Are there any Hikers here

[Thingone]

I am going on a hike in Maine later this year. 100 mile wilderness on the AT. I haven't been on a serious hike such as this since I was diagnosed with IC. I'm really worried about what to eat and how to cope with the pain. I would love to hear from some fellow hikers. How would you prepare for the trail? What would you eat. I can't carry water. I'll have to pump it out of natural water sources. I hiked Cold Mountain last year, but it was only a day hike though steep and very strenuous. One good thing from this hike was that my PFD pain went away for a week following my trip.

[ICNDonna]

You might want to take along some Travel Johns --- that way if you need to urinate really bad, all you need is a bush to go behind.

Donna

[KatieB]

I was just looking in the ICN shop and saw Larabars. I've never tried them but they are supposed to be good.

[vanilla]

Hi

I'm a backpacker, or I should say I was. I haven't done any serious trips since being diagnosed. I'm sure you could search around on the web for all natural backcountry backpacking food. I'd stay away from the Lipton processed meals. You could also dehydrate fresh foods before you go. As far as the water goes, it is very pure and safe as long as you filter. (I've hiked in that part of Maine) And definitely bring all of your pain medicine. I hope you're not afraid of moose! You'll see plenty of them. One more thing, don't go during black fly season, May/June.

[bob04951]

Hope you have a great hike. We live up "here" in the great state of Maine. As you know it is so beautiful, maybe you can forget about the IC for just a bit. Just bring some TP and some old plastic grocery bags and you'll be cool. Clean up after yourself and all will be well. That is great, what a wonderful thing to look forward to! You obviously know the hiking routine. Know hub Bob who has the IC can pretty much pull over whenever he has to (which is often) and nobody cares. We are pretty loose up here, and just a couple of words to explain your condition does it. How exciting for you, and yes, hope you are not planning it during fly season. Should be a gorgeious spring and summer, but the flies will be flying with all the frozen stuff on the ground now. So excited for you, it is a great trail. Stay well, let us know how it goes. Jill, wife of Bob

[Thingone]

Hiking in Maine

Thanks everyone for the tips. My husband and a group of friends are doing a Reunion hike this September to celebrate their 2000 At trail thru hike. They also produced a movie of this hike named Trek. http://www.cirquevideo.com/Trekpage.html. Maybe you have seen it. My husband and son are also in a documentary movie called High Sierra HD http://www.highsierradoc.com/about their hike of the John Muir trail just coming out this year. They hike a lot. I'm tagging along hoping that a 100 mile walk might help. Nothing else has so far. Maine is so beautiful. I enjoyed a lovely vacation in Belfast a few years ago. Forest and beach all in one. Hard to beat that. My main concern is protein. Anyone had luck with tuna. I guess I'll be eating a lot of almonds and cashews. I'll have to order some larabars before my trip to see if they will work. Thanks for the tip. I thought about soaking beans in a nalgene bottle, and cooking them. I think I read some where that you can par boil eggs.

Vanilla, my husband actually got in the water with a huge moose. Is that crazy or what. I'm looking forward to seeing one, but I'll keep my distance.

[kadi]

Hi there,
You might see if you can find some Valley Fresh canned chicken (ingredients: chicken, salt, water), so you won't get completely sick of tuna.

I like the Larabars coconut one - dates, almonds & coconut.

The ICN shop sells pear and pear/blueberry dried fruit bars. Very portable, long expiration dates. Great for travel.

100 calorie packs of pretzels or original Pringles might be good for something salty also.

I'm excited about your trip!!!!

[Thingone]

Hiking for IC Awareness

Since I'm hiking in September, I think my trail name will be IC. I'm going to hike for IC awareness. The money I raise will be donated for IC research in October. Since I reside in North Carolina I will donate the funds I raise in Honor of Dr. Robert Evans (the department of urology at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC.) for his efforts to get the word out. Now that I have a goal, I can't fail, bring on the pain.

