In a world with dwindling natural resources, everything you do matters. Long term sustainability relies on your ability to change the course of what’s happening now. This is why it’s important for us all to focus on “long-tail skills” that have little or no impact on the economy but contribute immensely in our day-to-day lives and future generations.
The “5 skills for long” is a list of skills that can be used to increase the length of your life. These are some basic skills that you should know how to do in order to survive. Read more in detail here: 3 basic skills in long jump.
Note from the editor: Fit Marriage’s Tony DiLorenzo contributed this guest piece.
There’s nothing quite like leaving everything behind to trek the The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance hiking, from the Mexican border to the immense expanse of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range to snow-capped Mt. Rainier and beyond (PCT). Every year, some 300 courageous individuals try to “through walk” the full 2,650-mile journey, passing through six of the seven ecozones of North America.
Adventure awaits you along every step of the PCT, as you rise to the dawn and put your head to rest at dark at the conclusion of each arduous day, as I discovered personally. Everyday life depends on your progress along the route over the period of 4-6 months. This is really back-to-basics, rough-and-tumble life at its best.
Before embarking on an ultra-backpacking expedition, some skills must be learned, such as carrying a hefty weight on your back, navigating, and making a fire. Indeed, most of the time spent trekking may be tedious.
However, there will be some much more uncommon qualities required to survive such a journey and return a better man.
Hitchhiking is number one.
Hiking a lengthy trek sometimes necessitates hitchhiking into towns to replenish. These hitches might be as short as 5 miles or as long as 30 miles. It’s as easy as putting your thumb up and asking for a ride. Unfortunately, in today’s world, it’s not always that simple. Even if you seem to be a thru-hiker, which is typical along main routes, there is still an aspect of mystery about you, particularly when you start to resemble the Unabomber between resupply stops.
I developed numerous tactics over the course of 138 days of trekking that saved me hours of waiting beside the road. It swiftly and efficiently transported me to my resupply towns, where I could eat, shop, drink beer, and unwind for a time.
- Make sure you’re clean before going near the road. Clean off your face, arms, and legs with a towel and some water. In the corporate world, presentation is essential, and it’s no different when you’re looking for a ride in a rural place.
- When you raise your thumb, be sure to grin. You’d be shocked how many times drivers said they picked me up because I was smiling and seemed to be in good shape.
- Place yourself in a position where a car can pull over. Most drivers will pass you by without a second thought if there is no handy spot to pick you up. If you couldn’t pull over safely, would you pick up a hitchhiker? The best area may not be where the path crosses the road; it’s worth taking a small detour to discover a great pick-up position.
- Hold a candy bar or anything pleasant in your hand to humanize yourself even more and lighten the atmosphere. Another hiker drew my notice by clutching a pink flamingo that had been blown up. I held up a Snickers bar after lingering at one position for a little longer than I desired, and the following vehicle that passed stopped to pick me up for a ride into town.
2. Spending the Night Under the Stars
Don’t be scared of the dark. As the sun sets and the moon and stars sparkle in ways that you can’t see in suburbia, there’s a lot to see and appreciate. Each evening, connecting with your surroundings gives you a better feeling of what’s going on around you, and I found that sleeping without a tent as much as possible was a lot of fun. Setting up a tent takes time and needs a specified amount of flat space, whereas sleeping under the stars allows you to sleep nearly wherever you desire.
The heat is a huge concern on the PCT in the early stages, and you’ll have to deal with it every day until you reach the Sierra Nevada Mountains’ entryway. Until then, you’ll have to start hiking early in the morning before the heat of the day forces you to seek out cool spots to relax. It’s time to trek deep into the evening after the midday heat has faded and the temps have begun to dip. Sleeping beneath the stars is easiest and most delightful during this time.
When it’s dark outside and you’ve had a hard day, the last thing you want to do is fiddle with a tent. Instead, I used this easy method to set up camp in a matter of minutes.
- Place a cut-to-size Tyvek ground cloth on top of the ground cloth, then your sleeping pad, and finally your sleeping bag on top of your sleeping pad.
- Take your old garments and put them into a stuff bag to serve as a cushion.
- Before you go off to sleep, take in the fresh air of the evening.
3. Dealing with Deadly Animals
Rattlesnakes, bears, marmots, osprey, and mountain goats are just a few of the natural creatures you’ll see throughout the PCT’s diverse landscape. However, there are two main creatures with which you should be concerned throughout your trek since they have a proclivity to attack you if they feel threatened.
