My computer got infected with something really nasty that changed my wallpaper and wouldn't let me open any applications until I went to the 'Windows website' to register and remove the virus. So, instead I helped JGIB clean his room and he fixed my computer. I headed to Michigan Sunday and stayed at Anne's house when I arrived around 3 AM. After some sleep I stopped over at John and Alison's to pick up the 4 Roadtrip books I'd ordered from Ebay. Three had arrived and the forth got there as we were chatting in the day's mail - how perfect! Again, I have that 'rightness' feeling, like everything is working out in the way it should. I headed over to Dana's to pick up Nothai and begin the next adventure of driving Route 66 to my Dad's house in Colorado. Well, to Santa Fe and then north to Littleton.
August 3rd - Happy Birthday Alison and Jack Borchert!
Nothai and I head out from Michigan. We decided to skip the actual beginning of Route 66, which starts in Chicago since we'd just been there. We start our journey in Joliet, a little southwest of Chicago. We got there about 5 PM and drive by the prison, then take our first and only 'Route 66 sign' picture. We also stopped at the first Dairy Queen which was the first of many disappointments. For some reason, they decided to add plastic Blues Brothers to the top of the dairy queen, which doesn't clearly indicate that it is the first Dairy Queen. I'm not sure why anyone thought that this would be appropriate, but it began the first of many cheesy tourist stops. Also, it is a bit difficult to plan things out well because business attractions have operating hours to consider, or more so limit you on stopping or not. For instance, if there are many things to do in a certain area but you arrive at 5PM your choice is to pass them up or call it a day. We were on a little bit of a time line, needing to get to my dad's by a certain day, so we didn't stop until at least 10 PM usually, even if that meant skipping some neat things. In retrospect, they probably weren't that neat anyway. Yeah, I really decided Route 66 is a bust!
August 4th -
We stopped at a rest area just before Springfield for the night (thought about it, but too late to call Windmill!). This was our worst rest area experience; the car area was in front instead of the rear of the building so the noise from semi's passing was terrible. Also, it was very muggy and buggy outside. Windows had to be rolled down and the mosquitoes were happy about our unfortunate situation. It was so hot and sticky my everything was sweating just laying in the car not moving. After calling off the sleep attempt around 6 AM we drove into Springfield. We had to wait a few hours though until the Lincoln house opened, so we went to Walmart to get food supplies for the cooler. We got trapped in Walmart for about 30 minutes because of an enormously powerful storm outside. I thought we might be in for a tornado treat. I'm not joking or exaggerating.
We went to President Abraham Lincoln's home, grave, giant statue, and Cozy Dogs for corn dogs on the way out of town. We stopped in Collinsville, IL to see the world's largest ketchup bottle (these things actually made the trip worth it!) We stopped just short of St. Louis Missouri for the night and got a little better night's sleep.
August 5th -
We headed into St. Louis to find Samuel Cupples House, located on University grounds. St. Louis University is one of the most beautiful campuses I've seen. We were intrigues with the Masonic Temple for a bit and exchanged ideas about the probability of them being for good or evil before heading out of town to see a rock painted like a frog in I forget what small town. We drove on what the author of my guidebook described as his favorite stretch of Route 66 because of the ghost towns it passed, including Albatross, Phelps, and Carthage. Ghost towns? No, it is just out in the sticks and there are just a few businesses and people living there. Different ideas of ghost town I guess. I told Nothai I'll show him better ghost towns with better ghost town history in Colorado when we get there. We made it into Oklahoma and learned strange interstate history. First, their tolls are pretty confusing, paying an amount ahead of time which is good until a certain point. This makes getting pulling off for gas frustrating if you don't know ahead of time how the system works. Also, there is/was a problem with truckers stopping at rest areas for the night and attracting solicitors, increasing crime...and so sleeping isn't allowed anymore. This was news to us and I finally stopped and got the story from a lady working overnight at a gas station. Seeing my desperation, she said we could pull around the side of the building and get some rest there. This was a great night with no noise and great rest.
August 6th -
Disgusted with everything Oklahoma, we fled into Texas and stopped at the visitor center just past the border. This was one of the nicest visitor's centers I've seen, although it didn't have any tourist information available. The view was great, although I could feel the furnace heat starting to melt my flesh while driving. We stopped to see the Bug Ranch and the Cadillac Ranch; I preferred the Cadillac in Amarillo. We decided to take a side road, 104 west to Las Vegas, NM from Tucamcari, NM instead of continuing along the interstate. This was a great decision and brought us to my favorite part of the trip - red rocks! I love red rocks and sand - it really gets me. I wasn't expecting to see any yet and was taken by the beauty of this stretch at sunset. We stopped through Las Vegas, New Mexico and tried to find a cheap motel for the night. No luck so we kept on and stopped at the next rest area we found for the night.
