Hiking & Backpacking Megathread II: Still nervous around bears

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Hiking & Backpacking Megathread II: Still nervous around bears

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Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

black.lion posted:

Good call on the sleeping pads, I'll look for two singles! Inflatable is the move, yeah?

Inflatable has largely taken over the pad market for good reason. They're much more compact and generally easier to sleep on. You can still get fairly comfortable foam pads for pretty cheap, though I think the comment earlier about investing in your sleep is a pretty good one. One caveat is that dogs have a tendency to puncture inflatable pads, so consider how likely your fur buddy is to do that.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/sleeping-pads.html

# ¿ Feb 14, 2020 19:26

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# ¿ May 13, 2024 23:43

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

black.lion posted:

Inflatable it is! Though the dog nail thing is a good point, are there any materials/models/whatever that claim to be puncture resistant? I don't expect that my dogs would pop a pad (they tend to either lay ON TOP OF US or in the corner) but better safe than sorry I guess. But this:

...reminds me of a question I forgot to ask. Back when I knew wtf I was doing, we had...ground tarps? Idk what they're called but they're basically a small tarp (smaller than the footprint of a tent but only just, so the edges dont come out and catch rain) to go under the tent to keep groundwater from seeping in. Is that something I need still? Maybe 20 years later they're built in, idk but one time I didn't have one and was sleeping on the damp all night and it was miserable.

Word re: the Danner Mountain 600s I think that's where I'm leaning unless I try something else on that blows my mind. Also I completely forgot rockplates were a thing so yea gently caress hiking in Vans across rocky terrain.

Just keep the dog in mind when you're looking at pads. Some of the inflatables can have pretty thin walls. Perhaps take a look at self-inflating pads, which are essentially hybrids and tend to be made of more durable materials than normal inflatables. I use one for backpacking, and it's nice in many ways, but probably is not as comfortable as one that could truly inflate.

Some tents come with their own custom footprint tarp, or offer them as accessories. Square tarps are also still commonly used, particularly by ultralight folks who like their versatility. The weather forecast said that there was something like a 30% chance of rain in that region in May, so it could certainly be worth picking up.

# ¿ Feb 14, 2020 20:01

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Spanish Inquisition posted:

Hi thread! I'm looking to graduate from Chacos and buy my Very First Pair of hiking boots.

Right now I'm looking at Danner Mountain 600s and the Vivobarefoot Tracker FG. The barefoot thing is SUPER appealing to me, but I'm just a little nervous about pulling the trigger on $250 boots. Right now I'm doing mostly easy-to-moderate day hikes, but I realize I need boots to up my game and/or backpack. Will Vivobarefoot boots be able to take me there?? Do y'all have any experience with them?

Thanks!!!

I've never tried the Vivobarefoot shoes, but I think they seem a lot more expensive than I'd want to pay. Shoe needs depend a lot on the conditions that you're typically hiking in. Trail runners can be quite sufficient for summery trail hikes. Boots are more useful for off-trail adventures and colder weather. The best thing you can do is go try on boots in a store, and since that is hard to do right now I'd suggest starting with a pair of trail runners. That being said, Danner makes good boots and I'm sure those Mountain 600s would be excellent for you.

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hiking-boots.html

https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/trail-running-shoes.html

# ¿ May 28, 2020 20:10

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

That reminded me of how my girlfriend's brother and his partner got stir crazy the other day and tried to convince us to drive out to Shenandoah National Park and hope there was room on the wait list for a campsite. On the July 4th weekend.

Probably a bit busy friends.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2020 03:02

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

George H.W. oval office posted:

Eh you probably could have snuck a spot by the AT shelters. Requires a bit of a hike though

Possibly, though hiking of any sort was probably not on the menu for the partner. I was more concerned about the fact that they had closed every other campsite for Covid, and every well-known park has been slammed with people looking for things to do. Not really a recipe for enjoying the outdoors like I used to in Oregon.

It's great that there's been so much interest in nature, hopefully that translates into a revitalized budget for the National Park Service next year.

# ¿ Jul 13, 2020 03:37

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Slimy Hog posted:

How do I get the motivation to wake up early and hike on a weekday?

Breaking a task into parts helps with motivation:

Commit to doing it the night before (tell someone what you are planning to do, like a loved one or even just these forums).

Finish any planning. Lay out your outfit and gear the night before. Set a music alarm, coffee maker, etc.

