Last Monday two of my sisters and I trekked down the Grand Canyon to Supai Village (We missed you, Monica). We stayed at the lodge for two nights so we could spend the entire day on Tuesday hiking to the waterfalls. I love to hike but I’ve never carried more than a three-pound water pack around my hips. This time I had my son’s big time backpack. The kind that actually sticks up higher than my head. It didn’t look too bad when it was empty but after I packed, it looked as though I was hauling around a dead body. Or two.
I always consider myself a light packer but I had to face reality on Monday night. That morning my pack registered 37 pounds on the scale, which didn’t sound like much to me. I figured my legs were accustomed to hauling around all 150 pounds of me so what’s another 37? I’m tough. I can rally. It’s only eight miles to Supai village. Mostly down hill. No problem.
It took about 15 minutes of hiking before I realized I had a problem. A big problem. My knees decided that an extra 37 pounds did indeed make a difference. I had to lean forward to stay upright and my back was telling me (loudly) to get the pack OFF! There was really no where to put the pack if I did take it off. Plus it was full of really important stuff that I surely needed.
It was a long and arduous hike and I seriously wondered if birthing any of my four children was as painful and long as that hike. I thought for sure I was going to end up as the hunch back of St. George.
The last mile I was in a daze and just kept urging my feet to keep on plodding along. When I passed the camper’s check-in spot they tried to call me in because they couldn’t imagine anyone carrying so much stuff to the lodge. I didn’t have a tent or a sleeping bag or a camp stove so what did I have that could possibly take up so much room?
We checked in, unloaded our packs and went to order dinner at the cafe before it closed. Then we went back and unpacked and I had an ahah! moment. I am a hiking hoarder. In my defense I will say that I packed a week early and threw in all kinds of snacks. Enough to share. Then I forgot all about that food and packed more the day before we left. Then I put all my healthy raw food in so I could feel good on this trip. Then I packed extra because I was quite sure that Audrey and Suzy would want to eat some too. We could all be healthy and eat raw food while communing with nature. I was so excited at the thought. In my excitement I forgot we wouldn’t be there very long. And that we were going to eat dinners at the cafe. And that my sisters may not want to eat raw food in place of Burritos, Oreos and M&Ms.
In our lodge room it was like a magic trick where the magician just keeps pulling stuff out of his hat. Lots of stuff. All three of us were completely astounded at the amount of food I carried in.
Audrey, the experienced hiker, came in first place in the practical contest with a 12 pound backpack. She packed crackers and cheese, olives to go with her V8 and a small bag with her candy corn/peanut combo.
Suzy was in second place with a 20 pounder. Her food consisted of nuts, dried fruit, Oreos and her beloved uncrustables.
And then there’s me. The hiking hoarder. Who somehow brought enough clothes and food to stay two weeks without having to do laundry or forage for food. What was I thinking?
Just for the record, I ate all the kale chips myself and no one wanted any of my chia seed porridge for breakfast.
I did know there was no way I was going to carry that pack out again. I was still considering how upset my hubby would be if I ditched the professional grade backpack when we finally solved the problem. Arrangements were made. Cash was exchanged. Our packs would be going up on horseback when we hiked out. It was a gloriously light hike on the way up and out. Now if only I can figure out how to travel lighter in the future…