August 7th -
We started heading north to Colorado today after getting decent sleep. As the landscape got less and less flat today I could feel the anticipation rising in me to see the mountains. We stopped to visit Capulin volcano, a dormant volcano. We chatted with some motorcyclist that was returning from Stergis and said it was starting to get crazy and stinky there so they (three of them) decided to start wandering around. I could dig that lifestyle if it weren't so dangerous I think. We dodged isolated thunderstorms on the way north to my dad's house and arrived 3 minutes late for dinner at 6:33 PM. It is great to see the family, eat good food, shower and sleep in a bed!
August 8th -
My little sister Madison took Nothai and I to Waterton Canyon where she had summer workshops on survival, mud mucking, and scrap booking. It was a nice relaxing day for us to gently trod around and spend some time with my sister before they head out to California on vacation. Nothai and I are looking forward to doing laundry, relaxing and coming up with a game plan for the rest of the week and for when we head out of the state when Dad returns.
Just wanted to mention real quick also that I sorted my pictures into separate albums in Picasa and all pictures are updated!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Isle Royale
I just got back to Chicago to drop JGIB off at his house and will recount the wonderful trip that was Isle Royale. First let me start by saying that the trip was 100% worth the ferry ride, the biggest reason some folks don't end up going. Pricey, maybe ($60 each way), but it is an ISLAND man! An island with wolves and moose to boot!
July 24th -
As you saw with my last entry, Jeff and I left his house around 1AM and made it to the ferry at 8:15 AM - precisely the time we needed to be there. If any road hazards had been fallen upon we would have missed it! I had to stop at one point and get a 5 hour energy shot - man those things work! I slept for maybe 2 hours on the ferry, and we had some coffee and a donut while making an itinerary from the map Jeff purchased at the information center. Jeff made bold plans of walking high mileage days, including a 7 something mile day to the first camp when we got off the ferry. I nodded and knew that the plan would change quickly once the feet were walking the actual miles! The ferry was six hours and we both struggled to play Scrabble with our sleep deprived minds. When we got to Rock Harbor and got our packs we headed out after only 45 minutes of futzing around. We went a total of 3 miles to the first camp before deciding it would take too long to get the second camp before dark. We checked out a neat cave along the way, Suzie's Cave, where we also found Jeff a wood walking stick. Not too long after returning back to the path did Jeff announce he'd forgotten the stick and I went back for it. It takes a bit to get your balance and walking feet. Jeff had never backpacked a day in his life yet and was slow going, watching his steps carefully but clumsily going along. Sometimes you don't see how far you've come until it is in comparison to the beginning. Before hiking and in the beginning, I was very clumsy, sort of bumbling along and tripping over the smallest rocks and roots. I didn't realize I'd become a lot more nimble and graceful. Now I'm not bragging at all here - I said I've become MORE nimble and graceful, but that doesn't mean that I am those at all. I'm still quite clumsy, I just found a little balance along the way maybe!
July 25th -
Slept great after being so tired and got a pretty late start. The new lightweight sleeping bag is working great. It rained at night but I stayed warm and dry. It took a really long time to get packed and ready in the morning. That is another thing - a system. I have my system of unpacking, setting up, cleaning, cooking, packing, etc. I didn't realize that with time these systems become more efficient. Jeff doesn't yet have a system and is still learning how his gear even works, so everything takes forever. Luckily I enjoy lazy backpacking and this just afforded me more R&R time while Jeff was messing with his stuff and making his own routine. I forgot about that awkward phase. We found old mining pits and while we were investigating them I got stung by a bee. I'd never been stung before, so Jeff and I watched as my hand started swelling and hoped I wasn't deadly allergic. After a moment contemplating the possibility of the bee being Africanized, we continued on to Daisy Farm and had lunch. We settled later at Moskey Basin (we kept saying Monkey Basin) for the night. It was a great day filled with beautiful flowers and perfect hiking weather.
July 26th -
It rained all night and morning but we got up and ready in nice warm sunshine. It was a hot sweaty day, leaving me wanting to jump in the water. Oh, and it is my birthday! As we walked, I thought there were crickets jumping away, but upon closer inspection - baby frogs! It reminded me of a time driving in Missouri where there were frogs everywhere on the road and there was nothing that could be done but forge along. The mosquitoes also were out in force and out for blood (pun intended). There were crickets too and slugs on everything. This is a great way to hike; relaxing but still challenging. At camp I got water and bathed a little, using a bandanna for my face and body. I was sitting making diner and went to wipe a stick or something off my ankle - and it wouldn't come off! I got LEACHED! One match later it was removed and revenge exacted. Jeff's sunscreen exploded in his pants pocket, a squirrel tried to steal our everything bagel, and a jackrabbit ran up and smacked Jeff's tent for invading his space. My hand was incredibly swollen from either the bee sting or the 10 mosquito bites. I took a Benedryl and hoped for the best. Looking back, we should have stopped at amazing Lake Riche for a break and swim. Jeff didn't drink enough water today and was a bit dehydrated at the end of the day, leaving him quite tired, hungry and a bit lackluster. Instead we kept going to West Chickenbone (5.7 miles total for the day) and stopped for the night. The sky was crystal clear and we both slept with the rain fly off. It was great to look up at the stars in the middle of the night. It is great to hike this way. I'm relaxed and going at a slow pace that is letting me observe and appreciate nature around me in a different way. This was the best night.
