Getting Ready

I received the last shipment of ordered gear today.  It was my sleeping pad.  I got a great deal on an "irregular" ThermaRest NeoAir XLite pad at www.campmor.com.  Of course I had to immediately blow it up and try it out :)  My initial impression is favorable.

 

This picture shows most of my collection of stuff.  The pile at the top is all clothing.  After this picture, I stuffed it all in a stuff sack to see how small it could get.  On the left is cooking/drinking stuff.  Rolled up in the middle is my tent, pad, and ground sheet.  To the right is my umbrella and trekking poles.  Everything is so new and clean.  I will be borrowing my sister's sleeping bag and probably a few other little things for the hike in Oregon/Washington.  I'm keeping a list of what I need because rumor has it we will be driving right by an REI on Saturday.

Preliminary weather reports are great for Portland.  Highs of 80, lows around 50, and 0% chance of rain.  I wonder how long that can last in September in the Northwest?

 

The Postman Delivers...Twice!

Fun-filled mailbox today.  I wonder if the postman has any idea how much joy he gives?  Today there were 2 packages in the mailbox:  my "cozy" from www.trailcooking.com and a hipbag and ground sheet (for under the tent) from www.gossamergear.com.  First the cozy...

I could have easily made one of these, but the simplicity and speed of a couple clicks on the computer was hard to resist.  I also ordered my cookbook from these folks.  Unfortunately, I have crossed out the recipes in about half the book because I discovered I cannot tolerate the smell/taste of powdered milk.  Yes, even the whole milk version.  Oh well, the book is still well worth it.  I've come up with a couple recipes of my own from the inspiration in the book.  The cozy will hold the bags of food and hot water while they "cook" in the insulated cozy.  The cozy is about 8" x 8-1/2".  On top of it are two bags ready for the trip--minestrone and overnight orange oats.

I think I've mentioned that I'm disappointed in the hipbelt pockets on my pack.  They are only partially accessible because of the wrap around frame and shoulder straps cutting across them.  I plan on putting this hipbag on before my backpack, with the pouch in front for stuff I may want while hiking so that I don't have to stop and dig it out of my pack...camera, blistex, snack...  I'm real pleased with its size:  9-1/2 x 6-1/2 x 2" at the bottom.  How thoughtful of them to print a little "g" on the top left corner for me :)  Thanks, gossamer gear...haha.  The ground sheet is tiny!  And, there are TWO in the package!  It's about 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" and not very thick.  Each sheet weighs just 1.6 oz and protects the bottom of my tent from punctures and wetness.

Back in the Saddle

Well, not exactly a saddle, but back in the hiking boots!  I've had a few days off while I recover from the antibiotics which are helping me recover from the tick bite.  I haven't enjoyed this process, but I'm on the downward side--I think only 2 more days of medication after today.

Walked a little over 4 with the dogs this morning.  And, I added another 10# bag of flour to my backpack, so it was an unofficial 25#.  The dogs don't exactly help with the walk...but they enjoy it so much I can't leave them home.  After Bella gets tired slows down a little, I tie their leashes to the hip belt straps.  Makes it easier on all of us...until the day that Bella sees a squirrel and then things could get interesting!

I picked up my camp shoes over the weekend :)  Nice and bright so I don't lose them.  They're even brighter in person.  That reminds me...I need to shop for a camera!

The weatherman has assured me that we are expecting a cold front this weekend which will bring temperatures from 80/100 down to high-60s/90 with some drier air to follow.  The "cold" is only supposed to last a couple days.  Hey, I'll take it when I can get it.  Besides, I just need one cool morning to seal the seams on my tent.

I learned this morning about making fire starters and fire straws.  Very cool.  I also prepped a lot of meals for my upcoming hike in the Pacific Northwest.

Hiker's Kitchen

The mailman delivered my PCT kitchen today.  I was expecting small and I'm still shocked at just how small it is.  And light! The picture is deceiving--the box is barely over 4" square.

It's a titanium alcohol stove and it heats silently with readily available alcohol.  The pot holds 2 cups of water.  All the parts fit into the pot for protection and easy packing.  The pot has a ridge at the bottom to stay securely on the stand.  It's just an engineering marvel :)

Now, if only it would bake cookies...

Spots!

