Date: 2014-02-19
To: View Entry
Miles today: 0.0

My pack seems to be ready for the most part and that just seems to make you want to get going even sooner. But I've been taking my sweet time to organize my gear list as I play with the pros and cons of each item.Actually my thought process probably isn't that logical. Just the other day I decided that I'm not going to use my primus stove or deal with canister gas. It was basically all I had on the table in regards to cooking but I guess I'm one of those people who can impulsively make a decision and just jump right in. So I call a friend asking if I could use his tools to make an alcohol stove. Next thing I know, I find myself at my friend's house playing with fire like the irresponsible man children we are. It should be noted that I've never even held an alcohol stove before and my friend Tom instantly jumps on board. Well he was basically in the same boat to begin with... that boat of having zero experience with alcohol stoves but ready to combine tools and fire for any excuse.I'm fairly/delusionally confident we would have developed quite a badass little alcohol stove without even consulting the sacred youtube search but life happens to have a weird sense of humor. After we created some kind of Frankenstein bonfire abomination next to a pile of pallets leaning against his house (nothing to do with stove making), I noticed a little contraption sitting in my friend's driveway. Mind you, this driveway is like South Park's ManBearPig. Except that it's half junkyard, half hoarder galore, and half driveway. I pick up this little contraption and realize... IT'S A LITTLE ALCOHOL STOVE! SWEET! And that's how I acquired what appears to be a Trangia. Because Tom simply is a badass. So that'settled, but my one remaining concern regarding gear is my sleeping system. Kind of came to a partial decision in regards to my sleeping bag (my 45 degree travel down). Not going to bother buying a warmer bag. Instead, I'm thinking about buying a down top quilt to supplement with. Seems like a safer idea when compared to wrapping up in a space blanket, burrowing into my bag, and reverse cocooning myself into a sol emergency bivvy. I'm afraid that I would end up freezing my ass to the floor as I lay in a puddle of moisture after a few nights of that. I can't really test sleeping systems here in San Diego where there's no such thing as humidity, rain, and freezing temperatures. Also decided that it wouldn't be a good idea to just be a nocturnal thru hiker who sleeps during the day and treks through cold nights. Logistically speaking, I've done no planning for mail drops yet but I'm not worried. I might not bother. The way I'm approaching this whole thing involves maximum flexibility and playing by ear. There's not a whole lot of things that can go wrong with my scheduling because it's virtually non existent. Just have to catch my flight and shuttle to the hiker hostel and take it from there. General idea is to keep my eye on the weather, start slow, and adapt as needed while preparing for not so ideal conditions. I've got to use my time wisely though so I'm flipping through the AT handbook to get a general idea of where and when I may be resupplying and marking points where I absolutely should stop/plan ahead.Will be keeping my eye out for that surreal moment when I finally do get on the trail and realize the enormity of the whole thing.