July 27th -
Today was a very long day. We got up early, but it still takes on average 2 hours to cook, pack and be ready to go. It was an easy 2 miles to McCargoe Bay where we changed into swim clothes, got water and attempted to swim. Lake Superior is so cold (later we found out about 50 degrees), that wasn't possible. I got to my knees and then squatted down into the water. Jeff lost his flip flop in a panicked attempt to not fall into the icy water. We were invited by some other hikers to their bonfire and fish cooking they were planning on later that night, but explained we were only there for lunch. Jeff left a trace at this camp site when his Ramen package flew away from the table as we had lunch. We headed past East Chickenbone and around that time it started to pour! We didn't put rain gear on and got soaked. This became the most challenging and most beautiful day. The views along the ridge line were amazing and the terrain was more like the AT, with mountain ascents and difficult climbs. The mosquitoes were especially brutal after the rain, especially where we were walking in chest high foliage. We got to Daisy Farm about 8 PM and had the most perfect chicken noodle soup ending to our day. Jeff developed an interesting assortment of blisters during the day.
July 28th -
Jeff hit his head twice this morning before even leaving the shelter we stayed in. It was great to get into a building and hang our everything up to dry. Of course, not everything dried and I put on damp socks and pants. As we were eating breakfast we heard yelling and then a call for help. We starting running toward the voice (you never know what kind of help is needed or if you can, but try you must!) and found a women yelling that a man had fallen out of his boat. Sure enough, there was a man in a life vest in the middle of the lake splashing around in the freezing water about ten feet behind his motor boat. This was about 200 feet from shore and although I'm a strong swimmer, I knew jumping in that water would only further add to the emergency. Another hiker and his daughter ran up at the same time and he continued running down the dock past me and jumped into the ranger's boat. I had been running with him and untied the boat for him as he started the motor. Right as he was pulling away two rangers ran up and jumped in last minute. What a response time! Well, two other boats made it out there also and he was rescued so we headed back to finish packing up. We had a wonderful lunch at a beautiful spot at 3 mile camp site and then made it back to Rock Harbor right before it started raining. I bought some Isle Royale clothes and ice cream at the gift shop, then we headed to the lodge cafe for some veggie burgers and fries. This was a nice surprise. We took showers and talked all night about ghosts and other odd occurrences.
July 29th -
We woke up and headed to the ferry, Ranger III. We talked to other backpackers that we'd met on the ferry ride arriving and along the way and recounted our experiences for each other. Most other people had sighted moose! That is the one thing missing from our trip - oh well, next time. Mike, a big guy from Michigan told us the story of how he fell out of his rented boat the day before! We were like, "That was YOU!?" We got his story about how wind hit the front of the boat on a wave and flipped him out. We played Yahtzee and Monopoly on the way home, but I was having trouble concentrating because the waves were pretty high and I was getting queasy looking down. We drove to my grandma and grandpa's cabin a few hours south to stay for a few days to rest and I thoroughly cleaned all my equipment.
Isle Royale was a great time and I'd like to go again. I want to go kayaking next time and start at the other end of the island. Pictures are posted on Picasa, so enjoy!
July 24th -
As you saw with my last entry, Jeff and I left his house around 1AM and made it to the ferry at 8:15 AM - precisely the time we needed to be there. If any road hazards had been fallen upon we would have missed it! I had to stop at one point and get a 5 hour energy shot - man those things work! I slept for maybe 2 hours on the ferry, and we had some coffee and a donut while making an itinerary from the map Jeff purchased at the information center. Jeff made bold plans of walking high mileage days, including a 7 something mile day to the first camp when we got off the ferry. I nodded and knew that the plan would change quickly once the feet were walking the actual miles! The ferry was six hours and we both struggled to play Scrabble with our sleep deprived minds. When we got to Rock Harbor and got our packs we headed out after only 45 minutes of futzing around. We went a total of 3 miles to the first camp before deciding it would take too long to get the second camp before dark. We checked out a neat cave along the way, Suzie's Cave, where we also found Jeff a wood walking stick. Not too long after returning back to the path did Jeff announce he'd forgotten the stick and I went back for it. It takes a bit to get your balance and walking feet. Jeff had never backpacked a day in his life yet and was slow going, watching his steps carefully but clumsily going along. Sometimes you don't see how far you've come until it is in comparison to the beginning. Before hiking and in the beginning, I was very clumsy, sort of bumbling along and tripping over the smallest rocks and roots. I didn't realize I'd become a lot more nimble and graceful. Now I'm not bragging at all here - I said I've become MORE nimble and graceful, but that doesn't mean that I am those at all. I'm still quite clumsy, I just found a little balance along the way maybe!
