What an intense day.
I finally got my second order in from REI. In today’s package I received my new Osprey Exos 58 backpack. (Small, 55 liters.) I think I am in love, but I will tell you for sure once I get it home and fill it with stuff. Other items in this package included a spare pair of Solomon Speedtracker 3 women’s trail runners, the Duece of Spades trowel by TentLab, and an Osprey raincover. In a separate order through Amazon, I purchased some oxygen absorbers for the vacuum sealed dehydrated food I’m packaging and bringing with me. It felt like Christmas, I tell ya.
I started this blog earlier today. It felt great to step outside of my technical comfort zone and learn how to create a page for myself. There was a fee, of course. The total came out of my account for all three years up front, but I’m happy with the purchase. It does what I need it to do so far. I have to spend time tomorrow figuring out what links I can post, how video can be uploaded, what will download from my phone and will it be efficient, or will I feel like pulling out eyelashes while I painfully wait. Tests, tests, tests…
Erin Ronsen gave me a GoPro tonight, but it’s missing an attachment and he didn’t know where the charging cable was for it. I figure I’ll head to Best Buy tomorrow and see what they have to maybe attach it to a selfie stick or a hat. I’ll weigh it in and test it out. I’m trying to keep my pack as light as possible and I already have a phone and the Spot Tracker coming with me.
A seriously thrilling event today was when I Facebooked Heather Anderson , the current world record holder for the fastest self-supported Appalachian Trail hike. I was hoping for a response, but wasn’t expecting it or any time soon, but I got one and on the same day!!! Freaking awesome!!! I let her know of my intention to try for the world record myself, but I have to say this girl is hard core. It won’t be easy to beat the time she has set into place. (54 days, 7 hours, 48 minutes)
Please check out Heather Anderson’s Tedx Talk, it’s pretty inspiring. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgDeh2XDNY4)
I think I should try and take some time and do a little research on bear mace. I had customers that had hunted in the Upstate New York to Maine areas and they said moose and bears can be trouble at times, although, down south I have run into bears only once in the last 18 years. It happened to be the only time I had ever gone without a bear bell attached to my pack.
Heading into Walmart at the moment. Pears, peaches or mangos for tonight’s dehydration?
