A Perfect Day to Hit the Trail

The weather today was perfect for being outside! IT was 60 to 65 degrees with plenty of sunshine and a light breeze. I was fortunate to be able to hike the Long Creek Trail in First Landing State Park. With trekking poles in hand, I spent 4+ hours pressing forward. I made the mistake though of wearing my old Oboz hiking shoes. A mistake because of the plantar fasciitis in my left foot and because of the uneven outer sole wear on the outside due to supination (foot rolling out on strike). Nevertheless, it was still an excellent hike.

I did have another opportunity to test out the new Osprey Raptor 10 hydration pack I recently purchased to replaced my failed 10-year old Camelbak Hawg. I must say that I am more than satisfied. While I was hoping for a bit more storage space, it does hold several socks, cell phone, keys, camera, and enough snacks for a half-day hike. And, most importantly, it holds a full 100-oz of that all precious liquid fuel - water. Osprey was very generous with the quality on this pack. I think the best part of the pack is the fact that they put a magnet on the mouth piece to attach to the sternum strap. It was a stroke of genius. Although the pack is really designed for bikers and allows them to drink hands-free, I find that I can do the same while hiking. The pack is supported by a semi-rigid foam board that prevents the bladder (water bag) from shaping the pack so that the rounded part no longer rides on the spine. Plus the bladder design forces it into more a D shape instead of an O - when viewed from the end.