My wife grew up in a family that backcountry camped, via horse packing. When we first married, we did some backpacking together. Over the years she just didn't engage in enough physical activity to keep truly fit.

She isn't overweight, but she just can't hike like she used to. A 1000 ft elevation gain on a six mile dayhike pushes her up to her physical limit. Unfortunately, finding flat trails around here is a stretch. Everything gains elevation it seems like.

When we backpack now, I am the mule and we don't go on very challenging trails or very far. But we still get the odd overnight in, now and then. She likes the idea, but she still shortchanges herself in terms of yearlong conditioning. I express this to her, gently, but refuse to nag her. It has to come from within.

We do most of our tent camping from a car nowadays.