To firmly resist dh's plan to carry all the camping equipment on the three day hike he has planned for the BH?

[ScribblyGum]

Dh has planned an adventure for this weekend. He wants the family to walk a three day 34 mile trail, camping for the two nights, carrying all the stuff. Dh is strong and fit. Dd1 (14) has just done bronze Dof E so she is up to the task. Dd2 (13) is used to doing long walks but hasn’t done a two or three dayer carrying her stuff. The dog (8) will be fine. I am reasonably strong and fit, I walked for seven hours last BH but I've got a dodgy back, a dicky hip and two crunchy knees.

I can do this walk but I'm not sure I can do it carrying a back pack of stuff.

I just packed my rucksack with the two man tent, a sleeping bag and roll mat, put it on and thought FUCK THIS IS HEAVY.
I’ve got to threedays of approx six hour walks carrying it, holding the dog and I haven’t added water, pants, snacks and deodorant in there.

Do you think it would be unreasonable of me to insist that we transport the camping stuff by car (ie use two cars and there and back drop of thing in the morning)?

I think you can buy little carts that you can attach to the dog. Dog could pull cart loaded with your tent etc. Problem solved!

You need this!

Seriously though it sounds amazing. But I’d make your DH carry both bags. I’m sure he could manage an extra pack on his front. It will balance him out nicely lol! 😂

You run the risk of doing the walk, completely knackering your hip and ending up in a wheelchair waiting for hip replacement.
Knee pain is easy to cope with and to resolve, a badly damaged hip is mind numbingly hideous in terms of pain.
I would tell him you are doing the car plan and therefore not carrying the heavy bag.
In the lead up to my hip replacement my dh wouldn't let me carry my handbag because of the pain it caused!

If you just have one car you could drive it with all the stuff to the next destination, then reverse walk until you meet up with the family then turn and walk with them. Perhaps take one child with you and alternate which child so they both get a couple of hours of one-on-one parent time.

A dog cart? Then the dog can pull it all-sort of like a sleigh but with wheels?

Part the problem is if you're not used to walking wearing a pack for hikes, it really does tire you out and put extra strain on your joints. It's like waking up one day a stone or two heavier, without any time to adjust.

ffs. Put the tents in the cars.

Dd1 and I have got all the stuff out and redistributed it and she has taken the tent I am carrying the sleeping bags. She just told me off for being a wimp and said it’s going to be fun even in the rain so that’s told me. She says she's fine with the tent. My pack is now considerably lighter but I feel bad that I'm carrying much less than she is.
I have walking poles. I also have merino baselayers so won’t smell.
Dd2 can hold the dog.
Would love to put the bag on the dog but suspect she wouldn’t approve.

OK so this might work...

Instant 3-person tent - 6.0kg www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071DKXH76/ref=asc_df_B071DKXH7655063121/?hvlocphy=9045800&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&hvnetw=g&hvadid=205337182740&creative=22146&hvpone&hvlocint&creativeASIN=B071DKXH76&hvpos=1o3&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforum-21&hvtargid=pla-358040346710&hvrand=2158377970571890088
DoE backpack (60l) - 1.0kg
Inflatable air pad - 0.5kg
sleeping bag - 1.6kg
snacks - 0.5kg
Toiletries - ? 2.0kg
water - 1.1kg
TOTAL = 13kg with new gear - worth the investment for your back?

I'd be "strongly resisting" the plan too..... as in, he'd have to carry ME, never mind the sodding tent! still you seem reasonably enthusiastic about most of it so, could you get a local taxi to transport your stuff? Maybe give the two campsites a ring and ask if they have any suggestions? Somebody at the campsite may be willing to run your stuff to the next site for a small fee.

I'm with you - it sounds like a fab weekend, without carrying the tent! Is there any real problem with the car iea? Or can you split the load more - so he carries one tent and you share the other one out between you and the DDs?

Oh - cross post! I should have refreshed the page!

hire a donkey to carry bag? invest in large dog ditto?

I just weighed my rucksack and it’s 3kg. No idea if that’s heavy or not. I could do the walk if all I had to carry was the bag, pants and a toothbrush
Not really in the bonding family spirit of things is it though.

Don’t really want to be split up from the family. I want to say I’ve done the walk too!

Will have a think about taxis. Maybe drive with stuff, leave car and stuff and taxi back to the start?

donkey can carry bags (or you if necessary!)

Life is too short to do this sort of crap that you don't want to do.

Great if OH wants to do it- but you are not joined at the hip.

Is there a compromise?
Can you drive to the campsite and meet them there? You can bring the nice things in the car- wine, yummy food, extra blankets etc.

You need to fully respect his decision as organiser of the trip and not try to stop him from carrying the camping equipment as he wants to do.

As must he fully respect the decision of you and the children NOT to carry anything more than a small daysack containing water and other essentials.

The two-car suggestion sounds utterly sensible, but if wants to go all Mrs Doyle about it because he 'likes the misery', by all means let him carry the lot himself.

I want to know how you got dc that would find that FUN?! My dd did bronze d of e. Said after that she enjoyed walking but would NEVER carry a pack like that again! Can't even get ds to walk the dog for an hour never mind a 3 day hike in the rain with packs..
Good luck!

at going all Mrs Doyle.

I think part of it for him is the achievement of doing it all on foot without the need for cars, and he is right it would be cool to do it that way, however I'm not sure if the pleasure of achievement outweighs the non pleasure of having a sore back, knees and stupid boring hip. Rain is doable, I have very good waterproofs.

3kg is very manageable well done for sorting that out. You will do it and sounds like enjoy it! Hope the weather holds out... Maybe try and find a different forecast for Sunday and use mind power to have no rain!

Tawdrylocalbrouhaha agree with you. OP, can't you arrange for a local cab company to drop off all the heavy kit at that night's campsite, so all you need to carry is a day bag?

My brothers labs wear backpacks & carry own food & water

It won't be a sense of achievement when you finish, it will be relief 😂
Sounds like a recipe for disaster. Torrential rain, overweight bag, wet dog in tent overnight, grumpy teens and overenthusiastic DH.
Cancel now!

Get on with it - it'll be fun . Your present though , tell your husband , should be a spa day !

Wearing the same clothes for the whole weekend sounds pretty grim - don't be surprised if people move away from you in the pub!

🙄 You clearly are not the intended audience for this post.