Jtree Backpacking

Went to jtree for backpacking this weekend - 3rd time EVER (the other two times don't really count since they were for climbing purposes and short "hikes"). Boyscout trail, the easiest trail in the world... as long as you don't lose your way and turn a downhill class 1 trail into 4th class weirdness with a pack. The NPS website reports 16 miles for the trail. However, that's only true if you backpack from one end of the trail to the other, and then back again to where you initially started - in other words, it's an 8 mile trail. *doh*

We originally were going to hike the trail one way, thinking that it was 16 miles long. We left a car at each end of the trail when we started. But after discovering our mistake, we decided to just backtrack, in effect hiking 16 miles total. The first day we hiked 11 miles, starting from the Park, to Indian cove where the other car was and then back up the trail 3 miles or so. Ended up camping just outside of a wash thing in a really nice flat area Steph found.

So my findings on backpacking: I had a great time this time around, but I'm still not certain if it can take the place of climbing (since I'm injured, I'm looking for other things to do till I heal). I'd like to do one more relatively easy trail to see if this is something I'll have fun doing. I do know that I was a little sad when I saw the end in sight (my car parked by the bathrooms).

Bad findings: I need to find a better way to avoid getting blisters. After about 2 or 3 miles in on the first day, I started developing blisters. I've developed blisterse before after about a mile of downhill hiking before so I brought along sock liners and wore wool socks to wick away the moisture. But the damnable things developed - on both feet! Double doh! My average speed: approximately a little over 1 mile an hour on flat terrain (about 5 miles covered in 4 hours from my estimates).

Corollary: I get injured no matter what I do. Despite the fact that I don't really feel sore (either that or I just don't realize it - see previous posting), I developed a blister on both feet (same spot on the same respective toe in fact). And since I had to compensate so I could hike the full remaining 13 miles or so with blisters, I had to change the way I walk. This involved basically walking without using my toes for walking. Even more, I had to keep my toes lifted while I walked and so now the bottoms of my heels both ache from taking the brunt of the hiking punishment. At this rate, I'll be in a full body cast watching rerun episodes of Alias by June. Hmm... I suppose it could be worse... mmm Jennifer Garner...

Bad findings2: backpacking with a poorly fitted backpack causes bruises. Also a cause for injury. (jennifer Garner, here I come)

Bad findings3: having slept for appx. 12 hours on the first night (it was COLD!), my sleep schedule is now out of phase with the rest of the normal community. I'm sitting here blogging at 2 am, hungry and cold.

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after some thought, I'm confused as to why I'm hungry and cold in my own apartment. Maybe i still think I'm backpacking...

Good findings: I truly enjoy the time I was hiking completely alone. Since I was walking at a painfully slow gait, my partners couldn't keep up with me. Or I suppose it's called me not being able to keep up with them, so most of the time, Steph and Taryn would be out of sight (on more or less flat terrain mind you). Despite waves of melancholy, by the second day my time alone can only be described as peaceful bliss. I've only felt that level of quiet peace meditating in private. I loved it. Not to mention the sense of serenity that I got from some of the scenery.

Corollary: I'm more a loner than I thought - this will be a future posting. This one is getting too long anyways, even for me.

Good findings2: no serious problems to report. Perfect amount of water, food and warmth was brought on this trip. Pack was a little heavy, but I think I can shave the weight down by figuring out a more efficient layering system (at one point, I wore 5 top laters and 3 bottom layers to keep warm). No death and destruction! yeah! I think it's always a good day when no one dies (coincidentally, that's my goal each day I leave my house).