Hiking the Kerry Way was the first of our great hiking adventures. But to get there, my wife and I knew we would have to train for it. We started doing long walks, 4 to 6 miles in a day. We knew we would need to do longer distances in Kerry, but it was a start. We also knew walking, while a useful starting point, is not hiking. We had to add actual hiking on hills and rougher terrain to our skill set.
To that end, we started hiking Torrey Pines State Beach. It’s a beautiful coastal hike near San Diego, California that has light elevation changes and is a good introduction to hiking on uneven ground. Of course, in a moment that would prove to be a theme with me, my foot slipped on one of our early hikes and I fell on some wooden stairs built into the walking path. It was my first fall, but would not be my last. I was not injured on this tumble, thankfully.
My tumble convinced us we would need to get some proper hiking boots. Kind of a given, really, since were were planning a hike in Ireland, a place with a reputation for rain. Water-proof hiking boots it was!
Once again, Torrey Pines would come in handy as a place to break-in the boots, making sure they fit properly, were comfortable, and such. Fun fact: I have never gotten a blister on my foot from hiking. The importance of proper fitting footwear cannot be over-stated. (For the record, the hiking boots we purchased in 2012 and ever since are Vasque brand.)
By May of 2013, we were hiking Torrey Pines 5 times a week just trying get our legs in the kind of shape it would take to hike the 130 miles of the Kerry Way. Would it be enough? It was time to find out.
P.S. those stairs aren’t there any more. The wear and tear on them took its toll. They were starting to fall apart and become a hazard. This entire portion of the trail is being renovated.
For More Information about Torrey Pines:
To that end, we started hiking Torrey Pines State Beach. It’s a beautiful coastal hike near San Diego, California that has light elevation changes and is a good introduction to hiking on uneven ground. Of course, in a moment that would prove to be a theme with me, my foot slipped on one of our early hikes and I fell on some wooden stairs built into the walking path. It was my first fall, but would not be my last. I was not injured on this tumble, thankfully.
My tumble convinced us we would need to get some proper hiking boots. Kind of a given, really, since were were planning a hike in Ireland, a place with a reputation for rain. Water-proof hiking boots it was!
Once again, Torrey Pines would come in handy as a place to break-in the boots, making sure they fit properly, were comfortable, and such. Fun fact: I have never gotten a blister on my foot from hiking. The importance of proper fitting footwear cannot be over-stated. (For the record, the hiking boots we purchased in 2012 and ever since are Vasque brand.)
By May of 2013, we were hiking Torrey Pines 5 times a week just trying get our legs in the kind of shape it would take to hike the 130 miles of the Kerry Way. Would it be enough? It was time to find out.
P.S. those stairs aren’t there any more. The wear and tear on them took its toll. They were starting to fall apart and become a hazard. This entire portion of the trail is being renovated.
For More Information about Torrey Pines:
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