Newbie - Encourage Me :)

Hello everybody! I've been hoping to find a good discussion board for hiking and this looks great.

I am actually *not* completely new to backpacking. Approximately 18 years ago my husband and I took our last backpacking trip together in Red River Gorge, KY, hiking up to Eagle's Peak with friends and primitive-camping for the weekend. It's a challenging hike for those who are in mediocre physical shape and I've never been better than that . . . lots of fun though. We did this several times, and before that I had plenty of other outdoor adventure type experiences. Hiking, canoeing, rappelling, spelunking, etc. My high school class voted me "miss outdoors."

But yeah, it's been 18 years. Since then I've given birth twice and had sedentary jobs. I'm now 45 and about 40 pounds overweight, which is a lot when you're only 5'2". Now that the babies are teenagers I'd like to get this part of my life back.

Hubby isn't interested because he's a mail carrier and already walks a lot. He says he'll do the AT with me (a part - I'll never be able to do the whole thing) and of course he thinks he's still in prime condition, because walking a few miles with that mail bag is plenty. Part of his route is in the truck too, so he's not working THAT hard

The teens have their own things and aren't interested so it's just me. And I feel a little vulnerable hiking these trails by myself. I sometimes bring my German Shepherd along and that's a definite option - but is that really protection? If he were to actually defend me (unlikely) I'd probably get sued for having a vicious dog and have him put down. OTOH he could definitely be trained to help carry stuff. But seriously, has any woman here ever encountered a scary situation while hiking on her own? Should I get a CCW license and pack heat first? Carry pepper spray?

I would join a local hiking group but I've looked into them and they're intense! Today's trip they had was 7.5 miles at about 3.5 mph. I am such a wimp. The most I've walked at a time so far (recently) is 4 miles (I'm sure I could go farther if I had a break) at a brisk 2 mph. I'm short. I've always been slow!

Plus I've got issues with high blood pressure and one time I had a very painful back injury that frightened me. Boo hoo. But I love this and I know it's good for me.

I guess I just need some encouragement. I love the outdoors, I love camping, I love hiking, but I'm out of shape. My main goal right now is to day-hike the entire length of the Little Miami Scenic Trail (SW Ohio) which is a paved 75 miles. Next I want to take on the Buckeye Trail bit by bit and actually camp while through-hiking.

Trying to decide if I want to day-hike that trail in two-way sections (up and back, then start off where I turned around next time) or ask someone to come get me at the end of the day! Seems like that would take forever, but it doesn't really matter -- it's all training for something bigger.

The actual camping part doesn't bother me at all. Nowadays we camp as a family with a luxurious 26' RV, but I can primitive camp anytime. Got most of the stuff already, know how to use it. I actually think I'd be a great asset to the group if I didn't slow them down getting there.

The spirit is willing but the legs and back are weak! LOL!

I find myself in a somewhat similar situation. Plunked out here right smack dab in the middle of Bankhead National Forest, but about 100lbs over my ideal weight. I love camping and hiking, but my lack of physical ability is very limiting.

I'm working on that. My wife and I have started a low carb diet (diet as in long-term lifestyle change, not crash fad diet that won't last), and I've already dropped about 8lbs and a belt notch. Phase II, to begin this very week, is to start exercising. It will include some canoeing (because I'm also on beautiful Smith Lake), some stationary bike, some hiking, some road walks, and whatever else we can think of to keep it interesting.

I've got my kit down to where I like it, with the exception of wanting to trade in my bulky, heavy synthetic bag for a light down bag and a down underquilt for my hammock. But that will have to wait a bit because money is tight. What I have works, and that's enough for now.

Hang in there. Eat smart (I'm a foodie, so I know the pitfalls that food and good beer offer!), exercise, and keep trying. Don't worry about your speed; your speed is your speed. My philosophy is that if I can't keep up with the jackrabbits, maybe I can walk longer, at a more steady pace. So that's what I try to do.

Take care of your feet, and they'll take care of you.

And most of all, have fun!

Been there, done that! I had a husband who wouldn't backpack either. Frankly, I can understand your husband's aversion to hiking--being a mail carrier will do that! I finally started first easy hikes and then backpacking with a group. Then I moved for a new job and started going on my own. In the meantime, I gained weight with each of my 5 pregnancies and still fight the Battle of the Bulge! For the past year I was pretty much immobilized, first due to plantar fasciitis and then by my dog's illness and passing. Now I'm hiking again and this week I will take my first backpack in two years. It will be a bit sad because it will be my first backpack since my dog died, and I'll be taking his ashes up to a beautiful flower-filled meadow on the north side of Oregon's Mt. Hood.

I have never had a bad encounter on the trail so I don't worry too much about protection--your chances of either hostile human or animal encounters are infinitesimally small, maybe 1 % . The real dangers to worry about are falls, hypo- or hyperthermia and, above all, auto accidents driving to and from the trailhead. Secondary to those three in probability might be accidents crossing streams and lightning. By all means take the dog with you, for companionship, but, as suggested, keep him leashed. Also work on getting him, as well as you, into condition before you take more than short trips. That means lots of walking, including day hikes. If your DH is worried about your going alone, take a SPOT or a PLB or Delorme Inreach with you (don't count on getting cell phone reception in the wilderness).

You might want to read the articles on the home page of this site to refresh your knowledge. We also have threads for beginners (again, useful as a refresher), on hiking with animals and all sorts of other backpacking-related topics, with a focus on light weight (lots easier now than it was 20 years ago).

In the meantime, keep walking; take the dog with you and before you know it, you'll both be in shape!

The way to get what you want with group hiking is to run your own group! I've been doing this for a long time now. You can bet there are many people who want the same pacing and have been looking for that. Many groups now run on meetup.com, groupspaces, or if you ask around town I bet you there are small "home grown" groups as well. The folks who work at outdoor sporting good stores are the ones who refer folks to my group.

You absolutely do NOT have to be an expert to get people together and go backpacking. It does help immensely to all be on the same page - agree to the pacing and itinerary, and not to abandon anyone - you'd be surprised the conclusions people come to on the trail about this sort of thing.

Find a backpacking class and take it. They'll start you off slow and can be a good re-introduction to what's available.

Start looking at articles online and read books - there are legion.

re: the dog - already said my piece on that. In short, leave the weapons out of the picture, and take bear spray for the bears if hiking where grizzlies are. The rest is a matter of food storage and not being so afraid of other people. I have learned over time that not acting like a victim is the key to not being one. For that you have to believe you won't be one - self defense class, not a dog, is the best way.

The one nice thing about your situation is that in the last 18 years gear has gotten a lot lighter and better engineered. So yeah, you're 18 years older, but the gear is 18 years lighter!