July 25th -
Slept great after being so tired and got a pretty late start. The new lightweight sleeping bag is working great. It rained at night but I stayed warm and dry. It took a really long time to get packed and ready in the morning. That is another thing - a system. I have my system of unpacking, setting up, cleaning, cooking, packing, etc. I didn't realize that with time these systems become more efficient. Jeff doesn't yet have a system and is still learning how his gear even works, so everything takes forever. Luckily I enjoy lazy backpacking and this just afforded me more R&R time while Jeff was messing with his stuff and making his own routine. I forgot about that awkward phase. We found old mining pits and while we were investigating them I got stung by a bee. I'd never been stung before, so Jeff and I watched as my hand started swelling and hoped I wasn't deadly allergic. After a moment contemplating the possibility of the bee being Africanized, we continued on to Daisy Farm and had lunch. We settled later at Moskey Basin (we kept saying Monkey Basin) for the night. It was a great day filled with beautiful flowers and perfect hiking weather.
July 26th -
It rained all night and morning but we got up and ready in nice warm sunshine. It was a hot sweaty day, leaving me wanting to jump in the water. Oh, and it is my birthday! As we walked, I thought there were crickets jumping away, but upon closer inspection - baby frogs! It reminded me of a time driving in Missouri where there were frogs everywhere on the road and there was nothing that could be done but forge along. The mosquitoes also were out in force and out for blood (pun intended). There were crickets too and slugs on everything. This is a great way to hike; relaxing but still challenging. At camp I got water and bathed a little, using a bandanna for my face and body. I was sitting making diner and went to wipe a stick or something off my ankle - and it wouldn't come off! I got LEACHED! One match later it was removed and revenge exacted. Jeff's sunscreen exploded in his pants pocket, a squirrel tried to steal our everything bagel, and a jackrabbit ran up and smacked Jeff's tent for invading his space. My hand was incredibly swollen from either the bee sting or the 10 mosquito bites. I took a Benedryl and hoped for the best. Looking back, we should have stopped at amazing Lake Riche for a break and swim. Jeff didn't drink enough water today and was a bit dehydrated at the end of the day, leaving him quite tired, hungry and a bit lackluster. Instead we kept going to West Chickenbone (5.7 miles total for the day) and stopped for the night. The sky was crystal clear and we both slept with the rain fly off. It was great to look up at the stars in the middle of the night. It is great to hike this way. I'm relaxed and going at a slow pace that is letting me observe and appreciate nature around me in a different way. This was the best night.
July 27th -
Today was a very long day. We got up early, but it still takes on average 2 hours to cook, pack and be ready to go. It was an easy 2 miles to McCargoe Bay where we changed into swim clothes, got water and attempted to swim. Lake Superior is so cold (later we found out about 50 degrees), that wasn't possible. I got to my knees and then squatted down into the water. Jeff lost his flip flop in a panicked attempt to not fall into the icy water. We were invited by some other hikers to their bonfire and fish cooking they were planning on later that night, but explained we were only there for lunch. Jeff left a trace at this camp site when his Ramen package flew away from the table as we had lunch. We headed past East Chickenbone and around that time it started to pour! We didn't put rain gear on and got soaked. This became the most challenging and most beautiful day. The views along the ridge line were amazing and the terrain was more like the AT, with mountain ascents and difficult climbs. The mosquitoes were especially brutal after the rain, especially where we were walking in chest high foliage. We got to Daisy Farm about 8 PM and had the most perfect chicken noodle soup ending to our day. Jeff developed an interesting assortment of blisters during the day.
July 28th -
Jeff hit his head twice this morning before even leaving the shelter we stayed in. It was great to get into a building and hang our everything up to dry. Of course, not everything dried and I put on damp socks and pants. As we were eating breakfast we heard yelling and then a call for help. We starting running toward the voice (you never know what kind of help is needed or if you can, but try you must!) and found a women yelling that a man had fallen out of his boat. Sure enough, there was a man in a life vest in the middle of the lake splashing around in the freezing water about ten feet behind his motor boat. This was about 200 feet from shore and although I'm a strong swimmer, I knew jumping in that water would only further add to the emergency. Another hiker and his daughter ran up at the same time and he continued running down the dock past me and jumped into the ranger's boat. I had been running with him and untied the boat for him as he started the motor. Right as he was pulling away two rangers ran up and jumped in last minute. What a response time! Well, two other boats made it out there also and he was rescued so we headed back to finish packing up. We had a wonderful lunch at a beautiful spot at 3 mile camp site and then made it back to Rock Harbor right before it started raining. I bought some Isle Royale clothes and ice cream at the gift shop, then we headed to the lodge cafe for some veggie burgers and fries. This was a nice surprise. We took showers and talked all night about ghosts and other odd occurrences.
