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- Aug 4, 2009
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well I had planned to backpack across the entire Boise National Forrest this weekend, in a 3 day big hard push. That is until yesterday the Southern Comfort and cokes got busted out... damn, there went that plan. Woke up at 3AM with a nauseating headache. Some tea and a long hot shower fixed that but I don't think I'm ready to conquer 60 miles of foothills and mountains after a rough night. Instead I'll be heading out to do a 20 mile dayhike with the Kakadu hat, camera, knives and Mountainsmith pack loaded with good ol' fashioned H20. Juuuuuust waiting on the sun...
:barf:
and rarely get more than a drowsy head in the morning, which is gone by breakfast. Here's the story. Started out at 8 in the morning, it was supposed to and DID get up to 95 degrees. There was something burning in the valley so Boise was completely covered with smoke. I'm sure that didn't help either. It got cooler the higher I got though. About 3 miles in, I felt some nasty hotspots on my heels. Tore the boots off to find my midweight wool socks had holes in the heels and half dollar piece sized blisters had formed on the heels. I took the boots off and continued. Got some good knife pics, of my dynamic trio, I'll get those up. By the time I got to 5,000 feet it felt like fall-60 with a cool wind. My feet held up fine all the way to the top, I didn't set any speed records but didn't tear any holes in the pads of my feet either. I was really hoping for some squirrels or rattlesnakes to bring home for dinner but alas on nice days here in Boise half the city hits the foothills on mountain bikes (I would but mine was stolen a while ago) and scared anything and everything away from the trails. Consumed about 3 liters of water (brought 7) you just don't know how much you'll need when you're high and dry like that. Couldn't see much due to the smoke, which was rather disappointing. When I turned around I popped a 15mg maloxicam and didn't have any hip issues on the way down, which never happens. Conked out when I got home and woke up now, at 1:30 in the morning. Came out of the foothills at 3:00, which considering I was barefoot and anyone can guess at actual elevation change, isn't bad at all. 21 miles in all. Made it back up into the treeline in Boise National Forrest, ate a sammich for lunch and boogied back down. Coming down is much rougher on bare feet than going up. No gear issues, Kakadu hat was great for blocking out the sun, doesn't breathe as well as a boonie hat because it is made out of roo leather, and it's a bit heavier but overall quality is awesome, and you can run H20 around the rim for some air conditioning. Mountainsmith pack, like always, held up well and made the weight feel like nothing. Didn't even have to break out a knife, other than pictures, but ya never know so of course I had them on me anyway. I've done 20 miles in 5 hours flat before, with a pack, but around here you don't know what you're going to get with the elevation change. Overall it was nice to get out and stretch the legs, compress my spine a little bit and air out the feet. I've had better hikes but it sure beats sitting around the house all day, ya know?