OMG, what a mess.

OMG! Look what has happened to my kitchen. I've only made 36 dinners but my kitchen is in turmoil! Not that I am fussy about stuff but it is hard to find what I need. 36 down, only 114 to go!

Coconut Lime Shrimp

Thanks to Dicentra and One Pan Wonders I am bringing lots of good food on this long backpack trip. You see here one of the 26 rotating meals. Rice, mushrooms, mixed veggies, coconut cream powder, ginger, shrimp. soy sauce and red peppers. Wow! Not only is it good, it's easy to put together ahead of time and only takes about 2-3 minutes to prepare. My favorite kind of cooking!

Incredible

Sleeping quilt

I've been putting off this project for a really long time... maybe five years or so. It is a synthetic quilt, sandwiched between two layers of ripstop nylon, very thin. After sewing it up and quilting it with black yarn, I then needed to sew a foot box for my tootsies. This bag is rated to about 20 degrees. It is a kit I bought from Ray Jardine and his website. If anyone is interested in making your own gear, check out his website.

There was some serious cussing going on around here last night

I chose fuchsia as the upper color... obviously not because of its "natural" hue but because I get tired of all my stuff being beige, brown and other muted colors. The bottom is black.

It won't get lost in my pack!

Voila!

new motto

Life is uncertain... don't sip!

ear cover thingie

I don't know about you but first thing in the morning these days it is really cold... as in 38-40 degree cold. I know, I know, that isn't cold for lots of folks but for hiking, my ears get really cold. I resist wearing full coverage hats though, because I get too hot. SO, I've been thinking of how to construct an ear cover that will velcro closed over my ears, work with the visor, yet leaves my head free to expel the extra heat I am generating. I could have bought a simple headband kind of thing but what fun it that? What do you think?

With visor

Simple closure

I generally wear a visor, year round in cold, rainy, hot weather. So this design is perfect for my favorite one. The material is a wind blocker fleece, stiffer than most and dual colors, black on the inside. To hide the dirt?

Front packs

Hey all. In my quest to find the perfect packing system I have come across an idea to balance the weight of a backpack with a couple of front backs. A company from New Zealand called Aarn makes a complete system of back and front packs. Being a commercial pack company their gear needs to be bomb proof and I wondered if I could make something similar, yet way lighter. Thus I spent the better part of yesterday coming up with a pattern I think would work and making the first of the two front packs. I still haven't completely decided how to attach them but that will come with time.  Fun!

Builders paper

Can you see my pencil scratches?

All cut and ready for assembly

Left and right pouches

Wait...

Voila! It weighs .6 ounces

Hennessy Hammock for sale

Here goes. I have an Ultralite Backpackers Asym Classic for sale. I have used it maybe 8 times, only 2 nights in the backcountry. Included in this package is the hammock, dedicated tarp, undercover, treehuggers, snakeskins, but no underpad.... it got ripped so I don't feel like I should sell that. Everything is in excellent order, clean, etc. I seemed to remember from the last time I used it that there was a snag on the mosquito netting but I couldn't find it to photograph it. It was very small. New, without the underpad, this would cost $299.99. I would like to sell it for half that at $150.00, plus shipping. The replacement pad costs $29.95 at HH website. Here is a photo of it from their website.

Oh, the reason I am selling it is that I am now using a Warbonnet hammock and can't see keeping gear I won't be using. Maybe you'd like a new(ish) hammock?

Backpacker Asym Classic 1 lbs 15 oz / 860 g Photo & Specs Recommended Accessories Customize $199.95