Hello to all,
I'm new to the club here and thought I'd just say hi and introduce myself. I'm kind of an old fart and not at all new to hiking, backpacking or any of the fun stuff that goes along with our chosen interest here. Even though I've spent a ton of time out there, I don't consider myself an expert at this whatsoever. I love to learn and will be listening and reading much more than offering up my 2 cents worth. I just had back surgery last week and am now tied down by the doc while healing. I don't sit still well at all and this is the second go at the surgery. After messing the first surgery up by not following instructions as well as I should have, I'm determined to get it right this time. ARRRGGGGGG...... Anyway, I'll be spending a good bit of time here over the next few months, living vicariously through y'all. MUST GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME!!!! Thanks in advance for the comradery.

I had foot surgery in late Nov and so have spent too much time in Dec and Jan on backpacking forums myself --- so I understand this well. Now it's almost like a habit. One that I'll break when I get back to actual backpacking towards the end of this month.

If you really want to go hog wild, you could consider other forums too, such as backpackinglight.com and whiteblaze.net ...

I appreciate your approach (experienced yet willing to learn) --- no amount of experience means that there's nothing left for us to learn (!).
Best wishes for a speedy recovery from your surgery.

Hey, Thank you BrianLe for the well wishes. I thought I had sent you a thank you note yesterday but it seems it didn't go through. At any rate, your thoughts are very much appreciated. I went to the doc on Thursday and he made a point of making sure I was staying off the trail and in my back brace. I swear, the guy that made this brace is sadistic. I've lost a bit of weight over the past couple of months and don't have much in the way of padding on my pelvic bones and ribs. This brace just digs in like crazy and is going to be a trial. Doc says I've gotta keep it on at all times for 3 months except when I'm in bed. ARRRRRRG!!!!!! Lovin' every minute of that......NOT!!! LOL My thoughts go out to you and I wish you a speedy recovery on your foot. What's your first hike going to be? I know I'm already making plans for May. I know my first hike will be close by due to money situations. I won't be able to afford much but anything will be heaven on earth!

Thank you again and looking forward to talking with you again. Take care of that foot. Cary

Good luck with the recovery. In the meantime, don't just sit there - chime in. Our experience levels are all over the boards. We've got a few serious mountaineers, thru-hikers, backcountry "pros", all the way down to guys like me: a lot of experience, all of it in "easy" recreational situations. Some view it as a way of life; others (again, me) look at it as a break from our regular life, and a way to recharge a bit.

We all bring different perspectives and contributions, all of which are relevant to someone (though usually not to everyone.) Add your voice to the mix - someone's going to benefit from what you've got to say.

"What's your first hike going to be?"

I start an Appalachian trail thru-hike attempt in 19 days, northbound. That's about when the doctor told me my foot should be back to "90% functionality". It's good enough functionality now that I'm starting to walk some decent distances again, maybe did 20 miles total over three different walks this past week, so I'm optimistic. I.e., it was a PITA to be immobile like I was, but nothing like what you're going through.

My worries now are just getting into decent enough shape to reduce odds of knee or other problems starting out, and the winter storms that seems to be slamming into the areas I'll be walking in not that long from now (I think I get into the smokies a couple weeks after I start).

Hi, Prospector, welcome aboard! Best advice I can give is to work hard at your physical therapy when it starts. I've had very minor back problems compared to yours, but even now (25 years later) I have to do those exercises daily or my back starts hurting again! I've found that using trekking poles helps a lot because they turn walking into a whole-body exercise that strengthens the core muscles (the ones that support your spine). Will your doc let you do isometrics (like tightening up your abs) while you're in the back brace?

A lighter pack weight helps a lot, too. If you haven't already found them, there are lots of excellent articles on lightening your load listed in the left-hand column of http://www.backpacking.net/, the home page of this site.

For what it's worth, I'm 74, started backpacking at age 6 and still have a lot to learn!

Glenn,
Sorry I've not replied before now. Thank you for the well wishes. It means a lot to get those after dealing with such a trial for so long. On the mend now and chomping at the bit. It would really be cool to eventually meet up with some of you folks sometime. I may never have arrived here had it not been for my situation..... so I guess he works in mysterious ways from time to time.

Just started working again... office work only for now.... A buddy I used to subcontract for, hired me to run his office for him. Great to have friends like that cause money is getting reeeeally tight.

I appreciate your encouragement to chime in. I just hestitate because the very last thing I want is for people to think I think I'm a know-it-all. I am always right though. Once, a while ago, I thought I was wrong about something, but I was mistaken. OOOO that was bad... don't worry, I won't quit my day job. LOL..... Thank you again for the encouragement. I'll try to put in my 1 cents worth every now and then.
Cary

BrianLe,
Oh yeah........ I had to ask didn't I!!! Now I'm green with envy!!! Man, that is soooooo cool! I can't tell you how much time I've spent in dreamland, wishing for what you are about to experience. Good for you!!!! No. GREAT for you!!

