It’s a zero day. Ahhhhhhhhhh. Let the body recover after a pounding.
It’s been thirty days since I hiked away from Crazy Cook Monument on the US/Mexico border, 537 miles ago. Let’s take a moment to reflect.
There is an intimacy to thru hiking. Seeing the state of New Mexico at 2.5 mph without our typical shield of glass and steel around us is more sensual, more personal and . . . more intimate. The sun and wind remind you of your frailty. The need to chase water and carry sufficient food connects you to your basal needs. The utter fatigue at the end of the day enhances your connection to your own mortality. Your rebirth the following morning strengthens your confidence in your body to heal itself. A glorious sunset, sunrise, hawk hanging motionless on the breeze, the moon progressing thru it’s cycle while the planets and stars reveal themselves remind you of your place in this cycle of life and the universe. The whole thru hike experience makes you acutely aware of what it means to be alive.
I have jokingly remarked that the day of hiking is akin to hitting yourself in the head with a hammer. It feels so good when you finally stop at night and camp. It is the contrast between these two extremes that enhances both. Just to lay down in your tent or on your ground tarp after 10 or 12 hours of hiking and elongate your spine, rest your legs and relax every muscle in your body is such a joy!
How many who started are still on trail? I don’t know. There are a number of people I have not seen since Silver City, but whether just slower or faster or left the trail, I don’t know. Some repetitive use injuries were starting to show themselves. Ankles, shins, back were some of the complaints I have heard. Extra zero days to let parts heal is the universal therapy.
What wildlife have I seen? Rabbits, lizards, snakes, antelope, elk, havolinas, squirrels, any number of birds. I’ve seen enough to keep it interesting.
What about weight loss or gain? The assumption is hikers will have massive weight loss due to all the exercising. Every couple of days I would record everything I ate and compare the calorie input to the calorie output as recorded by my Apple Watch. Let’s take a look:
I consumed 2808 calories during the day. Through the exercise of hiking I burned 1,515 calories and my normal metabolism burned 1500 for a total calorie use of 3015, so I was short 207 calories for that day. There is a caveat. My metabolic budget of 1500 calories will have me lose 1.5 pounds each week. I would be happy with that, but that means I was really more like 700 calories short of maintaining my weight. After I lose a few pounds and slim down I will have to up my calorie count to stop excessive weight loss.
But, calories aren’t everything. Nutrition is important. You’ll notice that on this particular day there was not a single vegetable in my diet. Nor fruits. This is unusual for me. Most dinners have dried vegetables of some kind.
Some days when I recorded my exercise and food intake I have been nearly 1000 calories short. Others I am over a few hundred. I won’t know how this is playing out until I can stand on a reliable scale and see how I am doing. I don’t notice my pants tighter or looser. When I cook my dinner, I usually prepare a liter of whatever I am eating. That is a lot of food. And, I add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to the meal just to up the calories. So I don’t think I am losing much weight if any. Oh, and nearly every dinner features a cup of instant pudding for desert. Not a thinning item to add to a meal. But, like I said, have to wait to stand on a scale to see what is happening.
I got up about 6:30am this morning and walked across the highway for a breakfast in the cafe. A 3 egg omelet, toast and hashbrowns. yum. Back in my room I rinsed all my gear, getting the dust and dirt of 500+ miles off everything. I meticulously went through every item in my pack, trying to decide which items I could do without in an attempt to lighten my load. I might have eliminated a pound or two. The problem is my pack. It’s an REI Flash 62, it is uncomfortable for a couple reasons. 80% of the weight of the load should be on your hips, but when I tighten up the waist strap the padding rolls and exposes my hip to the nylon belt instead of the padding. That gets irritating and makes my hips sore and requires me to release the hip belt a bit and put the weight back on my shoulders. I came to the conclusion I need a new pack
In the afternoon I interviewed other hikers at the Cuban Lodge as to which pack they had and if they liked it or not. I had three contenders I was looking at, The Gossamer Gear Mariposa, the ULA Circuit and the Zpacks pack. All three were represented at the lodge and I borrowed each from their owner, loaded my stuff in and pranced around the parking lot and up and down the highway in the very blustery wind evaluating each. I settled on the Gossamer Gear Mariposa. I loved the way it fit, distributed the load and the number and placement of pockets. It was in the middle of the group as far are weight, measuring 32oz, between the zPacks 19oz and the ULA Circuit at nearly 38oz. I ordered one on line, shipping it to my home in Toledo, as I am traveling there tomorrow to join Sally for a drive to and week in Yosemite Valley. I will bus and train to Albuquerque and then fly to Portland where she will pick me up. My return flight to Albuquerque is set for May 25, giving me 2 weeks off the trail. Some of my sore spots will heal up during this time and the snow in the San Juan range in Colorado will melt, allowing me easier passage into that state.
I’ll write a blog about my journey home, then suspend writing until I return to the trail on May 25th.
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