise over time. (Image 1.2)

Image 1.2: Trees, trees, trees! Nature is so boring!

Hiking, of course, isnt like driving a car. It may take an hour to travel only two or three miles. For most modern people its Really Slowing Down, this hiking business. Some become annoyed and bored with mere plodding and what seems to be an unchanging setting (if youve seen one tree, youve seen them all!). The joy of hiking may take time to discover. Its not often a rush or a thrill. A hiker needs to develop patience as well as leg strength and stamina. Patience for what? I can almost hear certain readers exclaim. Well, thats for you to discover for yourself. (Image 1.3 and Image 1.4)

Image 1.3: Typical daypack.

Image 1.4: Fanny pack.

Image 1.5: Absolutely, always, never forget.

Carry what you need in a small day-pack or fanny pack. Even with overkill, the loaded pack shouldnt weigh much more than a very manageable 10 pounds. Anything under 20 pounds can be comfortably sup-ported by your shoulders. There are a number of simple, quality daypacks to choose from. There are models with hip belts as well. Consider using a fanny pack for light loads. This is a very small pack that simply buckles around the waist. (Image 1.6)