TimeOutside
a.k.a. Andrew
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2019
- Messages
- 14
I'm 63 and haven't seriously backpacked in decades. Long ago I was an avid hiker and backpacker. Before I left Scouting at 18 my 500 mile hiking award was (for a kid) a distant memory. These last several years I've been heavily involved in Obstacle Course Racing. I've also done a bit of trail running and general running, with a few triathlons thrown in. I'm still fit, but I've lost the desire to train at the level I need to be near the top of my age group. Quite honestly, I'm getting old, I'm more tired, and I just want to slow it down. While hunting this year I did quite a bit more backpacking deeper into the woods. When hunting season was over I found myself taking several backpacking trips into the woods camping and scouting, instead of just car camping and branching out from there. I remembered just how much love I had for hiking and backpacking as a kid. So I started checking into getting some lighter gear (my packs for a 5 day excursion were easily topping 65 pounds), so I could head out on some longer treks more comfortably. I was blown away by the all the gear, resources, trails, training, YouTube channels, and the like dedicated to backpacking, plus this whole ultralight thing. I've spent the last month or two just browsing around. This is now the first forum I've joined. I'm looking forward to reading, learning more, and having the opportunity to ask some specific questions related to my personal backpacking objectives. We're in the process of moving now, but once we're settled in then I want to get out in the field again.
- Andrew
- Andrew