We are training again for a spring trip back to Virginia for about 200 miles. It has been a really cold winter this year so we might have to wait longer than we would like before we go. March may be too cold.
We bought a new Kelty Gunnison 2-person 3-season tent. It has a door on each side with a vestibule on each side for storing our backpacks at night. Weight is 5.3 pounds compared to 5.75 for our previous tent which was a 2-season tent and had started leaking some. It was pretty old anyway. I'll miss the mended rat hole from Blue Mountain Shelter in Georgia.
I have also replaced my Vasque boots with the same kind. I love them! My first pair had many miles on them with all our training plus 500 miles on the trail. We figure we put in about as many miles training as we do on the trail. Wait-up replaced his before our last trip.
I tried something new today with my feet. I have been experiencing burning on the balls of my feet every time I hike. Doing research online I found that it could be either a short metatarsal bone (Morton's toe) or Hypermobility of the First Metatarsal Bone. Hypermobility refers to the excessive motion present at the first metatarsal bone. Either condition can be corrected by a toe pad. So I fashioned a toe pad from a piece of foam and taped it under my first metatarsal bone while hiking today. Guess what? My feet did not burn! I genuinely hope that it continues to help my condition so that I can continue to hike without taking pain relievers.
Today we hiked 8 miles on the hill with a loaded backpack.