So, a couple weeks ago I'm sitting on the couch minding my own business and I feel something like an ant or small spider on my side.  Of course I take a peek and make sure I don't have a bug on me.  Nothing there.  I feel it again a few minutes later.  Check again and wonder what could be tickling me...maybe a hair or string?  That night I find the source...a tick!  Ewwww.  Tom got it out, head and all.  We flushed it and went to bed, not thinking any more about it.

The next morning I could feel the spot of the bite, and every day it seemed to get a little more raised and red.  Of course I checked online for symptoms of a tick bite.  I learned that an indicator of Lyme Disease is a red bullseye at the spot of the bite.  So, every day I checked for this.  The spot wasn't healing, but at least there was no bullseye!

Tuesday my hips got very achy--kinda like I had the flu, but not quite.  Couldn't figure it out.  By Wednesday afternoon, my hips were still achy, I had a fever, my thighs were numb, I had a headache, my tongue felt swollen, I had some accelerated breathing...and then there were spots!  I was getting red spots!  Back to the computer...Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever?  I called the insurance company and they suggested a trip to the ER.  Wonderful.  Just the way I wanted to spend the next 4 hrs of my life.

Blood tests but no definitive answers yet.  I was sent home with prescriptions for 2 antibiotics.  So pleased that within 24 hours I was feeling much better.  Whew!  I was afraid the September hike was going to be in jeopardy.

My best advice?  Stay away from ticks...and hospitals!

Fun Day at REI

This is what $400+ at REI looks like...

Pretty sad...but oh, so exciting!  Front center is SmartWool long underwear--on sale!  Above that is a pair of Leki trekking poles.  Trekking Poles are a new entry to the world of hiking gear, at least since my last hike as a kid.  I remember seeing a walking stick here and there, but almost everyone uses trekking poles now, and I need one as a pole for my tent.  Dual purpose equipment--awesome!  Left and top is a pkg of 3 stuff sacks to help organize stuff in the backpack.  Then is the Sawyer Squeeze water filtration system.  This thing is only 3 oz which is much lighter than any other filtration system on the market.  It gets good reviews with the exception of the included bags which apparently are very prone to splitting open.  The next package in the picture is a Platypus water bladder.  I am hoping it will fit on the Sawyer Squeeze and be a more reliable way to squeeze it through the filter.  Come to think of it...if it works, I'm going to need one (or more) for treated water and one for untreated water.  Guess I'm going to get to go to REI again...  Three pairs of SmartWool/REI socks round out the top row.  Just below the socks is a strap to hold my glasses on.  I can hardly keep my sunglasses on when I'm "hiking" in the neighborhood because it's so hot and humid that the sweat makes them slide down my nose.

I'm getting close to having everything I need for the hike in September.  Still need a sleeping bag and pad.  And, I'm really hoping for a cool morning so I can set up my tent and seal the seams.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

I'm Baaaaaaack!

I enjoyed 6 days in Washington DC and Richmond VA with my family.  LOTS of walking, albeit without anything on my back.  This week I'm back on schedule with trips to the gym for weight lifting and walking on alternate days.  The dogs hadn't been out in over a week, but they didn't lose any endurance.  Bella pulled me all 4 miles this morning.  While it was frustrating to constantly have tension in the leash, I couldn't help but think that I will remember this morning at some point on the trail and wish I had her with me to pull me along.

New purchase!  I've been researching stoves for a few weeks now.  There are basically 2 options--a stove that runs on pressurized fuel, and an alcohol stove that uses liquid fuel.  As I see it, the pressurized fuel is faster, but I have concerns about finding fuel canisters along the way.  The alcohol stove is silent and runs on HEET or denatured alcohol (isopropyl in a pinch), which is readily available at grocery stores or gas stations.  It's a little slower, but hey, I'm walking from Mexico to Canada--it's not about speed!  So, I reversed my original inclination and bought an alcohol stove.  Another plus to the one I purchased (Evernew Titanium DX Appalachian Set) is that it can run on fuel tablets (Esbit) or a small fire in the included stand.  All the parts nestle together in a small package that weighs less than 6 oz!  woohoo!  Fuel will add some weight to that.  Still, I'm a happy camper...or at least I hope to be :)

Stuff keeps popping into my head that I need to accumulate before my hike in September.  I have started a list.  I realized it takes about the same amount of stuff for 4 days as it does for 4 months.  I have 2 weeks.  Let the countdown begin.