Hiking Gear, Misc.

I got more gear this weekend, some miscellaneous items from Wal-Mart, including this compass/whistle/tool thing that I will be taking back after just looking at 15 seconds of this compass-reading video I will finish watching when I get a better compass:

I decided I needed to watch the above video after starting THIS video, which was actually what I wanted to watch.

I just realized not only do I not know how to read a topographical map or use a fancy compass, I don't really know what to do with a compass at all if I were to get lost. There's SO much to learn!

I also got a 100oz/3L CamelBak water bladder. I know that even if I find my actual CamelBak pack, it's not going to hold as much water. I read up on bladder sizes, and read that the weight difference between an empty 2L vs. 3L bladder is not really going to be noticeable, so go for the bigger one if possible. For less than $10, I scored one, and I'm going to use a little bleach and water to clean it up and sanitize it tonight.

There's a few spots on it, so it definitely needs to be sanitized, but I couldn't pass up the bargain!

My sleeping bag came in, which now has me wondering if my backpack is actually going to be big enough to take overnight somewhere, especially in colder weather.

Even stuffed in it's sack, it's a lot larger than I expected, and I'm not really sure where it's supposed to go on my bag. I read a sleeping bag should go IN the pack, but it takes up most of the space! My Osprey bag has no straps to hold things underneath it.

Side view of the bottom of my Osprey Sirrus 36

Actual bottom of my Osprey Sirrus 36.

I'm sure I could rig something to work, and I've seen people pack sleeping bags on the sides. I guess I will just have to get the rest of my gear, and see if I need a different bag.

Still on the search for a tent. I think I've narrowed it down to the MSR Hubba Hubba NX or the MSR Freelite 2. I like the lightweightness of both of them, but either will run me around $300. I know I want to invest in a good tent, but I don't know if I want to invest that much before I've tried out a less expensive version to get a feel for what I'm really looking for or need.

Vaccination Day!

Today was a pretty good day. I got a flyer recently at Tractor Supply, showing that they offer a vaccination clinic on Sundays. I guess I need to provide a little backstory...

Ideally, I'd add a "Read More" link here that you could click on if you wanted to read some of my personal history, then follow that with the rest of the story NOT hiding behind "Read More", but I can't figure out how to do that. So if you want the whole story, scroll past the photos to "Read More". If you want the short version, you don't have to click on anything.

I knew the people he'd been with had kept up with his shots and heartworm, but I didn't know when he'd be due again so I decided to handle everything today. He was such a good boy! The temperatures have been in the teens, so I improvised a sweatshirt for him to wear to stay warm. (I've tried numerous tops made for dogs, but Dexter's chest has been too big for any of them. If anyone has a good recommendation, I would be delighted to hear.)

Waiting on vaccinations at Tractor Supply

I spoke with the vet, and he also recommended a Lyme disease vaccination for Dex, so I got him that as well. The vet said they were less common in the south, though he'd seen it as far south as Warner Robins, GA, but it got more prevalent the farther north one goes... and I suspect we will head north for more of our adventures than south.

As reward for being so good, and because I was itching to get outside for a bit, after being such a recluse, we went to the mini-trail that's nearby.

Happy hiking with Mama AdultBallerina!

Sleeping Bag vs. Sleeping Liner vs. Sleeping Pad vs. Blanket?

I took a chance and purchased a sleeping bag on eBay, not really knowing much about it besides the fact that it's a Kelty, which is a good brand. I know that this was not the best decision for me to make, but 1) I was lured by the pretty colors, 2) I knew it was a good deal no matter what and 3) I've got a fast trigger finger when I'm on eBay- one of the reasons I'm downsizing my life.

It's a Kelty; it looks warm; it looks PRETTY; SOLD!

I did a search for key terms of this bag on google- i.e., what I knew about it, and managed to come up with the entire information list from the seller (who, I guess, does not know how to copy & paste). Perfect! ...??

It's a 40* Kelty Light Year Down and weighs 1lb, 12oz. For the record, I paid $30 for it with shipping.

Okay, so I know that information, which may be bad for two reasons: 1) it's not rated at 32* or below and 2) it's down, which means it's probably going to be hot in the summer.

I am a very warm-blooded person. I prefer the cold, especially at night. If you're camping with me and you're cold, you want to snuggle up next to me for my warmth, and I want you next to me to cool me down. Long ago, I learned that I need layers in the winter- you will often catch me in a camisole top when it's literally freezing outside, with a puffy jacket and thermal shirt tied around my waist (or thrown in the backseat of my car).

