weary as water

every time i blink i have a tiny dream

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Overnight trial run

November 24, 2012 by zag Leave a Comment

Low is 27 degrees (above zero).

Postscript: It was indeed cold, but I was pretty comfy. Learned a few things:
  • I need to wipe off the bottom of my canister before putting it into my pot. Otherwise I get a bunch of dirt in my pot. Or cut a piece of tyvek to be my porch. Or maybe both.
  • I can lean my pack against a hiking pole. Kind of.
  • I can fit my backpack (the gregory z65) in my tent. Hurray!
  • The SteriPEN Adventurer Opti my brother & sister-in-law got me for my birthday is the bomb! Especially now that I have the pre-filter that fits a wide-mouth nalgene; I can submerge the nalgene in water and then treat the non-silty water with the UV lamp. Super easy.
  • I need to brush my teeth immediately after eating, *before* getting in my bag. Otherwise I want to just go to sleep/stay warm!
  • I don’t need my puffy vest.
  • I probably don’t need half the shit I have in my first aid kit.
  • I definitely need to get a handle on my food – I’m packing way too much food and it is weighing my pack down.
  • Also I need to trust the water supply – will be easier with a guidebook on the AT to know where reliable water is at. But water is also super heavy – at 2.2 lbs per liter – so if I can carry only what water I need it will make a big difference in pack weight.
  • Putting a hot water bottle in my bag before sleeping is the key to success. (And I managed to stay cozy warm the entire night).
  • Sleeping in smartwool compression socks is the way to go. 
  • My camelbak won’t freeze if i wrap it in my jacket and put it between my bag & my sleeping pad. I blew out the water in the hose back into the reservoir, too. (Not sure it was really cold enough to freeze, anyway, but it sure didn’t with my precautions!).
  • I get claustrophobic in my bag if I cinch the mummy hood up. (Like, waking up in a suffocating panic).  I was a little panicky going to sleep – it was cold, and I had trouble breathing earlier because of the cold – and I had a “what am I doing, I should be at home in bed with E. while I have the chance!” moment. But I tied a bandana over my mouth which helped me breathe warm air. I still woke up panicky – figured out it was the mummy hood – so once I un-cinched the hood I was ok – and still warm. And the bandana ended up above my head, so I didn’t really need that, either.
  • My super thick sleeping pad (the Big Agnes Insulated Q-Core Sleeping Pad) is AMAZING. Best sleep I have *ever* had while camping. Serious.
  • Right now – when it’s cold – I want to have a cup of tea and hot oatmeal before getting up. But maybe that will change when it gets to be “less cold”. Even with a very leisurely waking process/breakfast/camp breakdown, we were on the trail by 8.
All in all – it was a great trip. I can’t wait to go on our 3-night hike next weekend!

Filed Under: appalachian trail Tagged With: at, gear, overnight, planning, rd, trial run

I can buy it later…

October 14, 2012 by zag Leave a Comment

I’m having to buy a lot of equipment, because I haven’t really done any serious cold weather hiking in ages. (Mostly because there isn’t any serious cold weather in the deep south). We are planning to start in early March, so I know it will be cold. I don’t really like to be cold. But I need to remember, it’s not going to be like the cold of my childhood in the frozen badlands of eastern Montana. It’s going to be cold, but if it is *too* cold we can always get off the trail for a night or two. I don’t need to prepare for 40 below temps.

I ended up buying the Mountain Hardwear Ultralamina 15 degree bag, which is a synthetic bag. I don’t want to be cold, but I especially don’t want to be wet AND cold. (Down bags lose their insulating properties when they get wet). I have a silk liner I’ll use inside the bag, which should add another 5-10 degrees of comfort. I also purchased the MSR Hubba Tent, which is a 3lb 4oz single man tent. It got a lot of great reviews, and I like it because I can sit up in it without bumping the top of my head. It’s a little tighter than I’m used to (2 man tents have plenty of room for 1 person!) – but I’ll get used to it. I set it up in the living room – laid in it for a while – this shit’s getting real, yo. Discovered that Emo the Cat will not make a good hiking companion – he was far more concerned about the tent taking up his sunbeam space than he was in doing any exploration.

I got a lot of stuff from backcountry during their 50% off sale items – couple different jackets to try out, variations on long underwear, socks, etc. I found a synthetic insulating jacket I really liked, and some smartwool midweight bottoms that are super comfortable. I’m trying to buy things on sale, and not buy shiny things just because I can (I have a 10 year old MSR stove & a titanium pot + lid + holder that is super light). That 1k max I was planning to spend is basically blown with the tent + bag + shoes + backpack. So if there is something I already have, I’m going to try to use it. If it breaks, or if it’s not working as it should be, I can replace it on the trail.

I did score a nice under armour sleeveless tshirt for $2 at the thrift store this weekend. I tried to find a funny trucker hat to wear but couldn’t find one that fit. Maybe next weekend.

E. and I have been going for walks on the weekend at various state parks in the area. Last weekend I just wore a daypack, and yesterday I wore my old pack – “squeaky” – loaded with 25 lbs. Not bad. Next weekend I’m going to rent a pack from an outdoor store, load it up with all my stuff, and go for another walk. I really like being outdoors, so I’m having a lot of fun. I’m not really sure how to prepare for the mental aspects of being on the trail – being away from E. will be the hardest part of it, I think, and I know I’ll go through my own “Appalachian Trials“. Just gotta be ready to face them.

