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  [Hiking]

This weekend I'll be doing a hike on the Mid State Trail (w). So far, I have a rough 75 miles of it done (from the Little Juniata River near Alexandria up to R. B. Winter State Park). I'll be starting this hike on the North end at R. B. Winter, and will hike a ways North, spend the night, then backtrack my way back to the park.

Tonight I went to the local outdoors shop to pick up a new cooking pot. My other one is still great, but slightly larger than I need it to be, and it opens up in my pack all the time and everything inside dumps out (I use it to hold a container carrying batteries, matches, a sponge, etc.). The new pot is slightly smaller, lighter, and the pot's handle flips over the top and buckles the lid into place, so it cannot come apart. I also picked up a hair net for my backpack - if it rains, you throw this cover on it and pull the drawstring and everything will stay dry.

I'm hoping this hike will break me in, and then the week of July 4th (when my employer shuts down), I'll do a 4-5 day hike. That will either be a longer stretch on the MST, the Quehanna Trail (w), or I'll finish up the other half of the Chuck Keiper Trail (w) (which is only 33 miles). It's probably best to reserve the Chuck Keiper hike for a weekend hike later this year. We'll see...

My food is all packed and ready to go:

• Lemon-pepper tuna sandwiches on two English muffins for lunch
• Mashed potatoes with cream corn for supper
• Coffee and pancakes with butter and syrup for breakfast

I found a tiny bisquick container that you top of with water and shake for batter. I didn't want to carry the cream corn, but this will make a good coffee mug in the morning.

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How much of the MST did you get hiked this summer? I would really be interested in seeing a full list of gear that you take with you each hike. I want to stock up on gear this winter, I'm planning on trying to hike the whole Long Trail next summer, in stages similar to how you are doing the MST. And if you're up for it, you should come up and hike it with me sometime!

What's up Brian? I haven't been out too much this summer, not until a few weeks ago. Aside from clothing, my main gear includes:

• A backpack (external frame)
• A fairly roomy 2-man tent, long enough that I have an extra foot on both ends (I've found that if you're touching at either end and there's moisture, it gets in easier, even with the rainfly on)
• A small to medium size latching mess kit. I keep stuff in mine so the space is not wasted. My last cooking pot and lid didn't latch closed, and it almost always opened while hiking
• A fold-up cook stove, with detachable fuel container
• Sleeping pad - both for comfort and insulation from the ground
• Sleeping bag with stuff sack
• Headlamp
• A waterproof bag to keep extra clothes dry. This can double as a bear bag: I sometimes turn mine inside out, throw my food in it, and hang it in a tree
• And finally, I have a "backpack hairnet" - haven't had to break it out yet!

I used to carry tons of oddball things, but as I continued to take them, I realized I didn't use half of the stuff. The only real emergency item I take is 20-30 pain killers. They helped me big time one hike. I slipped in the rain, banged my knee on a rock, and they got me through the next 2 days!

Let me know when you're doing the Long Trail. That sounds like a good time!

Awesome man. Could you give me an idea of what stove to look for, as well as the latching mess kit. What kind of "stuff" do you keep inside of it? How big is your pack too? Thanks dude.

This warrants a formal weblog post, cause I can end up rambling about this for ages. I'll see what I can get together for you in the meantime...