Getting My Feet Wet
“I woke up early Friday morning after being unable to sleep the night before from being too excited. I was about to set out on my first backpacking trip; a trip I’d been buying gear for and meticulously planning for a little over two months. Although there was a five hour drive ahead of us, the time on the road passed quickly and we were crossing a bridge that led to the trailhead at 11:30 a.m. Not long after, we were at the first water crossing of far too many to count. We spent a lot of time on that first day changing from hiking boots and socks to sandals to cross the river where it intersected the trail over and over. Initially this frustrated me and made me feel like we weren’t gaining any ground but I came to realize that I shouldn’t complain or be frustrated by those perceived annoyances. It was a luxury to spend a weekend sitting near scenic parts of the trail at the riverside changing my shoes yet again for another crossing.”
This was a journal entry I scribbled night one on trail before falling asleep on my first ever backpacking trip in October 2018. I can’t remember when exactly or how I’d decided that backpacking was something I wanted to try out but I know that once I decided that, I went into full on research mode watching almost any video I could find on beginner backpacking tips or gear reviews. I priced things out and watched countless user reviews, found backpacking channels on YouTube I subscribed to and still watch to this day, and started hiking on trails around town with a loaded down pack to train. I’d camped plenty of times before but this was different. I wouldn’t have my car full of groceries or extra gear close by. I’d have to rely on myself and whatever I could carry on my back.
A good friend and I picked a loop trail in Arkansas called Eagle Rock Loop. At just under 30 miles, it seemed like the perfect beginner trail. There were stunning viewpoints along the trail, plentiful water, lots of trees, and a good amount of climbs. We’d been told by others who had previously completed the trail that it was the perfect weekend backpacking trip and wasn’t too far from home. So after a few short months of planning and training with our new gear, we set off.
We must have crossed the river that runs through the length of the trail what seemed like fifteen to twenty times each day. Our feet were sore and mine were covered in blisters by the end of the second day, meaning I had another full day with a little over 10 miles to go walking in sandals (the boots had become too painful to put back on) with tape over four of my toes and across the backs of my heels. There were several aspects of the trip I could easily complain about, but there were several more moments laughing around a campfire, taking breaks on mountain tops to enjoy the view, enjoying cool dips in the river, and celebrating peaks bagged and miles hiked. I’d never hiked more than 2-3 miles in a single day before that trip.
That weekend of backpacking was full of challenges but after finishing the loop successfully, I felt a major sense of accomplishment. I barely knew how to use my gear and my hammock set up was fairly dilapidated, I forgot to take care of my feet, and my inner thighs chafed horribly, but I loved every minute and felt proud of myself for seeing it through. I might have bitten off a little more than I could chew and definitely came home a little beat up and worse for wear. But despite all of that, I was itching for the next adventure. It was tough, but enjoyable; challenging, but rewarding. Just about everything I look for now in each trip I plan.