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Counting Down the Days, Counting Up the Ounces
March 14, 2015
A hike in the woods with my pack when there was considerably more snow on the ground
Only a month left! We’ve been planning and talking about this trip for almost a year. Now that the weather is getting warmer and sunnier here in Michigan, it’s been hard to not just grab our backpacks and run out the door to Georgia! Instead, I’m doing the best I can to wait–AND get ready–weighing all my stuff, evaluating every ounce, and walking with my pack on every chance I get. Today I walked with 15 pounds in my pack for about an hour on one of our local bike paths. Most of the snow has melted and temps were in the 40s. Although it wasn’t a hilly walk or a strenuous walk, it was better than no walk at all. I hope my back and my feet are getting used to the extra weight and I’m hoping that my final weight–WITH food and water, will be close to 20 pounds.
Today, I started weighing all the stuff that will go into my pack and writing it down. I’ve weighed almost everything except my sleeping bag and my sleep mat, which will add another couple pounds, but so far, all my gear only comes to 6.64 pounds–and that includes all my clothes, except a pair of shorts and a shirt that I’ll be wearing. It includes my iPod Touch (with protective case), its waterproof bag, AND the bluetooth keyboard –which, by the way, I’m practicing on tonight to write this update. Works great so far! The iPod Touch (with protective case) weighs in at 5 ounces and the keyboard weighs in at 5.14 ounces. I think the extra weight of the keyboard will be worth the extra weight for the ease of typing this journal while we’re in the wild.
As we read about all the other people who are already on the trail, (some who even started in February!), it gets harder and harder to wait. It feels like we’ll be the last ones out the door and the party will be over by the time we get there!
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Comments 10
Yeahhhh! Love your updates can’t wait to you hit the trail!
Thanks! We are eager to leave!
Don’t forget who won the race between the turtle and the hare.
Yep. We are the turtles!
How can it be that you will only have to carry 20 pounds? Including food? I seem to remember a 40 pound pack for a week long trip. Guess it was almost 40 years ago, but can stuff have gotten that much lighter? That is a wonderful thing!
Things HAVE gotten lighter and we’ve gotten smarter about what we take and what we leave behind (mostly what we leave behind!). We are weighing every ounce–something we didn’t do years ago when our packs were closer to 40 pounds. It will make a huge difference–especially since we are no longer spring chickens!
Thinking about you and Mel as your adventure nears. Sounds like you’re about ready! Can’t wait to follow you once you’re on the trial…oops, trail! 🙂
Hi Carol! Good to hear from you. Jeff was the one who asked the “what if” question in one of the previous posts 🙂
I wondered… and actually asked him, just this morning! I wish we could have a cuppa together before you leave, but I don’t think we’ll be in Mich before late April. 🙁 I’ll lift one in your honor on the…16th?
We’re flying to GA on the 16th, starting on the 17th 🙂