Martini Blog

  "Whatcha gonna blog about"? says my wife. "Oh crap, that's tomorrow. I gots nothing."  That's the conversation we just had moments before I started writing this.

 The martini in the pic isn't the first drink of the evening so writing this now is a crap shoot. The martini is just washing down a few brandy old fashions. BTW, pineapple doesn't belong in an old fashioned. This is Wisconsin, not Kalifornia. After requesting an orange slice and a cherry rather than the pineapple the knucklehead bartender snuck in there,  the second one tasted much better. I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that I was on the second drink.

 Saturday started with a banana/strawberry smoothie and a cool ride to work. By lunch the day had warmed up nicely and I left work early to get a new tire mounted on the Ultra. It was a nice hour ride and the bike ran well. See, I've been experimenting with different fuel maps in my Fuelpak3 and have been experiencing minor running issues. I finally got fed up and called Vance and Hines to ask which base map to run with a gutted head pipe, street cannons and the extreme ventilator air filter.
*side note, wife just brought me another martini*
They suggested a base map and I loaded that map two nights ago. It's all done on a phone app with bluetooth and is pretty cool and easy to navigate. I had one short ride and thought it was much better. Todays ride has left me with the opinion that I may not mess with mapping for a while. I runs pretty sweet.
 I arrived at the Harley dealer to exchange blood and sweat for a rear tire. I explained the situation with my air ride suspension and my concerns about belt tension. The response I got from the tech left me confident he had been down this road before. He then asked if I wanted the bike washed. "How much is that gonna cost me"? I asked.  "Just time" he explained. "Your terms are acceptable" and I wandered off into the showroom. I immediately spotted a familiar face and we had a nice talk about bikes, vacations, first rides and ailments. (it seems the older you get, the more you talk about medical shit) As we spoke, a group of people were being escorted into the showroom and stopped in front of us. These were the students in the newbe riding class. Out of curiosity I followed  them for a while just to get a sense of what this was about. First they must get their temps by passing the DMV written test. Then for $320 they do a Friday night, Saturday and Sunday which includes classroom and riding training. At the end of it they are licensed and legal to operated any moo sucker they want. Of course this dealer hopes it will be one of their hogs. At their last stop of the showroom tour, the rep asked "That's all I've got, who's ready to ride?!" A bunch of hands went up, including mine. I couldn't help myself. Later as they started their riding course I watched them from the lounge window like a puppy crying to get outside.
 Somehow I got all crossed up on the ride home. I was trying to skirt around some rain clouds and may have done some unintended backtracking. Anyway, that free bike wash was a waste of time cuz I got hammered. It was a short rain but the bike got dirty just the same as if I were riding in crap all day. Rats. Some days ya just can't win. On that ride home I spotted three squids and one bike parked along a lonely back road. I gave them the thumbs up/thumbs down signal and they waved me on. They had the situation under control but I had to wonder about what I saw. Three guys wearing helmets and one bike. The nearest help of any kind was miles away. I saw no other bikes as I approached or for miles after I passed. I guess I just thought it was weird they all kept their helmets on while someone on another bike would be gone for so long. Maybe the other biker was wadded up in the ditch somewhere. It would have been easy to miss him in the tall swamp grass of the marsh. Whatever.
*she told me whats in these martinis but I forgot. Whatever it is it's kicking my ass. I spend more time hitting the backspace button than any other*
 Tomorrow (as I write this, today as I post this) will start with me editing this mess. Spell check underlines in red any questionable spelling. Right now the red lines look like the bunting on an Independence Day float. After that I plan to pack for vacation. I don't leave for two weeks but because we now have uniforms at work, I think I can get this out of the way. I only need casual wear for one weekend here and I have enough threads to cover that. I also want to mess with my GoPro mounts. Later on I may ride down to Madison to support my daughter with some kind of community art project reveal that she worked on. I'm sure a visit to the vegetarian restaurant is also in order.
 I'll leave you with this. From our ride to LaCrosse last weekend. I parked the bike and looked around to see a building across the street that made me laugh.

