Thanks for letting me know
Eric and I successfully met Emily, Jim, Diana and Darrell this morning at Agnew Meadow.
The Bee hikers looked tired, satisfied and very happy to see the car that will take them home.
After Emily and Jim refilled their bear canisters with food that we brought, all four of us made the dusty, sunny climb up to Rosalie Lake.
It was during that climb that I noticed something. Almost every downhill hiker I passed smiled at me and said, "Wow, that pack sure looks heavy."
Usually I was panting and red-faced when they'd say that, and I didn't really know what to say. I usually ended up saying, "Yea."
So I talked to Jim about it later, and he said people told him the exact same thing the first day that they were climbing out of Yosemite Valley. So I'm thinking this might be a form of John Muir Trail hazing that I wasn't aware of.
Comments
OK Christina! I've read the blogs and you were fore warned about your pack. However, the puffing and panting accompanied by the red face is a clue to other hikers that you are overloaded or under conditioned. Don't worry about it. Compress everything you can as you put it in your pack and then use the straps on the pack to squeeze things down more. Remember the tips from Guru Krogan and all will be well. Most importantly...HAVE FUN!!
Posted by: "Yosemite Dan" | August 16, 2006 06:02 AM
Good luck and happy beginnings. Hope your hike is great.
Posted by: ScottM | August 16, 2006 08:06 AM
Important note:
If your backpack has straps around your waist make sure it is snug around your hips.
keeping it snug around your waist will bare some of the weight off your back.
Posted by: Rich | August 16, 2006 09:26 AM
Hey Lil' sis,
Don't let them psych you out! Though you aren't a veteran at this, you have done it a few times, and know what to expect. It's a live and learn thing. Take the great advise others have given you, and keep movin' on! I SO wish I could be there with you, instead of stuck in this office! Though I can't be with you to experience it this time, I am with you in spirit. Be my eyes for me; I am with you every step...
Love ya!
Posted by: Aimee | August 16, 2006 11:57 AM
Hey Chuck(Emily),
It's becca and veronica we just wanted to say hi and we are hoing you are doing well.Hope you are having fun, enjoying life out there and learning new things.
Becca and Veronica
P.S. Bertha,Monica and Chrissy said hi.
Posted by: Veronica Garcia | August 16, 2006 01:06 PM
LOL!
I can totally hear you saying, "Yeah" with annoyance/disgust in your voice.
Look at it this way, it's only going to get lighter (unless you find a place to buy a Shakespeare anthology on the trail).
Besides, when you're drinking your espresso, who's going to be laughing then???
Prayers & blessings...
Posted by: M Tizzle | August 16, 2006 01:30 PM
Good advice from other posters about cinching down those straps. You want your pack weight as evenly distributed as possible to save your back. What did your pack weigh before you left anyhow? And, I guarantee you will purge some things if you ever do this again!
Posted by: Patti Ogden | August 16, 2006 07:49 PM