Date: 2013-06-24
To: Just an update
Miles today: 0.0
Weather: moderate rain

Again, I apologize for the lack of updates to my journal. As I am in the "prep" phase of my hike, I spend a lot of time going over my gear. I have spent the last month going to different parks in the area and setting up camp. I have fine tuned my hammock set up and take down procedures. I can set up in about 5 minutes and take down in about 2. This includes setting up the tarp, the hammock, and the footprint. I know it's a bit longer than I was hoping for, but I have made several mods to the system. I'm combining my Hennessey hammock with an ENO Dryfly tarp for better protection and the foot print is from my Marmot Firefly 2P tent. The Hennessey "snakeskins" are great. Anyone planning on "hammock hanging" should check them out. They keep everything nice and neat, pack down well, and make set up and take down a breeze. I have two sets; one for my hammock, and another for my tarp, which allows me to set up my tarp separately from my hammock. Good for when I just need a place to chill out of the sun or rain. I'm using the "slap straps" and carabineers from my ENO hammock, and rap rings instead of lashings to hang the hammock. The slap straps also give me a place to hang my pack.The hammock is awesome, BTW. By laying diagonally, one lays almost flat. The shock cords on the tie outs reduce sway, but not so much that you lose the "hammock" feel. I've replaced the guy lines on my ENO tarp with Kelty Triptease Lightline which makes them show up better in the dark, and added shock cord to them. The shock cord allows the tarp to flex in the wind, and takes up shrink when it gets wet. I'm looking forward to the opportunity to field test my gear in the Adirondaks soon. I have used most of what I'm taking many times before, but it has been a while since my last foray into the wilderness.One concern is (as always) pack weight. My winter pack is coming in at just under 50 pounds (46, to be precise) and nearly filling my 90 liter pack. That weight includes 7 days of food and 3 liters of water. A large part of the volume is my bear canister. I know I don't have to have it for the majority of my hike, but with the exception of its volume it is nice to have. It holds 7 days worth of food, makes a very good camp stool, and it's light (about 2 lbs). Plus I don't have to hang it. I know I won't have to carry 7 days food for most of my hike, but there are some long stretches where resupply is short. And I'll be the guy with the good chow. I've been training with a 50 lb pack for a while now, but I was hoping to get the "trail weight" down to 35 - 40 lbs. The problem is my size. At 6' 2", 270 lbs, I'm not exactly "petite." My clothes are big. My sleeping bag is big. Everything I have is big. Not necessarily heavy, but big. I've been over my pack contents time and time again. There's nothing else to get rid of; no more ounces to shed. So, like a sherpa, I will bear the load I'm given. AWOL mentioned in his book, "AWOL On The Appalachian Trail," the sherpa mind set that the task is served in the doing, not the master. My task is to hike the AT. As it is by my own choice I undertake this task, that makes me the master. So I will serve the task, and not myself. I'm sure I'll figure out ways to lighten the load as I go. If not, I'm sure I'll strengthen to adapt to the task.On a lighter note (pun intended), the trail I've been hiking for practice that used to take me 4 hours to complete I can now do in 1.5. I know it's not as strenuous as the AT, but it shows improvement (insert "golf clap" here).Also, I'm hoping to raise money for a local no kill shelter on my hike. I don't know what details I'll be able to post here, but I'll keep you informed.8 months and counting! Can't wait to hit the trail!