 A funky looking building from decades ago. The sign reads:

 The reader board above the door says:

 It doesn't seem like the two go together. I thought it was funny but what do I know.

Later.

Zoinks!

 I've been riding the sportster to work lately. Compared to the Ultra, it's light and quick. The weather has been warm and this bike is a pleasure to ride without a windshield. It's just nice to be able to mix things up, full touring hauling capabilities or something I can spank.
 The other day I thought it was gonna rain so I took the bag off the sissy bar when I walked into work that morning.

 I like my job so it didn't take long for the hands on the shop clock to spin around enough times to suggest I should get some groceries down my neck. I fired up the sporty and made tracks down town for some grub.
 Tacos. Not sure why but I had a hankerin for some tacos. I don't usually buy a drink while I'm on a bike but KFC sells these big ass bottles of pop. They are sealed so naturally they are bike friendly.

 Ru Ro Shaggy! When I walked out of the restaurant and approached the bike I realized the Mystery Machine wasn't sporting the bag that normally hangs on the sissy bar. Zoinks! Like, how was I gonna haul my Scooby snacks, man? After a few stupid thoughts that would have never worked, I remembered about the rack I built.

 I had some specific goals when building this rack and one of them was for just this type of situation.

  I wanted something that was always on the bike, ready to serve when needed, but folded up out of the way when not needed. I've used the rack before but this is the first time I used it in an unplanned situation. I dunno, I guess it took a while but it sure feels good when a plan comes together.

Later.

Friday and Saturday

 What to write about. That's the question for myself this morning. I suppose I'll tell you about my weekend so far.
 Friday afternoon I left work early, came home and packed the bike for an over nighter. Leaving work early was a tough decision because we are so backed up right now but we've had these plans for months and it is our wedding anniversary. Packing was tough because you only have so much room and the weather forecast was up and down for the weekend. We left late afternoon and the temp was 90. Yes, 90. The forecast for the next morning was cool and maybe wet. Packing the right gear for all these situations for two people took up a lot of room but the ultra is a lot of bike.
 We rode down to Germantown to see a Kiss tribute band. Before the performance we met with our middle daughter and her boyfriend for dinner. Mike, Brooke and Terry showed up a bit later to join us. The reason for this adventure was because my wife went to school with the drummer. I met Jay for the first time last year and he's really a great guy and has a wonderful family. Unfortunately he has had some very serious health issues that have kept him away from performing. Well I'm here to tell you that Jay has overcome those issues because he kicked ass Friday night. I have a lot of respect for him and what he has been able to accomplish.

There are a lot of things I could blame the lousy photography on. I'm gonna go with "too much beer".

 Saturday morning was cool and very windy. We bundled up and headed toward Madison. I punched in REI (the sporting goods store) into the gps and took off. Right away we ran into a backup on the road and started a detour. Long story short, gps is great but you need to have some sense of direction or a small clue where you are and want to be. When I saw the exit for Racine, I knew we were being led to a store in Illinois. No problem, we weren't on a schedule.
 When we got to Madison we stopped at the Harley dealer because I was still in search of a battery for a heated vest. No luck on the battery but we did manage to find some head gear for my wife. Later we arrived at my oldest daughter house and enjoyed a cook out. I got some valuable grilling tips from her boy friend and look forward to trying them myself. A good time was had by all.
 I gotta wrap this thing up and take my wife to brunch. The rest of the ride home was pretty normal with flipped over cars, fire trucks, erratic drivers and main street festivals. You know, the usual stuff.

Later.

Sunday Blog

 I bet you're all sitting on the edge of your seats waiting to find out what kind of exciting motorcycle news I have to report. If your thinking maybe I finished up the Rebel this week then you'd be wrong. How about that BSA engine that needs to be put together? Nope. Maybe I rolled the Rat Turd out of the living room and installed that new clutch or took it on a spring adventure? No sir. Repaint the sportster? Uh no. Well then I must have installed the new handlebars on the Ultra, right? Sadly, no but we're getting warm. The only motorcycle related activity this past week was to size up an accessory that my wife bought. Actually she bought two.

 That's right, fishing poles.

 So the only motorcycle related activity this past week was to see if two fishing poles fit in the saddlebag of the big Ultra. I'm happy to report that they do. I'm sad to report that I have nothing else to report.

Later.

Does Your Butt Hurt Too?

 Special GSR late edition.  I usually post on Sunday mornings but that just wasn't happening today. Yesterday my wife and I got on the bike and went for a ride. It was a beautiful day...almost too warm. When we decided to stop for the night we also decided to close down a bar. We weren't shit faced or anything like that, just up late. When we woke this morning I just wasn't thinking about this blog.
 So, bike life with the wife is coming along pretty good. She's doing just fine on the back of the bike. The only thing close to an issue is packing. It's a huge bike but two people can use up the available storage quickly. It's not the overnight stuff so much as the "keep warm and dry" stuff. I guess the other potential problem is the weight of the bike. Stop and go city riding is a drag.

  You can see in the pic that I added saddlebag lid bras. They will protect the lids from the occasional boot scuff but more importantly the guilt my wife felt every time she scuffed them.
 When we got home I was asked if my butt hurt too. I wanted to be the tuff guy and deny it but I was sore. I haven't quite figured it out yet but something needs to be tweaked just a bit to get that day long comfort this bike should be providing. I'm sure I'll figure it out. I just need to keep riding till I do.

Gettin Organized

 It had been less than a week of new HD ownership when I got a call from the dealer that parts I had ordered were in. This is a good thing because one of the items ordered was a trunk organizer. I guess its about 60 miles to the dealer so a mini road trip was in order.

 Just look at this mess. I got stuff bouncing around on top of other stuff and glasses getting all scratched up. My fellow Harley brethren would be ashamed of this mess. Me, I just don't want the top case turning into a shit hole like the Kawasaki Voyager I had years ago.
 Installation is a simple matter of removing the liner and applying some sticky backed Velcro to the top edge of the case. After re-inserting the liner, a Velcro "hinge" is hung over the top edge. The three fitted organizers are now attached to the Velcro. The forth organizer on the back wall is factory stock and contains owners manuals and a tool kit.

 Ahhh, that's much better. A place for everything and everything in its place. I can still fit two helmets or two twelve packs in here.  For me the whole purpose of having a trunk is being able to do daily chores on the bike. This should work.

 Today my youngest daughter is graduating High School. Congrats Parker! Here is where I would normally insert a joke about getting luggage as a grad gift. No need. Parker already has plans to fly the coop and attend school in Oshkosh. Good Luck!

Packing Issues

 I've got issues. I think this goes toward my bike packing problem. I always think I need an extra (whatever) just in case.

 On the far left is my home furnace. The two furnaces on the right are extras. One complete and one for parts.

 At the time of this pic I owned all three of these Subarus. Hey, they're practical little efficient awd cars that are ideal for Wisconsin wintery travel.
 Our laundry room has two sets of washers and dryers...just in case. I have three laptops. Instead of hauling one around, I have one at work, one in the shop and one next to my recliner. They are all linked to a cloud along with my smart phone.
 Maybe I just like having a back up plan.
 So here is my problem. There's no room for a back up plan with the sportster. I'm gonna be on the road nine days and its certainly gonna rain. I get wet every year I do this trip. Having the right gear has always allowed me to ride all day through any weather. Having storage space has always allowed me to bring warm, cold or wet weather gear.
 Right now I'm thinking about just bringing more bungee cords. My sissy bar is plenty strong and if the sun is shining I'll just lash the jacket and pants to the bar. If its wet I'll be wearing them. The other option is bringing my Frogg Toggs. They are light weight rain gear that can keep you dry although they won't keep you warm. Heavy rain at hiway speed with no windshield and the wrong jacket can be miserable.
 There's a part of me that wants to just throw a leg over and ride. Too bad I have to be back to work on a certain day. It would be nice to be able to just wander around the country without a schedule. I know how my daughter must feel. She is hiking the appalachian trail. A bad muscle pull has ended her chances of completing the trail before she has to be back to work in september. She has now decided to just enjoy the trail and her time off without the pressure of the goal.
 As for my vacation ride, I think I'll make a daily post here. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Squag will be home Friday! She has decided to cut her time on the trail short. She will be working for a friend that has some medical issues. It will be nice to have her back home for a while until she moves into her apartment. I'll try to get her to write something up about her hike.