Wake up, get out of bed and jump right into your clothes. Get yourself out the door as soon as possible. Once you're on the road, reward yourself by having breakfast (a trail bar at the very least).

# ¿ Jul 22, 2020 16:21

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

xzzy posted:

Motivation is just the energy to plan a thing, discipline is what gets it done.

When that alarm goes off, ignore the inner debate whether you're going to Do A Thing, ignore that you're groggy, ignore the cloud cover, ignore anything on the internet, just go do Thing. All those distractions disappear on the first step you take on the trail.

Totally. Maintaining focus on a task is a huge part of actually getting it done. Avoiding potential pitfalls like spending an hour watching TV or browsing the internet can be really useful. And even if there's a little imperfection, if you set yourself up for success then you are likely to follow through.

So make your bed, put your shoes on, and get your butt outside. That way if you're browsing the forums for 20 minutes while you eat your oatmeal on your front steps and wake up, you're still feeling productive and committed.

# ¿ Jul 22, 2020 16:54

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Pennywise the Frown posted:

I'm taking my nephew (19 year old gamer, ugh) camping today at a local place. When I checked the weather when I booked the camping site it was clear skies. Now... thunderstorms all day and night. I really hope my gear holds up. I'm just assuming he's going to call it quits right away. Whatever, I can take him home and go back out. What's worse though is my phone died last night. I won't have a phone until Tuesday. Since it's a local place I'm not worried about it at all but it just sucks to not be able to contact anyone.

I really hope this works out. I'm worried it's just going to suck all around now.

Best of luck! Sometimes the weather just works against you, but you never can tell.

# ¿ Aug 2, 2020 18:54

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

me your dad posted:

Had to cancel a car camping trip this weekend with the kids, due to rain. It would have been our first family trip and it was literally the only thing I have looked forward to in the last eight months.

I'm so beyond bummed right now.

That really sucks. Maybe there will be a break in the weather long enough for you all to go have a picnic in a park. It won't be the same, but it would be nice regardless. Better luck next time!

# ¿ Aug 13, 2020 14:19

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Cleats like Kahtoola EXOspikes are pretty useful for the vast majority of snowy trail hikes (heavy-duty Microspikes are better for fresh snow, and light-duty Nanospikes are largely intended for streets with occasional ice patches). Snowshoeing is lots of fun, but they're really intended for off-trail usage with significant snow depth. If you're trudging through three feet of untouched powder, then you pull out the snowshoes.

Modern cleats work really well. Basically if you at all feel like you could slip on snow or ice, then you probably would benefit from cleats. They can very easily prevent you from a bad fall, and ensure that you can enjoy your hike rather than constantly focus on your next step. And they work in a lot of situations where you'd traditionally wear snowshoes.

Kaal fucked around with this message at 22:08 on Jan 31, 2021

# ¿ Jan 31, 2021 21:39

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Bloody posted:

I got my first backpack in the rei sale. Is breaking in backpacks, like hiking boots, a thing? Not planning a particularly strenuous first overnight adventure but should I be doing anything before that?

You should be good. My only tip is to lay out everything you're planning on packing onto an open surface like a bed. It helps to visualize everything you're taking. Enjoy your hike!

# ¿ May 27, 2021 05:44

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Latest estimates are that something like 80 percent of the insect biomass has been destroyed over the last 30 years, largely due to pesticides, land clearing, and climate change. At the current rate, insects may be mostly eradicated within a century.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/feb/10/plummeting-insect-numbers-threaten-collapse-of-nature

# ¿ Jul 20, 2021 10:38

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

cerious posted:

So I got a permit to go backpacking at the Lost Coast this weekend for 3 days, and they just announced an open flame ban - no campstoves allowed. I'm a little lost about what I should be bringing for food, anyone got nice cold soak or no-cook meals? I mean I could just do pb&j and leftover pizza and bars or something, but it'd be nice to avoid eating straight trash for all those meals.

Generally canister stove systems like a JetBoil are not considered open flame and will be permitted during fire restrictions. Unlike homemade alcohol stoves or traditional Coleman liquid fuel stoves, there's an on-off switch and all the fire is contained within the system. It's worth double-checking so give the ranger office a call, but I've never had issues.

# ¿ Aug 12, 2021 13:40

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

cerious posted:

Yeah I normally bring a canister setup but the language here seems pretty clear:

So no campstoves of any kind, period.