Filed Under: appalachian trail Tagged With: at, em, gear, planning

gear choices

September 24, 2012 by zag Leave a Comment

So, backcountry.com is having a closeout sale this week, where all their sale items are 50% off. This is mostly last year’s gear, but I am totally fine with last year’s gear for 50% off! It’s a little hard to order things over the internet, since sizing is so weird for hiking gear, but backcountry has a great return policy so hopefully some things will work out.

Even though I am hiking with RD, we are going to pack separate tents. RD says this is because if one of us gets hurt, the other one can go on without having to lug a 2 person tent. I say this is because otherwise we will drive each other crazy (RD is nicer than I am). I’ve looked at a bunch of reviews online, and think I’m going with the MSR Hubba SP tent. It’s light, it’s relatively affordable, and it has bunches of room. Still, I’m going to sit in one before I order it.

I have no idea what kind of sleeping bag to get. I need to purchase one, since I only have 40+ degree bags (one of the perks of living in the deep south is you never have to worry about a winter bag). I think a light 20 degree bag will be fine, because I have a silk liner that should give another 5-10 degrees of comfort. I want a synthetic bag so I don’t have to worry about it getting wet (down loses it’s insulation when it gets wet) – and so I can dry out gear in the bottom of the bag while I sleep. Other than that, I don’t know. Hopefully I will be able to get to an REI store and try some out soon.

I’m trying to decide if I need a new pack or not. I’ve only ever had one hiking pack, and I like the basic layout of it. But I’m wondering if I should try on some other packs, to see if there is something that will make these 2000+ miles a little more comfortable.

I also need to get some rain gear and cold weather clothes. I’ll be trying to find good deals on synthetics, and just hope I get something I can work with that I don’t have to pay full price for. Other things I’m looking at: hiking poles, trail shoes vs. boots, steripen vs. chemical drops. I’m hoping to spend $1k max on gear (including tent/bag/pack/boots/etc).

There’s other stuff to think about, too. Should Em move in with RD’s partner while we’re gone? She’d be living rent-free, but then when I get finished I’ll have to come back to apartment hunting (and, the cats will be totally unhappy about moving). Should I get a SPOT device to check in every night? (And, upon looking at reviews, are there other devices that are better?) Should we switch to Verizon so the cell coverage will be better, and if so, what phone should I get? Should I rely on the smartphone for music and books? How much audio should I allow myself every day? Do I want to try out a hammock instead of a tent? What will we eat? Should I “live blog” – posting public updates when I can, or should I post to a private blog or facebook group?

There are so many questions – and while I’m figuring it all out life continues. Work is still stressful (maybe even more so, since I have a finite end date in mind and an infinite list of projects). I have little moments of panic – am I really doing this? – but far more moments of excitement – I’m really doing this!

Filed Under: appalachian trail Tagged With: at, decisions, em, gear, planning, rd

i’m going for a walk…

September 22, 2012 by zag Leave a Comment

Here’s the plan: On January 29th, I’m turning in my 30 day notice. Then sometime the first week of March, I’ll be leaving my wife, our cats, and our very comfortable life to go walk over 2000 miles along the Appalachian Trail.

Why? Well, mostly because I’ve always wanted to, and because I think I can. Thru-hiking the AT is something I’ve thought about in all the seasons of change in my life – college graduation, finishing grad school – but have never had the time or money or guts to take the chance. My hiking buddy L. & I have been talking about it for ages, and back in November 2004 we section hiked a small (very rainy) bit. This summer, we started talking about thru-hiking in 2013.
I’m in a transition point with work right now – I’ve learned a lot recently about how even though I’ve poured my heart and my soul and my time into a job, it’s still just a job. There have been some changes recently that I’m not very excited about – and although I wouldn’t go so far as to say I am being pushed out, it has become increasingly clear that I need to leave. And since I’m leaving anyway – why not take the opportunity to accomplish a life-long goal?
Thankfully, I have a very supportive wife (Em), and we have a pretty awesome life that will allow me to take off for 6 months and go walking. I’ve read 2 books and tons of blogs. I’ve talked to friends and family. I’ve decided not to take my cat (although wow – what a concept). I’ve started making my gear list – and as of yesterday I’ve started to order some gear. Ordering gear made it seem real – I’m spending real money on gear, and I’m going to do this.
Mostly I am looking forward to the challenge. I’m looking forward to walking, and walking, and walking some more. I want to know if I can do it. It’s the sort of thing I only get one shot at doing, so I know I have to do my best. 
A long time ago when the internet was smaller, I used the nickname “zag” on some message boards. I’m going to use that name on the trail – I’m trying to get back to my roots, back to a time when I believed that people were inherently good, back to who I was before I started worrying about work more than anything else.

“I’m going for a walk…not the after dinner kind. I’m gonna use my hands, and I’m gonna use my mind.” –Bad Religion

Filed Under: appalachian trail Tagged With: at, decisions, em, planning, rd

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random quote

If you're already walking on thin ice, you might as well dance.
Gil Atkinson