Day 1 of Training camp - Fitness Test
Carry medium weight pack on 8 mile round trip trail starting at 9800 feet going to 14,229 feet. Summit Shavano and possibly tag Tabeguache Peak. Coach was not real happy about the traveling diet that included 2 milk shakes so I think today is going to be a tough day for us. Up at 5am see clouds overhead. Sunrise show red clouds on the mountain. Acck! Must get going. Finally hit the trail around 6am. Going is good, must take off a layer. Sweating a fair amount. Drink and go, drink and go. Other people are heading up so there will be someone to call SAR and recover my body off the mountain. Using hiking poles is the way to go for clumsy oofs like myself. (you’ll be happy to know I did not buy the poles, just recycled some old ski poles) Hike through the trees, then are really, really long trek across an open space above tree line. Hit the saddle then right to the peak. Clouds start filling the saddle so Tabeguache Peak is out of the question. It would add 2 miles to the trek.
See some mountain goats on the trail before me. They are pretty nonchalant and let me snap their foto. First thunder is heard about 12:30 and I am pretty close to tree line. I make tree line as more claps are heard. Phew! The body starts to rebel from this much effort. A couple of times I have to use the poles to stand up. But hey this is all about getting stronger and who is going to question coach. It hails a bit, this is good, hopefully Colorado is breaking their 7 year drought. Water starts running down the trail.
Return to the car around 3. I think this is the tiredest I have ever been in my whole life.
Every part of my body hurt. Definitely not in shape to do Rainier. Oh well I may be hanging up my hiking boots.
I am thinking hotel and real bed for tonight. A quick drive though town with net stumbler going finds some internet connection. Check out the hotel deals online. Shower and feel a bit better. Big ole headache from lack of carbs and water. Take nap, think about going to town to get real food, nope the sleep monster has me and I am back asleep.
Lessons learned:
rned1 day is not enough break in time for new boots. Coming down a mountain on a bike is soooo much funner than hiking.
See some mountain goats on the trail before me. They are pretty nonchalant and let me snap their foto. First thunder is heard about 12:30 and I am pretty close to tree line. I make tree line as more claps are heard. Phew! The body starts to rebel from this much effort. A couple of times I have to use the poles to stand up. But hey this is all about getting stronger and who is going to question coach. It hails a bit, this is good, hopefully Colorado is breaking their 7 year drought. Water starts running down the trail.
Return to the car around 3. I think this is the tiredest I have ever been in my whole life.
Every part of my body hurt. Definitely not in shape to do Rainier. Oh well I may be hanging up my hiking boots.
I am thinking hotel and real bed for tonight. A quick drive though town with net stumbler going finds some internet connection. Check out the hotel deals online. Shower and feel a bit better. Big ole headache from lack of carbs and water. Take nap, think about going to town to get real food, nope the sleep monster has me and I am back asleep.
Lessons learned:
rned1 day is not enough break in time for new boots. Coming down a mountain on a bike is soooo much funner than hiking.
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