 

Tool Bag

 Its been about a week now since I put the sportster up on the lift. Not too much has happened but I did find a spot for the much needed tool bag.

 

 As you can see I bolted the license plate and plate illumination right to the leather tool bag.

 BEEP BEEP, I gotta back up here just a bit. When I was trying to figure out where to put the tool bag and saw this spot, I dismissed it because of the plate. My wife suggested putting the plate on the tool bag. I kindly notified her that putting the plate there was the dumbest thing I had heard in a while. I was probably just jealous that I didn't think of it. I kept on with the idea and made it work. Anyway, thanks for the idea, Honey.
  Now I know what you gear head types are thinking. First, yes, I ran the wires right into the back of the bag to the led lights. Second, those straps look stretched tight and that thing is gonna flop around. BUZZZZ. Wrong. The bag is bolted to the sissy bar and the straps just give it that "throw caution to the wind" look.
 I'm not thrilled with the look of these bags. They're like a man purse for a bike. Next thing you know I'll be hanging a bunch of leather fringe all over. Anyway, I already envision making a sort of hidden tool box in the depth of the sissy bar. It would finish off the front of the eagle into more of a 3d sculpture and extend down to the folding rack. This bag will have to do for now because the way parts are vibrating off this bike its much needed.




End

Long Weekend

  We've been busting ass at work this spring and early summer so when the boss said I could have three days off I was thrilled! Hmmm, now what could I find to do for three days. Oh ya, ride!
 I had originally considered a motorcycle camping trip but realized I still need to get the bike in order for BuRP '14. The shortest route to Maggie Valley, NC is about an 850 mile ride. In the early years I used to do it in a day. Then for a while I was doing it in two days. Later I was meeting up with friends and it became a three day ride down. The ride home has always been a straight shot on the interstate in one or two days depending on weather and how I felt.
 I'm worried about the sportster shaking itself apart on the interstate. Yesterday and friday I got a bunch of "testing" done including a few hundred miles of interstate travel. Al borrowed me a tach that clips to a plug wire so I could get an idea of my engine speed. I also mounted a mini tach I bought mail order. I figured between the two I should get a good idea of my rpm's. Huh, right. The mini tach fluctuates 500 rpm and the clip on gives different numbers at the same mph. I am starting to wonder if I have something crapping out with my ignition system.

 You know, with all the stuff vibrating off this bike, you'd think I was carrying a bunch of tools. I wasn't. Only two screwdrivers my brother threw in the bag a few weeks ago. Yesterday I finally had a premonition of pending disaster and decided to throw a few basic tools in my bag. Sure enough at one rest stop I was looking over the bike and the license plate bracket was cracked all along my weld. I needed the tools and some zip ties to continue on.

 Later on my journey I passed through Green Bay. Of course I had to drive past Lambeau Field, but I also stopped at the new Cabelas. Their stores are like museums and I like checking out the stuffed animals and fish. I picked up a dry bag that I plan to haul on the back of my sissy bar. This years BuRP rally will be the first time I travel on the bike for over a week without saddle bags. I like to have my "stuff" but I'll have to learn to pack a little lighter this year.
 Today I'll bring the sportster into my little workshop and put it up on the lift. It will get a thorough inspection along with a new clutch, some brake work and the remounting of my tool bag.
 Of course after all that work more "testing" will be needed.

