Date: 2005-01-27
To: brrr.....cold again!
Miles today: 0.0

hey all,   Woke up this morning to -10 below. Odd, since i'm sure the weatherman said a low of 0 degrees. The weather channel was crying about NY city being 4 degrees tonight, yea i feel really bad for them. Luckily i was inside a nice toasty warm house. Also, there is a big ice storm headed right for the southern AT. So watch out if your starting in the next couple of days or are already out there! Besides being slippery, the big danger are trees collapsing under the wieght.    First thing i'd like to do is to give a shout out to break-a-leg, who hooked me up with my brand new gmail account. So happy You all should drop whatever your doing, run over and read her journals, if you haven't all ready. Her last one she mentions that a monkey could do her job. I once, not to long ago sat down and told my manager that he could hire monkeys and pay them in bananas to do my coworkers job and i dare say do a better job. I used to wonder how my coworkers even dressed themselves for work? Then someone said dave: "they have people do that for them" I now wonder how they breathe on their own. I know it's involuntary, but curious how some of them pull it off just the same.   The last two days, i actually got outside for some training. It's amazing how easy it is to hide inside all winter. I took my mother out snowshoeing or maybe she took me. Absolutely beautiful days with blue skies and a short lived warm front of 22 degrees. I was completely exhausted when i was done the second day. One could throw a pack on while he was tromping in the snow. eeeegodz they're be quite enough of that kinda of thinkin'. I've gotten lots of e-mails from my friends on re-hiking the AT. One wanted to know why i don't have a complete equipment list. i explained i do and that he just had to click on gear. There was even pretty little pictures to go along with them. However i'll put one this entry to satisfy everyone.   There are also quite a large number of people, actually everyone. Questioning, my ability to finish the AT by the end of the summer. Something about the last time i stopped too smell the flowers, not that was a bad thing. Let, me be the first to clear that up. We in F-TROOP on our '99 thru-hike did much more than stop to smell. Hell we planted them, grabbed a seat, then opened a beer and watched them grow I plan this to be a much more hiking oriented trip. Hopefully, not getting stuck in towns for weeks. I think everyone should spend 7 1/2 months out on the trail. We met everyone that started with us and for months after us, it was great. Don't let your schedule dictate what you are doing, you'll quickly stop having fun. If your not enjoying it, why are you doing it? I met plenty of happy people that i'm sure finished months before us. What is all this babbling about? I can't say i really know? hmm...i guess try not to make it a job. So, i'll smell the flowers this time, but i'll leave the planting to someone else.    Equipment list of sorts. I switched to my 3oz primus titanium stove and will take the chance that i can find non-ecofriendly canisters along the way. Also, i plan to switch out my jacket to a 3oz one, send back my rain pants and other winter stuff once summer comes along. i also haven't decided how i'll get to springer yet. From erie pa. it took 26hrs by bus, i dread what that would be from middle wisconsin. So here's the list:northface tadpole tent:      5 lbsdana designs pack            7lbsmountain smith sleeping bag: 2 lbs thermerest                  1.8 lbsstove/pot                     9ozfilter                        11oznalgene                        6ozknife                        2ozheadlamp                     2.8ozz-rest seat                  2ozmp3 player                  1.5ozcamera/case/2 rolls of film   11ozgloves                        4ozjacket                        11ozfleece                        16ozrain pants                  10ozmid weights top/bottom      15ozchacos (sandels)            really heavy    Probably fotgot something here or there. It comes in under 30lbs with out food or water, which for me is huge leaps & bounds. thinkin'of adding a hammock just in case you find that perfect place to lounge. My foodbag sometimes weighs as much as some peoples packs, but whatever works for you. that's about it i think.    My journals rarely make you think, seldom educational. David Thoreou, John Muir i'm not. What one should take from this: my god if he can do it, why can't i. My thought provoking questions usually sound like this: Where have all the teeter-todders gone? Why are there no deepends in pools? why doesn't jr. get to keep score in his hockey game? What about lawn darts? OK, maybe i'll give them that one. i recall me and my brothers hucking them over the house at each other. political correct b*stards are ruining ....i'm rambling aren't i. sorry about that. Hike Happy!