Today we started a new regimen. Jake wanted to embark on an 8-week strength program built around a few total body lifts. I wanted to get in shape for hiking, which I've discovered is best done by... hiking. The elegant solution: do both. So today, for instance, we did bench presses, rope climbs and dead lifts, then strapped on the packs (still 26 lbs.) and hiked four miles. Tomorrow we'll do military presses and dead lifts, then hike with the packs. The day after that, though, we'll really shake things up. We'll hike first, then do the bench press/rope climb/dead lift protocol. Not sure if we can really pull it off, but if we do, we'll be some rugged.