July 29th -
We woke up and headed to the ferry, Ranger III. We talked to other backpackers that we'd met on the ferry ride arriving and along the way and recounted our experiences for each other. Most other people had sighted moose! That is the one thing missing from our trip - oh well, next time. Mike, a big guy from Michigan told us the story of how he fell out of his rented boat the day before! We were like, "That was YOU!?" We got his story about how wind hit the front of the boat on a wave and flipped him out. We played Yahtzee and Monopoly on the way home, but I was having trouble concentrating because the waves were pretty high and I was getting queasy looking down. We drove to my grandma and grandpa's cabin a few hours south to stay for a few days to rest and I thoroughly cleaned all my equipment.
Isle Royale was a great time and I'd like to go again. I want to go kayaking next time and start at the other end of the island. Pictures are posted on Picasa, so enjoy!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
to the island!
I made it back to Chicago Wednesday to pick Jeff up from work in Chicago and we headed to REI for shopping. We spent the rest of the night picking out gear for him, but didn't get everything we needed, so he ended up taking today off of work to go back to REI and then we went food shopping. I hate driving around the suburbs in rush hour-I forgot how much! I did pick up another sleeping bag! I found a great deal at Dick's sporting goods; the Marmot Alpine down lightweight bag that weighs almost 2 lbs instead of the 4 lb monster I have. Already the switching for lighter weight gear trend has started. I'm tired-it is 11pm and the car is ready to be packed. We have a 6 hour drive ahead of us tonight to Houghton, MI where we get on the 9am ferry to take us to Isle Royal for a week of backpacking. We still need to print maps, so I'm keeping this short...gotta hit the road!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Tubing
The fifth annual pirates vs. ninja's tubing extravaganza was a great time! The weather wasn't cooperating, which meant less river shenanigans and mother nature won over the pirates and ninjas! That part was pretty crappy actually. The sun was out both on Friday and Sunday, but Saturday while we were tubing, it was rain and clouds all around with a side of cold wind. Joe was a trooper and sacrificed himself, pulling the party barge around downed trees. Doug sacrificed his face to wrestle me to the ground and show he was the bigger man, and good times were had by all. It was a really great group this year. We had John and Alison, Joe and Bridget, Bret and Katherine, Josh and Liz, Dan and Megan, Ann and Scott, Matt, TC, Nothai and I.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Chicago Chicago
I stayed at my aunt Natalie's house and had a great few days with my cousins. We went to Great America and rode giant drop three times! I screamed so much my voice was horse for the next few days.
I then hung out with Gjib and had a great time with him and Jesi. We saw Up in 3D - be careful; its a tear jerker! Gjib and I made plans for some backpacking next week in northern Michigan at Isle Royale. I am so excited!
I've had a great time in Chicago with Nothai. Even though I'm from the suburbs, I don't know much about the city or my way around it. This probably made me a bit of a poor host, but I really enjoyed getting to know the city as an adult. The first day I met Nothai downtown after he'd gone to the aquarium and the field museum. I took him to the beach for a bit and then we drove through the south side, stopped at Chinatown for dinner and walking around, and continued to drive and walk the city a while. The next day we went to the museum of science and industry and took the tour of the captured German sub, the U505. I thought I had done that as a kid, but maybe not, or I don't remember it at all. It was very interesting and I recommend paying the extra $7 for the tour. We also went up on the skydeck of the sears tower. They have built the ledge, which is about a four foot glass box that sticks off the side of the building so basically you can step off the building and look directly down on wacker. Nothai couldn't do it, he can't get real close the edge of the building even without getting nervous. I can't help laughing about it. We went up for the sunset and waited too for the city lights. The next day, we got an early start and took the city bus tours pretty much all day. Again, this is something I'd never done and really enjoyed. I wish that they had given more history. That was great. We got dropped off at Lincoln Park for a bit before walking over to Kingston Mines, a classic blues bar, but tired out after having a few drinks an Irish pub and called it a night.
And a shout out to Nothai's mom for suggesting the bus tour - that was great!
I'm headed back to Michigan today with Nothai for our annual pirates vs. ninjas tubing extravaganza tomorrow!
I then hung out with Gjib and had a great time with him and Jesi. We saw Up in 3D - be careful; its a tear jerker! Gjib and I made plans for some backpacking next week in northern Michigan at Isle Royale. I am so excited!
I've had a great time in Chicago with Nothai. Even though I'm from the suburbs, I don't know much about the city or my way around it. This probably made me a bit of a poor host, but I really enjoyed getting to know the city as an adult. The first day I met Nothai downtown after he'd gone to the aquarium and the field museum. I took him to the beach for a bit and then we drove through the south side, stopped at Chinatown for dinner and walking around, and continued to drive and walk the city a while. The next day we went to the museum of science and industry and took the tour of the captured German sub, the U505. I thought I had done that as a kid, but maybe not, or I don't remember it at all. It was very interesting and I recommend paying the extra $7 for the tour. We also went up on the skydeck of the sears tower. They have built the ledge, which is about a four foot glass box that sticks off the side of the building so basically you can step off the building and look directly down on wacker. Nothai couldn't do it, he can't get real close the edge of the building even without getting nervous. I can't help laughing about it. We went up for the sunset and waited too for the city lights. The next day, we got an early start and took the city bus tours pretty much all day. Again, this is something I'd never done and really enjoyed. I wish that they had given more history. That was great. We got dropped off at Lincoln Park for a bit before walking over to Kingston Mines, a classic blues bar, but tired out after having a few drinks an Irish pub and called it a night.
