Backpacking
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Packing Your Backpack
My first time backpacking was with a knowledgeable friend within the Bluff Wilderness System. I knew less than nothing. Her partner decided to unceremoniously dump my backpack out and proceeded to repack it for me. There is a system-who knew? Now, I’m going to tell you how I learned to fill my pack for the best weight distribution, ease of grabbing contents and less pressure on my back and shoulders. First grab a large garbage to line the inside of your backpack. Then: (1) My lightweight but warm sleeping bag squishes up really small in it’s compression sack-that goes in the bottom. Why? It cushions my lower back. If there…
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I Quit Cape Chignecto
Cape Chignecto was a goal, a dream, a Bucket List item. I wanted to see the Three Sisters from up high; to take a selfie with the sign on the cabin saying Carey’s Brook. In the end, I did neither of those things. What happened? January is the month that encourages you to plan,and to make and work steadily towards goals. I feel it was not for nothing that I stumbled across the phrase “ Life Begins at the End of Your Comfort Zone.” I took that literally. I announced my decision to hike Cape Chignecto to all the world via Facebook. I inquired if anyone may be interested in…
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Clothing for a 4 Day Backpacking Trip
well, friends it’s been a while. I left you with a promise of returning last post and I just… disappeared for a while. Writing about what to bring and what to do to prepare of backpacking just made it so real for an instant. Scared me. Why? I can do this. It’s up to me how much it will hurt to do it ,but I can do this. I believe I promised a list of clothing and personal items I will be bringing. This is my own list and not scrounged ( but not plagiarized! ) from a website. This is for a 4 day 3 night backing trip to…
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Safety Gear for Backpacking Cape Chignecto
This week we are going to go over the safety gear to take on a backpacking trip (Cape Chignecto, I’m looking at you) Safety, safety, safety. If you are planning on the shortcut across the beach and/or accessing the beach anywhere along the trail-you will need awareness of the tide times. It’s best to do on the ebb tide-which means the tide has been full and it’s dropping- optimally no earlier than about 2 hours after is started going out.The Bay of Fundy takes no prisoners.. Please do not try to cross the beach to the trail head any later than 3 hours before high tide Bring a copy of the…
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Outfitting My Camp Kitchen
6Four short months form today, I hope we will be chilling in our bunkhouse after completing the arduous journey from Red Rocks. I’m not nervous yet, but I will be. And that’s ok. I’m going to be as prepared as I know to be and leave the rest to the Man upstairs. I’m not really afraid of wildlife. (Unless I come face to face with one) I’m not afraid of peeing in the woods-done it a thousand times. (I’m a country gal after all) I know I will need to be careful where I put my feet…since falling down seems to be a contact sport with me. Or of getting…
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My Planned Gear List for Cape Chignecto
Almost as important as starting to get in shape for a backpacking trip, is planning gear list. Backpacking is not cheap but I am trying to do it as economically as I can, at the same time getting quality. Here the humongous suggested gear list for Cape Chignecto straight from the mouth of Mountain Equipment Co-Op. Because of the looonnngg list I’m going to break it up into several posts. FYI, Because of Covid, MEC is not offering their gear rental option this year, but hope to in 2023. Too bad because that’s a way to try on backpacking with too much of an investment-in case you hate it guts.…
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What is Your Why -Cape Chignecto Hike
I did it! I booked nights at 3 bunkhouses along the Cape Chignecto Loop. Not as easy as it might seem-sort of like a puzzle to get consecutive available nights booked. Get two booked and the third is not available for the night you want..go back and start all over again. Some may ask why I would want to do such a crazy thing at my age. Certainly my husband does…often. What is my reason? My why?? I guess I want to prove I can do it – that ‘women’ of a certain age’ can do hard things -providing we aren’t foolish about it and are totally prepared and physically…
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Starting a Training Plan for the Cape
I’ve decided April 1st will be the start of a serious training plan for Cape Chignecto.. still got lots of time, but I have along way to go… I have been semi-training this month but I’m seduced way too easily by the thought of a nap or a good tv show…or a any tv show. Going back to work mid May will make it even harder to get my butt in gear so it’s important I have a solid plan in place by then-and you all need to hold my feet to the fire. Below is a a bit of a training plan I created. I’ll be adding pack weight…
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Research and More Research-Cape Chignecto
I’ve always loved research, and it’s going to stand me in good stead for this trek. I’ve decided my best chance at success is to go as light as I can with my gear. Its not like I’m attempting the Appalachian Trail.. but a 52 km loop with numerous gut grinding climbs is nothing to sneeze at either. I’m a backpacking rookie. I’ve taken a backpacking course and I’ve done the Bluff Wilderness Hiking Trail before with a very knowledgeable friend who held my hand throughout the entire process and that’s it. I’ve hiked lots and some of them were damn hard. But not Chignecto hard. And not lugging 30…
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Unlikely Hiker
I’m doing it! I’m actually going to hike the Cape Chignecto Coastal Trail.It’s been on my radar for years, ever since Hubby and I did a stretch from Red Rocks to Refugees Cove many years ago. I thought then those ascents would kill me. Why did I wait so long? Simply put…Fear…I would do what seemed like a difficult hike and I’d tell myself “You’d never be able to do Chignecto” ! Cape Chignecto is rumored to be a spectacular wilderness backpacking path which provides a scenic and challenging hiking experience . Most websites list it as difficult-I’m not surprised. Different sites also list it as being 44-52 km depending…
