hello all, my name is dustin and me and my wife are starting to get into this kind of stuff. we have all our gear except for a few small things. i was thinking about trying the cross timber trail in north texas. would this be an ok trail to start on? thanks Dustin Parker

I don't know that trail, but I would suggest that you try something that isn't too long or hard at first. I'd say 4-6 miles, and not all uphill. The ideal first trip is one that let's you get used to the equipment, get a sense of how everything works...and also is close enough to the car that if the doodoo really hits the fan, you can hike out and save your sorry self for another trip later.

Just a suggestion.

Actually, your first trip or two should be in the back yard or perhaps a nearby state park. You need to practice using your gear and learn other skills in relatively controlled conditions, where you can bail out if the worst comes to the worst. For instance, practice setting up and taking down your tent numerous times. After dark on a cold, rainy, windy night, holding the instructions in one hand and flashlight in another, is not the time to learn!

As already suggested, you also want to do a few really short trips, just a few miles, before you try anything longer. Consider them "shakedown cruises" to make sure your gear is working for you. These short trips also let you practice skills relatively close to that nice warm car, just in case. Try doing a trip or two under adverse conditions (rain, wind, cold) so you learn how to cope with these conditions while keeping warm and dry.

Doing this will make your first long trip a LOT more rewarding!

+1 what OM said. Whenever I test out major new gear (Tent, Tarp, bag etc) then I usually do it car-camping. However, in the trunk is only my backpack. So I pack like I am going for X amount of days in the wilderness, but the car is only yards away just in case.

Nothing worse than hiking in, even just a short distance, and then realising it has hit the fan and having to hike back out in the dark or spending a cold and miserable night outside-- I can imagine it being worse if you are both beginners.

Stay close, go somewhere you are familer with, have a plan B and stay safe.

Beaver#1,

Where in NE Texas are you? The Cross Timbers is a fairly easy trail and you don't have to hike the whole thing (28 miles).
If you are close to Dallas, I can give you a few other places to go for some short hikes with your gear.

You can set up camp at Juniper Point on Friday night and then hike in 5-8 miles on Saturday and pitch camp along the lake (Lake Texoma for those of you not from Texas). Then hike out on Sunday morning.

Many Scout troops use the trail as a training hike for Philmont so you may run into a few. Also, they sometimes schedule cross country races there so check the weekend schedule.

You definitely want to talk to Tango61. He'll point you in the right direction. And balzaccom, OregonMouse and ChrisFol have all told what else you really need to know. So, I'll point out that you're not too far from the Ozarks in Arkansas. You'll want to make your way up here if you enjoy your time out.

And remember, it's not about how many miles you hike. It's about being out there and enjoying yourself. So don't make it too much like work. Walk a mile and stop and rest. Stop at every scenic place you come to and spend some time enjoying it.

If you find a perfect spot to spend the night, or several nights, do it. Even if it's only a mile or two from your starting point.

Make it fun for your wife. If she's completely new to this, don't expect her to carry as much weight as you, hike as fast as you, or go as far as you.

Don't get me wrong, there are women here that can leave me in the dust, but my wife is not one of them. So whenever we go out hiking together I make sure we hike at her pace, and that she is enjoying herself too.

And whatever you do, don't expect her to do the cooking

Bill

Hi
I found it interesting that you "have most of your gear" and are just "getting into it". My bet is that you have been reading and collecting gear, but you are probably a very long way from having "most of your gear". Your gear requirements will change drastically as you become experienced and realise that buying the gear other people use is probably not the right gear for you, but it'll take a season to shake it out.

Bill refers to what we jokingly call "boot in shoulder" syndrome, which is followed by "get me the hell out of here".

So as far as camping with the wife/girl friend, goes, unless shes a very tough gal you will want to pay attention to having certain luxuries to make her trip fun and not "icky". Include her favorite hair brush, soap, clean underwear, deodorant, something comfy to sleep on, foul weather gear and she will need warmer clothes and sleeping bag than you, and a clear understanding of wilderness sanitation. A towel is nice, as are sit pads..
Jim, who taken lots of gals camping...

He's hiking in Texas not in the Himalayas. It is already 517 degrees and 979% humidity there. I think he will be just fine and not need to camp out in his backyard or be ultra cautious as if he was hiking the CDT his first time out.

I lived in the Dallas area for three years. Not much danger of hypothermia this time of year. The only things to consider might be water, thunderstorms, snakes, ticks, and chiggers. Just get out and hike.

-Skippy

He does have severe thunderstorms and high winds to worry about, and should practice under those conditions in places he can still bail out until he knows what he is doing! You can get hypothermia at 60* air temperatures if your stuff is soaking wet and it's windy (happened to my daughter); you don't have to be in the high Rockies or the Arctic to get in big trouble!

He'll enjoy longer trips a lot more if he knows how to use his gear and how to keep dry in the rain!

And to the OP--welcome! ! If you haven't already found them, there are lots of excellent articles for beginners or those wanting to lighten their load listed in the left-hand column of http://www.backpacking.net/, the home page of this site. (I put this in almost every post because most newbies have found this forum from googling and bypass the home page, which IMHO is one of the most useful references I've ever found!)

A good way to get into it is camp at a local campsite (car camp) and take day hikes out and back with some real gear to see what its going to feel like on the trail a few days etc.

The main thing about hiking around Lake Texoma is the winds. They come roaring across the lake during a thunderstorm (ts) and turn the beach area into a sand blaster.

We had made camp down in a small cove and a ts came through and sand blasted our dinner - yuk! Fortunately we had pitched our tents up behind a small ridge and they were fine.

Juniper Point is an easy place to park, camp and do day hikes.
I would definitely go in April/May/early June before it gets too hot. IMO, heat takes all the fun out of camping!

Well I say just getting into this. I have been on many multiple day camps miles from luxury items. Hiking trails is what I have not done much of. Most of my outdoor experiences have been off trail hunting situations. So saying that I do have have many items that I will need. But of coarse I do not know everything about doing this with my wife or with anyone else for that matter. Usually solo. We have done a few walks with are gear hear on our land and believe to have things working well. I picked that trail for the ability to turn back and it does many campsites that do have facilities. So that's good. Thanks for all of your info. It will help much. Dustin.