So I've got this sleeping bag, and now I'm getting pretty confused. The hiking and camping closest to me gets hot and muggy during the summer, but of course, I want the option to camp in cold climates... I think I am trying to do too much with one bag. I think maybe I need cold-weather sleeping gear AND separate warm-weather sleeping gear, or I am going to be miserable. The question is: since the down is going to make this too hot for summer, can I make this one work for cold weather? (The other questions are: where am I planning on hiking?? What conditions are there in those places??)

Which leads me to sleeping liners and sleeping pads. With the proper one of each, my setup should work (though it may be heavier than I need or want). While I'm figuring out my own best system through trial and error, I have two compact emergency blankets to get me through cold nights if needed. I also plan to get a Kelty Bestie blanket. And, of course, Dexter and I can cuddle for warmth.

Let's start with the sleeping pad.

There are SO MANY options for both. REI pulls up 120 matches for "sleeping pad". I'm in the middle of Hike Smart,  a book that I highly recommend for beginners like me. The purpose of a sleeping pad is twofold: one, it provides cushion from sleeping on the ground (with possible sticks, small rocks, etc), and two, most importantly, it provides warmth (since the ground isn't warm- heat rises). The book says that there are basically three kinds of sleeping pads for camping and hiking: foam, inflatable, and a combination of both. Foam will be most insulating, but also heavier, while an inflatable will be lighter but not as warm. Hike Smart authors say it's best to invest in a high-quality pad.

"Sleeping bags are given an R-value rating, which measures how well the pad will insulate your body from the ground. The higher the R-value, the warmer... R-values of 2-3 are good for most conditions. R-values above three are good when the temperature drops freezing or below, which it often does in summer nights in the high mountains. If you're planning to snow camp, you want an R-value of 5 or higher, and you may even want to pile up two pads and sleep on them."

To be continued...

Hiking Boots

Boots will go here

My Hiking Gear Thus Far: Bags

So I've been really excited to share the amazing gear I've gotten recently, at really great prices. (Well, hypothetically it's "amazing" to me. Time and experience will tell.) My first purchase, that sort of got me going with this, was Dexter's hiking pack.

REI Adventure XL Dog Hiking Pack

Now, they don't make these packs anymore, but I can tell you from research that dog packs are not cheap... and EXTRA LARGE dog packs are not only expensive, but can be hard to come by. Dexter isn't a particularly large dog, but the girth of his neck and chest are larger than most dogs. Going with an XL was a good choice- it seems to be just the right size. (We've only tried it on briefly.) This bag was less than $20!!! Finding such a bargain was a thrill, and I've since been on the lookout for more great deals...

Like my daypack:

Women's XS/S Osprey Sirrus 36 Daypack

That's right: I got a 36L Osprey backpack- that is not only a gorgeous color but basically brand new- for $75! This is a $170 backpack. It fits wonderfully- again, so far, just trying it on.

I'm still not totally sure about the capacity. From what I've read, a 36L seems to be right on the border of "heavy day pack" to "light overnight". My goal is to get to doing some overnights with Dex, but I am a bit worried it is a little too heavy for what will be my normal use. I've been debating on purchasing a smaller one (have I mentioned I have an addictive personality? No? Well, I do, as I'm sure you'll see). Somewhere in storage, though, I should have a small Camelbak I purchased years ago. I haven't been able to find it, but I'm really hoping it's there. I don't remember which one it is, but I'd like to at least get the bladder out of it, and put that in my Sirrus, and possibly rig the Camelbak to attach to my daypack for shorter hikes from base camp, or short hikes in general. Which still leaves me with the question of whether I should have gotten a smaller pack.

As you see, this is going to be a lot of trial and error for me.

I'll post about my hiking boots next time!

To keep or to get rid of....

Going through all of this junk is exhausting. How many hoodies does a woman really need? How many pairs of shoes is too many? I love these floral heels, but I've only worn them once... and I've had them for about three years... but they bring me joy when I look at them...

They are bright; they are gaudy; they are very un-Me... and that's why I love them!

I've got bags and boxes full of clothes and clothes and clothes. As for the shoes, and a bag full of other items so far, they are all in my "come back later" pile. Occasionally, when going through things, working towards a minimalist lifestyle, I get especially ruthless- and during one of those times is when I will tackle that pile.

