It’s November 24, 2017 (the day after Thanksgiving) and Ron and I completed our first training hike, accompanied by my son John. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day with clear skies and temperatures in the low 50’s. Since we live in Virginia, we have access to numerous hiking trails in and around Shenandoah National Park, including portions of the Appalachian Trail. Today we chose the White Oak Canyon/Cedar Run circuit, a total distance of about 7 mi, with a long ascent and descent… good conditions to simulate the climbs and descents we will experience in our daily treks in the Himalayas (albeit without the lack of oxygen!)
So there I was, enjoying an invigorating hike, pleased with my fitness level, when out of the blue I lifted my right foot and the entire tread of my boot separated from the upper! Apparently the glues that adhere the tread to the upper are only designed to last 10 years and even though the boots appeared in good condition that 10 year period expired midway through the hike!
Fortunately I had some duct tape and medical tape in my pack and was able to apply a quick repair that allowed me to continue hiking. The repair ultimately held for about 3 miles before the entire upper began to unravel ufrom the inner liner. Clearly it was time to get new boots…
Destination: Adventure 
One thought on “1st Training Hike / 1st Equipment Failure…”