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How are things progressing this year? In keeping with the idea that you are only as good as the numbers you post, I'm up to 61,436' of elevation for the year and a modest 132 miles.

Added August 2019: Looking back 10 years later, I honestly can't think of anything more offensive or unhealthy to say about one's hiking, than the above statement. Thats was my OP in 2009. Hiking should never just be about the stats recorded.

January 31, 2023: Have at it.

My knee issue has to do with m flat feet, pronation, and twisting of the knee joint causing wear. Toe walking is better and helps a lot, but wearing boots and descending seems to irritate the joint.

Jim_H wrote:My knee issue has to do with m flat feet, pronation, and twisting of the knee joint causing wear. Toe walking is better and helps a lot, but wearing boots and descending seems to irritate the joint.

I went through a couple of years of intensive sand running to specifically build up my knees and ankles, slogging away in the Rillito and Pantano Wash for up to 20 miles at a set... it seems to have worked. I do not wear boots, and if really hitting it hard, switch to sandals for more of a toe effort. I have a pronounced pronation...; I wear six or eight different types of running shoes to try to offset any type of repetition injury. It is likely different for each of us, but I have to think that greater strength comes from greater use...

the more I hike the better my knees and feet feel
I'm afraid to stop, it keeps me up at night

joe bartels wrote:the more I hike the better my knees and feet feel
I'm afraid to stop, it keeps me up at night

...ain't it the truth!

Well, my hiking has gone down like the Titanic, since I moved. With my progress to the end of September, I had started thinking 275,000' was a very reasonably goal, and 280,000' might not be out of the question. Now, I'm really uncertain. Half of October is nearly gone and I have yet to make 1,000' for the month. I expect to pick up a little, but then it will get cold in a month or so. I'm thinking 260,000' would be a good goal to be satisfied with, but I shouldn't be upset if I don't make that. I would have crossed 300,000' if I kept up what I was doing. I'm also thinking that doing over 100,000' in 2012 is a pipe dream. It might be more like 50,000', if I'm lucky.

How have people dealt with life changes that forced to them to stop hiking, or kept them from doing something they loved? I miss it, and would kill to do Elden right now.

At 264 miles. I'm feeling really good about making it to my goal of 300. I've got 69k EG, too, so now I'm also aiming for 100k.

Can't say much for life changes, but the strain on my feet from work had me stuck at home for at least two months throughout the year. A bummer for sure. I can see how something more serious than that could be a downer.

Jim_H wrote:How have people dealt with life changes that forced to them to stop hiking, or kept them from doing something they loved?

Major life changes are very difficult and giving up something that you really love doing is definitely not easy. I had to give up competing in Dog Agility due to some "changes", but I still keep in touch with my friends in that venue, I still instruct a class once a week and I work the trials when I can. So I keep my foot in it, but just can't fully "participate" like I used to, and I miss that very much. Not much choice though. It's one reason that I am trying to start hiking more. Sometimes if you have to reduce or give up one passion, you soon find something else to fill the gap. I love nature and the outdoors, so it was natural for me to think about getting serious about hiking....Someday I look forward to competing in trials again, but I know that it's going to be awhile.

Pam

I was raising kids for a long time. Plus, we were kind of poor. Kid-raising was worthwhile, but also kept me from doing some things I really wanted to do. How did I deal with that? I became a complete b***ch, that's how! ;)

No, seriously, I have had to give up things, only later to find I have time to take them up again. Now that I'm 58, some things (most things) are a bit harder, whether they be physical, such as learning to roll a kayak or learning to row a raft in big rapids, or trying for 5.10 in climbing, or even hiking the Grand Canyon off-trail, which is now a little bit harder for me due to more aches and pains. Or mental, such as trying to complete a college degree, because now it is harder for me to focus for a long stretch of time, and my memory ain't what it used to be.

I always found interests, though. So, if I didn't have time to hike the PCT, I sure had a great garden. I couldn't afford to go to Alaska, but I sure explored the area near where I lived. I took up mountain biking at 47. I took up river running at well past 50. Some things are worth the wait, I guess. I would say, pursue a lot of interests. That way you have something to choose from wherever you are. When I am really old I am going to learn to play the piano and knit colorful socks.

And don't read a lot of fiction. There are so many books that are non-fiction that are well-written, about a gazillion topics. If you keep reading them, you will always be learning something new.

Unless elevation is your prime motivation for hiking, it sounds like you aren't losing anything. There is hiking right in your backyard (Black Mesa, as you have noted). Make some friends and they can hike with you out on the Rez to places hardly any outsider gets to go. Plus southern Utah is right down the road. Seems like you moved to heaven for hiking, not a place of sacrifice and hardship with no hiking available...

