We’ve finally decided to do some backpacking together this summer, and we intend to get plenty of training hikes in with full packs over the coming weeks.  Our first such endeavor was to walk the PCT east from Vincent Gap up to Inspiration Point, expecting about 9.6 miles round trip with something around 1,500′ total elevation gain.  Although we’ve previously hiked the entirety of this route in smaller pieces, this would be our first trip covering the whole segment in one effort – with water, Jane’s pack was about 20 lbs. while Chris’ probably came in about 25.  We didn’t expect to make very good time today, and that expectation was quickly validated as we stopped frequently to dial in the fit of our packs.  It was quite windy and cool as we left Vincent Gap, and it was a little difficult to regulate our body temps going up the steep grade north of the trailhead – we’d freeze in the wind and would bundle up, only to roast in the bright sun on the lee side of the ridge and have to shed layers.  It took us an hour to just get through the first 1-1/2 miles to the top of Blue Ridge, but once there it was a very comfortable walk eastbound – breezy but never really cold.  We had brought sandwiches for lunch, but with our rather late start and slow pace, it was 2pm before we reached the new sunshades at Inspiration Point, our hips more than a bit sore from 4.8 miles under more than double the loads we’re used to.  As we headed back west down the ridge, we concluded we had overdone it a bit for our first time out, so we decided to shave off a half mile or so by walking the Jackson Flat campground road along the south side of the ridge instead of the PCT on the north side – this road is paved for about a mile west of Grassy Hollow before becoming the dirt USFS road one meets on the PCT about 0.9 miles north of Vincent Gap.  Other than tiring, the return trip was uneventful – Jane said she’d go slow down the steep descent to the trailhead, but she still left Chris in the dust.  It was about 4:15pm by the time we reached the Jeep where the GPS read 8.96 miles – Jane insisted we walk a few dozen yards more around the parking lot to complete a full 9 miles.  Even though the trail here is quite familiar to us, the views are so great and the walking so enjoyable that it will likely never get old – a wonderful day for our first backpacking test run.