Date: 2014-10-01
To: Gear Feedback & Concluding Thoughts
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: overcast clouds

Gear Feedback:I spent quite a bit of time on-line reading Trail Journals, watching videos and reading reviews on gear. Overall I was generally pleased with my choices but I should have spent more time gaining some more experience by doing more (I only did 1!) overnight backpack trips before my month-long hike. Feedback on specific items:Osprey Exos 58 Backpack ¢ Especially appreciated how lightweight it was for the capacity. I would have liked one of the two front zipper pockets to be larger to fit my cellphone and the side mesh pocket ripped (I¢m sending it back to Osprey for repair). Osprey could do a better job on how to adjust the middle and top risers, I (and some other hikers) weren¢t using these properly which made the pack feel heavier.JetBoil stove ¢ liked quick boil, but realistically it is hard to simmer or slow boil anything. Black Diamond Trekking Poles ¢ these were great ¢ learned from a fellow hiker that its better to remove straps when traversing rocks.Sawyer Mini ¢ probably would have selected regular Sawyer had I known how quickly it filtered water compared to the MiniMerrill Moab Ventilator Shoes ¢ I had a problem with my feet being too warm in waterproof shoes so these were good. Even with ¢Superfeet¢ my feet were killing me after the Pennsylvania rocks ¢ a thicker or firmer sole would be better. REI Gaiters ¢ don¢t recommend these ¢ strap under feet broke second day and they didn¢t stay in place Six Moon Designs Tarp Tent & Serenity Net Tent- Liked how lightweight this arrangement was but I had problems with knocking down the tent (supported by my trekking pole) unless the ground was perfectly flat. I used the Net Tent to ward off any mice or bugs in the shelters ¢ especially mosquitoes early in my trip. There is no room in the Tarp Tent for a pack so bring a bungee cord to hang your pack on a tree if you go this route. I used Tyvek for a groundcloth. REI Flash Inflatable Pad & Pillow and Flash Sleeping Bag¢ all worked wellBlack Diamond Headlamp ¢ I didn¢t learn about the ¢lock¢ feature on the headlamp until my batteries ran down in my pack during the day ¢ good feature once you know how to use it. iPod Nano ¢ Used this at night to listen to audiobooks or music (especially the album ¢Scenic Route¢ by ND Undertones (my son is a former member of this group).iPhone- I used Mophie Juice for extra power (2X capacity) but other people had power sources that provide and extra 4X or 5X which would have been better.Marmot Raincoat ¢ used only twice for rain but glad I had it as an extra layer for cooler weather (could have used thin gloves and hat as it got in the 40¢s) Concluding Thoughts Although I¢m very glad to be home with my family, part of me definitely misses being on the trail. When I see a national weather report I wonder how the weather is impacting those that I hiked with and how they are doing. Before I started my hike I didn¢t realize what a supportive & dedicated group my fellow hkers would be and as a ¢section hiker¢, I only hiked a month where thru hikers are on a five to six month journey. It was refreshing meeting the ¢twentysomething¢ hikers (who were the largest group) as well as the 50+ group (the second largest group which include me) ¢ we all had our own reasons and goals for our hikes (see my September 13th Trail Journal entry on Lone Ranger as a challenging example)but everyone was extremely supportive of each other. On the trail my daily focus was simple- water, food and distance to the next shelter and I came to trust that ¢there are no wrong turns¢ and each day/week did work out on its own. At home it easy to be distracted by so many ¢catch up¢ personal and professional activities that I¢ll need to focus on what are the big two or three things that are most important for the day. An obvious lesson is simplification ¢ on the trail I carried everything I needed for a month on my back, at home our house is filled with lots of stuff that would take a large moving van to move just down the block- so there are lots of opportunity for simplification! Although it was hard to properly train in the ¢flatlands¢ of the Midwest, I enjoyed the physical challenge of the trip. My ability to do steep inclines and longer mileage days increased during the month and traversing boulder scrambles was a fun challenge. The views, full moons, lakes, rivers, trees, rock formations were not to be forgotten so I¢m glad I took lots of pictures to help me remember the experiences. I¢ve been asked whether I¢ll hike the rest of the trail and I don¢t have specific answer for that question yet, but I do know that this experience reinforces the idea that when you commit yourself to something ¢ the world conspires to help you achieve it. A quotation I read by W.H. Murray emphasizes this point: ... Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way. Happy Trails and thanks to everyone who encouraged & supported me on my hike and a special thank you to all the AT volunteers at the local hiking clubs who maintain the trail!