I never knew until just a few years ago just how important it is to stay in shape when you are camping, and more importantly, backpacking. I have a cousin who used to play rugby. He was always in shape and could always beat me up a mountainside during a hike. As the years went by, things changed.
A few summers ago, my cousin had been in school for a few years, and I was just barely starting. This particular summer, I was working in a furniture warehouse moving furniture and he was just in school. We decided to hike the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming at the end of that summer. The hikes were steep and long, but the fishing at the top of the hikes was worth every step of the way. The only thing was, I never knew just how much my work in the furniture warehouse would pay off.
I constantly found myself having to stop and wait for him to catch up because he hadn’t worked out in so long, and I was working in the furniture warehouse staying in shape. I ended carrying the backpack tents, the food, and much more of the equipment as a result because I was in better shape. What a difference it makes. Remember, next time you go hiking, just how important it is to stay in shape.