Mother nature is proving to be an unpredictably excessive young lady lately. With the way things are looking, there's no telling what weather you may be facing. Heck, it is snowing here as I type this message. As you may know, I live in Myrtle Beach, SC!!! Not exactly normal weather for this neck of the woods.

Anyway, don't over do it...... duh! I'm sure you've only heard that a million times lately. At the same time, HAVE A BLAST!!!!! I had planned on doing the same thing this spring, per plans 2 years ago. Life threw me a curve ball and I swung and missed this time. I'll just have to live vicariously through your anticipation and excitement leading up to your departure day. Man, I wish I was tagging along with ya. Dagnabit!!!!!!.... I will be looking forward to your posts up to the day you go and then all the stories when you get back.
Cary

OregonMouse,
Thank you much! Yeah, I drew a quick sideways frown and a stern no from the doc last week when I asked if there were any exercises I could be doing right now. I feel like a 130 lb. sack of mush right now and it's depressing as heck! I am by nature, a bit tightly wound and impatient when there is something I feel I need to be doing.

I was unaware of the benefit, i.e., strengthening the core muscles, that my trekking poles offer. I just started using them last summer and for the most part, used them to clear the endless banana spiders from the trail in front of me. Your probably laughing........ I would be....... but it's the honest truth. Those poles spent more time straight out in front of me waving around like flags in the wind than they did on the ground. One break I took, I took my pack off my back only to find the granddaddy of them all, hitching a ride on top of my sleeping pad rolled and stored on top of my pack. Gave me the willies at first, but it was obvious that these scarry looking creatures meant me no harm. Still, I couldn't bring myself to just walk face first into them. yeeee..... skin still crawls a little thinking of the shear numbers of those guys! The Palmetto Trail may not have bears down along the coast, but the spiders weigh about the same. LOL....

I'll be going back for another visit to the doc next week and yes sir, I will again be posing the question concerning what execises I am allowed. He is well aware of my love for backpacking and makes it a point to tighten up my leash when I see him. I'm probably the only patient he's had for a while that was laying in the hospital bed, feeling no pain, with a Backpacker Magazine all crumpled up and stuck to my face as I slept off each round of pain meds. All I could think of was getting the heck outta there and back on the trail asap. Alas, I could only read of other's journeys and experiences.

I have two packs I use. One is a small cheapie for day hikes and the other is a Deuter 60+10 ACT Zero. I'm really happy with both and really don't have any extra dough laying around right now. I tried to make sure and buy the right large pack last year when I made my most recent pack purchase and gotta say, I'm pretty happy with my choice. I'm sure I could have done better, but for now I'm happy and am looking forward to the day I can load it back up, throw it on my back and take a walk.

I guess you and I started at about the same age. That's cool! I used to worry the heck outta my mother back then. I would put some stuff in a bag, grab my pup tent and disappear until dark. She and my dad got used to it and ended up quickly letting my brother and I just enjoy being boys out in the woods around our house. There was nothing in the world better than making a fort out of our pup tents, some long needle pine straw and sticks. Them were the days!!!!!!!! I'm going on 54 now and just can't seem to get it out of my blood. Guess I'm not trying hard enough.....:>)

Guess I've talked enough for now. Thank you again for the welcoming aboard. Very much looking forward to looking, listening and getting involved here with some new friends.
Cary

"I'm always right, though."

And obviously not married!

Do chime in - given how freely everyone challenges everyone else, there are no "know it alls" here.

LOL!!! You're almost right there..... separated...... good catch on your part!! For some reason, we're still friends though.... not sure how that happened.....

Thanks! The weather is indeed looking a bit dicy, but drilling down it doesn't seem to be getting any worse over the first few weeks of travel area than it "can" get --- i.e., if I know I have to be prepared for snow and temps down into the teens at night, then if those are the actual conditions when I start --- I reckon I'll just start.

Between a couple of companions starting with me (both more experienced than I) and better options to get off trail on the AT, I'm not too concerned. My wife knows that I'm beyond too much danger of "stupidity through testosterone poisoning" and will bail out to a hostel or motel if conditions warrant.

If you're actually interested in "stories" about such trips, lots and lots of people do this each year, many with journals (trail blogs) on http://postholer.com and http://www.trailjournals.com. Mine is at http://postholer.com/brianle

"Testosterone Poisoning".... LMAO... That's priceless.... know a few guys that suffer from that though..... and it aint purdy!! Still laughing........ I'm gonna have to use that one!!

Yeah, True about the hostels and such...... not like there's not an out if you need it..... I've read a lot of stories on the AT.......... while planning for my delayed trip this year, and it seems to be a big plus on the AT that you can jump off every now and then, catch a real shower and a decent healthy pizza when a little break is desired. Wake up in the morning recharged and ready to take on the wilds again. I love reading the accounts of hikes taken and to actually kinda know the writers will be really cool! I'll definitely check out the sites you mentioned.

Still green with envy BTW......

just added all three to my favs... Thanks