I agree with Phat: gain your basic experience in a "safe" environment - by "basic" I mean using your gear enough that doing it is almost second nature. My first few trips, for just such a purpose, were to state parks within 25 miles of Cincinnati, Ohio - not exactly backcountry, but ideal for my purpose. I simulated a backpacking trip by packing my pack and dayhiking for a full day with a 3-day load of food and water. I purified all my water during the day, and ate lunch from my pack. That night, I camped by my car in the public campground, using only the gear in my pack and staying out of the car. A few trips like that, and I was very comfortable on how to pitch my tent, use my stove, cook a meal, and use my filter (and clean it in the field.) I also knew how to sleep in a sleeping bag, and was confident that it was warm enough and my pad comfortable enough. I learned how to pack so the load rode comfortably all day, and what to keep accessible during the day. I also started to learn what I could live without.

That made it much easier to walk away from the car and camp in the backcountry - I wasn't worrying that I couldn't use the gear, or that it would break down on me. The confidence level made it a lot more fun.