What's Next?

I have now completed section-hiking the Appalachian Trail as of September 8, 2006. What an adventure! And what a finish!. Mt. Katahdin is an unbelievable mountain and finish to the AT. What's next? I want to re-hike a few sections of the Appalachian Trail that I especially enjoyed, but I think the next big adventure involves the Pacific Crest Trail. I may begin hiking the PCT in 2008.

I've learned a lot on my hikes so far, and I'm continuing to apply some of the lessons learned. I have made a lot of changes in my overall equipment as well as what I choose to take with me on the hikes. I'm now leaving enough junk at home that my old REI pack is too big. So I used a GoLite Trek pack on my AT hikes starting in Waynesboro, VA. The GoLite Trek pack has a more conventional look and design to it than previous Golite models. At 2 pounds, it is significantly lighter than the REI monster that I'd been carrying.

I've also bought a Western Mountaineering one-pound ultralight sleeping bag. That cut another two pounds off the total weight!

I'd like to find another pack for the PCT, an ultralight model, but one with a frame since I plan to carry a tent on those trips.

Although I'm not sure I can become an ultralight hiker, I've applied enough of the principles to trim almost twenty pounds from my load, a huge difference. Now if I can trim about 10 pounds off the hiker, I will have lightened my load by thirty pounds from my first trip!

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