We went hiking – up Horsetooth, local landmark. If we ever have visitors who want to hike, this’ll be an easy obvious choice.
There are some pictures at http://ramona.4101.org/ – all the ones that start with ‘Horsetooth’. The order – if you want to look at them in order – is R_base, K_base, R, K_west, K_east, K_chasm. The March08 picture is a shot of Horsetooth itself.
No; I haven’t really figured out how to link pictures to the message board. Or use Flickr.
Enjoyed the photos… I can certainly see why the name, Horsetooth.
I like the photos.
When hiking, do you often wear your hair down/braided? I’d think it would get in the way/get tangled on things.
Oh, and those shoes… get them from REI? I swear I have the exact same shoes.
question that comes to mind:
I’ve been told that hiking poles are a must for any long distance hiking, or hiking in areas that aren’t well traveled. I’ve read the reason is primarily for balance when moving over unknown terrain while carrying a pack.
This true? Any other benefits?
Are you using them with every step, or only when you think you need them?
· REI Shoes, check. Beginning to think about replacements – those shoes are almost 10 years old – but none of the current models really appeal to me. And these will be good for a while yet.
· Braid. Do you mean down as in ‘not in bun’ or down as in ‘flowing loose’? Got to wear a hat, so the bun is out. It would be hot, miserable, sticky, catching on trees and pants velcro, and a huge mat of tangles if I wore it free. So, braid. Always braid. And always a side braid over the shoulder – got to wear the pack, too.
· Trekking Poles. Got the trekking poles because folks said to. Learned to use the trekking poles after messing up my knee. Love the trekking poles for multiple reasons.
1.THE DESCENT. I could not hike back down if it weren’t for the trekking poles. I’d be trapped at the top, all the time. You know what kind of ‘steps’ you get on a climb … totally uneven, and sometimes Really Big Steps. With the trekking poles, it’s like I have a permanent movable stair rail to hold onto. The added stability and the stress it takes off my knees is incredible.
2. KNEES. I messed up my knee years ago – physical therapy, all that; surgical intervention recommended but not taken. Most of the time I don’t really notice it – just when I get tired, don’t do my regular knee exercises, or hike without the poles. Without the poles, at the end of a 3 hour hike on level ground, my bad knee will be swollen, stiff, and will ache for many days after. With the poles, at the end of an 8 hour strenuous hike with 1000+ feet elevation gain, it’ll be just fine. There won’t be any difference between the two, and neither of them hurt. (Are tired, yes … but there’s a difference between tired and hurt.) Whatever the poles are doing, it means I can still hike.
3. Overall stability. All hikes have little ups & downs and little sections when you’re over scrabbly little rocks. The poles mean you’re balanced on a tripod at all times. They don’t feel like they help .. but they do. Those tiny musles in your thighs and knees that keep you upright that you don’t even think about? That’s what the poles are helping, even if I don’t really notice it at the time.
4. How I feel afterwards (not just the knees). I’ve hiked without them, and with them. Even in non-technical terrain, I’m less tired and less sore afterwards (thighs, calfs, back, etc.) if I’ve used the poles. Whatever subtle thing it is that they do, I can tell.
5. Insurance against falling or tripping, and the confidence to take the big climb steps (especially the big climb steps down) without pushing or rocking your body up (or down) to do so. I can maintain good (or at least better) climbing form with the poles (which is probably another reason that I’m not as tired when I finish the hike).
6. Shock absorbers on those big steps down. I put A Lot of my weight on those poles on the way down. Like I said, I’d be stuck at the top without them.
7. Upper body workout. OK, this is mostly a joke. But hey, I’ll take it. You’ve got to swing these things around and move your arms when hiking. It’s like another 150 calories burned over the day .. hand over the Snickers!
8. Etc. (I thought maybe I could get to 10, but you’re probably bored … maybe I’ll come up with the next three reasons in a little while ..)
ps.
if/when you ever come up here & we go hiking, we can get you a loaner pair of trekking poles so you can see what you think. However, it did take me a couple of hikes before I really figured out what they were good for – the first couple of times, they were more in the way than anything, since I didn’t know how to handle them. So if/when you come up here and we do lots of hiking, we’ll get you a loaner pair. 🙂
I think it’ll be a long while before we get to do hiking beyond walking around the block.
Still, good answers there. Makes more sense now. thanks!