[pct-l] Backpacking in combat boots....before the UL Revolution

[Reinhold Metzger]

Yes Switchback  &  Mendo Rider,
Backpacking has certainly changed since the UL Revolution.
Hauling 50-60 lb packs and wearing "waffle stomper boots" was the norm 
in those pre-revolution days.
I remember when I first hiked the JMT with the Scouts in 1996 hauling a 
75 lb pack starting at Yosemite and a
85 lb pack after resupplying at Vermilion.
I remember when I first hiked Mt.Whitney in 1968 or 1969, with my wife, 
hauling a monster pack and wearing
combat boots.

BTW....you ain't "Hard-Core" until you hiked Whitney in combat boots.

I was a bad a$$ recently discharged Marine Corps "Grunt" used to hauling 
heavy packs and treating my women right.
So, it went against my grain to have my lovely recent bride haul a pack.
So, everything went int a "Marine Grunt" pack and onto my back with 
Karen (my wife) skip hoping along and me grunting all the way.....that 
may give you guys a clue why they call the Marine Infantry the "GRUNTS".
BTW....I also had to carry "Schatzy", our miniature Dachshund most of 
the way.
But Karen cooooing into my ear...."Reinhold you are my hero"....made it 
all worth it.
That is all I ever wanted to be......."Karen's hero".

Say guys,  I understand now-a-days you guys make your women carry their 
own packs.
Yes, things have really changed from the days when Switchback and 
Reinhold ruled the trails.
Yes, there was a time when Saber Tooth Tigers roamed the wilderness, the 
bones of hikers littered the trails and only
"Hard-Core Mountain Men" dared to roam the wilderness.

JMT Reinhold]
One of the pre-revolution "Old Timers"
---------------------------------------

Andrea Dinsmore wrote:
> HEAR HEAR..........very well said.
>  
> PCT MOM
> ------------------------------------
> On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 7:15 PM, Edward Anderson 
> <mendoridered at yahoo.com <mailto:mendoridered at yahoo.com>> wrote:
>
>     Hikers are sure getting soft about carrying extra ounces these
>     days. During the 50's and 60's, long before I discovered horses, I
>     backpacked about 2500 Sierra miles, sometimes carrying as much as
>     60 pounds. In those earlier times Sierra hikers had to be stronger
>     and braver to be able to fight off the Saber Toothed Tigers and
>     Short-Faced Bears that roamed the wilderness. And I hadn't yet
>     learned about bear charms.  Reinhold and Switchback know about
>     that, having survived thier epic adventures of the 60's. Then with
>     the 70's there came a guy named Eric Ryback - who carried as much
>     as 70 pounds and did'nt resupply very often.
>     MendoRider
>
>     -
>