[VickiB]

I used to hike. The most memorable for me was a five day trek into Idaho's Frank Church- River of no Return Wilderness area. The entire first day was switchbacks up a mountainside so vertical that I feared I wouldn't make it.

If your IC can handle them, sardines make a pretty good compact protein source. One of the best things I brought along was little plastic bags of homemade pancake mix, -flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, powdered milk, then just add water to the bag and squeeze to mix. We found plenty of huckleberries which when slightly mashed made a great topping!

[Mothergoose]

I used to hike a lot, but having more down days than good put an end to that.

My last hike was a 5 day hike up to a lake called Berg lake because it is full of icebergs all year round.

Where my kids went to school it is a right of passage to do this hike at the end of grade 7.

It is 2 days pretty much straight up, a day of hiking around once there, 2 days hiking down, with 20 -13 year olds. It's about 30 miles round trip, not for the faint of heart.

When my oldest 2 did it I had a little one at home and felt I could not leave him that long.

When the youngest one turn came I was determined to go on this trip, I was in the throws of prediagnoses of IC. I went and loved it, it was a challange and hard on my bladder.

I drank the water, it is all freash glacial water and I had no problems with it. My biggest problem was the second day where there is no water for a considerable uphill streach, and I had 2 1 liter bottles of water and drank it all, it was hot and I always drink alot (I just peed off the side of the trail and bagged my TP) a paramedic father on the trip saw I was in trouble and he gave me some of his water, and some of the kids shared their water. (for me IC causes me to sweat lots, when I am flaring) anyways I made it through.

I premade most of my meals and then vaccumed sealed them in bags, then you only have to put the bag in a pot of boiling water. Your trip I am sure will be longer so I amnot sure if that will work for you. I packed as light as possible, opted to smell rather than have more cloths than needed, just packe layers. Marenio wool claim to fame is you can wear it for a week and not smell, it is also light and warm for it's weight. I made my own trail mix with nuts I can eat, and white choc chips. This is heavy but the trade off is I am hypoglycemic and prone to sugar lows and it gave me a qucik pick me up.

But if your husband is a hiker I am sure he knows all these things.

You can do this with IC, it just takes a bit more prep. What we did with one of the very skinney kids, his pk was chaffing his waist, so we duct taped a piece of thinsilite (the dense foam you can buy to sleep on)to his waiste band. If I go again I am going to do something like this to put infront of my bladder, because the waist band goes around your hips and can press on your bladder. A tip a friend gave me was to put a few wraps of duct take around my water bottle, it identifies your bottle as yours and comes in handy. Also works well as a blister pad if you get hot spots.

I am envious I have always wanted to hike that trail or part of it.

MG

[knitter]

I don't do big hikes, though I would like to. But for me, IC on day hikes hasn't been a problem. Usually after the first mile, my bladder gets used to the jostling and I can relax. The scenery distracts me from the pain, so that's nice. And while I'm drinking enough to stay hydrated, I'm peeing less because the water isn't just going straight through me while I'm on the couch. And I don't mind at all peeing in the woods. I like not having to worry about finding a bathroom! It's the ICers paradise - pee wherever you want, when ever you want.

[Thingone]

Hiking Update

Just wanted to let everyone know that I made it out alive! Maine was gorgeous. We flew (sea plane) in to Monson and started our hike into the 100 mile wilderness. Maine looks even better from the sky. It was tough going. My PFD flared up, IC flared up, but I kept hiking. It's the toughest miles I have ever hiked, especially Barren mountain. What a beautiful state. I'm looking forward to returning next year.

[SuziQ64]

Wow! Good for you! How did you work through the pain? Did your flare from the hike last very long? Do you always flare from hiking or just long strenuous hikes?

I so desperately want to hike again!!!

Suzi

[Mothergoose]

SuziQ64

I tried to pm you back but you mail box is full.

MG

[SuziQ64]

Sorry Mothergoose,

Space is available now! thanks!!


Suzi