[pct-l] "UL vs "HEAVY TRUCKER"

[Reinhold Metzger]

[pct-l] How to Ultralightweight JMT/bear

Yes,....this is true Yoshi.
I hike on both sides of the fence.
I am  "UL"  to the extreme on my JMT  fast packs but a  "Heavy Trucker"  
when
I hike with the Scouts or my wife.
Because I want the Scouts and my wife to enjoy the hike and I am used to
hauling heavy packs, I usually wind up with a heavy pack.

Heck,....I remember my first Whitney hike with my wife back in 1968.
I was a recently discharged "bad ass" Marine Grunt used to hauling heavy
packs and it went against my grain to burden my recent bride with a pack,
so everything went into a monster USMC  pack and onto my back, with me
moaning and groaning, stomping up Mt. Whitney in  "combat boots".

But with Karen (my wife) cooing into my ear "Reinhold you are my Hero"
made it all worth it....that is all I ever wanted to be  "Karen's Hero".
I also had to carry  "Schatzy" our miniature Dachshund most of the way.
Of course I was  "Schatzy's"  hero also.

BTW...you "ain't" really  "Hard Core"  until you climbed Whitney in 
combat boots.

Say guys,...I understand "nowdays" you guys make your women carry their
own packs.

Yes, things have really changed from the days when Switchback & Reinhold
ruled the trails.

I have thru-hiked the JMT 12 times with packs as heavy as 85 lb or as light
as 22 lb with all the food & water and all the gear to survive anything 
mother
nature might throw at me, on my unsupported, without resupplies, JMT 
thru-hikes.

BTW  Yoshi, I think we met on the JMT on your 2nd JMT thru-hike...you were
heading south and I was heading north on the first leg of my JMT jo-jo.
I fondly remember you insisting on making a cup of coffee and the two of us
sitting on the trail drinking a cup of coffee and talking about the JMT.
Yes, you meet some of the nicest people on the trail.

Yes, there is nothing wrong with  "Heavy Trucking",  just like there is 
nothing
wrong with "UL."

If a strong hiker is not looking for speed but creature comforts and is 
able to
and does not mind hauling a heavy pack loaded with all kinds of goodies,
then  "Heavy Trucking"  may be the way to go.
On the other hand, if a hiker is not capable, or does not want to carry 
a heavy
pack and is willing to give up creature comforts in exchange for a light 
pack
and speed, then  "UL"  may be the way to go.

You see....there is no  "RIGHT WAY"  or  "WRONG WAY"!!!
There is only  "YOUR WAY".....and your way depends on what kind of hiker
you are and what kind of experience you are looking for.


JMT Reinhold
Karen's hero

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[pct-l] How to Ultralightweight JMT/bear can

*Yoshihiro Murakami* completewalker at gmail.com 
<mailto:pct-l%40backcountry.net?Subject=%5Bpct-l%5D%20How%20to%20Ultralightweight%20JMT/bear%20can&In-Reply-To=D2400F5A-D526-4B18-B946-0B8B136CDE41%40gmail.com>
/Tue Mar 4 17:55:19 CST 2014/

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I don't want to be involved into the discussion about ultralight. But, It
is certain that the well-designed  backpack pulls up the upper limit of the
total pack weight. And the difference of energy consumption is within 10 %
concerning the total pack weight. Therefore, if you select a good backpack,
there is no problem to carry bear canister, book, guitar, and etc.
Enjoy JMT. It is a best place.


    Diane wrote:

/    In my opinion, ultralight gear is so that it's not so painful when you
//    have to carry a bear can or desire to carry a guitar, a book, a cross-cut
//    saw or a shovel.

//
//
//    "Dr.Dave" wrote:
//    I've thruhiked the JMT twice in the past before bear cans were mandatory.
//    I'd like to hike the JMT this summer but I'm seeing now that bear cans
//    are
//    mandatory. Any advice on how to get thru this section lightweight is
//    welcome. Thanks!
//
/  
Sincerely
Hiro   ( the short name of Yoshihiro Murakami  ???? )
facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/completewalker
Blogshttp://completewalker.blogspot.jp/
Photohttps://picasaweb.google.com/104620544810418955412/
Backpacking since 1980 in Japan, A foreign member of PCTA;  JMT( 2009,
2010, 2011, 2012), Wind River Range, Glacier NP (2013)