Has Anyone Talked Anyone into Backpackin g?

“I talked one person into it, and that was a mistake. That was my ex-wife. She was into hiking and enjoyed it, until we had kids, and that was it. I was OK that she didn't go, but she also didn't want me to go.

Now, through the two college classes I teach, I introduce newbies into backpacking all the time. But they are people who signed up for the class, so they must have some interest. Look at the pictures on Phil's photo page and you'll see some folks who you would not think would like backpacking. In the Fall class, we hike about 5 miles, and that is a challenge for some people. I was really surprised by one Indian woman. She was skinny, and said she had hiked in the Himalaya with her family. I wasn't too worried about her ability to make the trip, or carry a pack. On the hike, she had way too much stuff, but her friend took a lot of it. She wore waterproof nylon pants, and was really overheating, and wouldn't take them off. She would go about 100 feet, and stop for a break. She had to camp at the first water we found, far short of the destination lake.”