[pct-l] pct through-hike questions, equipment list; some thoughts

[Robert Bedichek <robertb@transmeta.com>]

hello fellow hikers,

i got mail suggesting that i post my tentative equipment list.  i'm
interested to hear from anyone who thinks that i am missing something
essential or who thinks i'm taking the wrong gear.  while i have
backpacked in a lot of conditions for many years, the longest single
solo hike i've taken was 10 days.  i have taken much longer bicycle
trips, but that's a different kettle of fish.

i have a few questions:

1. what do people think of ray jardine's book as far as practical
   advice goes?  is there any area where you think one would go
   astray with it (of course, long distance hiking is not risk-free,
   etc.)?  i found it a useful handbook.  i would not say i
   embraced everything he says, but i've moved a bit in his
   direction.

2. what range of dates do the south-north through hikers plan to
   start on this year?  i was tentatively planning the first week
   in may?  i realize that we have to wait for april to see what
   the snow-pack is to be sure.  

3. how do you go about verifying that you can ship stuff to the drop
   points that ray's book lists?  do you call each one to make sure they
   are still accepting parcels?  (seems like a lot of work)  or
   does someone have a list of changes from what is in the last
   handbook?

4. are there any web sites which have useful information for
   a through-hiker?  i've seen www.pcta.org, www.backpacking.net
   (very useful), www.rei.com, lots of other gear vendor's web
   pages, and ray's web page (don't have the  url on me).

5. i'm thinking of making a web site for my friend and family to
   understand what i'm doing.  i was thinking it would be cool
   to have a map that showed my progress.  clicking on points
   along the map would give information, perhaps photographs,
   on that part of my trip.  do you know of any web-maps of
   the trail (on a large scale) which could form the basis
   of such a thing?

thanks in advance!

at the bottom of this post is something that i hope is useful
regarding discourse on this list.  i hope you take it in the
friendly spirit in which i wrote it.

	rob bedichek


all weights in grams, unless otherwise noted.

i mention brands for concreteness.  also, if i need a replacement
this helps my support person acquire the replacement.

btw, i cooked 150g of corn pasta along with a garlic sauce.  this
consumed 25g of fuel. 

1044 Mountain Smith Mountain Light 4000 backpack (unmodified so far)
908  Outdoor Research bivy sack and cover
859  North Face Climber 3D Dry Loft sleeping bag, regular, right zip
440  Primus titanium Stove + 215g Fuel (180g/hour)
402  red L.L. Bean pullover 
318  Sweetwater filter kit (dry, wet adds about 50g)
294  large titanium cook pot
252  Frogg Toggs w/b top
235  Ridge Rest 3/4 length sleeping pad
222  soft black tights
204  sil tarp
197  umbrella
192  North Face light top
190  Frogg Toggs w/b bottoms
179  soft green shorts (for warmth)
120  sun hat w/ cotton neck skirt
111  thin green nylon pants
108  8 titanium stakes (for tarp)
86   ground sheet
81   nylon cord
67   ski socks
55   plastic trowel (for digging small holes)
54   vapor barrier socks
49   thin hat (for warmth)
48   liquid soap (3-5 days worth)
43   guide book section
43   large plastic bag (39 gal.) for pack cover
42   thin gloves
41   1 pair North Face underware
41   sun block (in 12g screw-top container)
40   prescription sun glasses
33   3/8" toilet paper
28   2 tea light candles
27   storm-proof matches
25   aaa Maglite + battery w/ spare bulb in base
23   small swiss army knife w/ light
22   plain plastic cup
22   12"x12" synthetic camp towel
21   emergency wistle
18   bag w/ 7 Q-tips, 8 capsules, 12 200mg Ibuprofen
18   bag w/ CA driver's license, 5x$20, $5, $1, 2 blank checks
14   titanium spoon
12   two 12"x12" of aluminium foil (heat reflector for cooking)
11   toothbrush
9    4 sheets water-proof writing paper
9    sun block chap stick
7    comb
7    12 Band-Aids
3    1/3 of Scotch Pad
2    4" of pencil
1    pair of ear plugs

total converted to imperial units: 16.8 lbs

still to get:

camera (my Contax is 321g (12 oz.) is much too heavy)
ice axe (ligher than the one i have, for the first month)?
running shoes (lighter than my New Balance 990's)?
aaa lithium battery
lighter container of sun block (currently have one 41g container)
thin waterproof nylon mits (make them?)
lighter water container (currently 76g for 96 oz container)
  --> use Annie's water bag, plus small plastic water bottle?
make lighter skirt for sun hat?

