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[at-l] turkey hike

Guys,

      Heres a tale of a bad hike.  We were supposed to meet early Thursday
morning in Pine Grove PA so we could have some sort of hike before the sun
went down, but ended up not getting started until 1pm.  I packed for 5 days,
and when we met discovered the 5th day was 1st day of buck season and gave
that up right away.  I should have taken out some food then and stuck it in
my car. lol

      This was my first trip in mountains using my "big pack".  Generally on
overnighters or 3 day trips I can fit all I need in my Gregory day and half.
My big pack (a Kelty Red Cloud) has only gone on one trip with me on a flat
trail.  Thought I packed it right and proceeded to climb first mtn, where I
injured shoulders 
because the waist band wouldn't get tight enough to take up slack.  We made
it to 1st shelter in the dark, which was very nice, and spent the night with
this nice man who had been there a couple of days recuperating from injuries
sustained from wet trail.

    Next day, I thought we should leave by 9 and instead left at 11:30 with
daylight leaving us at 5....but okay, we are taking time. I adjusted pack
away from my sore shoulders as much as I could, and everything was going
fine, until I slipped on some rocks.  I didn't hurt much when I fell, but
started feeling pain from buttocks to foot......ahh.....the sciatic nerve.
 Had to stop after this without reaching shelter, and camped at nice spot in
the woods near a lovely rippling stream. It was late afternoon anyways. So
far we had hiked for 2 days and only gone 9 miles.

    I did my exercizes putting mr. sciatic back into its rightful place and
got up to hike again, and it went out immediately.....badly this time. Did
about a 1.5 miles and had to tell partner I could no longer hike. The Boiling
Springs Mail delivery got message to them and we got picked up.   Nice people
in Boiling Springs PA.

   What I learned.

        1)  Never to take that pack out again.  I am 5-2 and weigh about 130
pounds all belly.  The waist belt was not only too long, but it was too wide
and in order to take the weight made my stomach muscles wince. It kept
dropping putting all 40 pounds I was carrying on my shoulders.......ouch.

         2)  Take only the food you need. I can see taking a little extra,
but I guess I thought I was gonna feed a boyscout troop if I met them. I
brought most of it home.

         3)  I froze at night.  My mummy bag decided to come undone everytime
I tossed and turned. I ended up using bag around bottom torso, using pack and
clothes bag for pillow and wearing fleece to keep my upper body warm.

         4)  Patagonia keeps you dry.  It smells a little after a couple
days. but works great.

          5)  I have received lots of mail concerning my supplex jacket.  It
worked great and is now a treasured part of my hiking gear.

          6)  The best decision I ever made was to buy those Azolos. 

           I am not a wimp and am embarressed that I had to cut short the
trip, but I learned a lot.


                     Cheryl


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