Tomorrow is Never Guaranteed

I'm subscribed to blog updates from a girl that goes by Acorn. Today she sent out an announcement saying she was going to tackle the Florida Trail in January. She's already hiked the AT. I LOVED how she summed up why she wants to keep hiking. I couldn't have said it better, so I wanted to quote her here:

"I don’t want to be sixty years old, driving down a highway in an RV, rushing to see the world before my time runs out. Why not take life for everything it has to offer... now? Tomorrow is never guaranteed. Fill your life with photographs, memories, and experiences before it's too late. Push the boundaries."

Happy trails, Acorn! 

Lost Maples Shakedown Trip

I did my first shakedown trip last weekend. I headed out to Lost Maples State Park with a couple of friends for a two night backpacking trip. Rain was in the forecast, so it was the perfect time to test my gear and figure out just how much I like camping and hiking in the rain. I was very pleased with all my gear. My tent set up much easier than it did in the backyard when I tested it a few days ago. It kept me dry both nights when it rained for several hours. My Tyvek ground sheet also worked well, although it was a little “crunchy” sounding every time I moved that first night. My 98% DEET didn’t seem to work all that well, but maybe I didn’t apply it frequently enough. Honestly, DEET kind of freaks me out, especially when it started eating through my nail polish. Not good. I had about 22 bites on my legs when we left on Sunday.

One of my favorite pieces of gear was my MSR insulated mug. I debated getting that thing for a long time. Could I justify the weight or the pack space? Let me tell you, it was SO NICE to have a warm mug of tea with my meals. And my mug kept warm much longer than the boys’ cups did. The food I packed also worked out well. The pasta sides were bland compared to the boys’ Mountain House meals, but mine were much cheaper and not all that bad. I even liked the foil pack of salmon I brought along. Oh, and hiking with trekking poles was life changing! Why haven’t I used them before? I felt much more confident on the slippery, rocky ground and was able to move much faster. Love at first use!

The piece of gear I was least happy with was my pack. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Circuit. There’s just no way I can fit everything in there comfortably. It worked great as a daypack when we went on a 9 mile outing, but with everything in there, it barely closed. I’m going to shop around at REI in a few weeks and see if I can find a better match. So all in all, it was a great trip! I’ll include some photos below.

 

 

Test Test

I've had some of my gear for a while. Most of it is brand new. In both cases, I've never used pretty much any of it. My first "shakedown" trip is Friday and rather than look like an idiot, I decided to test some of it out this week before I left.

I set up my tent for the 2nd time ever on Sunday. The first time was months ago when I first received it from eBay. That was in my living room. Sunday was its first outdoor experience. For the most part, it was pretty easy to set up. However, the crossbar was nearly impossible to get into the pockets. I remember having this problem in my living room. I hope it loosens up!
 




Testing out my tent in the yard with my nephew, Joshua.

 

I also went food shopping today. Picked up some stuff I've read about online or seen in YouTube videos. I'm already sick of it and I haven't even eaten it! So much processed food! I need to research some better recipes.
 

 

I also fired up my MSR Pocket Rocket, which I've had for about 10 years, for the first time tonight. Worked like a charm! Just hope it's stable enough.
 

Need to pick up a few more things like a trash compactor bag and a lighter and I'll be good to go! Lost Maples, here I come!