[pct-l] prepping for my first hike.

[frankgilliland at comcast.net]

I'm planning on doing a mid-life crisis/post divorce brain flush hike
consisting of hiking the Oregon section of the PCT starting sometime around
the end of July.  i'm starting to put my gear together... i have a back
pack, new pair of boots, i got my stove picked out...


Answer:  Oregon is a Great first Chunk to do.  I have hiked Oregon both
North and South bound.  Gear selection is one of those topics that can go on
forever.  In the past I used Italian hiking boots and a Kelty pack that I
once strapped an Igloo cooler on top of.  Now being much older and
smarter.......I have changed and continue to change every item I use.  I
just purchased my first ever down sleeping bag.  I have used tents, tarps,
slept on blue foam pads, inflating pads, treated my water with iodine,
filter and UV.  They all worked just fine.

I was just at REI the other day to find a pack for my wife.  We spent 2
hours trying on packs.  Nothing fit right except the large custom fit types
weighting in at 5+ lbs.  Most of the other customers were testing and buying
these huge and expensive packs.  I finally found in the day pack section a
nice pack that fit her like it was built just for her.  It was  smaller in
size, but was much lighter and much less expensive.  She will have no
problem getting what she "needs" into this pack.  

Hiking gear is just like cars, every one has a favorite.  I am a compact
three door hatch back kind of guy living in a full size SUV world.  Finding
gear that fits my hiking style takes a little extra work and is always
evolving.

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The biggest problem i have so far is that i find the Wilderness Press PCT
guide book by Jeffery Schaffer to be nearly unreadable and I haven't been
able to find decent trail maps... any clues on where to look? any
preferences?


Answer:  The guide is still the best thing out there.  I have a love, not
love relationship with it.  (Notice how I did not say hate) The guides are a
little funky in lay out, but they do the job.  You have to take ownership of
the guides.  Take them apart, make notes on them.  I even put mileage tags
at known intersections etc.  Get the Data book.  This little guy is what I
use to hike.  The maps and guide are for reference.  I have met Jeffery
Schaffer.  He and the other authors of the guides are to be thanked for
there hard work and love of the PCT.  Yes the guides are at times somewhat
frustrating, but the information is in there.

Get Yogi's books.  Her books are like the icing on the cake.  Her books
answer all of the questions such as town info, up to date trail changes,
etc.  The tips are from thru hikers who have been there and done that......

There is a new map series coming out this year and next, not sure when
Oregon comes out.

I got a lot of insight and understanding from reading on-line journals as
well.


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any input on what i should know before i try this?  It'll be the first time
i've done anything more than a day hike since i left the Army about 12 years
ago...


Answer:  Get out and do some over night hikes.  Try out your gear.  Before
using a tarp for the first time last year , I set it up on a very rainy
windy stormy day in my back yard.  I learned a lot and made modifications
then that would have been a disaster in the field.  


StarMan