Packing Ultra Light part 2

 For the handful of you that actually look forward to these posts, I apologize this one is late. The reason is that I just returned from taking my daughter to start her adventure hiking the Appalachian Trail. Her article about how she packed can be found here.  For me it meant taking friday off from work to make the journey to Georgia to drop her off. The truth is I wish she wasn't doing this but that's just a father worrying about his daughter. I had fun on the road trip with my wife and enjoyed some warm weather.

 Here is my daughter weighing her pack at Amicola Falls State Park, Georgia. It came in at 35 pounds with food. She went as far as to cut off all her hair. Hair care products just add weight. Shes flying low drag with the same buzz cut my dad gave us every summer when we were kids. Set the razor to 1/4" and start cuttin. Her friend James who is hiking with her is carrying a 50 pound pack. I'm guessing his pack gets lighter in a few weeks

 A couple of young kids really excited about starting their adventure. You could see this excitement growing the closer we got to this point. It went from sleeping in the back seat to perking up and checking out everything they could take in as we got closer. I remember this feeling. Mostly from the military but I know what its like to spend a lot of time preparing for something, then wake up early and head out to an area your not familiar with.
 Things don't look like you pictured them but you know how to react to them because you are well prepared. I could tell these two were well prepared.

 After we said our goodbyes, my wife and I headed home. We didn't push it like I would on a bike. Halfway home we stopped in Paducah, KY for the night. We found some barbeque which was actually one of our roadtrip goals.

 If all goes according to plan we will see our daughter again in five months.

Packing Ultra Light

 If you follow this blog then you know there have been a few posts about packing. The following is an article my daughter Squag* wrote about how she packs for hiking. As a parent I'm glad to see she has put so much thought into this particular journey and she's not just diving in without some preparation. Some applies to motorcycles and some doesn't. Enjoy.

 *squag is a nic name one of her sisters assigned her many years ago based on a pre-historic squigward that played the saxaphone. SpongeBob fans know what I'm talking about.

 There’s been a lot of talk around our house about how we pack for voyages and why we lug things around the way we do. Dad has mentioned that he’s always packed pretty heavily on his moo-sucker, and according to his blog he’s got a friend teaching him the ways of packing light on the bike. Lightweight and ultralight packing aren’t specific to motorcycle trips, though. Dad brought me into the conversation because I’ll be going on a mega trip starting in late March that will require some creative thinking about the way I carry around the necessities. I’ll be thru-hiking the 2,180 mile Appalachian Trail and will be in the woods for about five months. I’ll be relying on what I haul on my back, what I can pick up from trail towns and whatever I beg people to mail me along the way. For the most part, I’ll need to stuff my pack so I can survive the wilds and be somewhat comfortable while doing it.

  Dad’s buddy JT mentioned that if you ask ten different people how to pack for a motorcycle trip, you’ll get ten different answers. The same goes for long distance hiking. Everyone has their favorite gear, everyone has their favorite shortcuts, and no two packs are quite the same. As a new long distance hiker, I’ve had to seek advice from a lot of experienced outdoorsmen to get a grip on which brands might best suit my needs and what style of packing would work for me. If you’ve never done this, you should know that it sort of feels like hanging a sign on your door that says, “Yes, please, solicit!” and having everyone and their brother come knocking with their handy solution. I mention this so that y’all understand that my style of packing doesn’t work for everyone and that there are thousands of other ways to lose your mind and hike around the woods for a while with all your survival supplies strapped to you like a mule.

  A lot of folks say that thru-hikers can pack to hike or pack to camp. That is to say that we can either be really comfortable hiking or really comfortable at night; if we pack a bunch of trinkets and luxury items to be cozy in our tents, hiking might be hell because of a heavy haul. If we pack lightly, we may not have the toys necessary to have a ball while we relax at night. This isn’t always true, but it offers an explanation for the kind of balancing act thru-hikers have to pull on our journeys. I’d say I have a healthy combination of packing lightly and comfortably. With the luxury of buying most of my gear fresh, I could specifically choose the most lightweight options that don’t break the bank. And, like most travelers, I try to find gear or supplies that will pull double duty. I think JT talks about this with motorcycles as well: find the smallest thing you can that does more than one job. Whether you’re motorcycling or hiking, having a soap that washes everything is like carrying unicorn tears in a bottle—you’re invincible. On the other side of the coin, carrying the Lord of the Rings trilogy to stay entertained at night is out of the question.

