Category: Preparation

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Weekly update number 2!

Well, it’s been a busy week of helping my in-laws move, but that is almost done. Hoping that I’ll actually be able to get away for a hike later in the week, on Tuesday or Thursday (I’m working on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and beyond.)

In the middle of last week I decided that it is important to get in my steps every day. So the goal, for the time being, is to manage 12,000 steps on at least 6 out of 7 days a week, burn 3000 calories or more a day, and to total 100,000 steps per week. I didn’t manage it last week, but I’ve got my hopes up for this week!

Today (Sunday) I watched a few videos on YouTube by “Old Man and the AT” – Mike Current (trail name: Energizer). Mike hiked the PCT in 2020, at the same age I’ll be when heading out there, and absolutely nailed it. His video on preparing mentally to hike the AT this year is just excellent. I also watched his video on physically preparing for the trail, but that one was a little tougher for me. A large part of it is that my bad left knee won’t let me do any running for cardio, but for that I plan to keep working up on my elliptical time, and steep hikes. I also don’t really have the time to hike for a few hours a day right now. I’ll just have to do as much as I can, and be persistent.

I’ve been sampling a few different PCT YouTubers this year, and having a hard time selecting what I’d like to keep watching. Shaky footage; way too much walking with wide-angle, vertigo inducing camera work; inconsistent sound volume levels; people who don’t seem all that serious, hiking 6-8 miles a day, day after day. I guess I’m pretty demanding, but I’m sure I’ll settle on a couple of accounts that will offer what I’m after…

Anyway, here is this week’s rundown of Fitbit stats for the past week:

Stats for 27 March – 2 April, 2022

  • Steps: 90196 (avg 12885)
  • Floors: 117 (avg 17)
  • Calories burned: 22329 (avg 3190)
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Going to start regular updates!

So, with about one year until I (attempt to?) make the transition from a regular working Joe to a long distance hiker, I want to start logging regular updates here… I’ll try to do so every weekend. A bit about exercise, a bit about experiences, a bit about gear and planning.

This past week, I didn’t get as many steps in as I’d like to have, but some of them were pretty high quality. I went for a walk/hike with my friends Åsa and Karine at Mundy Park in Coquitlam, and managed about 16000 steps, on Sunday. On Tuesday, I spent about 3 hours walking on the Baden-Powell Trail with my dog Chester. Got 14000 steps in, and 142 floors.

I spent a lot of the week working, and getting in the range of 4-6000 steps a day. Today (Saturday) I was supposed to go for a hike with some folks from the Swedish Cultural Society, up in West Vancouver. However, I ended up agreeing to work a midnight shift on Friday night, so wasn’t up for a hike today. When I finally woke up, I did a lot of chores around the house, then spent 45 minutes on the treadmill (I only walk, on a steep incline) and elliptical trainer. Managed over 12000 steps today, while watching YouTube videos of people starting their PCT journeys this year, and some hill-walking videos from Scotland.

I’ve had some knee pain over the past month or two, but it is starting to ease off as I begin to do a little bit more exercise. Whether that’s because the knee it toughening up, or simply becoming numb to the pain, I’m not sure. I was quite worried for a while, both about my hiking this year (Scotland in 7 weeks!) and the thought of 2650 miles of hiking next year. But I’ll take it as it goes, and hope to keep things strong and stable throughout.

I’m updating this post a week later, because I’m going to be including my weekly Fitbit totals in this weekly updates. The totals will run from Sunday through Saturday. Here goes:

Stats for 20 March – 26 March, 2022

  • Steps: 66100
  • Flights: 250
  • Calories: 19590
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One Year To Go

I have some big changes in life coming up!

– says me

What is going to change?

According to my (current) grand plan, one year from today, 22 March 2023, will be my last working day at my current job. Almost exactly 31 years after I began my training as an air traffic controller, I will be making my final transmission to an aircraft.

Unfortunately, I’ve let myself get a little bit out of shape over the past year, despite a couple of good trips last summer and fall. This gives me a year to get into “post-career” shape. And why am I keen to get into better shape for my retirement? Because I plan to hike!

The purpose behind retiring at that time of year is quite simply so that I can leave my job, and begin a five-month long hike.

I intend to fly down to the US/Mexican border, and walk all the way, via the Pacific Crest Trail, home to Canada, where I will begin my life without work.

A lot of people say that hiking the 2650 miles (4265 km) of the PCT is a life-changing experience. I figure, why not do so when my life is about to undergo one of the most dramatic changes in my day-to-day life that I will ever experience?

Plans for this summer

I already have a few adventures planned for the next few months.

  • Two weeks in Scotland in May
  • A week in the Rockies in July
  • A trip around the Bowron Lakes Canoe Circuit in September
  • Hopefully, a trip up to Lake Lovelywater this summer

I hope to be a little more regular in updating this blog, documenting both my ongoing adventures, and my preparations for one of the biggest undertakings I expect I’ll ever set out on.

Don’t know whether anyone will read this, but I really want to chronicle it somewhere, even if it is only for myself.