Today is the big day. I am having a big breakfast at the Bagel Deli and then I will be on my way.
Most of my final preparations have revolved around food. I decided to replace my oatmeal with granola. I just wanted to be able to hit the trail early and not have to worry about cooking oatmeal in the morning. I know a lot of people would prefer a hot breakfast in the morning, but I think I would rather have less mess and no clean up.
I also bought about three times as much dark chocolate as I originally had. Ounce for ounce it has more calories and tastes better than just about any food out there.
My final pack weight with my first week’s worth of food is 29 pounds. I am pretty happy with that weight. I have about 12 pounds of food so that makes my base pack weight around 17 pounds. My projected pack weight for this trip has always hovered between 16 and 19 pounds, as I mentioned in earlier posts, so I am pretty ok with how it turned out.
On weekend trips I know I can easily get my pack weight down to around 12 pounds with only about 4-5 pounds of food.
Basically I took out an extra shirt, a camp towel, and camp trowel. I added a stainless steel wood stove and my new knife. Seems like when you take something out something else replaces the lost weight. Going lightweight is kind of hard after a certain point.
In any case, I am very excited to start this journey. I have never done anything like it and that is part of the appeal. The other part of the appeal is the self sufficiency in it all. I have always loved the idea that everything I need is on my back. It is a lovely simplicity.
I am looking forward to the alone time, but I am also looking forward to spending time with two of my good friends in the great outdoors. I have considered taking my Kindle to do some reading while I am out there, but I think I am leaving it behind. To focus on my own thoughts instead of other people’s thoughts. To have my entertainment come from the natural world rather than the digital.
Seems best to end this post with a few quotes…
“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
“Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time.” -Steven Wright
“But the beauty is in the walking — we are betrayed by destinations.” -Gwyn Thomas
“If I could not walk far and fast, I think I should just explode and perish.” -Charles Dickens
“My grandmother started walking five miles a day when she was sixty. She’s ninety-seven now, and we don’t know where the heck she is.” -Ellen DeGeneres