Go Time

Months of planning and years of day dreaming are entering the execution phase in the next few hours.  Though I work until Friday afternoon, my attention is laser focused on what needs to be wrapped up by then.  My list of items are in two columns, "Beneficial to the Hike" and "Meh, it can wait."

Mentally I'm breaking down this hike from 600 miles to a string of progressively longer weekend hikes.  For the first time, on the long trail, I am hiking on the day I arrive.  I intend to conquer 10 miles, I guess that's day dreaming right there. I'll be happy with 5, preferable the 10 as that will give me a good jump on getting into California the next day.

Physically, I think I'm ready but not Washington ready, chaffing excluded.

As far as gear choices this year, I'm staying with the majority of what I finished with last year except for swapping out the tent and water treatment.  I've taken the BA Fly Creek on a couple of overnighters and am happy with its performance.  It's quick to set up and I don't have to worry about keeping things tidy inside.  Water treatment is another swap out as I got frustrated with the Saywer Squeeze filter last year.  I'm using the BeFree by Katidyn.  It does have an unusual tread size and will be hard to match if the bladder goes bad.  If things do go bad I am carrying the AquaMira drops.  The downside to the drops is time.  They take time to mix and time to work, all said about 20 minutes.

Ready or not, it's go time.

Hike on.  Hike wise