I was planning on bringing some cold foods but I've had issues before with some of them, like a pack of salami I brought that turned into a greasy mess in my bag even before I opened it. I'm gonna try just adding a coffee packet to cold water at home too for breakfast and see if I hate it too much.

Again, I would check on that by calling the ranger station because that sort of language typically permits canister or white gas stoves. Alternatively there's chemical heaters like in MREs if you still want something warm. As for cold food, there's a variety of options that can be pretty good. You'd be saving weight not carrying any heater so use those kgs on tasty things you might not otherwise bring. Mediterranean food like hummus wraps or hard cheeses can be excellent additions that don't need any additional heating. Powdered chai or matcha is very flavorful and can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Kaal fucked around with this message at 15:45 on Aug 12, 2021

# ¿ Aug 12, 2021 15:34

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Chard posted:

CA is not loving around with fires this year, the no-flame-of-any-kind ban is real.

Here's the seasonal fire restrictions for the Arcata Field Office region including Lost Coast as of June 2021. These are typical stage 2 fire restrictions - generally stage 3 is closure of the entire forest. If an area isn't safe enough for a canister stove, it probably isn't safe enough for any campers at all. The King Range may have a further limitation, but it isn't clearly posted online. For example there is an advisory indicating increased fire restrictions as of July 11, 2021, whereas the roads and trails report of July 21, 2021 merely indicates that campfires are not permitted outside campgrounds. I'd invite anyone camping to always contact the appropriate Ranger station for more information.

https://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-announces-seasonal-fire-restrictions-public-lands-managed-arcata-field-office-0

https://www.recreation.gov/permits/72192

https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/docs/2021-07/KRNCA_Roads%20and%20Trails%20Report_%20July%202021%20%28003%29.pdf

Kaal fucked around with this message at 19:10 on Aug 12, 2021

# ¿ Aug 12, 2021 17:37

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Yeah the DC thread has been talking about them for a bit. They're called oak mites and they're loving terrible. They'll apparently die off in the winter, which seems way too far away for a host of reasons at this point. I've had a couple of the bites and they stuck around for at least a miserable week. Hydrocortisone helps and is recommended, which is why it's sold out. Try and get some if you can. You could also try out a non-anti bacterial lotion like CeraVe's Healing Ointment, or Tecnu's Calagel.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2021 05:29

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Rolo posted:

drat I was thinking chiggers but that�s way worse somehow.

Yeah they're the worst. The area also offers ticks and some of the worst urban mosquito and midge infestations known to Orkin Man. Truly the capital of our great nation!

https://www.washingtonian.com/2021/08/02/mysterious-bug-bite-dc-oak-mite-bite-cicadas-bed-bugs/

# ¿ Aug 14, 2021 19:27

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

hypnophant posted:

I'm too far north to be affected, but does regular picardin/DEET insect repellent help?

They're supposed to, and I plan to cover myself in bug spray the next time I go into any parks.

# ¿ Aug 14, 2021 21:58

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

George H.W. oval office posted:

Why are cairns bad? I see cairns all the time in the desert along trails and boy are they helpful

Cairns as trail markers are fine when they're created intentionally by the pathfinders or maintenance crews. Cairns as casually-built "I am here" flags are not fine - they end up spreading like wildfire because folks love copying them and they turn camp sites and scenic points into monuments of past human presence. Building one seems minor, but they very quickly turn into dozens when bored people see them and want to build their own. The ecological impact isn't significant, but they're the equivalent of carving your name into a tree, and they last until someone knocks them down.

Kaal fucked around with this message at 17:00 on Aug 15, 2021

# ¿ Aug 15, 2021 16:57

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

The hiking community should probably just use two terms to describe the different things. Cairns are made for trailmarking, and they're good. Rock stacks are made for fun, and they're bad.

# ¿ Aug 17, 2021 22:47

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

withak posted:

Need to be careful that your anti-rockstack campaign isn't going around kicking over cairns.

Cairns are generally way bigger than rock stacks, and are often constructed using stones brought in via mule, so they really are only superficially similar. If you can just kick it over, it probably isn't a cairn.

# ¿ Aug 18, 2021 00:31

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

armorer posted:

This is certainly true in some places, but a lot of alpine trail markers are just a few stacked stones making up a small cairn.

