All the articles on the home page of this site ("TLB Home"), listed in the left-hand column, are well worth a read and are a good place to start.

As Lori said, renting or borrowing gear, or buying used gear, to start out is an excellent idea. It will be heavy, but it will get you out there with a minimum investment. Once you get "hooked" and gain some experience, you can start thinking about spending money. Above all, do not put yourself at the mercy of a clerk in a camping or sporting goods store (that includes REI and EMS)--you'll end up with a 7-lb. tent, 6-lb. pack, 5 lb. sleeping bag, a total pack weight of 50-60 lbs. and a very empty wallet! Within a year you'll be shopping again for lighter weight versions of that expensive initial outlay. Shop judiciously, check reviews, ask around. Do follow the excellent advice of buying your pack last, so it fits the size of your gear.

On Mark Verber's excellent website that Lori linked to, there are lots of useful links. One of them is to "Backpacking for Cheap." His descriptions of the different gear available in each category also include budget options (at the end of the article). Clothing, especially, can often be found at thrift shops or military surplus stores or in the athletic departments of stores such as Target, KMart or Walmart. You may have quite a bit of suitable clothing in your closet or drawers already. Just avoid cotton!

Googling "hiking groups Cleveland" may get you together with some like-minded folk who could help you out.

Welcome to the forum and to the world of backpacking!
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey