[pct-l] Prepared for the weather

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On May 3, 2010, at 3:16 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> Though safe doesn't always mean comfortable as some have a higher  
> tolerance for discomfort then others

This is so true. And it's not easy to do if you're as wimpy as I can  
be. When I got to Washington I had been sweltering through July. I  
was too hot almost all the time. I decided it was silly to keep  
hauling around a down jacket through August, a month I consider to be  
prime summertime. So I sent my jacket home. I also accidentally sent  
home my rain poncho. As soon as I stepped over the bridge into  
Washington it began to rain. It rained for weeks. I was never so  
unhappy. But I had to keep reminding myself that I was not going to  
die. I was technically just fine. I was warm, I was safe, I had  
enough gear to stay alive. I just wasn't comfortable (except at night).

I kept remembering what Ray Jardine said which was to just keep  
moving so you don't get cold. I could have gotten very cold during  
the day, but "just keep moving" worked. It worked so well I turned  
down an offer to stop at someone's campfire to warm up. Keep moving  
and not only stay warm but get to the Family Pancake House quicker.  
Yeah, hotels suck, but that far along in the hike any place with  
large food portions was the Emerald City and no flying monkeys could  
keep me away.

I have to tell you that growing up I wore waffle stompers from  
Kinney's shoes, wandered around completely lost in the snow and the  
'desert', 'slept' in a flannel cowboys and indians sleeping bag (or  
something just as 'good') and always believed backpacking meant a)  
struggling with a giant pack that would make me fall over, b) being  
freezing cold, c) having open wounds from metal grommets gouging  
holes in my feet, d) always being lost, and other such fun things as  
floating in several inches of water on my air mattress in the middle  
of the night. When I finally was the owner of ultralight gear that  
was functional, warm, spacious, dry, comfortable and allowed me  
freedom of movement, I realized backpacking could be fun!

Books I've written:
~ Piper's Flight
~ Adventure and Magic
~ Santa Barbara Hikes
http://stores.lulu.com/dianesoini