And a shout out to Nothai's mom for suggesting the bus tour - that was great!
I'm headed back to Michigan today with Nothai for our annual pirates vs. ninjas tubing extravaganza tomorrow!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Gear Review
Okay, so it is time to review the gear I used. Again, I know most people don't care about this, but some of my fellow hikers or anyone that followed along from a trail forum might.
Boots: Vasque Summit; and Superfeet insoles
The Summit's were too small after my feet swelled (and maybe not as broken in as they should have been). I returned both at REI for a full refund (YAY REI) when I returned to Michigan. I switched for Keen boots a few days in. I found these boots to be wonderfully comfortable. The tendon in my ankle had to adjust to a new boot, pretty painful for two days, but then I was fine. I also used the superfeet insoles. My complaint with insoles as a whole is that none provide enough cushion for adjusting feet. The ball of my foot hurt at first after about 3 miles, then after about 5 pretty much every day. I think this is something that we just deal with and over time becomes less annoying and painful. It would be nice though to have a shoe that allows enough room to shove pillows in the bottom - that is my suggestion for anyone out there in product development!
Socks: Smartwool Hiking Socks (3 pair)
These socks are great. I'm a converted fan for life. They pill a little and lose some their plush after overuse and washing, but I was tromping around in these socks for a few months before hiking. I tried sock liners in the beginning that never really helped (I found a use for them though when I walked around camp in my crocs to keep my feet cleaner). I picked up a pair of Trekker socks to replace a lost pair of smartwools (did I leave them hanging on a tree)? These socks have a built in sock liner and are all the rave - they worked no different than other socks. My feet smelled a bit worse after a day of wearing them, so they became my sleep socks.
Crocs for around base camp/showers
I bought off brand ones from Walmart for $6. I'd have gotten one size bigger than normal for hiking - swollen morning feet needed a push into them rather than slipping on like they should. Wearing them for extended periods (in town) gave me little blisters on the tops of my toes from wear if I wasn't wearing socks.
Pack: Gregory Triconi
This was a good pack, especially because I bought it on sale. I became envious of Bluto's very light and handy Ula pack and wanted one, but it was somewhere higher than $200 and I couldn't justify it when I had a working pack. The only external handy zipper broke right at the end of the hike (thankfully) and I'm in communication with Gregory to get it either fixed or they will replace the whole pack. They have great customer service (although they weren't equipped for fixing my zipper at Trail Days) and for that, a big thumbs up...BUT I'd go with a lighter weight pack with hip belt pockets next time. My cargo shorts had to carry anything I needed for the day because taking off the pack to grab something wasn't gonna happen.
Pack cover: REI Duck Cover
I was most worried about this - as everyone has different reviews of manufactured pack covers and what crap they were. I can say that I had a fair shake down as far as rain was concerned. It rained almost every day, and this pack cover was decent. When it poured for hours on me, yes water slowly seeped through and the inside of my pack got wet. I always used a compacter bag around my sleeping bag as back up and that stayed dry the whole time. So I agree that the only way to ensure nothing getting wet at all is to use compacter bags - a lot cheaper too! However, the pack cover was really handy to put my pack into when I had to put everything down on the muddy ground, saving my pack from becoming disgustingly muddy and gross. That may have been it's #1 unfailing use.
Sleep System: Big Agnes Encampment , BA Insulated Air Core, bag liner
The bag liner was worth the money. I don't know that it added any warmth, but I like the soft material much better than the inside of the sleeping bag. It was also great to keep everything cleaner so that I only had to wash the liner. The mattress was great too. I'm glad I decided on it. Yeah, blowing up and putting it away each night sucks, but I had a comfy nights sleep even atop rocky and rooted ground. The bag is a too heavy for backpacking and I should have chosen a lighter one, but what did I know then! One complaint I heard was that the temp rating wasn't true. I had a few really cold nights and on some when others were really cold I was toasty, but others my legs were chilly. Taking layers off when your cold DOES help, letting the loft of the bag work properly. It is a roomy bag, and maybe too roomy for me. The fabric rests along the edge of the pad, at least another two inches on either side. This would rest along the side of the tent and be damp in the morning. For what I needed, it worked...but I'd get a lighter bag for long term.
