Having lunch with my friend and former hiking buddy, we began talking about our former backpacking trips. Could we still do it? With all our aging aches and pains? In a moment of insanity, we committed to pulling out the old gear and giving it a try. After all, Betty the Legend, the oldest woman to have hiked the entire 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail in one trip, did it at the age of 80. We quickly put together a plan.
Where: The Long Path, which runs from Manhattan north to the Adirondacks is approx. 360 miles. Long ago we had done most of it, albeit in smaller sections over time. Back then, much of the trail was incomplete, often coming out on roadways for large portions, which held no interest for us. Today, more sections have been completed, and we have chosen a 21 mile length of trail to complete in two days. It is rated moderate, with some strenuous sections, with wild forest and waterfalls.
When: September, a month that is often emotionally difficult for me and forest hiking has always helped. Being retired, we have the luxury to wait for perfect weather - low 70s in the day, 50s at night so we don’t have to carry too many clothes.
Gear: I dug in our storage shed and pulled out my old backpack and gear. While they were state-of-the-art back in the day, I’m sure everything from packs and sleeping mats, stoves and cookware have been streamlined to weigh less and be more efficient. But I’m not spending hundreds for a 2 day trip so my old stuff will have to do.
Prep: I generally average around 8k steps a day, and it’s been a long time since I’ve hiked 10 miles a day on rugged terrain. My left foot, which was broken in a few places years ago, has filled in with a lot of arthritis, making flexing my toes quite painful. I have laced into my old high-top hikers, which seem to stabilize my foot enough to manage the pain. It is my biggest worry about this trip - that the pain will trigger memories. I have also started hiking up and down local hills. The body is willing, but the knees are weak. Very weak.
The weather is looking good for this Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. Happy trails to me.
