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2004 Olympics and Yachting in Greece
Everybody knows that the Olympic Games are due to be held in Athens in 2004. Apart from the accepted consequences, positive and negative, for the city of Athens and Greece in general this sporting extravaganza will seriously affect the yachting...
A Bicycle Trip Down The River
My river-rafting adventure started on a bicycle. The small daypack I wore carried a hatchet, a saw, some scraps of rope, food, water, a garbage bag bivy sack, a hat, and odds and ends. It weighed less than fifteen pounds total.
It was late...
Choosing the Right Treadmill for You
Convenience, ease and the efficiency of Treadmills have made them a revelation in the health industry. We have gone through such a variety of fitness exercises which either break your back trying to get them right, or are too difficult to master,...
Exercise, fitness and improving your metabolism to lose weight
Losing weight can sometimes seem like a daunting task. It’s so easy to think “I can’t do it”. But you can. But in order to lose weight you need to increase your metabolism.
So just how can you boost your metabolism? It is relatively simple...
Tips on Riding a Narrow Trail
A narrow trail or single-track is one that is just wide enough for one biker a time. Since the trail is narrow, you might not have any option about where to go! You would also need to prevent the hitting of your pedals with the sides of the trail. ...
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A Lightweight Backpacking Adventure
I was in the Weminuche Wilderness Area when the snow came. It was my second day out of Silverton, where the locals told me it rains or snows every day in August. I made a note to myself to do some research next time. Then I made a note to myself to find the trail. I was lost again.
Lightweight Backpacking
I came to the San Juan Mountains in Colorado to try my new gear. I used a tarp shelter, and a light down sleeping bag. The first rainy night I stayed dry. A good start, but now above the trees, I was lost in rolling tundra, unable to find the trail under several inches of snow. I had my ultralight rainsuit on, though, and I was fine.
It was beautiful, with mountains appearing all around at every break in the weather. Eventually I found myself on the map. The sun came out, and there were white mountain tops rising out of the green forests everywhere. Mountain goats played on the cliffs with me.
The fourth morning, I was on my way up Mount Eolus. In Colorado you can go up 14,000-foot mountains without climbing gear. They call them "Walk-ups," but some require more than hiking. The "catwalk" on Eolus, for example, is easy, but only if it's easy for you to walk a three-foot-wide edge, with a drop to your death on either side. I made it to the top.
Sunlight Peak, a couple hours later, required a leap across a thousand foot drop to reach the summit. At least it was an easy jump. Chased off by a thunderstorm, I
didn't get to go up nearby Windom Peak.
There were no roads, but the next day I found the Silverton-Durango line, and flagged down the train to Silverton. I bought food and headed out for three more days of rainy hiking. Lightning chased me at 13,000 feet, I slept in an old ghost town building, climbed three more "fourteeners," and I'd do it all again in a second. Backpacking in Colorado is spectacular, and going lightweight made it even more so.
Why Lightweight?
I carried my backpack easily up mountains, with better balance. One day I hiked 22 miles and bagged three fourteeners. I went 110 miles in seven days, without one blister. That's what running shoes and a 12 to 16 pound packweight does for you.
Staying dry was as much technique as it was good equipment. It rained every day, and I was under a tarp, in a one-pound sleeping bag, but I stayed dry and warm. I found lightweight backpacking to be safer than hiking with a heavy load, contrary to what many say.
This first lightweight backpacking trip was years ago. When I remember running up those mountains, I know I'll never go back to a heavy load.
About the author:
Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of lightweight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com
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