The Steps Resume

Early start today - 0600 - and my Pacer Poles see the light of day for first time for nearly two weeks.  Sun was up, birds were singing and I felt great.  A favourite walk of mine takes me through fields on a sheltered sunken path, I pace along gently at first and then up the tempo slightly.  I’m not pushing myself yet but hope to build up a little more fitness by this time next week.  I have plans for the weekend of 16th - 19th May.  If all goes according to plan I shall be out then with a pack and doing three overnights.  I have a couple of new items of kit to try and evaluate as my starting point into lightweight.

For me lightweight wont ever become a fetish or even all consuming passion.  I have so many ‘old friends’ in the kit line who have given me years of happiness and enjoyment that I will not part with them.  As I age I know I won’t be able to caarry so much weight as far as I have done.  That’s fine by me, I’ll go less distance and probably see more and maybe become more in touch with the soil.

I have long felt that, for me personally (and I only speak for me), the current trends towards speed and distance somewhat negate the reasons for backpacking.  I started too ‘get away from the hurly burly of life’ and thus the last thing I wanted to do then (in the early ’70’s) was become competitive even with myself.  Now even more so I am not interested in either how far nor how fast I can or have travelled.   Similarly I don’t have to be in high places (nice as they can be) to enjoy proceeding across the face of England on my own feet.  In fact, it may be obvious from earlier posts that I have an extreme love of flatland.   For myself and those members of my family who want to walk the object of the exercise is ENJOYMENT, FUN, PEACE and TRANQUILITY.   These are my essential ingredients to make a good period.