Today, I threw away something that was difficult for me to throw away. I call it my "funeral sweater" (cardigan, actually). It's extremely sentimental to me, because I wore it to my grandmother's memorial service. Since then, it's been my go-to for the other three funerals I've attended. So, while there is all of this sentimentality attached to it, it's not good sentimentality. It's depressing. The majority of the things I've thrown away have been easy enough. This was one of the items I actually took the time, as per the Konmari method, and held the item close to me and thanked it for serving it's purpose in my life. Yeah, that one was tough.

On the bright side, I have a pair of jeans that have recently become my favorite. They are pretty wide-legged, making them very comfy, AND the denim is just wonderfully super-soft. The name is still in them, Gap's Long and Lean, but the size tag is not, so I've held off on looking for another pair online. What do I come across today, that I had absolutely no remembrance of purchasing or owning? A second pair of Gap's Long and Lean (size 2- just right)! Pretty sweet.

Clearing the Clutter

Since moving back in with my mom, I've sort of given up on "Happily Ever After" and have instead traded it in for "Happily Get Rid of it All".

I've been steadily clearing "stuff" out of my life, out of the small closet in my mom's room, anywhere else I've crammed my belongings into my mom's house, anything I've moved to my camper (to get it out of the way while cleaning other stuff and/or to take photos of and store for online selling), and my storage unit.

I've moved SO many times in my adult life, always chasing Happily Ever After. I've carried a lot of JUNK around the country with me. A full desktop with a CRT monitor, hundreds of books, craft supplies (for crafts I don't do), personal journals, furniture, clothes, more books, sentimental items, sentimental books. And yet: the relationships I was trying to make work, all the stuff I toted around to help me cement my personality, my footprint, into the world- none of it lasted, and none of it made me (ultimately) happy.

This last move was a real blow to me, though. I hadn't even been looking for love, and then he came along. For the first time in my entire life, I actually had my shit together. I had my own place. I had a nice, well-paying job that I really enjoyed. I'd finally graduated from living in boxes to trying to, finally, make somewhere Home. But then my romantic fantasies were triggered, and I'd finally found The One.

Obviously, since I'm writing this, he wasn't the One, just a one. And now, that fantasy of finding the One, living Happily Ever After, seems more of a delusion to me. There IS no "One"- there is only me, and I've been avoiding her all my life. Relationships, holding onto stuff I don't need: the former has brought me experiences I wouldn't trade for the world; it's brought me to this place I am now, and I wouldn't change that for anything (in spite of all of the days I go through still depressed). The latter equals tangible proof of my exertion to make myself happy. Most of it is simply baggage of things I don't really like or enjoy, of memories that force me to hold onto the past, live in it- almost literally with all of the reminders all around me, and to live in the future: things I'm always GOING to do, books I'm going to read, clothes I'm going to wear, projects I'm going to craft.

Screw that. WHO THE FUCK AM I NOW??? I only have the vaguest of ideas, but I know that I am not this stuff I have been holding onto as though it meant something.

How does this tie into hiking with my dog? Because all of this is a need I feel down in my bones. I need to live a simpler life. I've kept myself cooped up indoors, in my comfort zone, for far too long. Humans weren't mean for this much being indoors. I've lost my connection to outside, where I've always found comfort, peace of mine, oneness with myself.

My goals are as follows:
1. Get rid of any physical items in my life that do not bring me JOY*.
2. Finish fixing up my camper**.
3. Continue to limit, as much as I can, any stressors in my life.
4. Set an example for my kids, and inspire my mom.
5. Spend as much time outdoors as possible, with Dexter.
6. After the superfluous has been erased from my life, whatever remains must be ME. (And, ergo, when I have figured that one out, 1) I won't need a relationship and/or 2) I will be in the best possible place to engage in a relationship. But, for the length of this project, let's act like #2 isn't a thing at all.)

*The Konmari Method, as read about in Marie Kondo's The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has had an impressive impact on my life. (Not an affiliate link) Seriously, if you haven't read it, you should.
**I will be posting more information about this project of mine. As I sit here thinking about it, I think this whole blog is going to tie in together just fine. There have been several topics I've wanted to blog about: camper fixing-up, minimizing my life, hiking, finding myself, and ballet. Ballet gets it's own blog, and the other topics form the rest of the whole. Perfect!