Saturday, December 31, 2011

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

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

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

$199.95

ultralight backpacker hammock

Monday, December 26, 2011

For myself, or others and myself?

I have been thinking for a few weeks now about hiking, self involvement and/or how to make my thru-hike attempt seem less selfish and more about helping others. Of course, one question might be, why do I think I need to make this hike about something other than myself? Isn't it enough to just have fun for 5-6 months, without making it about other people and their needs? Well, in theory yes. Yet I know from past personal experience that if I have committed to something other than myself, I am more likely to be able to push through tough times if I have committed to other people,  organizations, etc. And this has more to do with my own limitations than my selfless wish to help others. Of course, it isn't one thing or another. Both things are true and, like most folks, I am a bundle of contradictions.

Given all these ideas and musings,  I have decided to blend this hike with a wish to raise money for the City of Hope. Why the City of Hope? My friend in L.A. was recently dx with a very rare, nasty, aggressive kind of cervical cancer. Other than that really bad news, being an American and self employed, she also has no health insurance so she was looking at not being able to treat the cancer in any meaningful kind of way. Fortunately, she was accepted into a treatment program at the City of Hope, with no cost to her. This is an amazing and remarkable blessing in my friends life. To know she will have the best chance of living without the worry of losing her home and everything she has worked for all her life, is something I want to support. So, I hope to make some kind of plan to raise monies for this worthy organization. More information to follow.