It depends on the area of course, but there's a lot of alpine areas using wire or even concrete to harden against the elements and differentiate their cairns from rock stacks. If you're up high enough that the routes need rebuilding every season, then you're already in an environment where people should be experienced enough to tell the difference.

Fitzy Fitz posted:

truly a land of cairntrasts

https://youtu.be/TwjDXwHbLfc

Kaal fucked around with this message at 01:23 on Aug 18, 2021

# ¿ Aug 18, 2021 01:20

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

For what it's worth, I've never found a pad that is particularly good for stomach sleeping. You just need a level of softness that is difficult to achieve without a mattress. If you're car camping I'd look into fairly thick pads or inflatables, and some folks swear by cots. A hammock might be a good alternative if you want something light, since it will such be a different way to sleep that you might not be tempted to roll onto your stomach.

Kaal fucked around with this message at 21:53 on Aug 29, 2021

# ¿ Aug 29, 2021 21:48

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Arkhamina posted:

Dumb question that may be buried back somewhere. For not super aggressive hiking, how much water per mile should I be budgeting? I have both under packed and over packed in the past.

Got my first big hike planned Sunday, after a number of smaller (7-8 mile) ones, and goal is 18.7 miles. I normally average about 30 minutes a mile after 5 miles. No crazy terrain. I will be bringing my mcr hand pump water thingies, but it's been dry so not sure if I will be able to top up. Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin.

(44 year old goonette, fwiw).

I think REI has some excellent basic field guide material if you have more questions about this sort of thing. Their rule is "About a half liter of water per hour of moderate activity in moderate temperatures." https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/hydrate.html

# ¿ Sep 29, 2021 00:01

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Not a Children posted:

Been getting into backpacking with my SO on the east coast over this summer. Worked our way up from 3 -> 5 -> 8 ->10 mile hikes culminating with hiking Old Rag last month.

We're loving the hobby but since it's been summer and we've only been doing day hikes we've been more or less operating on easy mode with daypacks and t-shirts/shorts. We're a little overwhelmed with options for extending hikes and continuing into colder weather, and I was hoping to ask for a little advice in this thread to give us some launching points.

Re: layers/clothing:
- Looks like there is a huge selection of basic stuff at varying price points. $80 for a smartwool base-layer shirt at REI is hard to justify when you can get 2 similar-seeming long-sleeve 32 degree tees at costco. Is there a good resource for researching materials/brands/suppliers for this to sort out what's legit and what I'd regret buying? I'm happy to spend more for quality but I honestly don't know how to evaluate at this point.

Re: Extending hikes
- We're hoping to eventually be up for overnights or entire weekend hikes. Is there a way to ease into that or is the best way to just buy a tent/pad/sleeping bags and a pack to shove all that in and just go for it?

For what it's worth we're in central Maryland, so typically 35-45 degrees on good days when it's cold and the lowest we'd probably hike is just below freezing in the winter. Hoping to get further into the Appalachian trail as we get more experienced.

There's a lot of online resources out there, but I think that just walking into REI and chatting with the staff about what you want is still a great option. So many folks have different ideas about what equipment is absolutely needed for backpacking that it can be difficult to parse - seeing stuff in-person and talking to someone is really helpful. Renting some gear for a weekend is very doable and gives you a good idea of what you want.

# ¿ Oct 14, 2021 01:56

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

REI has some gift ideas available. My suggestion would be a Hydroflask decked out with a rubber boot.

https://www.rei.com/s/gifts-for-him

# ¿ Dec 14, 2021 15:03

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Doom Rooster posted:

4) In completely obvious news, the hose to our CamelBak froze almost immediately. Is there a ONE WEIRD TRICK to keep it usable at that temp, or should we just expect to need to use bottles in our backpack while it's below freezing?

There actually is a trick for both hot and freezing climates, which is to blow the water in the hose back into the reservoir after drinking. That should keep the water at a less extreme temperature, and will hopefully prevent the tubes from freezing over. That being said, I was hiking in -20C today and I wouldn't have expected that trick to work for long at that temperature without real insulation on the tubes.

Kaal fucked around with this message at 06:37 on Dec 30, 2021

# ¿ Dec 30, 2021 06:34

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Pham Nuwen posted:

A friend of mine has suggested we go on a relatively long-distance hike, like on the order of a week out there... I think the aim is "pretty long, but not so long we need to stage resupply drops".

