Up for backpacking?

I have been taking a backpacking class, and there are 3 trips that the class takes.  The first one is this weekend.  I really wanted to sign up and go.

But I started running the DS issues through my mind, and hesitated in a big way.  Besides packing up all my vitamins, protein powders and protein foods, nuts, cheese... I needed to pack a bunch of other stuff.  All the food they showed was full of carbs, so I was going to have to pack my own stuff.

And I would have to take extra TP.  They talked about restrooms being an outhouse.  And to keep the door closed so the odor didn't drift.  And I'm thinking that I could rock the door off that little out house.  Drifting odor?  Those poor folks would have no idea till the stench hit.  Not to mention, if diarrhea hits I am immobilized. I can’t hike when I need to use the bathroom every 30 minutes.

I chickened out.  At 4.5 months out, I just don’t think I have my act together enough to pull this off.  I don’t have my bowels nailed down yet. 

I'm disappointed.

 

Hang in there it should get better with time. Maybe not this year but in a year or 2 you should be adjusted and prepared enough to go backpacking. 

--gina

4.5 months out might be a challenge. In addition to the issues you mentioned above, you are eating low carb. For heavy physical activity, you need the carbs for energy.

Seek out MontanaGirl. She hiked for a week on an elk hunting trip. I think she was close to 11 months out. She shared all kinds of info on this board and the other board. Seek out her past posts for some really good information.

MontanaGirl is still known as determineddanni here on OH. But YES, she would definitely be on to get with.

Thanks for the info on Montana Girl.  I know who you are talking about. I'll chat with her about how she handles the bathroom issues and food she packed.

Thanks for giving me someone to talk to about how to pull this off.

This is a weekend trip.  A moment in the big scheme of things.  I would change things temporarily to go on the trip.  I would forget the protein powder and strip the vites down to the bare minimum, probably just multis, calcium, and D.  I would take nuts and jerky.  And the TP.  But I would have taken the TP before the DS too.  Most likely I would eat what everyone else was eating.  The activity would probably make up for the carbs.

Go on the next trip!

I was about a year post when I rode a horse across Mexico.  All I could take was a backpack and I did just fine.  The DS can adapt, especially if the changes are just temporary.

Excellent point.  What's a weekend?  A blip in time.

Eating carbs would give me the most outrageous gas.  I would be put-put-ing all the way down the trail, snuffing out plant, wild animals and park rangers as I go....  I would have to be at the very front or very back of the group, depending on how the wind is blowing.

Funny how I get in the mind set of having to have wet wipes, Pepto Bismal, Immodium, a working shower, a change of clothes in case I have an accident, coffee to get things moving, calcium to stop things up, heavy cream, protein powders, etc., etc.

But I can live without all this stuff for a day or two.