Tent: Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 & footprint
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this tent. At first I had some moisture issues, but that was my fault and after properly using the guy (sp?) lines I fixed the problem (the inside of the tent was wet from the rainfly resting on the inside screen during rainy nights). My only complaint is that anything in the vestibule touching the vestibule top would collect moisture through the night. However, this is small beans when most of my hiking companions were having some assorted issues during heavy rain nights, I never worried or had any problem. Overpriced, yeah-but I liked having the footprint for extra protection against wear on the bottom of the tent and I used it under my bag when sleeping in the shelters. I will also say that at Trail Days I tried out some hammocks - and I would have been a hanger if I'd had the chance before to try it. It is the most comfortable and easy way, unless your backpacking where there are no trees.
Water System: Katadyn Micropur tablets, 1L Nalgene, 2L Platypus
I first drank from the Nalgene, slung through my hipbelt straps and carried extra in the platypus all day because I thought the tablets took 4 hours to treat water (only 20 minutes actually). I had switched to iodine because I thought it would be a quicker system. I then realized this was not at all good for me (thyroid disease) and stopped immediately. I also got a drinking tube for the platy and then just used that primarily (MUCH BETTER). I went back to the tablets (after finding out 20 minutes was all that was necessary). Sometimes I didn't even treat my water when it came directly out of the side of the mountain. Yeah, I was taking a risk...but I didn't get sick and it was great tasting water. I didn't mind the taste of either the iodine or the tablets. But I don't have any problem drinking water with floaties either. When your thirsty, it doesn't matter. I'm glad I had the Nalgene though. Sometimes I had to get water using the lid as a bowl because it was shallow. I also mixed flavored drinks in it. I added a small 16 oz. empty bottle for hot chocolate and morning carnation instant breakfast. Cleaning chocolate drink is too messy, so having a 'chocolate bottle' was the way to go for me. I saw others with Steripens that either worked great or didn't work at all. They seemed finicky and fragile. My hesitance to get a pump was because of the weight, although a fellow hiker hated getting water because it was 'a chore' with his pump. I liked and will continue to use the tablets.
Stove: cat can stove, WalMart 1L aluminum mug, utensils
I never had a problem with my stove. It worked so well in fact that Bluto was envious of it and thought about converting to homemade alcohol from his canister stove. I am so happy with this stove. It wasn't stinky, and didn't burn anything. Once I figured out how much fuel I used per meal/per day and I could carry the right amount it became weight effective too (at first I had a whole 20 oz. bottle of alcohol, and it isn't weight effective if you carry more than 14 oz). My aluminum mug never failed me and I didn't burn food either (a common complaint). I carried a spoon and fork, although eventually just the spoon.
Hygiene / First Aid kit: toothpaste/brush, floss, bio soap, toilet paper, ibuprofen, daily vitamin, band-aids, antibiotic cream, duct tape, cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, anti-diarrhea, Benedryl, needle, safety pins
This got cut WAY down real quick. I cut the end off my toothbrush and got travel sized toothpaste (I had a bigger one to start). I ditched the biodegradable soap and sponge and instead washed my dishes with leaves and sand (more effective too!) and used tea and sunlight to destroy germs. Any place that had a shower had soap to use. Kept the floss, toilet paper, vitamins, two band aids, duct tape and safety pin. Everything else got pitched because likely you won't need it, or if you do, then go into town and get it. I kept two anti-diarrhea pills just in case, but never needed them. I added Burt's Bees Res-Q ointment, which can be put on anything and is a miracle worker. I also added the chaffing bar, earplugs, sunscreen and bug spray. The 100% deet spray pen didn't deter anything with wings and was useless. I also dried out several baby wipes for the next couple of days. Most of these things (and replacement items) were either found in hiker boxes or split between several people (ibuprofen).
Rope w/ homemade rock bag
Life Gear Flashlight
Ziploc Baggies
Matches
Bic Lighter
Knife - Cabela's Pine Ridge folding knife
I cut my rope down to about 30 feet after a few nights of hanging a bear bag, going for minimizing anything I feel comfortable with. When possible, I always used the bear cables (not always 100% secure without an extra carabiner keeping the food bag in place. The flashlight didn't last as long as I thought and wasn't nearly as awesome as I'd hoped. It was fun to play with the blinking blue light, but I traded for a headlamp in Hot Springs when the flashlight had failed me one night for a middle of the night grass watering. I reused my ziplock baggies when I could and didn't go through as many that way. I carried two lighters, but gave one away when someone needed it. I also learned to dip the end of a used match into the alcohol pooled inside my stove and use that to light the stove. This worked the best meant I could use the same set of matches over and over. I used the knife for everything and it was all that I needed. I might think of getting a bigger one or carrying a hatched for other trips, but for the AT, this small knife is fine.
Clothes:
Base/wicking Layer - REI & PolarSkins baselayer top/bottoms
Insulating Layer - REI ultralight fleece, Sporthill pants
Wind-proof shell - Marmot jacket
Water-proof shell - Frogg Toggs rainsuit (top) and Marmot cargo shell pants
Gloves
Rain hat
Turtle fur Balaclava
Underwear - BEST Sportsbra evah!
