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8 OUR YUCAIPA | MARCH 2014 OUR YUCAIPA | MARCH 2014 9 Travel Light The heaviest items in your pack should be food and water. Use hiking sticks to take stress off your legs. Wear well-fitting and broken-in hiking boots. Bring a small lightweight flashlight and a change of batteries and bulb. Wear sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat. Bring a map, compass, signal mirror or whistle, first aid kit, and water water water. Keep in mind that all trash (including biodegradable) needs to be carried out with you. A few years ago my sister's kids, two boys and a girl, came out to visit my son Benjamin. They were all under the age of 12. (I remember that because it was back when Ben was pleasant, non-teenagery). I wanted to do something different and fun and thought, "Hey! Hiking sounds like a Mom/Aunt of the Year activity!" The kids groaned, of course. Dairy Queen was more their speed. I packed a couple of back packs with sandwiches and waters and drove to Crafton Hills Park above Chapman Heights Elementary school where we parked and caught the trail head. They started to complain around minute three. "Are we done yet?" "We're not even to the real trail," I said. "This looks like a real trail," said one. "The trail we're going to is more… trail-ish." More groans. I wasn't selling this very well. "Look guys, maybe there'll be snakes!" Delaney, my niece, stopped. "I'll wait at the car," she said as she spun around. "No! It's a big maybe for the snakes. Probably not. Maybe a bunny!" I eventually persuaded her to continue with us. I may have mentioned unicorns. After 10 minutes on the gravel trail behind Chapman Heights we reached the official trail head. It was uphill most of the way, as is usually the case when you start at the base of a hill and follow a trail upward. The kids were sweating, as was I, and Rosie, the dog, who had been the only enthusiastic participant at the beginning, was starting to lag. We reached at stopping point where Dump Trail (really, can we change that name Yucaipa? Is there even a dump there? I don't think so…) hits Gold Trail. There's a big tree that offers a bit of shade while eating. I was a bit worried because I made ham and mayo sandwiches and it took twice as long to get to a stopping/eating point. I crossed my fingers and hoped that the mayo hadn't turned. Now is the time when I should have patted the kids on the back, shook the dog's paw and called it a day. It was our first hike, after all. But nooooooo… a born overachiever, I insisted we go on. Now, I didn't have a fancy phone or handy map. I just wanted to see what was ahead. I was secretly hoping for a waterfall. Delaney was looking for the unicorn. We hiked a bit more and came to a strange sight — two Adirondack chairs placed in a clearing with a view of the Yucaipa valley. We sat and had a drink of water and felt like we had discovered something special. We turned east onto Crafton Hills Ridge Trail, away from home, which disqualified me for Mother of the Year. Rosie was officially done and kept collapsing in thorn bushes along the trail. We'd all stop and let her get a bit of water, wait for the panting to subside, pick the burrs and thorns out of her fur, and journey on. Finally we got to a summit. There were 30 feet left to climb and I told the kids once they did that, we were done. Delaney sat down on the ground and started texting her mom about what a horrible aunt she has. Delaney was done NOW. The boys climbed the 30 feet and smiled for a couple of pictures. "Now what?" asked Brody, the youngest. "Well now we climb down." "Is there a short cut?" We made it about a quarter of the way back and Rosie decided she'd rather live there, on Dump Trail, than walk another foot. So I picked up my 60 pound dog and carried her fireman style around my neck for the last three miles. We haven't been hiking since. I think I'm ready to try again. Anyone want to meet me at the chairs? That's as far as I'm going. Maybe… Walk and talk When you huff and puff your body is not getting enough oxygen. Walking at a pace that allows you to be able to walk and talk means that your legs and your body are getting the oxygen needed to function efficiently. When your body generates fewer metabolic waste products, you enjoy your hike more and you feel better at the end. At times it may seem like you are walking too slow, but at an aerobic pace (sometimes even baby-sized steps when the trail is steep) your energy reserves will last longer. You will also feel much better that night and the next day. take a break A break of ten minutes helps remove the metabolic waste products that build up in your legs while hiking. Take a break at least every hour. Sit down and prop your legs up. Eat some food, drink some fluids, and take this time to enjoy and appreciate the view. These efficient breaks can recharge your batteries. In the long run, breaks will not slow you down. Drink & eat Eat and drink more than you normally do. Eat before, during, and after your hike. Eat before you are hungry. Drink before you are thirsty. No matter what the temperature, you need water and energy to keep going. For every hour hiking, you should drink ½ to 1 quart (liter) of water or sports drink. Keeping yourself cool and hiking the canyon takes a large amount of energy (food). Salty snacks and water or sports drinks should be consumed on any hike lasting longer than 30 minutes. Food is your body's primary source of fuel and salts (electrolytes) while hiking. You need to eat about twice as much as you normally would to meet your energy and electrolyte needs while hiking. Your best defense against illness and exhaustion is to eat a healthy breakfast, a full lunch, a snack every time you take a drink, and a rewarding full dinner at the end of the day. This is not a time to diet. It is also not advisable to bring a sandwich with mayonnaise. Beware of rattlesnakes The drought we're experiencing is forcing snakes to leave their comfort zones and look for water. If you hear or see a rattlesnake, STOP — even if you're in midstride. Gauge how far the snake is, and if you're far enough away that the snake did not see you and he's not poised to strike, turn around and RUN. If you are close and he looks like he's going to attack, stay still like a statue.… then slowly back away in tiny, barely discernible steps. Continue to back away until you're far enough away he can't hit you if he strikes, then turn around and run. Until you're more than at least half his body length away, keep your movements slow, fluid and gentle. If you are bit, keep the infected area lower than the heart and immobilize it. Use a stick, board or any hard surface and try not to move the bitten limb or area then seek medical attention immediately. And if you take your dog on your hike, make sure he or she has their rattlesnake shot first. watch your time Plan on taking twice as long to hike up as you will to hike down. Allow 2/3 of your time to ascend and 1/3 of your time to descend. As a courtesy, give uphill hikers the right of way. Bring a small, lightweight flashlight in case you end up hiking in the dark. I took four kids and a dog for their first hike ever up dump trail... we came down with lots of Burrs and a few "good" memories A few hiking tips (or things i didn't do)… By Courtney Taylor