Hiking

[Pax]

...Wow - 6 knee surgeries - yikes!

Yeah, when I was young I thought firefighting, softball, rock climbing, rappelling, and rugby would be a fun way to spend my time, it was but I paid for it.

[Catrin]

Have fun Skierchickie! It sounds like you've a great trip lined up. FOR ME I've found that I can't go any less than full backpacking boots on dirt trails but that's more due to my arthritic feet rather than my bad knees. I think my light hikers would be fine for trails around here if it weren't for my feet.

Pax, somehow I missed that you've had that many knee surgeries - yikes! My one last year was bad enough...

Speaking of which, all of a sudden there has been some improvement in my bad knee. They said it could take up to a full year to see the complete benefit from my surgery and they seemed to have been right. Is it perfect? Far from it, but better than it was. Hopefully the new orthotics will persuade my feet to get back in line.

[Pax]

Catrin, that is great! So glad you turned a corner. Isn't it funny how that happens, it just gets somewhat better, like magic!

The first five surgeries are what led up to the replacement, all on my right knee... I protect my unblemished left knee like a mama bear and her cub.

[Skierchickie2]

Thanks Catrin! I am so ready. My pack is all loaded and just sitting there. It's to the point that I'd better go soon, because I keep sneaking little odds & ends into it (the "what if" stuff). It's 37.5 lbs now, without any water, and without my poles (since they won't be in the pack). So I'm looking at about 43 lbs. About 11 is food. I was really hoping to keep it under 40 total. i just cannot pack light, no matter how hard I try.

Glad your knee is improving! That has to be encouraging!

I'm sitting here working cocoa butter into the nice scar on my knee

[Sky King]

I actually use chafing cream on my feet when I backpack, the same cream I use for bike touring . Seems to help.

Thanks Catrin! I am so ready. My pack is all loaded and just sitting there. It's to the point that I'd better go soon, because I keep sneaking little odds & ends into it (the "what if" stuff). It's 37.5 lbs now, without any water, and without my poles (since they won't be in the pack). So I'm looking at about 43 lbs. About 11 is food. I was really hoping to keep it under 40 total. i just cannot pack light, no matter how hard I try.

Glad your knee is improving! That has to be encouraging!

I'm sitting here working cocoa butter into the nice scar on my knee

[salsabike]

I actually use chafing cream on my feet when I backpack, the same cream I use for bike touring . Seems to help.

Thanks for mentioning that. We just did a three-day hiking weekend at Glacier Park and as usual I have epic heel blisters, in spite of careful choosing of hiking boots, preventive bandaids, etc. Maybe I should try using either chafing cream or vaseline or SOMETHING.