Date: 2010-03-08
To: I'm pretty sure those aren't headlights
Miles today: 0.0

The light at the end of the tunnel is visible.Sunday Delee and I hiked around the park. The pack is fine, though sausage-tight. I hope none of its seams rupture under the stress. My feet and knees both felt the extra weight. Ah, sore feet, I thought I wouldn't know thee until next Sunday.Sunday afternoon we stopped by REI for a few last minute purchases, then in the evening JD and I metro'd in to DC to see the terra cotta warrior exhibit. Long day. I felt like after six miles with my pack I deserved a nap, or dinner, but I didn't have either. I've made the same mistake on hiking days, with the same result: headache, nausea, and grumpiness. I feel much better today though.With Marc's help, a lot got accomplished at work today. I knocked out two of the major things I was facing this week. Pretty good for a Monday. I'm planning to leave early Friday for a last visit with Pluto, so I'm pretty happy about the work getting done. A sysadmin's job is never done, but it would be nice to leave things in a somewhat organized state. I would feel really awful if I left a bunch of chaos behind me. Especially since I actually like my coworkers.I stopped by the liquor store, grocery store, and convenience store tonight to pick up the last items for my pack (a bagel, some peanut-butter cheese crackers, two honey buns, and some single serving bottles of booze. Raspberry flavored rum! Yummy.) The bagel is in the freezer until Friday night, but everything else is in the pack, which is currently groaning in the living room.I bought knee high gaiters at REI. Pondering whether to try to stuff my dinky ankle high ones in the pack too, or just live with knee high ones and get the little ones mailed later. Mail is probably saner. I think I'll definitely appreciate the knee high ones for now, between mud, snow, and blowdowns.JD and I straightened up the house tonight. My desk is mostly clear, as are the dining room table, sideboard, and counters. The guest room is still dominated by hiking gear but the bed is accessible. Guests, sorry if you wanted to use a surface to put your stuff on. They're all taken. Maybe you could put your suitcase on the other side of the bed. If you're a restless sleeper you're out of luck. Pack light.Still to do this week: packing a couple of overnight bags, printing out directions to Dahlonega, Amicalola, and Springer summit, and cataloging my maildrops so I know what's in them. Possibly making mailing labels. But not much more than that.Well, worming Pluto and having dinner with Sweth. And a date with my husband. And loving up on all my animals since I won't see them for months. And maybe straightening up my office at work. And writing instructions for the petsitter. And getting my health insurance switched over to JD's. And going to yoga and the chiropractor.Breathe. Must breathe.I haven't even left the house yet and I'm already looking forward to de-winterizing my pack. Instep crampons, extra foam padding for under the air mattress, at least half the insulating clothing items, the rain pants, the long sleeved wicking shirt, the mitten covers, and my balaclava mask will all get taken out. The air mattress will get swapped for a shorter one, probably, and the down jacket will get swapped for a down vest. My current clothing assortment breaks down like this:Under it all: liner socks, socks, non-absorbent bra, baseball capWarm hiking: skirt, spandex shorts, short sleeved capilene one shirt, short gaiters, buffCold hiking: powerstretch pants, powerstretch long sleeved shirt, wicking long sleeved shirt, Rockdancer hat, powerstretch gloves, turtlefur neck gaiter, long gaiters, wind shirtWarm wet hiking add: rain skirt, short poncho, rain hatCold wet hiking add: rain pants, rain jacket, waterproof mitten coversIn camp cold: long sleeved silk shirt, long silk pants, fleece socks, crocs, down jacket, balaclava maskIt seems like a lot but most of it is really light fabrics. It all compresses down to one medium sized stuff sack for dry clothing and a small one for rain gear. It's tricky, packing for spring weather. It could be 67 and sunny today, and 34 and raining tomorrow. However it's reassuring to know I'm prepared for whatever Mother Nature may throw at me. I might be grumbly but I won't freeze to death.