I'm in the San Francisco area, he's in western Washington. He expects the summer to be pretty busy for him, so we're thinking about the spring or the fall. He's suggested PCT California section A for that reason, because at least it won't be snowed in if we go in late fall. I've pointed out that desert hiking is its own animal, and that we might not even be able to get water on the trail if it's not thru-hiker season.

Any other suggestions? I thought that perhaps section I in Washington might be more enjoyable, but that's probably only feasible in the summer. Something in central California or Washington state would be easiest for us to get to.

There's some excellent multi-day hikes in the Sierra Nevadas worth checking out. I did a week in Kings Canyon with friends and it was wonderful.

# ¿ Mar 18, 2022 02:30

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

newts posted:

Bruised, I guess? Like, after I take them off, my ankles turn black and blue (depending on the length of the hike) and are sore to touch.

Hmm. Every pair of hiking boots I�ve ever tried (I�d say 10-12 over my hiking life) has done exactly the same thing. I�ve never found a pair that didn�t abuse my ankles. Maybe I�m just grabbing the wrong boots?

This seems like an abnormal experience to me. I have occasionally had swollen feet from hiking, but never consistently nor to the point of outright bruising and pain. It's possible that there's some sort of lacing issue - you could look up some different ways for tying your shoes. Smartwool socks could be good solutions as well, either of the running (with the ankle extension) or mid calf hiking variety.

Do you have this issue with other types of shoes? If I were you, I'd try going on an unweighted hike while using some running shoes, outdoor sandles, or whatever you have that makes sense. Gradually add weight or add ankle support in order to better identify what is going on. It's possible that this experience could indicate some other circulatory health issue, so it would be worth it to try and figure this out.

Kaal fucked around with this message at 05:06 on Jun 16, 2022

# ¿ Jun 16, 2022 05:04

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Pollyanna posted:

It�s uhhhh kind of a whole thing, I�ll talk to him.

Honestly, it does sound kinda cool. But I might not be in the right shape and definitely WON�T be in the right headspace to actually get into it. Maybe I�ll cut the trip down to just those few days and transfer ownership of it over to my dad, he�s better at planning anyway.

The trip sounds fun, and very doable for your activity level. Your training plan seems solid. It might seem a little overwhelming to you right now, but it will be easier once you start figuring out what to do. The distances between camp sites aren't too bad - 15 km days are pretty normal for tourist sightseeing in DC or New York. The elevation gains aren't terrible, and the paths appear quite well-established, with a mix of dirt, gravel, wood, stone, and pavement. If I were you I'd try to let go of preconceptions and just lean into the adventure of it. Here's some example four day itineraries of your route and some moto images. Let your dad know that you want to go, but are feeling a bit overwhelmed with planning.

For what it's worth, in my own experience I've sometimes struggled to motivate myself for trips that I haven't organized from start to finish. My partner has a tendency to spring ideas on me without making much effort to show me that it'll be fun, and yet often expects me to do the planning for it. It can be frustrating, though I think her idea is that by taking part in the scheduling I'll be better able to incorporate my own ideas and be more amenable. So I certainly understand your hesitancy here. What I've found for myself is that I generally have a better time just leaning into the concept rather than feeling unhappy that it isn't something I'd plan for myself. And some of my favorite trips have been ones that I initially was really hesitant about for one reason or another.

https://www.kumano-travel.com/en/model-itineraries/4-days-E1-kumano-kodo-trek-nakahechi
https://www.uhrenundtouren.com/en/the-kumano-kodo-1-the-nakahechi-route-from-takijiri-to-hongu-taisha-gps-and-trail-guide/

Kaal fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Jun 16, 2022

# ¿ Jun 16, 2022 21:04

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Pollyanna posted:

I was honestly mostly just upset that like so many other parts of my life, my parents decided poo poo for me. But the truth is what I had come up with for the trip wasn�t very good anyway,

I talked to my dad and we figured out a good balance between the two. I�m still gonna try to do the pilgrimage, but in 3 days, and I can�t guarantee that I�ll do the entire 21 km hike - I reserve the right to bail after the first 14 or so. I�ll expend that energy on biking across Shimanami instead. For whatever reason, though, dad�s a lot more hesitant to bike it than he is to do the pilgrimage, despite being an avid cyclist. I originally wanted to do Shimanami partly because I thought he�d enjoy it whatever.

