A T chart analyzing leaving at 6:30 AM:
Positives about leaving before daybreak
Walk two or three hours before the heat picks up
It is quiet in the streets
The moon is up and is beautiful
Arrive at 1 or 2 instead of 3 or 4
Can route-hunt with a few other early bird pilgrims
Negatives about leaving before daybreak
Miss breakfast and get a sack lunch
Have trouble seeing the arrows
Have to use headlamps
We seem to get lost and waste time
Can’t see any sights
Brain is overloaded with finding route
In the big picture, it is well worth getting up early to leave in the dark, despite the problems. The damage is so great when we overextend ourselves with distance and heat that it is not worth the risk.
Yesterday I wrote about Debbie Wu’s advice for travel. Here are some other lessons I have learned from experts:
1. The Bill Hedrick Rule: Always start cold. If you dress to be comfortable before walking, you will be too hot after ten minutes of walking. Then you will have to stop and change layers, which will violate Debbie Wu’s Rule #1.
Also, always carry enough water.
2. The Bobby Mac rules:
2a. Arrange the contents of your backpack in chronological order— First things needed on top.
2b. If you are faster than the people you walk with, stay back and meditate or pray, and catch up later.
3. The Joe Fioretti rule for going up hills: Shorten your stride and use your arms.
4. The Matt Fioretti rules:
4a. Don’t have a bunch of junk hanging off your backpack.
4b. When walking in a dry stream bed, instead of walking in the dirt between big rocks, walk on top of the big rocks.
4c. Always carry TP in your pocket (Sound familiar?)
4d. Have your layers with you. Keep them in a color coded bag inside your backpack so it is easy to grab.
4e. Keep some duct tape wound around your poles. Have it cut to the lengths needed to use the pole as a splint for a broken femoral or fib/tib.
I am trying to follow all this best advice every day. I am a diligent learner!