Re: letter of introduction

My wife and I were in a similar situation. We had done a fair amount of backpacking in the 1970s but, as life intervened, we'd gotten out of it. A few years ago we decided to drag out the old backpacks and give it another shot by returning to Olympic National Park to reprise one of our favorite loop trails. We hadn't thought much about our "vintage" equipment until some folks walking through the campsite commented on our antique aluminum-frame backpacks. We had a great time and that encouraged us to get back into it.

One advantage we had is that a lot of our equipment was just plain worn out and needed to be replaced. That allowed us to really lighten up our load which has made a huge difference in our comfort level. Not only is newer equipment lighter but it often works a lot better.

If you can find a way to head out with newer, lighter-weight gear I think you'll find that your enjoyment will go way up. This site has tons of information on equipment; just look back through the archives. In the 70s I'd backpack with 40-50 pounds on my back just for a three or four day trip. Now, it's usually 15-25. And, that's not really considered especially lightweight but it's a weight that I find easy to deal with.

Dave

--- In [email protected], Good Grief  wrote:
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> I am an older male from the midwest. Recently my wife and I have discovered Canoing and have thought we might try a little camping and backpacking. We have not done any backpacking since were were young- about 40 yrs. ago. However, I don't think it would be that hard to remember some of the things I learned in boy scouts. I was interested in joining to get ideas on backpacking and maybe some resources to help us when we start planning our summer trips. 
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> Thank  you for considering our membership
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> Merle
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