Run, bike, hike

One of the goals I've set for myself for the next few months is to get fit. Pardon me for stating the obvious, but getting fit used to be a lot easier. Perhaps because I was fitter. The journey from fit-ish to fit was a short one. But the likelier culprit is my age. My age is older than it ever was. Running, which has been my go to fitness move, is harder than before. The first day running after a long time off is understandably difficult. My legs usually feel heavy and I tend to run little and walk a lot. But, in the past, that heavy feeling went away within a couple days. These days, these days of advanced age, the heavy feeling lingers. It comes and goes. Today for example, my legs felt heavy and I felt like I was slow but I was consciously trying hard. I ran 6 miles in 49 minutes and 23 seconds. I was trying for an hour and suspected that I had run for over an hour so, all things considered, I was pleased.

Cycling is another fitness hobby I engage in, but it requires more prep time and more stuff. Special shoes, spandex clothing, helmet, repair kit, pump and snacks etc. Whereas running simply requires feet. OK; shoes, shorts, t-shirt. And a hat and gloves in cold weather. Cycling does appeal to the gear (toy) lover in me. Bike parts are pretty seductive things. When I visit a new city I seek out bike shops just to look. They are like museums, museums of the new or the now - either one. I like camping stores for the same reason, all that neat stuff. I never buy any of it but I like to look. In truth, to digress a bit (or maybe I'll just change the title of this post) I am a firm believer in ultra-light backpacking. When I think back on backpacking trips, or trips in general, I remember the stuff I brought but didn't need, like that third pair of underwear or that second pair of pants. Or that book. If I am hiking far, I have no time to read. I walk, eat, and sleep. Very little is required to do those things successfully. Yet part of me wants every version of camping stove ever made. Last time I backpacked I used a stove made from an aluminum can and it worked great. A couple tablespoons of denatured alcohol, fire and five minutes later the water is at a rolling boil. When Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, was asked if all that gear was necessary he said no. I wish I knew the exact quote but the gist of it was that you can go out and enjoy nature, adventure etc. without Gortex, or any of the fancy stuff he manufactures. I think he even said he hardly uses any of the stuff his company sells.

Dick Proenneke was not exactly a minimalist but I like his style:



Yesterday a backpack from Gossamer Gear arrived in the mail. It weighed less than the envelope it came in. $24 seemed cheap, or a good deal rather, for a backpack but when I held it in my hand it felt like a lot of money, and pound per pound it was. This tiny backpack was definitely more expensive, even on sale, than gold (not literally). But gold is heavy and pretty useless on the trail and it hardly ever goes on sale, so I guess it isn't a fair comparison. This backpack is not for long excursions, in fact it is the kind of backpack you could carry in your backpack or your back pocket. It would be a fun challenge to see if I could use it for a weekend trip. The obvious drawback with super lightweight gear is that it is not as tough as other gear. If I were to use it with any serious amount of weight inside, I would be tempted to bring duct tape for inevitable repairs. Duct tape is heavy, so I might as well use a tougher, heavier bag. It reminds me of the old adage, the lighter your bike the heavier your lock. If you have a 15 lb bike you need a 10 lb lock to protect it. If you have a 20 lb bike, a 5 lb lock will do. I am not a math person but every way I approach that word problem, I come up with 25 lbs.