Gear Talk and Pre-Trail Jitters

As I lie on my sleeping pad in the backyard of a trail angel’s house in San Diego, I can’t help but feel at peace. The lead-up to this moment has come with added excitement and anxiety. Constant questions have been popping in my head—did I pack tent stakes? Will everything fit in my 40 liter pack? How much food is too much? What am I forgetting? But as I lie here, knowing that my life is packed up in boxes, my car is in good hands, and a majority of the loose ends of my life are tied up, I am at peace because this is where I’m meant to be. It’s just me, my pack, and my own two feet.

So what’s really in my pack?

—Hyperlite Mountain Gear Southwest 2400 pack (28.6 oz.)

—Patagonia 850 down sleeping bag (19 degree, short)  (29.3 oz.)

—Therm-a-Rest Z-lite Sol (13 oz.)

—Six Moon Designs Trekker Solo (27 oz.)

–Tyvek ground sheet (4.5 oz.)

—MSR Pocket Rocket 2 (2.6 oz.)

—Snow Peak 900 Titanium cookset (6 oz.)

—Bamboo spoon (1 oz.)

—Patagonia Midweight Capilene Top (6.2 oz.)

—Patagonia Midweight Capilene Bottoms (5.4 oz.)

—Patagonia R1 Hoodie (10.6 oz.)

—Patagonia Alpine Houdini Pants (4.9 oz.)

—Patagonia Micropuff Hoodie (8 oz.)

—Patagonia Stretch Rainshadow Jacket (9.2 oz.)

—Black Diamond Spot Headlamp (3.2 oz.)

—Sawyer Squeeze (3 oz.)

Along with toiletries and small luxury items (Kindle and a mini Nalgene for hot drinks), my base weight comes in just under 15 pounds.

Let’s see what this mighty trail has in store because it’s time to start hiking.