Concessions

I made my first real concession to my thirtysomething status tonight. I used my REI dividend to pick up some trekking poles (along with other supplies). The Ouachita Mountains that I use for "nearby" hiking (still an 8 hour drive) are rugged. They are barely mountains, so one doesn't see the elevation changes of the major mountain ranges of the Western United States, but the rock structures are killer and the trail simply traverses boulders in many places. It can be tough on the knees and hips to navigate it with 40+ pounds of gear strapped on. So the trekking poles will be nice. That, and I almost always find myself a nice stick for wet stream crossings, so the poles will come in handy for that as well, and will be more reliable.

I'm planning on a short overnighter to Davy Crockett forest this weekend about two or so hours north of Houston, but the trekking poles won't be necessary there (flat, non-rocky country). Still, it will be good to get out, even if just overnight. I'm planning on using it as a warmup for a long-weekend trip to the Ouachitas next weekend, weather permitting.

[Posted at 22:16 CST on 03/21/02] [Link]