[pct-l] Being 61

[William Skaggs]

> I am new at this so forgive my transgressions. I plan to hike in '09 
> and I am really hoping that this old body(I'll be 61) will make it. 
> Even though my knees are creaky the Dr says they should make the 
> milage. I have been doing 15 mi on the weekends and I feel pretty 
> sore afterwards. I exercise on a regular basis so I am a bit 
> disheartened. I plan on doing 20 mi. days once on the trail so I am a 
> little nervous. Perhaps you guys can offer some advice to help me get 
> ready for my trip? Will there be suggestions made at ADZPCTKO?

There is an old saying:  the only useful practice for backpacking
is backpacking.  You should do a couple of of weeklong soloes this
summer -- your response to these will be a good clue to your response
to the trail.

The way the PCT works, in most years you're not really in a hurry for
the first few hundred miles.  You can't really make it through the
high Sierra until the snow melts to a pretty good degree, and that
generally doesn't happen till around late May at the earliest, sometimes
a good bit later.  So in most cases you have time to build up your mileage
and take rest breaks in the early part.  This means that success is more
about having the psychology to keep going day after day, and about
not getting a really serious injury, than about being able to make a 
certain number of miles day after day.  By the time you reach northern 
California, either your body is collapsing completely, or the miles are 
coming a lot easier.

  -- Bill