[pct-l] my first backpacking trip

[Will M]

Aches and pains are pretty much par for the course when you haven't
backpacked for awhile.  Eventually most will go away but you need to learn
to differentiate the good pain from the bad pain.  It sounds like most of
the pain you are experiencing is the the pain of getting back into shape,
using muscles that don;t normally get used, etc..If the pains are sharp, pay
particular attention as it may be a sign of more serious problems.

Your issues with your backpack may be part of the problem.  Your pack seems
a little heavy but not so much that it should be causing too much
discomfort.  You should definitely feel like your carrying your pack on your
hips vs. your shoulders.  I would recommend that you got to a gear shop and
get some fititng advice.  You might as well pack up your pack as if you were
ready to hit the trail beforehand.  Some problems could have to do weith how
you are distributing the weight in your pack.


Good luck,

Jalan jalan
On Wed, Apr 8, 2009 at 10:20 PM, Michael Jurado <kungfutbol at yahoo.com>wrote:

>
> 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??
>
>
>
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