hiking – Page 2 – savemaple.org

I have recently completed three stiff mountain day-hikes. Hikes where I was worn out, and then some, after just a few hours of hiking.

On my last hike I met a 74-year-old guy who was doing real backpacking. That is, days-at-a-stretch, carrying-kit-and-caboodle mountain hiking.

I handed him an apple, so I know he wasn’t imaginary. And it got me to thinking: If he can can do it, can’t I?

Answer: Nope. There’s no way I can go backpacking. Not due to the weight of the pack, but because my joints can’t recover fast enough from the pounding. I need days (plural) of recovery time after a mountain day-hike.

There’s no way I could do this two days in a row. Which, practically speaking, rules out backpacking.

Continue reading Post #2135: Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

The first part of this hike is what everyone thinks a walk in the eastern woods should look like. After a brief climb on some stone stairs, you gradually arrive at a long section of mostly-level dirt trail. As shown left.

The trail head is on a rarely-used gravel road. On the trail, the only man-made noises were from the occasional jet flying overhead, and one far-off dog.

By contrast, the woods were full of birds. This ends up as a hike, on a good trail, out of earshot of roads, listening to songbirds and woodpeckers.

The side-trail to the waterfall on Hollow Brook is a hoot. But perhaps not appropriate for small children. It ends at the waterfall pictured above.

The trail gets rockier and steeper as you travel further north. Pick your turnaround point as you see fit.

Continue reading Post #2134: Hollow Brook Falls/Sam Moore Shelter hike.