New Mexico is known as the Land of Enchantment, and although at first I didn’t have high expectations that my hike would be anything close to enchanting, in the end it was.
A Day in the (trail) Life…
Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke And somebody spoke and I went into a dream
– A Day in the Life, by The Beatles
Yesterday I was driving home on the freeway listening to the Beatles album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Often while driving I multi-task; paying attention to the task of vehicle operational control, while letting my mind drift and solving many of life’s complex mysteries and problems. Reflecting on the lyrics of A Day in the Life, I started to think about a typical day on the trail.
How to Plan a Backpacking Trip
IT’S NOT A BIG DEAL
Thought I’d share how I plan my trips, because it seems to me that many folks spend way too much time planning their trips. This is what works for me.
The Search for the Holy Grail: Waterproof Breathable Rain Gear
Some thoughts on rain gear…
There is no perfect rain gear.
What works for me may not work for others. Of utmost importance is the fact that each of us have a different physiology, hike at different speeds; and each trip varies in weather, temperature, and terrain. Each of these variables contributes to different kinds of rain gear solutions. Like so much other backpacking gear, the hiker will need to learn from experience what works best for them. You won’t learn it here, or anywhere on the Internet, or in a book.
So I decided to share what I have learned over the years — what has worked and what has not worked. Your experience may be different.
Continue reading The Search for the Holy Grail: Waterproof Breathable Rain Gear
Lightweight Backpacking: The Way, and the Truth, and the Life
MAYBE WE SHOULD MIND OUR OWN BUSINESS
There are quite a few things in life that irritate me. The top of my list includes:
- religious people who knock on my door telling me I will burn in Hell if I don’t accept their religion
- Prius owners who accost me in gas stations and condemn me for damaging the planet with my SUV
- petition gatherers who want to deny property rights
- New York Mayor Bloomberg who thinks I am too stupid to take care of myself because I like to drink Venti Frappacinios
- politicians who want to pass all sorts of laws and ordinances because they think the populace doesn’t know what is best for them
- and lightweight backpackers who evangelize to other backpackers they meet on the trail that their pack is too heavy.
Continue reading Lightweight Backpacking: The Way, and the Truth, and the Life