resupply: 1 16" length of floss per day
resupply: 2 multivitamin tablet's per day
resupply: 2 Glucosamine Sulfate and Condratun Sulfate tablets per day
resupply: 1 foil packet of Neosporin
resupply: 1 SASE to return film, journal, unused supplies
resupply: 1 or 2 canisters of Primus propane/butane, (70 grams net per day)
resupply: 35mm print film, one roll per four days
resupply: food, 1000g per day
resupply: toilet paper, 1/8" per day
resupply: liquid soap 15-20g per day
resupply: 1 box of storm matches
resupply: 2 tea light candles
resupply: 2 sheets of waterproof writing paper per day
resupply: guidebook section and map
resupply: large garbage bag
resupply: 1 lithium aaa battery per 3 days
resupply: 2 Band Aids per day
resupply: new ground sheet every month
resupply: new running shoes every three months
resupply: 2 post cards
resupply: tiny container of sun block
resupply: 2 12"x12" aluminium fail

food: 

MSR Ecocuisine black beans (1 per week)
instant rice
instant plain oatmeal 
instant flavored oatmeal
instant cream of wheat (does this exist?)
olive oil
corn pasta
regular pasta
basil
oregano
hot pepper flakes
garlic
cous cous
granola
dried fruit (cranberry, apple, banana, raisens, prunes, etc.)
instant soups (split pea, etc.)
parmassan cheese
rye crisp crackers
some other kind of crackers or bread
dried milk
pesto
chocolate (swiss style)
tea bags
peanut butter in tubes
jam in tubes
tomatoe paste in a tube
salt
Cliff bars (1 for every two days)
Gatorade mix?

worn:

worn: 802  pair of New Balance 990 running shoes
worn: 239  tan shorts
worn: 94   orthotics
worn: 70   ultramax socks
worn: 55   Suunto watch
worn: 20   clear prescription glasses
worn: ?    shirt (undecided)

possible:

possible: 214  Patagonia expedition-weight long underware
possible: 241  Lycra tights (instead of soft tights)
possible: 46   bug hat
possible: 168  small titanium cook pot
possible: part of a book
possible: super light weight 2m radio (85g Alinco 2m/70cm) (yes, i'm a ham)


to do: select and acquire camera
to do: set up tarp, cut nylon to fit
to do: continue and increase training
to do: create web pages
to do: set out boxes for first two months w/ labels, partial contents, etc.
to do: check mail drop destinations
to do: read up on flora, fauna, geology, and history of land on the route
to do: set up automatic payments for VISA, Cobra, AMEX
to do: <take care of familiy financial matters>
to do: read up on medical procedures for snake bite, trauma, etc.


on a different topic, "elist happiness", ----

i'd also like to make a pitch those folks who have gotten irritated
with the posts of others.  i feel for you -- it is no fun to be
irritated.  to reduce your irritation, i have a friendly suggestion
(verbal cue i wish i could communicate: honest, direct voice, no
sarcasm, no condescension).  i suggest that after you write your
replies, that you wait a day before sending it.  then take a look at
it and see if you really want to share your anger with the rest of us.
i really feel for you -- i certainly have gotten angry with what
people have said via email.  the problem might be partly with what
they mean to say (i.e., it might be truly offensive), partly with how
they are saying it (they didn't quite say what they meant), and
partly, perhaps with the way you the reader interprets it (you read
something into it that made it worse than it was).

when i get something aimed at a general audience that says "you should
do X" i interpret it as saying "hey, i suggest that you do X".  so i
don't get irritated as easily as someone who takes it more literally.

for people sending something that they have some inkling might
irritate others, i also humbly suggest that you make it clear with
your language exactly what you mean.  it takes longer, but perhaps it
is worth it.  and sometimes you have to really contort your language
to convey a sense of humility and friendliness.

one final suggestion: whenever you post regarding other people's
styles, or anything not directly related to the pct, i suggest
including something else that is directly related to the pct, a story,
poem, pointer to a useful web site, whatever, in addition to whatever
you have to say.  it makes you the sender more human to the reader,
imho, and increases what engineers refer to as the signal-to-noise
ratio.

this is just my two cents -- while i like a lively discussion as much
as anyone.  i'm just a little saddened when people get upset for such
preventable reasons (like a misunderstanding due to the lack of normal
conversational cues).  

if anything in any of my posts offends, please give me one chance to
straighten it out in private email before flaming me publicly.
hopefully, i'm careful enough not ever do that.  but perhaps not
skillful enough.  it's a tough problem.

-----


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