Trail preparation and packing up my fears

Hiking Basics: Step One: Choose your walk, Step Two: Prepare physically to walk the West Highland Way. Then, configure the equipment list. Since we used backpacks for this trip, the gear list was light until I packed my fears.

Trail preparation

Preparing for two Florida flat landers has been a challenge. While we have many miles of trails in Florida with worthwhile tropical scenery, we are missing a lot of outdoor elevation training. Sure we could have gone to the gym to see the stair master, but what fun that would have been. Instead, we walked and walked 3 to 4 times a week, usually 7 to 8 miles at a fast pace. Finding outside stairs was a challenge, but we had several sets to suit our needs. Still, we probably didn’t do them often enough.

I prepared with a 30 mile hike in South Carolina on Kings Mountain about 30 days before to make sure I was ready for the elevation. The first 20 miles were relatively easy. Then, around miles 22 to 26, the regret began. Let’s just say there was a lot of bad language and questioning about my decisions. Followed by the usual euphoria after finishing with the typical hiker’s amnesia about how difficult it was. In the room to see if the preparation was successful.

Packing up my fears

They say hikers pack away their fears and packing for a hike versus packing for a vacation is the test of this trip. The Inn to Inn hiking method in Europe has the luxury of transferring luggage along the trail and wearing a backpack while hiking. For me, I’m packing like a hiker with a limited change of clothes as there will be laundry facilities along the trail. But this has allowed me the luxury of packaging my fears.

First, as a reminder, I am a visiting nurse and therefore I typically have a nursing bag full of supplies ready for the most likely illnesses and injuries. This trip has put my nursing planning mode on high alert! The extra baggage allowance has been playing into my basic hiker packing side by arguing with the nurse doing risk assessments. There are risks of falls, risks of injuries, risks of infection, dehydration and nutritional risks. The hiker has brought with him the usual electrolytes, snacks, trekking poles and liquids. The nurse is the one who causes the fears. So my suitcase quite reflects my fears.

The list includes the usual leucotape and body glide for blister prevention. But the nurse in me has now packed foam and silver dressings (for wounds that could become infected). Ice packs for sprains and strains or maybe just aches and pains at the end of the day. I’ve also added luxuries like my red light knee and foot massager, my roller, although I have the compact ball, and medicines. As if there were no medicines in Scotland! The medication list is comprehensive and includes vitamin I, Benadryl, nausea meds, biofreeze, doxycycline (in case of tick bite with telltale rash per my doctor’s prescription), magnesium spray for my feet, Bite MD for the expected mosquito attack (better known as No See-ums in the states). I call it my plan to avoid all emergency medical clinics in Scotland.

Unpacking my fears

While waiting for my transportation to the airport, I had a last-minute moment of sanity. I removed the luxury items of the red light massager and the roller, as well as some extra t-shirts. The final luggage weight was 30 pounds (the limit is 44 pounds) and the daily backpack is in the 7 to 8 pound range. Only time and trail will tell, but there are many days to make adjustments. I feel better about leaving the extra luxury items behind as they leaned towards the extreme. There’s no turning back as I’m now in Glasgow and we’ll hit the trail in the morning!

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