[pct-l] my first backpacking trip

[Michael Jurado]

hey everyone,
    I went on my first overnight backpacking trip last week.  I backpacked the PCT with my brother from Three Points trailhead to Mount Pacifico in Angeles National Forest (a whopping 7 miles!)  We hiked to Pacifico (a bit bummed there were no chilled Pacificos waiting for us), camped for the night, and returned to 3 Points the next day. We had an awesome time and the weather was great (a bit chilly and very windy between sunup and sundown) but we were both pretty beat up from hiking 3 to 5 hours each day with 30lb packs (I know I know, we're newbies) I'm eager to plan my next trip for more mileage and more days, but before I do I had some newbie questions for the forum:

1)What aches and pains lessen with more and more backpacking experience?
   -Everyone hurt on me:thighs, hip flexors, back, and cuts from my hip 
    straps on my waist

2)What aches and pains are normal from your backpack?
   -I took a 5 year old Gregory Forester that felt all wrong for me.  It 
    weighed 5 pounds and felt like it was pulling my shoulders and chest 
    apart.  The waist straps didn't really feel like sat on my hips so 
    it felt like all the load was on my shoulders.  I'm thinking of 
    returning my forester for a new UL model.

3)Anyone gotten sick using a water filter?
   -I took a Katadyn Hiker water filter, but didn't even need to use it.
    Had I planned a longer trip though, I would have gotten water from 
    some fungus streams.

4)When and where along the PCT is it ok to not hang or bearproof food?
   -the park signs said we were in bear country, but we didn't see much 
    wildlife and lost our rope, so we slept with our gear outside our 
    tent and had no problems.

5)Any place I could backpack where pacificos or any other beer grows 
  from earth?

Gracias everyone and good luck to all 09 thru-hikers!

Mikey Jurado-Class of 20??