Since last August when I committed to this grand adventure I have had logistics and gear bouncing around the back of my mind. There are many ways to skin a cat, but there are even more ways to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. Each person has to figure out the right set of gear to get them from the southern terminus on the California/Mexico border to the northern terminus on the Washington/Canada border. What will I wear while hiking? What sleep system will I use? What emergency repair or medical gear will I bring along? The trick is finding a balance between weight, price, and comfort. Where will I sacrifice? Am I willing to carry the extra weight for a luxury item like a pillow? Am I willing to pay the extra money for an expensive but ultralight sleeping bag? The biggest challenge is that I really can't know until I am on the trail. Even testing gear on a weekend trip doesn't replicate the experience of thru-hiking for five months. And the reality is that I have a plan but will invariably tweak and change things as I learn along the way.
Here is my new life.
Shoes = Altra Lone Peak
Tent = Big Sky International 2p evolution
Sleeping bag = Zpacks 10˚
Sleeping pad = Gossamer Gear Nite Lite
Backpack = Zpacks Arc Blast 60L
Stove = Soto Wind Master
Pot = BOT Titanium .7L
Water Purification = Sawyer Squeeze
Gaiters = Dirty Girl Gaiters
Micro Spikes = Katoola
Ice Axe = Gribel
Sun Hat = Outdoor Research
Sun Glasses = Native
Multitool = Snap-on mini
Bug Net = Sea to Summit
Power Bank = Anker PowerCore 10000
Camera = Iphone 6s
Top Layers = t-shirt, long sleeve sun shirt, ghost whisperer down jacket, helium rain jacket
Bottom Layers = shorts, hiking pants, rain pants
Socks = Darn Tough (3 pairs)
Just like a turtle I'll carry my home on my back. Though in my personal opinion, a tent will be a little cozier than a turtle shell.
The resupply process is another logistical challenge. While following the 2600 miles of twisting trail north we won't pass directly through many towns. So how to feed ourselves? Every 5-10 days we will hike off trail, hitch hike into town, and find food. My hiking partner Hannah and I came up with a hybrid strategy with some store stops and some prepared boxes from home. Based on research and advice from past thru-hikers we picked the locations where access to reasonably priced trail food is difficult. At these sites we have addressed USPS flat rate boxes to the local post office or general store. They are filled to the gills with dried fruit, veggies, noodles, energy bars, candy etc. We created a spread sheet indicating when and where each box should be sent and Hannah's wonderful mother is going to make the many trips to the post office for us.
And that brings me to the present. I am about to start a road trip from Wenatchee to San Diego. It will be the beginning of my transient future. I look forward to transitioning away from a fast paced American lifestyle and instead embracing the slow paced simplicity of thru-hiking.
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