Confirmation

There's always that nagging voice in my head that says "This is crazy.  You can't do it.  You're not strong enough/young enough/hardy enough/determined enough/fill in the blank enough."  It comes and goes depending on how much my knees hurt or how many other activities in life interrupt my preparation.  So this first leg was meant as much as a training exercise as it was a journey.

Yes, my knees hurt a and my legs are tired, but it gives me comfort that I can do this. It was not exactly like I planned it; I only carried a day pack.  I didn't make it through the entire segment and I didn't follow up the hike by sleeping on the ground.  It was, though, an accomplishment.

Over the course of 6 hours, we hiked 10 miles with an elevation gain of 1500' (450m) in two segments (and of course, a loss of 1500').  I did have to stop to catch my breath on a couple of segments, but I kept plugging along.

(The elevation profile of this leg is a little misleading.  The scale along the bottom is 1.5 miles (2.4 km), whereas the elevation scale is 400' (120m).  And don't believe the numbers at the top.  I really haven't figured out all the options on this GPS yet.  )   

Overall, it was a good day.  I got my first taste of the Wonderland Trail, I got to spend the day with my daughter, and I got confirmation that I can do this.