[pct-l] Rest Periods During A Thru-Hike

[Reinhold Metzger]

Mark,
You have gotten some good advice and some real "stupid" advice which, of course,
is fairly standard on the list.

My advice, which by some folks may also be considered stupid, is....
LISTEN TO YOUR BODY...YOUR BODY WILL TELL YOU WHEN IT IS TIME TO STOP.

Nobody knows or understands your body like your own body.
Nobody understands your condition, your tolerance for stress or pain, or what
you want out of your hike like you do.
It all depends on your age, condition, stamina, terrain, how much weight you are
carrying, how much you are willing to push yourself and what you your goals are.

Needlessly to say a out of shape grandmother looking to hike the trail in 6 month
is not going to have the same needs or goals that Scott Williamson had when he hiked
the trail in 64 days, 11 hours and 19 minutes in 2011.

Did I hike the same way and take the same number of breaks when I first hiked the JMT
with the Scouts in 1996 in 21 days, hauling a 85 pound pack, as I did in 2003 when I
"fast packed" the JMT "Unsupported" in 5 days, 10 hrs., or 2004 in 5 days, 7 hrs., 45
minutes carrying only a 22 pound pack (including food&  water), pushing to go on and
on when the body was starting to shut down?

Of course not....7 years older, 63 fewer pounds on my back and a different goal and
agenda changed everything.

Take the advice with a grain of salt, but listen closely to what your body will be telling you.
Sometimes the body knows better than what your own brain or ego is telling you.
Take care and have great hike

JMT Reinhold
Your trail companion who does not always listens to his body
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Mark wrote:
I understand the concept of HYOH, I am just trying to learn from
experienced thru-hikers how they do things.
How often do you, on average, take breaks from walking?
Every hour, every two hours, etc.
If I was to,lets say, walk for 2 hours, then take a 10 or 15 minute break, and do that
every 2 hours, is that reasonable?
Or are you powerhiking 4-5 hours at astretch to get your miles in for the day?
Yes, you guessed it, I'm an inexperienced long distance backpacker, but as I have said,
I WANT TO LEARNFROM YOU.
Taking frequent breaks is, I think, going to be an importantstrategy for me to be able
to pull this thru-hike off, unless taking toomany breaks will take TOO MUCH time to
complete such a hike.
I appreciateany and all responses.
  
Thank you,  Mark