I love to go hiking for a few days and camp out away from the crowds but carrying a backpack with arthritic shoulders just isn’t working anymore.
Part of the problem comes from carrying too many backpacks, and heavy purses. So I get to thinking about a Sherpa.
Do you think I should advertise?
I miss backpacking and now use a large fanny pack for day hiking. Yet it wouldn’t be easy to load a tent, sleeping pad and bag, plus food and water on that.
Anyone want to apply?
I have severe osteoporosis and mostly in my spine, so backpacking is out of the question. Let me know if you find a Sherpa – I just might hire one too!
Should we start a “Sherpa” website?
Hmmmm . . . perhaps a pet llama
I was thinking burro would be easier in the RV. But the Sherpa has to have their own home.
And you look so absolutely straight up carrying that backpack. However light I would get mine, I still always looked like I was walking on a slant forward. Wish I could volunteer for sherpa duty. I would LOVE to go backpacking with you…..being out and away is my favorite thing and it’s pretty difficult without backpacking….actually nearly impossible. My arthritis is in my neck and I think it too is from those huge purses slung over one shoulder, Without the help of my chiropractor I appear to have one shoulder higher than the other. Another one of those – sure wish I could have retired from 20 to say 50 and then worked from 50 to 80. :-)) My burros would never have been good packers. They had serious minds of their own.
If anything the backpack usually felt like it was pulling me over backwards. Dang heavy bags. If we’d only known then what we know now. So maybe a burrow isn’t the right idea.
I’d be up for the job if I did not need a sherpa too! In my young days we used to backpack a lot in the mountains but when at 30 the effects of rheumatic fever on my heart became apparent, I had to give up the extra weight, it was enough for my ticker to cope with just slepping me up a mountain. Now< i have an altitude limit as well and can barely carry my camera up a slight slope but what would life be without a few challenges – if you cannot surmount them, just go around.
Good luck with your ad.!
Maybe we all need to find a Sherpa.
Llamas work very well for backpacking! We got two because my husband had a hip replacement and couldn’t Gary more than 25 pounds. They are easy to pack, they don’t snore or hog the bed plus they eat very little!
Wonder if I can build a coral behind my RV at the park, or it would have to hang out with the mules. Don’t suppose it would run along beside when I roll. 😉
Can you get a trailer for the sherpa, er, lllama? Cuz the llama sounds like the best bet. Seriously I wonder if you can rent them somewhere? You look great in those photos. I only backpacked three times and m sure I didn’t look that healthy with my load.
Thanks Sallie, all these shots of me are 2-3 years old. May have to think more seriously about a llama.
I’m thinking there are lots of able-bodied sherpas who would take you up on that, Gaelyn! I can’t use the big fanny packs – they actually give me a lower back ache. Luckily, I can still handle a daypack. I’m not sure how I’d fare backpacking several days, though. Haven’t tried that in many years. My sons are now into camping with their families. The little kids love it! Great pics of you.
Haven’t had any applications yet. 😉
that’s a pretty big load you have there….I still can carry about 30-40 pounds but actually rather do day trips now…or bring my little trailer and hike out from there for a couple of hours…
30-40 pounds is a lot and that’s about what I used to carry. Pretty much truck camping with a tent now and taking day hikes.
Please, please, please can I apply for the job. Am fit and healthy, bring people coffeein bed, carry cameras, a good field assistant and smile and am friendly too. 🙂 Is the job mine?
You’re hired. How soon can you start?
Will tomorrow do? 🙂 It would be so nice to do these hiking trips with you.
I think you should become a summer international volunteer at Grand Canyon. But we don’t have a whole lot of bugs. 😉
I’m no good. I snore. I go for the llama. And did you have a sherpa to take those photos…? That’s something the llama can’t do.
Darn it, no snoring as I do enough for two. Used to have a partner to hike with. No more.
How about alpacas. http://alpacasofmontana.com/catalog.packingalpacas.html
Problem with any pack animal is I live in a 5th-wheel and in a National Park. No place to keep it.
I can imagine how it must feel not being able to do something you are so passionate about.
I miss backpacking. Still no Sherpa. 😉
Consider a pair of pack goats. They will eat anything , get along well with horses and mules and could be transported in a small trailer.
Not a bad idea Ed but I really don’t want to tow any trailer behind my 5th-wheel. Still looking for the Sherpa.
Me me me!!!! Although admittedly, I did hire a sherpa on a couple of my treks. I wouldn’t have made it up Machu Picchu without one! Oh my gosh! And that trail heading down to the bottom of the Grand Canyon……yeah….:)
You’re hired. How much can you carry? 😉