As for myself, I have just topped 200 miles on this fall jaunt across the Plateau, and stand at 23k AEG. If I break 254 miles, this will rank as the longest-distance year I have done. I don't hold out much hope for this, but it could be possible...

It can be disappointing to lose out on a set goal and pattern, but most of the time you can simply switch to a different emphasis... when I injured my shoulder at the first of the year and quit hiking, I switched over to reading. I managed to place first in the local library Winter reading competition; that allowed me to pick the winning book for the city's One City/One Book program. I chose "Tularosa" by Michael McGarrity, and we just closed out a week of that celebration with the author visiting us and reading a chapter from his newest book to be released next year. There's always (?) some nice alternative to fill the hours. Still, hard to beat hiking... I'm thinking about 2012 for some renewed over the top efforts.

I was surprised when after reading this thread I checked my mileage for the year and I was already at 300... I've had so many big setbacks this year, what with a sprained ankle, medical issues, then the knee and now the back. And yet, somehow I've still managed to surpass what was possible in the years prior to 2008 (when I joined the ABC). It goes to show you how quickly you acclimate to hiking regularly - I felt like I was slacking and hardly hiking at all this year!

Won't make it to the 500 mile mark I did last year, but I'm good with that. I'm here, I'm moving, and the dirt still feels the pounding of my fat little feet. That must mean life is good.

Right now, time has more to do with it than what may or may not be available. I do favor elevation gain, though, and that was why Joe made me, "Summit Kokopelli", way back in 2006 or 2007. I guess I communicated this to Jake and Liz in a PM, but Black Mesa is not something I'm likely to do often. Access, the lower trail condition, and a few other things make it more like Bear Mt in Sedona (for me) than like Mount Elden or Humphrey. OK once in a while, but not something I'm eager to do a lot. That is the difference between a dozen logs, and heading towards 200 logs and 82 logs. Just to put that into perspective. You seem to enjoy driving more than I do, so for you Utah would be close, while it feels distant to me. Maybe that will change. Also, what's this about "friends"? I'm unfamiliar with that word.

Jim_H wrote:what's this about "friends"?

Those are the people who drive you to that far-away trail head while you peacefully sleep.

autumnstars wrote:

Jim_H wrote:what's this about "friends"?

Those are the people who drive you to that far-away trail head while you peacefully sleep.

What!? I just fight falling asleep while driving home. Nothing like the feeling of nodding off on a dark highway on the desolate reservation.


I have officially made 255,000' of AEG for the year, which is 5,000' over my minimum goal of 250K. It's a lot harder out here to make elevation, and the snow has increased the difficulty. Prior to moving from Flagstaff, while I was on track to pass 300,000' of AEG, I knew I wouldn't be able to make that after I got out here and started working, but I had still hoped to make 270 or 275K. With the way things have gone, I have adjusted my expectations and hope to make 265,000'. As it is, I had to estimate some of the total elevation for a few of my hikes, but I think I was accurate. If I'm over, it isn't by much. I do not think I am under by much either. I know many may not post logs religiously and so we may not have an accurate picture of member stats overall, but I'm impressed with those in the top 5.

The question is, will it snow enough and will I be able to go to the Peaks, Colorado or perhaps one of the sky islands in Utah to pick up elevation this December to March time frame? While I do like to hike things that aren't exclusively snow covered, in the past few years, snow shoe hikes for a good chunk of that time have made up a lot of my AEG. November will probably be a weak month for me, but if the snow improves, I may be able to make up to 10,000' over the remaining 7 weeks of the year. Anyone else have some final goals for 2011? Will Joe pass 600,000", will the top 3 round out the list of people over 500,000'? Will Juan and Nick cross 300,000'? Will Liz break 100,000', will Jake break 50,000'?

Jim_H wrote:will Jake break 50,000'?

I most certainly will. I'm quite depressed (not literally, but you know what I mean) about my elevation totals for this year though. Right now I'm hoping to top 55,000 which will match my total from 2008.

@hippiepunkpirate Don't feel too bad. I had to cancel most of my trips this year. I'm really thankful for the few that didn't fall through.

big_load wrote: I had to cancel most of my trips this year. I'm really thankful for the few that didn't fall through.

I'm thankful too!! The GG trip helped with the mileage total (not so much with AEG...). I was hoping to break the 100K AEG figure but I'm not certain that's going to happen unless I can find a convenient mountain nearby...

@PLC92084
"I was hoping to break the 100K AEG figure but I'm not certain that's going to happen unless I can find a convenient mountain nearby."
Imagine spending half the year in a state where the highest elevation is 5oo'.

@bart01
Yes... But you're kicking my butt in the running department... (we won't even discuss Booneman)