Join me on the trails as I explore the world one hike at a time. This is my trail journal, where I reflect on the miles I cover, the places I see, and the thoughts that come to me along the way. Expect stories from my hikes and paddles, notes on gear, book recommendations, and anything else that strikes me as worth sharing on the trail.
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Wilderness First Aid Course
Introduction
As the time for my thru-hike is quickly approaching, I continue my efforts to prepare for the hike. During this past weekend, those efforts were focused on safety and physical wellbeing preparedness. To that end, I signed up for a CPR and Wilderness First Aid (WFA) course. The course was being held at the wonder FOLC Farm and taught by Catherine Jean. I registered for the course on their website and opted into camping on the farm as the location was a couple hour drive from where I live. I also took Friday and Monday off from work for this weekend in preparation.
Lake Parker Training Hike
Preparation
In my ongoing attempt at getting into shape for my upcoming thru-hike, I have been working on getting my pack weight down. With my bear can, my base weight is around 19 lbs. For those unfamiliar, base weight refers to the pack weight with just the gear and not consumables like food, water, and fuel. I am thinking of switching to a bear bag instead because it would save me about 2 lbs of weight, but the bag hasn't arrived yet. So, for today's hike, I loaded up my pack with all my gear including the bear can. I even loaded about 3 days worth of food into the can and filled both 1L water bottles full of water. I then weighed my pack using a luggage scale and got a pack weight with consumables at 29 lbs.
ZPacks Duplex Initial Setup
Introduction
When it comes to the great outdoors, there are many ways to enjoy it. And so many options for gear, it will boggle the mind. Most people are probably familiar with car camping where you drive right up to the campsite and setup the tent that was purchased at some sporting goods sport or the outdoor section of the local mega-mart. Backpacking, where you carry all of your gear in a pack on your back, and hike to the campsite, presents it's own challenges and requires lighter gear. The general advice is to focus on the Big 3 first as these will have the biggest impact on your pack weight. For this post, I will be focusing on the shelter I am going to be using for my upcoming Appalachian Trail thru-hike.
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What is Next?
My next big adventure is the Appalachian Trail in 2026. It will be my first attempt at a thru-hike this long. Hiking this trail has been a dream for more years than I can remember, and I am exited to experience the miles, challenges, and moments of quiet reflection along the way.