Hiking & Foraging the AT and no Ankle Sprains
Posted by Jason Kay on Tue, Jul 19, 2011
Hiking & Foraging the AT and no Ankle Sprains
Taken near the summit of Perkins Drive on while on the AT, overlooking the Hudson River and West Point.
So while it was a bit warm in the NY-metro area this weekend, the humidity was kept at bay, which meant that it was nice to escape and Take a Hike (yes the beer was tasty after wards too... after all carb replacement is key to maintaining health, or something like that).
So Trish and I packed up a light day pack with the usual stuff... Sunscreen (used liberally as the portion of the AT we were planning on hiking has some sun, but nice breezes and views), bug spray, water, some snacks, and 2 quart sized plastic bags.
Our friends from NYC were not amused by this last inclusion.
Mostly because Trish and I were picking blueberries. The friend from NYC thinks blueberries comes from little plastic bins in the store. We like the wild kind and brought home about 1 lb while eating at least another 1/2 lb to the tune of "what if those are poisonous?" "How do you know those really are blueberries?"
Well, the really obvious answer is I've seen and eaten blueberries before, and I know what a blueberry bush looks like.
I also know what a raspberry bush is (thank you grandma and grandpa for having a hedge in the back yard) as well as blackberries, and as of a few years ago, how to identify and pick wild mushrooms, like chanterelle, porchini, and oyster.
So if you're thinking this hike is more about getting some air and joying ourselves, you've got the right idea. It was only 7.2mi with about 1800' of elevation.
But if you were thru-hiking the whole AT, like the groups of people we saw, most of them could not afford to take a day picking blueberries, raspberries, and chanterelle mushrooms (the true mountain gold... Just lightly sautee them in butter with eggs or over fresh pasta.)
You would not get to enjoy the 'shrooms or berries especially if you are Jennifer Your Humble writer
Pharr Davis. She is currently attempting to beat the record of hiking the 2,180 w/ a 5.2lb Giant Puff Ball
miles of the AT in less than 47 days, 13 hours and 31 minutes. That insane Best sliced, brushed with
average of 47 miles a day (?!) leaves no time for picking tasty mushrooms to olive oil & garlic.
cook in your morning eggs, let alone stopping to smell the flowers. Grill to perfection.
Or stopping to do much else for that matter.
I simply cannot fathom what that would be like. An average of 47 miles per day. Just like I cannot fathom what it would be like to run 100 miles in one go. But as we have seen before many people do things that I don't ever want to attempt, and vice-versa, like picking mushrooms, berries, or driving a race car in anger on the track.
I know how sloppy I get at the end of a 12-15mi hike. Especially with a pack on. And like driving on a track, I use the appropriate protective gear so the activities stay fun. Because getting hurts sucks almost as much as having to do the rehab to get 'un-hurt.' My ankles are really prone to injury, even with all the strengthening I do mostly from the numerous sprains I've gotten over the years. (That, and being really flexible to begin with). So, like wearing insect repellant in an area full of deer ticks, I usually wear ankle braces on longer or technical hikes. I also call this product testing, and I have used my MaxX K Ankle Braces for to prevent ankle injury and help keep my ankles healthy for more than 75 miles of hiking so far, and the braces still work great.
The MaxX K is a great ankle brace for hiking becuase it is light wieght, cool, comfortable, and it allows the full range of motion that is so important in scrambling. Ok, my sales pitch is now over.
lastly, I want to thank my Grandpa for being able to identify the raspberries. That and unleashing the inquisitiveness of a young child in how things work which made me the engineer I am today.
Do you need to an ankle brace for hiking to help prevent ankles injuries?
Click the button below:
