Date: 2013-02-09
To: Compression bags, an REI lecture, and dancing
Miles today: 0.0

On Thursday I went to the "Thru-Hikers' Secret" presentation at the Conshohocken REI. I heard about this when I was at the Marlton REI last month to check out the Deuter pack that I now have. Working that night was Postcard, a 2004 and 2006 northbound thru-hiker, who was extremely helpful and a pleasure to speak with. He informed me of this thru-hiking presentation, which would be at the Conshohocken store on February 7th and Marlton on February 27th. Conshohocken is a bit farther away for me, but on a Thursday night I'm in that area going to the Glenside contra dance anyways. Had I instead attended the February 27th presentation, I would not have had time to act on any new insights anyways.Compression and dry bag testingThursday night found me driving down the PA Turnpike, past Glenside to the Conshohocken REI. I got there a bit early, so I evaluated a couple changes to my kit. After hammocking outside in 20 degrees, I decided I would go for the luxury of adding a silk liner for my sleeping bag. Initially I wanted this liner for the convenience of being able to wash it and delay my sleeping bag from getting dirty, but the extra warmth may be helpful for cold nights in the hammock. I also looked at compression bags to replace some of my current bags. I like the 13-liter dry bags that contain my sleeping bag and food, but I know I can compress my sleeping bag further with a compression sack. After comparing the dimensions of the 13-liter bag I have with the line of compression dry bags present, I settled on the 20-liter model. I figured the dimensions were a bit greater than the 13-liter bag, so I could more easily stuff the bag into this sack and then compress it to a smaller size than I could with the 13-liter bag.When I got home and opened the packaging, I realized the discrepancy between the 13 and 20-liter bags' dimensions was much greater than the numbers suggested! The 13-liter bag stated it is 8" in diameter, and the 20-liter bag 8.6" in diameter. The difference feels much larger than that. Looking into the 20-liter bag it felt like I might as well be looking into a garbage bag! I thought I might be able to fit my hammock into a 20-liter bag. I don't need a dry bag for my hammock, but before buying the 20-liter bag and seeing its size I figured I would try fitting the hammock into this bag. If it fit, I would replace the hammock's current cheap Wal-mart stuff sack with the smaller one. Well, after seeing the actual size of the 20-liter bag, I knew without a doubt that the hammock would fit. After removing it from its original bag, I fit it effortlessly to the full volume of the 20-liter bag. Before closing the lid, I was able to crush it down extensively. Squashing the bag down with a knee while tightening the cinch straps, it is easily diminished to less than 10 liters' volume. This made me wonder if I can fit the hammock into an even smaller bag.So for my next test, I removed the hammock and sleeping bag. I tried the hammock in the 13-liter dry bag, figuring that it would fit in the 14-liter compression dry bag if it fit into this bag. I also tried the sleeping bag in the 20-liter compression dry bag, figuring it would be easier to stuff it into this bag and then compress it. My thinking is that I will go for one of two options: I stuff both items into 20-liter compression dry bags or the 14-liter models. If they are both in the 20-liter bags they should be large in diameter and fairly short in length - I stack them on top of each other, standing vertically. If they are both in ther 14-liter bags they are longer and narrower, and I stack them on top of each other horizontally. However, the hammock proved very difficult to stuff into the narrower opening of the 13-liter bag. The sleeping bag wound up being an excellent fit in the 20-liter compression sack. It compressed to almost the minimum volume, and made it into a short, wide package.It looks like using 20-liter bags for the sleeping bag and hammock are the way to go. When putting the sleeping bag in the 20-liter bag in my pack, I found out it could be stood vertically and left plenty of space on either side. There was enough space to squeeze the 13-liter dry bag, completely full with the hammock inside, next to it. The small 10-liter bag containing my current clothes sits with plenty of space on top of the hammock's bag. I am convinced that if the sleeping bag and hammock are both in 20-liter bags on top of each other, the room next to these bags will be plenty of room for my clothes. When my food bag gets smaller things will change up though. I am not sure if my food bag will wind up sitting on top or bottom of the rest of the load, but it will have to be one or the other so the load remains fairly centered in the pack.Well, mid-writing I decided that the hammock and sleeping bag compressed to less than 20 liters, so I would try putting both in one bag so I could try that packing arrangement. It was not difficult to get both items into one bag. Of course I will still get a second bag, since I am not putting my sleeping bag in with a potentially wet tent! Both items combined into that bag compressed to perhaps 15 liters. With both of these items roughly representing the total length of two bags stacked atop each other, I repacked my bag. The food bag is still ginormous, though I have started eating the food. That bag is on the bottom, and the hammock and sleeping bag sit on top of that. A 13-liter dry bag stuffed full of clothing sits next to that. It is a bit of a squeeze, but it fits and after adding the other free-floating things I am left with open space in my bag! I don't dare add anything else in that space, but it is nice to know there is room to easily fit all I need. I can let my camera ride inside my pack's main compartment instead of under the lid if the weather is terrible."The Thru-Hikers' Secret"All of today's packing tests aside, I skip back to Thursday night at the Conshohocken REI. Postcard had mentioned that there were a few people planning to walk the Trail this year that would be at these events, so I anticipated running into a small group. That as not the case, as the participants also included people planning to thru-hike eventually, or people that were merely curious. It wound up being a packed event. It was an informative event, and brought me some fresh insight on a few things I have been undecided on.In another preparation entry I wrote of how I was on the fence between boots and hiking shoes. This presentation moved me away from boots and toward shoes. However, Postcard also mentioned how the support of boots is a better idea when you are packing more than 35 pounds. My pack is over 35 pounds, though I am trying to lighten it. I think in my mind I have decided that being taller and requiring larger, heavier items for some of my kit means I can also carry more weight without requiring extra ankle support. I know my feets are very durable, so I think I am comfortable with carrying 40 pounds without hiking boots. My current shoes fit all the criteria that make for good hiking shoes, so for further test walks I will switch to using these shoes instead of my boots.The need to decrease my pack weight made me briefly reconsider hammocking and think about replacing that system, reluctantly, with an ultralight trekking pole tent. I already had this thought enter my mind when I saw my pack was about 45 pounds. It seems like a nice simple system, replacing the hammock with a sleeping pad and tarp, and saving a couple pounds. I was reluctant to spend more money on a sleeping pad and tent when I had already invested in my hammock system. Fortunately, the idea of replacing the hammock with a tent quickly left my mind after one of Portrait's trail journal entries reminded me of the benefit of the hammock in poor weather. If I have to worry about rain washing into the bottom of a hammock, something has gone terribly wrong. If a couple extra pounds in my pack lets me sleep high and dry at night, I think it will be worth it. I know it's more comfortable in the hammock than on the ground, so it already has that going for it. Hey, if I wake up more rested I will be in better condition to carry a couple extra pounds all day, right?A couple new ideas were presented for what clothing to carry. I had forgotten about sock liners, so I am happy to be reminded that I need to put those in my pack. I also had not considered the idea of bringing a synthetic jacket for the Trail in addition to a down jacket for camp. I will have to seriously consider this, if I can fit one into my pack. Having the down jacket remain dedicated for camp and having another jacket that insulates while wet will be great if the weight and volume aren't too much excess. This is of course in addition to rain gear - rain gear only keeps the wet out for so long, no matter how good it is. You'll be sweating under it if the water isn't getting in, anyways. There were were also the ideas of taking one base layer and two long-sleeved shirts. My current system involves two base layers and one long-sleeve shirt. I think the base layer top will work well enough as a shirt, and I want the extra base layer bottoms for hammocking in very cold weather. The clothing I bring will be some compromise of my list and Postcard's list.One point of amusement in the presentation was a slide which listed some thru-hiker traditions. This didn't present anything new to me, but I was amused to see 'grow a crazy beard' listed. I haven't been without a beard for over six years. While it is trimmed rarely, my facial hair had me looking like a seasoned thru-hiker compared with everyone else in the room. Some may speculate on what it will be like to grow out a beard, but I haven't had to do that for years.Some interesting dance encountersThere are contra dances at a couple Philly-area colleges a few times a year. Last night there was a dance at one of these schools. I am glad I went, as I ran into a few interesting folks. Roboticus, a 2012 northbound thru-hiker, was present at this dance. While I have already met and chatted about the Trail with her, it is always nice to be around past thru-hikers as my departure date becomes close! In mentioning my Appalachian Trail ambitions and talking of dancing at far-flung New England locations, I sensed a couple other folks at this dance might have hearts for adventure themselves. I hope I was right about that, and that some day they get to find their own adventures.As I was leaving the dance, I vaguely overheard someone talking about hawks and squirrels. Tuning in to that conversation, I heard someone who had not been dancing mention how they wanted to get involved in falconry. Here I jumped into the conversation, and mentioned the book My Side of the Mountain, which is one of the first books that introduced me to the outdoors. This book inspired me to set 'become a licensed falconer' as one of my oddball life goals. I did not mention that part, only asking this gal if she had read this book. It turns out that is where she got the ambition toward falconry herself! It was a very cool, very unlikely thing to encounter someone else who openly maintained and entertained this dream from a book read years ago. This is undoubtably someone who has a heart for adventure, and I wish the best for them.That encounter happened on my way out of the dance. I had decided to drive off to Reading that night instead of staying locally or going home. When I stepped outside, it was snowing and the campus was silent. This setting immediately put a specific Of Monsters and Men song in my head, and I immediately got that song back out of my head by singing it on the way back to my truck. Walking across the college campus at night in the snow, wearing a kilt and singing Icelandic music, my mind was absolutely comfortable in being an oddity. I anticipate having fun as a thru-hiker passing through towns and dance communities. If I can already engage in such uncommon behaviour, I don't think I will have any issue with being an unkempt thru-hiker passing through civilization now and again. That is just another part of the experience.Peace,