[at-l] 17 mile days (was something else)

[AThiker@smithville.net (Felix)]

"L. Parker" wrote:

> Huh? I am older than that and regularly turn in twenty mile days. I just
> came in from a 16 mile "day hike". We finished at 12:30 and one of my hiking
> partners is older than I am....
>
> Lee I Joe

Well, first of all...a 20 mile dayhike with a day pack is a wee bit different
from a 20 mile hike with a 25 to 45 pound pack. Secondly, after hiking for
months...your body is sore and tired. It takes a while to get it going in the
mornings, or after breaks. Thirdly, we are talking about averages. Sometimes it
just doesn't work out right as far as shelter/campsite location. If you get to a
point where it's 'stop here and hike 15 miles for the day or push to the next
shelter for 25 miles for the day'...you're probably going to go for the safer,
easier 15 mile day...even if it is 3 or 4 miles less than you could, or wanted
to do. Plus, days that you hike into town are usually 8-12 mile days. (I'm just
sayin'.) You have to hike ruffly 25 miles the next day to get back to your
average. It's just harder to do than it sounds.



--
Felix J. McGillicuddy
ME-->GA '98
"Your Move"
http://Felixhikes.tripod.com/