Deer at Bearfence Mtn Hut
Bambi is simply unafraid of us. Wondering if we need to start marking the corners of the hut to ward them off -- hiker deer-b-gone.
Up on the rocks at with Toon and Curljob. She's not feeling great about her feet -- not having a good hike. He doesn't want to leave trail, head back to Maine and take up with his job at LL Bean -- looking to move on. Pretty serious debate about what to do. We all have to hike our own hikes.
Took stock of the pack inventory. Maybe too much food? Big John suggested we all try for a SNP triple crown. Three meals in one day, each at a different tourist restaurant in the Shennies. Only takes a day out here to get past the last townfood tragedy.
So what's in my optimized hiker pack? I've spent 875 miles figuring out what works for me. Here goes:
I'm typically wearing my walkin' T - the cotton running t-shirt from the Blacksburg classic - my hiking shorts (no liner), silk hiking sock liners (sometimes), thicker hiking socks, boots, the new gators, bandana, mil ID dog tags.
Top pouch in the Lowe pack: weather gear (goretex full hood pullover, rain pants with zippered ankles), toilet paper in a ziploc, small trowel for catholes, stash of gorp, camera in ziploc.
Left side pouch: iodine tabs, pur water pump filter (in ziploc), 20 feet of paracord in ziploc, elastic leg wrap, toothbrush (handle cut off), toothpaste, small bar of soap in ziploc.
Right side pouch: Walkman fm radio/earbuds (in ziploc).
First aid pouch (contains: several bandaids, tylenol #3/codiene, 00 suture line/needle, neosporin pouches, betadine towelettes, small square of moleskin, tournquit band), magnifying loop, spare lighter, several small birthday candles, small aluminum survival blanket)
hiker wallet (small ziploc contains cash, one CC, drivers license/ID), gadget bag (spare batteries for flashlight/radio, spare film, small swiss army knife (blade, philips, can opener, bottle opener, reamer, scissors, tweezers, toothpick), small folding compass with mirror, candle), maglight with a couple feet of ducttape wrapped around the handle as tape dispenser, Companion (in ziploc).
Main pouch: clothing (stuffsack with long pants (BFDs), camp T-shirt, fleece pullover, wool/poly camp cap, spare socks, silk boxers, spare bandana, wool knit finger gloves -- bag doubled as a pillow at night), flipflops (had tevas, but too heavy so got some cheap light replacements); kitchen sack (titanium cook pot and lid, containing whisperlite stove, 22 oz whitegas bottle with windguard, small pot scrubbie, small vial dishsoap, large plastic spoon, lighter)
Food sack: whatever I was using for the meal plan, and almost always included a medium empty peanut butter plastic jar which held my dried milk, pudding and jello pouchs -- made for a great mixing/shaking jar for reconstituting pudding. Spare ziploc for trash that couldn't be safely burned - waiting for next convenient trash can.
Sleeping pad
poncho liner blanket
ziploc with whatever book I was reading at the time, maps or extra reading rescued from hiker boxes, journal with a pen and pencil
The tent would be strapped and cinched between the main pouch and the top. Camp cup would be strapped to one side. Databook in a ziploc with a small notebook and pen tucked into an external pouch down low on my right. Water bottle in a belt pouch on my left. Hiking staff by my side. Oh, and the license tag was roped to some cinche loops on the back. I think that about covers it until I get up to cold weather refitting.
Seems like a lot, but it's really just survival kit tailored to walking.