In their native environment, rattlesnakes and bears are both attractive and intriguing to watch. Both, however, do not want humans in their domain and are capable of killing you.
When it comes to rattlesnakes, you must be very mindful of your surroundings. Looking down, striking a walking stick before entering deep bush, and listening for the unique rattle can save you from ingesting poison.
You’ll almost certainly be confronted with a coiled rattlesnake, which will cause your arm hairs to stand on edge. If you have enough area to safely loop around it, do so. Move rapidly and don’t lollygag here. If not, remove your bag and lay it as near to your feet as possible in front of your legs. Pass as far away from the rattlesnake as possible, as soon as you can, with your bag shielding your legs.
This backpack-covering approach worked for me, and I’m here to tell you about it. As I walked passed the rattlesnake, it lunged at me, only hitting my bag and tumbling to the ground. Then it was time to flee before it had another opportunity.
If you maintain your distance, many of the bears you’ll meet are just as terrified of you as you are of them. While in their domain, bear pepper spray is one of the finest things you can have with you. Make certain you have it on hand. If a bear charges at you when you’re buried in your bag, it won’t help you.
Hiking a lengthy path allows you to have fantastic animal interactions. Bring a tiny and portable monocular with you on your excursion to get a peek of the magnificent creation that is alive and flourishing all around you.
4. Getting Across Raging Rivers
You’ll finally reach the high country, where you’ll have to cross torrent early-summer runoff rivers as you travel through rocky terrain. These rivers may be swelled to enormous and unexpected depths depending on the previous winter’s snowfall. If not addressed appropriately, these rivers will take you on an unexpected and unpleasant journey.
Include a high-quality trail guide in your travel preparations, which will tell you about the rushing rivers you’ll most likely encounter. Plan to cross these rivers early in the morning, when the melt-off has been delayed by the evening cold.
Many times, the trail crossing is in the middle of a rushing river. Obviously, this is not a location you want to visit. Instead, you must carefully follow a strategy that will securely get you to the opposite side.
- As you follow the river upstream, look for a point where the water is quiet.
- Once you’ve found your place, look for a huge tree limb to serve as a crossing point.
- Remove your backpack and put it over your head, or stuff all of your belongings in a trash bag and wear it high on your back.
- Enter the river with shoes on and move with confidence, probing and balancing with a walking stick as you make your way to the other side.
5. Restocking
Hiking for 8-12 hours each day to cover anything from 15-30 miles will need frequent refueling. Each town you pass through provides a chance to consume as many calories as possible before returning to the path.
Consume big numbers of burritos, omelets, hamburgers, or fries when in town. Beer, sports drinks, or iced tea are all good options. Sip coffee and eat sweets at a nearby café or go to a local buffet and munch for many hours. You won’t gain weight since you’ll be burning between 5,000 and 8,000 calories every day.
When it comes to replenishment, one strategy is to arrive to town as soon as possible in the morning. You’ll be able to have breakfast, refill your supplies, get lunch, and hitchhike back to the route in this manner. You have the added benefit of eating two large meals, and if at all feasible, choose something that will travel well for supper. It might be days before you get another chance to engage with others.
In most trail towns, you’ll find a tiny grocery store and, on rare occasions, a petrol station. Because your selections will be restricted, you’ll have to be inventive while purchasing food for the next part of your journey. Here are some trail provisions to consider:
- Brownies, protein bars, and oats for breakfast
- Nuts, cheese, candy bars, and seeds are all good snacks.
- Lunch consists of canned chips, cheese, crackers, PB&J, jerky, and fruit.
- Mashed potatoes, rice, spaghetti, dried mushrooms, carrots, peas, cheese, and canned mussels for dinner
If you believe you’ve got what it takes to leave contemporary amenities behind and go on an ultra-backpacking experience, I recommend checking out one of North America’s three National Scenic Trails:
- Pacific Crest Trail
- Trail of the Continental Divide
- The Appalachian Trail is a popular hiking route in the United States.
Prepare your hitchhiking thumb, stock up on trail mix, and Man Up as you prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Prepare your hitchhiking thumb, stock up on trail mix, and Man Up as you prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Tony DiLorenzo is the co-founder of Fit Marriage, a company that helps busy men stay in shape so they can enjoy the daily adventures of being a great husband and a fantastic father. Start now by downloading a free workout plan if you’re ready to Man Up.
The “rules of long jump” is a skill that takes practice. It is important to know the proper technique and have a good understanding of how it works.
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