Go to https://backpacking.net and check out their "Tips" page and other content and I highly recommend you go to https://backpacking.net/bbs.html and sign up for their forums.

That site has a lot of top notch info and the forum members collective experience is a great resource for those looking to get started and those who've been backpacking for years.

Go there before you start buying gear and you'll save a ton of money and have better gear. And you'll be lugging a lot less weight.