Oh, so you�ve done the Kodo? How pressed for time did you feel overall? Did you bail on a path at any point? Did you do the Tsugizakura-to-Kumano-Hongu trail (~21.5 km) in one day? If so, how much harder than 13~15km was it, and if it took more than one day to finish, did you camp somewhere or something?

My worry is that I wouldn�t be able to finish 21km in one day and I�d be sleeping outdoors waiting to finish it the next.

Basically yeah. I think it helps to realize that I�m just not a travel planner and am pretty useless at putting together and interesting itinerary, so I might as well leave it up to the people who have done trips for the family for decades. Guess I�m still not a complete adult.

Dammit that poo poo looks cool though. What time of year was this? Cold/hot? Humid/dry? Did your feet hurt?

I haven't hiked that trail specifically, though I've done many similar hikes / distances and the route guides I included at the bottom were made by folks who have done them before. My feet tend to handle hikes like this just fine, but I've been with folks who've struggled with that too. Training beforehand helps a lot - not just because it strengthens your body but also because you gain a better appreciation for what feels normal and what doesn't. One of the nice things about these sorts of established trails is that they have a lot of support for different folks, with plenty of guesthouses and buses available.

I understand your concern about the Tsugizakura-to-Kumano-Hongu section in particular, but one thing to consider is that there are three routes available to get to Kumano-Hangu, one being 21.5 km, one is 17 km, and the other only 7.5 km. One idea might be splitting up the group for that section, so that some folks can do the full 8-11 hour hike while the others can have a chill cultural day:

quote:

WALK KUMANO KODO - HOSSHINMON-OJI TO KUMANO HONGU TAISHA

Distance: ~7.5 km
Time: 2~3 hr
Elevation Gain: ~190 m
Elevation Loss: ~460 m

The section from Hosshinmon-oji and Hongu is popular with a diversity of forested trail and settlement scenery. This a good option to give more time to experience the shrines and sites in Hongu. Take a local bus from Chikatsuyu-oji to Hosshimon-oji.

https://www.kumano-travel.com/en/model-itineraries/4-days-E1-kumano-kodo-trek-nakahechi

Another accessible travel guide is LonelyPlanet, which also has some good advice about seasonal changes and detour activities. https://www.lonelyplanet.com/amp/articles/hiking-the-kumano-kodo-japans-ancient-pilgrimage-route

# ¿ Jun 18, 2022 18:14

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Breaking in boots is a good idea, but it's much less of a problem than it used to be.

# ¿ Jun 22, 2022 20:25

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

I wish I could help more but I use Chacos for that sort of thing. I�d drop by an REI and see what you could try on. Xero Shoes and O�Neill look like they have some decent options for you.

# ¿ Jun 28, 2022 17:34

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Bottom Liner posted:

Quick stop by Mammoth Cave today. I have a lot more photos but little signal right now.

Looks fantastic! I love that place.

# ¿ Jul 4, 2022 03:45

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

evilpicard posted:

What do you guys think about getting a nail surgically removed ~ 5 days before a hiking trip. On a scale of moderately bad idea to very bad idea?

I mean your doctor is probably the person to talk to. Hiking five days after any surgery sounds sketchy, but so does hiking on a foot that needs surgery.

# ¿ Jul 14, 2022 14:39

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Sleeping outdoors can be tricky for sure - you spend a lifetime in a comfortable, quiet, indoor environment and then go outside and it's really weird. Experience and tiredness helps, as do sleep aids like earplugs. Since it's been a few attempts for you, and you are understandably a bit in your head about it, I might suggest doing some hammock camping in your backyard if that's possible. It'll help to acclimate you and help your body recognize that common outdoor noises aren't alarming.

# ¿ Jul 15, 2022 00:06

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

A lot of hiking backpacks have space for a camelbak bladder and tube, which might be the best option for you if you already have a bag you like.

# ¿ Feb 24, 2024 05:20

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# ¿ May 13, 2024 23:43

Kaal: May 22, 2002; through thousands of posts in D&D over a decade, I now believe I know what I'm talking about. if I post forcefully and confidently, I can convince others that is true. no one sees through my facade.

Looks like a great bag, enjoy!

# ¿ Feb 26, 2024 19:06

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > The Great Outdoors > Hiking & Backpacking Megathread II: Still nervous around bears

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