  Here’s most of what’s in my pack, minus a couple of lady things that no motorcycle dude wants to hear about (although my solutions for that are seriously awesome, trust me). I’m listing most of my gear, because it’s important to think about details when scheming for strategic packing. The details are what make packing complicated and what can be the difference between a hike to Katahdin or an emergency flight off the mountain range:

-A comfortable internal frame pack (not too big: the more ya fill it, the heavier it gets. I tested mine out on my trip to India last February. Things to look for: weight distribution between hips, chest and shoulders; ways to strap stuff on; preference amongst frame type; ease of gear access)

-Appropriate footwear (lightweight, snug ankle and heel support, waterproof, durable, one size too big for swollen clob hoppers, no sentimental attachment because they will assuredly get chewed up by the Appalachian Gods of dirt, rubble and mud.)

-Map and compass (taking an AT guide and ripping out pages as I pass through areas to cut down on weight in pack; I’ll carry a compass because I’m not an idiot.)

-Water and a way to clean it (Two water bottles, MSR Aquatabs/Iodine or Chlorine Dioxide tablets to clear bacteria and viruses from streams—no one wants to get a digestion problem without a loo around—and a quarter of a bandana to filter sediment from water. This is way lighter than a pump filter and less finicky than a UV light to clean water.)

-Clothes and rain gear (Avoid cotton. Two polypro shirts that dry quickly: one for camp and one for hiking; one mid-layer fleece; one rain coat with pit vents; one ultralight down jacket for colder regions; running pants for base layer; adjustable water resistant pant-shorts; survival undies; hat; waterproof gloves; two pairs of wool socks with silk liners to prevent chafing. Trust me, I’m fabulously stylish in my swishy pit-vented rain coat. It took me over two years to decide on specific articles of clothing, but the wait was worth it because I feel confident that they’ll get me through comfortably and safely.)

-Food and a way to cook it (Imagine a feast of Ramen noodles, bulk couscous, trail mix, beef jerky, peanut butter, dried fruit, repeat, repeat, repeat in freezer bags and a sealed dry bag. I made a camp stove out of an aluminum can that runs on alcohol (that can also be used in my med kit). I have one pot that I will eat out of and one other cup so I can also drink coffee or tea while eating on cold days. A spork for eating. The stove and cup fit inside the pot and the weight for cooking contraptions altogether without fuel is about 10 oz. This isn’t as light as all titanium, but my meager budget couldn’t afford that.)

-Shelter and sleeping bag (ultralight single person tent with footprint, lightweight mummy-style sleeping bag in a small stuff sack, four foot sleeping mat to protect torso from cold ground. Tent and pad are packed on outside of pack, not inside, as are water bottles. I chose a short sleeping pad because mats get bulky and it’s not as important for my feet to be protected from the ground as it is for my back. The mat is aluminized for extra warmth.)

-First aid kit (snake bite kit, band aids, gauze, blister treatment, ibuprofen, antihistamine, tweezers, antiseptic ointment, ace wrap, survival cord, needle and thread, glucose and electrolyte tablets, tiger balm, emergency blanket and/or garbage bag, safety pins, sun screen, etc)

-Dad’s old Buck knife (for all the reasons)

-Other crap (identification and moolah, safety whistle, headlamp, fire starters, duct tape, baking soda, transition glasses, junky phone for emergencies or while in towns, camp suds, small Rite in the Rain notebook and pencil, ultralight camp towel, watch, camp sandals (maybe), rain cover for pack, trekking poles, trowel, chapstick, toothbrush, a few sanitizing wipes, TP for #2, extra bandana cut in half for a pot holder and going #1--it’s genius, really.)

