Getting ready to hit the trail in a few days! It’s taken some time getting the proper gear together and situated it in my bag the best way (subject to change of course), but I am more or less ready to start my 5.8 million step journey. Everyone I have spoken to in the last few weeks seems to have the same question, “Are you nervous?”, and the response has been the same, “no”. I admit my response is out of blind foolishness but considering I live my life with enthusiastic ignorance, why should this be any different?
Anyway, it’s been three weeks since I’ve slept in a bed and I haven’t even set foot on the trail yet. Between leaving my college house and my home in Chicago being rented out, I have been SOL on those things you humans call a bed. I’m not complaining and what better training could I have for living outside for the next 4ish months?
In the most recent days I have been getting the final things needed on my long list of equipment. Its funny how a tent and sleeping bag are the only things that separate me from being an animal. Here is a picture of my gear thrown about my parents apartment:
Right now my total pack weight (not including the dog) is about 26lbs without food and water, which I expect will add another 8-10lbs. As far as pack weight goes, around 35lbs is about the average for a through hiker but we’ll see if I cant knock a few more lbs off before day 1.
Man in the woods 