5,000km rucksack hike after BMQ-L course, need your opinion/tips!

[Shepard]

Hey there guys,

I am planning a rucksack(carrying the essentials, shirts, batteries, stuff like that)hike from Québec all the way down to California upon completing my BMQ-T course this summer, and would like to know your opinions and if possible tips that you could give. Seeing how I would be doing roughly 100km/day, I would either camp(cautious) out or find a room to stay in. I've not yet thought of a water replenishing source, other than buying bottled water on the way, and for nourishment, I hadn't thought about anything except for a diner or something in that sort.

I'd love any tips that could be given and your opinions, too.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you are all doing great!

 

[Loachman]

My main advice would be to get a good, solid metal container for that rucksack. Make sure that it has good tires and gets good mileage. It'll save you a ton of time.

And send us post cards.

 

[Shepard]

Where do you want me to send them to?  ;D

And by metal container, you mean the back-grill?

 

[Loachman]

Where do you want me to send them to?

Here. Electronically.

And by metal container, you mean the back-grill?

Car.

 

[JorgSlice]

Firstly, BMQ-T? BMQ-L maybe?

Unless you are immune to blisters, 100 kilometres per day, over 5000+ kilometres will have you plopping yourself down in Butt-fck-nowhere where there's no cellphone coverage and either dying or grinding your knees down to your hips into little infected stumps.

Ideally, if you leave from Sain-Jean-sur-Richelieu and walk non-stop over 4926km, including the use of a ferry, it will take 940 hours just to reach the California State border. Not even civilization or an airport.

940 hours is translated to 40 days. 40 days of no stops, no sleep, nothing. Impossible for the untrained human body to accomplish. Even the best mountain climbers in the world have been training for dozens upon dozens of years before they even dare attempt to climb some of the most notorious peaks in the world.

Not to mention the US Border Officers would laugh and tell you to go home.

 

[Smirnoff123]

Is this like when Forrest gets back from 'Nam?

 

[Shepard]

940 hours is translated to 40 days. 40 days of no stops, no sleep, nothing. Impossible for the untrained human body to accomplish. Even the best mountain climbers in the world have been training for dozens upon dozens of years before they even dare attempt to climb some of the most notorious peaks in the world.

Seeing how I would be doing roughly 100km/day, I would either camp(cautious) out or find a room to stay in.

I did not mean 40 days non-stop, all the way 5000 straight kilometers. It is a slow process of not murdering my feet and taking breaks when needed.

 

[mercius]

Here's an AMA from a guy on Reddit who did the Pacific Coast Trail (~4,500km - Mexico to BC). You might find some helpful tips from his answers.  https://pay.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/10in08/i_hiked_the_2650_mile_pacific_crest_trail_mexico/

 

[Shepard]

Is this like when Forrest gets back from 'Nam?

That would just- it would be crazy. The man is RUNNING.

 

[Shepard]

Thank you for the link, Mercius. It had really come in handy.

 

[JorgSlice]

I did not mean 40 days non-stop, all the way 5000 straight kilometers. It is a slow process of not murdering my feet and taking breaks when needed.

So tell me how you're going to explain to your employer and your new Reserve unit that you'll be gone for 6+ months just to hike to California.

Baby steps Shepard.

 

[Shepard]

Not that slow, but I will find out and I will ask. I hadn't thought on the outcome of a no.. now all sorts of things are coming into play. Thank you.

 

[Shepard]

So tell me how you're going to explain to your employer and your new Reserve unit that you'll be gone for 6+ months just to hike to California.

Baby steps Shepard.

Could I not save up my vacation time(if reservists have any)and use it towards this hike? Training could be done in the meanwhile to prepare.

 

[Thompson_JM]

Could I not save up my vacation time(if reservists have any)and use it towards this hike? Training could be done in the meanwhile to prepare.

Because your reserve unit is just going to loooooove the fact that they just trained you and now you are going to take off for god knows how long on this thing...

Look, I was a young kid once too... But your goal is beyond insane... Out of curiosity though, what sort of training and experience do you have in long distance hiking and backpacking thus far?

And No... as a class A reservist you have no vacation days... You get a very small "Pay in Lieu of leave" during your BMQ etc you earn two days annual leave for every 30 calendar days or something like that... (A clerk can tell you the exact situation on that...) most of which is either tacked on to the end of your contract, or depending on the tasking you might be on, expected to be burned off within that timeframe.

 

[Pat in Halifax]

Okay, I thought maybe it sounded a little over the top to just me when I first read this one. Why not tag along with the nearest group practicing for Nijmegen. If not, find a route near your home that is 25 k + and do it 5 days in a row, think about how you feel on day 6 and then think how you would feel if you multiplied the distance by 4 and do it over 10 times as many days. I like the earlier comment: I have a 2006 Subaru Legacy with low mileage I might be willing to part with!

Pat

 

[daftandbarmy]

Fortunately, there is a whole industry devoted to serving the needs of ultralight, long range, insane hikers. Google is your friend:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultralight_backpacking

I'd rather hike the Appalachian Trail. A friend of mine did that, from the Mexican border to Canada. Start in February or March and follow summer north. Way more interesting.

 

[acen]

I've done a bit of walking in my time, did Nijmegen in 2009 and am an avid hiker. When I saw this at first, I thought you were a young, overambitious and naive guy to think that you would do this.

First off, having done many 45km days with kit, 100kms a day is a little optimistic. You'll be popping more vitamin I (ibuprofin) than you can carry if you do it after course.

Work up to these kinds of things, this summer I plan on doing the Devil's Path in the Catskills, 27 miles, 14,000 feet of elevation and 5 summits in 3 days. I would never dream of doing a thru-hike length trip with issued kit and no resup plan. There are people that work up a lifetime to do a thru-hike trip, and are considered gods amongst the outdoors community.

Check out Andrew Skurka http://andrewskurka.com/adventures/ and see the scope of what you are trying to accomplish. It's huge.

Start small...and work your way to those big goals. It's not done overnight, and you'll be even more proud in that you will have actually set the conditions for success, vice setting yourself up for a major disappointment. 

 

[Bzzliteyr]

Hitch hike it.  I have done that several times in the past few years.

I went from Comox BC all the way to St.John's Newfoundland.  5 something K.  I hitched and walked when I wasn't being driven. 

Bonne chance.