Now, this all may seem like a laundry list of obvious gear that needs to accompany a human on any journey through the woods. In reality, this is a carefully crafted inventory that’s still under revision, with every piece of gear thought out and all foreseeable needs accounted for. Two bandanas offer me a way to stay clean, filter water, and cook without burning myself. Baking soda can be used as an antacid, toothpaste, face wash, de-stinkifier for shoes and pits, insect bite treatment, clean the bottom of my cook pot, fire extinguisher, and whatever else I come up with along the way. (Camp suds are really just an additional luxury so I can smell like something other than baking soda. The suds also have citronella as a bug repellent.) My trekking poles help save my knees and back from all the walking, but can also be used as a clothes line for drying gear or back-up tent poles if one of mine breaks. Duct tape is another World Wonder and goes without explaining.

  There are some things I’m not taking that some folks might. I’m not taking gaiters, because as my hiking buddy James Claiborne would say, “If you’re gonna get wet, you’re gonna get wet.” This is the same logic for rain pants. They are overkill. And with a steady supply of rain waiting for me, I’m also not taking a fancy phone or camera. There aren’t any pictures that I could take that thousands of other hikers haven’t already taken on the trail, unless a bear is after me, in which case I shouldn’t be messing around with a point-and-shoot. I’m also not taking hand sanitizer—I’ll have some wipes if I feel like I really need it. I’m not taking separate shorts. I’ll use my convertible pants until I crack and buy myself shorts along the way. Some people take camp chairs, but that seems downright excessive to me. I’m also not taking a bear bell, because I tend to be goofy and sing obnoxiously while I hike anyway. Other hikers have that to look forward to during what they thought would be quiet, introspective journeys.

 There are a few differences between how I pack for a hike and how a motorcycle trip might unfold. I can certainly rely on money to get me through when I stop in trail towns to reload, and I’ll probably have my sister sending me my pre-sorted food, batteries and back-up gear to post offices along the way. For the most part I can’t “rely on plastic” if I’m hiking in the woods and run out of food. I need to eat (and therefore pack) enough to account for hiking between 8 and 23 miles in a day while rationing so that I don’t run out of gorp before the next stock up of food every 3-7 days or so.

 And as for Leave No Trace, I also can’t just throw things away if I decide I don’t want or need them. Any garbage that I produce on trail (like granola bar wrappers, empty Nutella jars, etc) will be stored in a Ziploc bag until I can pack it into town. This means that I have to pick supplies that have the least amount of waste. For example, as a coffee drinker, I can’t take a bunch of teabag style coffee pods with me; instead, I’ll drink sacrilegious instant coffee that dissolves in hot water.

  Another difference is actually quite similar to motorcycle packing: hikers and bikers get rained on. Where we part is whether or not we have a chance to dry off and clean up. Hikers certainly don’t have a chance to take their wet clothes to a hotel or home to dry out unless they have the luxury of being in town and have the money to hide away in a motel regularly. Camping bikers might understand this. To combat this, all hiking clothes need to be breathable (panting hiker gets sticky) and quick drying (hiker gets rained on and sweaty) while being warm (hypothermia sucks) and stuffed in a sack while not being used (because preventing wet gear is the best way to fight wet gear depression).

  General gear deterioration is another nemesis of thru-hiking. I’ve taken a few precautions to help me out when my gear starts to crumble. My shoes came from REI and can be replaced if/when they totally die from so much daily trekking—to pack lightly, I’m not carrying spare boots with me. My camp stove is easily made from any found aluminum can and my knife, so if the tiny stove gets accidentally crushed I can make a new one the next time I’m around a beer or soda drinker. I’m hiking with a buddy, so we can back each other up in emergency situations. Again, magical duct tape can help keep things in one piece until I can get new gear.

  I think my propensity for closely scrutinizing gear choices comes from my dad, but I’ve gotta say . . . I’m excited to just get started with this thing already. Whether or not I made the right gear choices, I’m ready to get on the trail and limp my way from Georgia to Maine. Like a mule. Or a crazy twenty-something looking for adventure.