Gearing Up

So in the hiking world your base weight comes down to your big 3. Being your pack itself then your shelter and finally your sleeping system. The General rule is that if you can get your big 3 under 9 lbs you are golden .

                          My big 3

Pack: frameless Go Lite jam 70 - 1lb 14 ounces

Sleeping system: Rei flash 29° down/primaloft - 1lb 10 ounces
Therma rest sleeping pad so lite R value 2.8 (this pad also doubles as a frame for my pack ) 14 ounces
I have a pillow but it is a stuff sack that is reversible with a fleece liner so,I'm not including that as part of my sleeping system. I will more than likely add a sleeping bag liner to my system for the winter season in the beginning.

Tent : six moon designs, trekker
It has no poles included,  you use your trekking poles as the tent frame so it really cuts down the weight.
24 ounces

So my big three comes out to 5.8 lbs so let's round up call that 6 lbs!  Not bad!
(Side note I never purchased any of these items at retail price , I always waited for them to go on sale.)
We will go into more detail on gear later on when things get closer.
Currently sitting at 74 days out till Springer mountain. 
My marathon is on January 3rd so I'm just trying to focus on one thing at a time.

Changing of the seasons

132 days out (at the latest )

The cooling temperatures and more frequent northeast breeze signals winter is coming, which means the trail is that much closer. For the past few nights I have found myself restless with my mind going 100 mph contemplating my gear selection and going over what needs to be done before heading to Amicola falls.

I recently went on a small overnight backpacking trip (shakedown hike) to Jennings state forest. Me and my hiking partner got a very late start on the day and arrived to the campsite an hour and half after  civil twilight to be met with another family of campers that were more than welcoming of us , offering us food and drinks and even better a warm fire to gather around. Turns out they were from a neighboring town and had canoed out to the spot to celebrate their son's 18th birthday. My hiking partner and I contributed what would could (which consisted of gather a bit of wood for the fire) but It's people like those that make hiking and camping really an amazing experience more than willing to share with people they have never met and have little to offer in return. (Trail magic)

I am currently 10 weeks out from my first marathon so the training for the race and trail continues.

I Hope everyone is enjoying this fall weather. -J.T.

Shakedown hike= smaller hikes that help determine your gear's usefulness and what is not really needed. More gear means more weight and remember I'm carrying my house on my back for 7 months so every ounce counts!

Trail Magic, defined as an unexpected act of kindness, is a quintessential part of the Appalachian  trail experience for many long-distance hikers.

A walk north

It's been a good while since I have posted on this blog, (probably a little after I got back from Montana with my grandparents) But I considering picking it back up once again for my next journey.

I won't be really leaving for this nomadic feat until late February/early march of 2016 but I have been preparing mentally/physically since I got back from my first trip in 2013.

The Appalachian trail spans nearly 2,200 miles running from Georgia to Maine going through 14 states

So If you'd like to follow i will be starting on the top of Springer mountain in Georgia  and walking north towards Katahdin in Maine, NOBO!! (northbound)
I will be posting a fair amount before my departure showing my gear preparation (shakedown hikes) and physical training  (marathon training)

Hope you enjoy the journey with me!

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not,when I came to die ,discover that I had not lived."    - Henry David Thoreau