...after four yrs last weekend.
It was a disaster and I got sick afterwards.
I got sick because I had to hike for an extra nine hours to find another shelter because the first one wasn't there. I staunchly refuse to sleep outside the shelters.
I said I'd rather stay up all night searching for a shelter then sleep outside the shelters and I lived up to that.

I enjoyed the hike more before the hours of shelter searching.
I want to go out again tomorrow, hopefully without the hours of searching for a shelter.

I made myself a list of stuff I want to bring. Maybe I'll post my list here and get some suggestions.
I'm trying to be a light weight hiker in all my gear except for my food because I need to eat well.
Not because I 'm that picky, I seriously require the nutrition or I get sick.
So...yes I'm that "nut" who brings some fresh fruit along.
So I need the other stuff to be light to counterbalance my heavier food.

I'm discouraged that nether of my hiking buddies can or wants to actually go hiking with me. We've discussed it and when I make concrete plans, I end up alone.
I'm not holding it against one of them because she has a lot going on.

The other one now is only interested in staying in some expensive lodge and hiking out from there. This is not what I'm looking for.
I have decided like in the past, I will get out there and hike alone until I find someone to go with me. At least I know I have someone who wants to go when she's able.

I'm planning to go to Stratton pond this time. Hope it goes well this time.

Invest some time in studying up on backpacking hammocks and you'll most likely free yourself from the crippling addiction to shelters.

Of course, as always, the most important thing is that you got out there walking!

Congratulations on getting out! I'm glad you plan to try again!

Your insistence on using shelters seems a little strange to me because we don't have such things out here in the west. There actually are a few around (there are two left on Mt. Hood) but they are rarely used--mainly historical curiosities. They also appear to be extremely attractive to rodents! We westerners carry our own shelters. There are plenty of lightweight tents around: check tarptent.com, sixmoondesigns.com, gossamergear.com. These are fully-enclosed, 3-season tents, very lightweight. For a pound more, there are lightweight (though a bit cramped) double-wall tents from several manufacturers (MSR, Sierra Designs, Big Agnes). Or there are hammocks, as Bearpaw suggests. Since I take 80 lbs. of dog with me (see avatar), I carry a 2-person shelter from Tarptent.

I, too, always take fresh fruit on dayhikes or overnighters. It's only for the longer trips that I switch to dried fruit. Look for the unsulphured kind in health food stores.

Have you read the articles and gear lists in the left-hand column on the home page ("TLB Home") of this site?

Good for you. I'm glad you enjoyed the walking.

If you want to break your dependence on shelters, you might try carrying a tent and setting it up near the shelter (anywhere from 20 to 100 feet away.) Try going to sleep in the tent; if you just absolutely can't do it, you can always take you sleeping bag into the shelter - leave the tent up; when you see it hasn't been tampered with during the night, you might gain some additional confidence.

If you find you can be happy in a tent, you've just added a lot more places to backpack. Most of the areas I frequent (Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky) don't have shelters.

Don't ever call yourself a nut for carrying the food you like and need. Everyone's needs and tastes are different. Although most of us on the forums tend to eat simply, that doesn't mean it's the "right" way - it's merely the method we prefer (or in many of our cases, it's all we're competent to do.) You've wisely compensated for it with other light gear.

Keep getting out there, on your own terms, and enjoy yourself.

My main concern is the food issue.
I do not know how to hang food properly. If I sleep away from my food for safety in case a bear comes, it's almost guaranteed to be eaten by rodents or other wildlife. If I keep my food with me so other wildlife doesn't eat it, I'm afraid a bear will come along and maul me for the food.

Actually there was a problem bear wandering the Long trail in that area and ate two backpackers' food which was hanging from a tree in a nylon type bag.

Other then that, yes every little bump in the night wakes me out in the wilderness and I feel safer in a shelter when I am alone.
IF I had a hiking buddy, it would be different.

I can't hang food--my throwing is abysmal (can't hit the side of a barn when inside it) and jerky motions like throwing attempts don't agree with my arthritic shoulders. My solution is to take an Ursack , unless I'm in an area where a bear canister is required. The Ursack also keeps the rodents and other such critters, as well as bears, out of the food. I don't particularly want mice, chipmunks, raccoons or skunks getting into bed with me, either.

Good article on hanging food, if, unlike me, you can throw.

Erica

I have to start this with a big smile.

I am being as gentle as I can. I would also not hike or camp with you. Why? Because anyone so hung up about camping in "shelters" that they would hike far enough to get sick rather than sleep on the ground is pardon me - not a camper, and not someone I would enjoy spending time camping with.

I get the feeling that the "icky" word is predominant in your atitude about camping. My friend felt the same way until I showed her how to relax and enjoy the out of doors, and how to stay clean and almost in "city condition".

I think you should meditate on this a bit. Why go if you are so scared? Why would anyone want to camp with someone so scared? Chill out. Get a tent or something and slep on the ground, its much nicer to have the privacy.

I think you will enjoy this a lot more if you just get into it. On a personal note, and you don't have to answer this. How are you at getting and being dirty? Are you trying to stay "clean" or are you willing to be smelly, dirty and disheveled? Maybe if you rolled in the dirt at the trail head you could relax more on your trip?
Jim YMMV

Jim should know whereof he speaks: as he explained on another thread, his "mission gear" often includes bikinis because he leads groups of young women learning to backpack. (That's his story, and he's sticking to it. )

But he's right; it's relatively easy to keep you and your gear pretty clean. In fact, I've always found I get dirtier in a shelter than I do just camping out in the woods (with the rare exception of when there's and inch of mud everywhere, and it's still raining.)

It takes some getting used to, but try not using a shelter (or go somewhere that doesn't have shelters.) Start easy: maybe plan an overnighter on an easy trail, and end the day only a couple of miles from your car. Camp there using a tent; you won't have to deal with food since you'll just have finished your supper (a mile or so earlier, if you want), and you can leave tomorrow's breakfast in the car - or treat yourself to breakfast at Denny's as a reward for skipping the shelter.

If you find in the middle of the night that you just absolutely can't make it in the tent, you can put on a headlamp and hike back to the car. Since you were only planning to be out overnight, it's not like it will wreck the trip.