Sunglasses
Bandanas (2)
I added a third bandanna last minute that may not have been necessary. I lost the sunglasses the second day and never replaced them. I only needed one bra (putting on wet dirty clothes soon becomes the norm). I lost my rain hat within the first two weeks and replaced with a found baseball cap that worked better. A hat for sure is necessary for both weather (rain and snow) but also the sun and bugs. I used the gloves maybe twice, always getting wet from sweaty hands, but kept them warmer than nothing. I could have done without them. The Balaclava was one of the best pieces of gear I had. Regulating body temp through my head was HUGE - and it kept my earplugs in at night! Rainsuit - if I hadn't been sweating while wearing it, no doubt would it have kept me dry from rain. However, since you sweat from the inside and it raining outside, it just provides a barrier between the two. The only thing that really makes a difference is protection from the cold. I sent my snowboarding pants home (dumb I know, but it sounded good at the time) because they were too heavy and hot. I traded for a pair of zip-off cargo shorts and a separate pair of rain pants. Both being way overpriced, I wished I'd made better decisions at home and shopped at Salvation Army first! My nylon shorts I picked up last minute in Florida at Salvation Army were great for around camp and sleeping in ($1.50)! The sporthill pants were also too heavy and hot. It might be cold or chilly in the morning, but put on some lightweight clothes and get going - you'll warm up! Lightweight layers should have been key - I just hear 'layers'. I love my Marmot Windstopper jacket, but it wasn't the right choice. My cloths worked, but I made a lot of bad choices.
paper & pen
watch
Harmonica
Medium pack towel
The harmonica got sent home quickly. I was so tired at the end of the day, it wasn't an option and certainly not during the day when I was climbing mountains. Maybe on a different hike later. I was glad I had a watch. It helped me pace myself and know when to expect to be somewhere or where I was based on pace. It helped fulfill the detail oriented part of me that otherwise might have been wondering around scared in the woods with no idea of what was going on...or maybe I should have left the watch at home! :) Paper and pen helped keep notes until I could recount stories on the blog. I stopped actually 'journaling' on the trail quickly as it took too much time. The pack towel was great for wiping off the tent inside or out when wet since it had such great absorbency. I did throw away the little outside holder and just threw it in my stuff (ounces count)!
Appalachian Pages
I separated the book and sent half home and even bounced future pages when I could. This guidebook is the best IMO and I got the opportunity to look at others in detail. I eventually got in the habit of taking out that days page (or two) and kept in the my front shorts pocket with paper and pen after constantly having to stop to get into my pack if I wanted to before then.
Camera: Canon Powershot, charger, USB cord, 2 extra batteries, 2GB chips (2)
I didn't have any issues here and even got some water on it (and dried ramen noodles)! I took a lot of pictures and still never needed to change chips. Maybe if I had taken more videos that would have been needed. I always had a full battery and was never dead. This was a great system, and maybe could have even dropped a battery and chip. The charger/USB cord is light, although I did bump it when I could.
I guess the moral of the story is the same as everything I read and heard previously: research what you want, but it will likely be different for everyone, so just HYOH! I certainly underwent trial by fire, not having really any backpacking experience or doing a proper equipment shakedown. I made the worse decisions on my clothes, but I had no clue what I was doing, and made the best of what I had! I should have chosen lightweight versatile options. I've always been a live and learn kinda girl, so why should this have been any different!
I am planning more backpacking trips in Michigan (2 to 5 day trips) and will update anything that comes up or changes that I make. Nothai won an alcohol stove at Traildays that he gave me and I'll try out. I forget the name now, but I'll update later. I also realize I didn't take many pictures of mundane camp life stuff, so I'll be sure to do that coming up too.
Boots: Vasque Summit; and Superfeet insoles
The Summit's were too small after my feet swelled (and maybe not as broken in as they should have been). I returned both at REI for a full refund (YAY REI) when I returned to Michigan. I switched for Keen boots a few days in. I found these boots to be wonderfully comfortable. The tendon in my ankle had to adjust to a new boot, pretty painful for two days, but then I was fine. I also used the superfeet insoles. My complaint with insoles as a whole is that none provide enough cushion for adjusting feet. The ball of my foot hurt at first after about 3 miles, then after about 5 pretty much every day. I think this is something that we just deal with and over time becomes less annoying and painful. It would be nice though to have a shoe that allows enough room to shove pillows in the bottom - that is my suggestion for anyone out there in product development!
Socks: Smartwool Hiking Socks (3 pair)
These socks are great. I'm a converted fan for life. They pill a little and lose some their plush after overuse and washing, but I was tromping around in these socks for a few months before hiking. I tried sock liners in the beginning that never really helped (I found a use for them though when I walked around camp in my crocs to keep my feet cleaner). I picked up a pair of Trekker socks to replace a lost pair of smartwools (did I leave them hanging on a tree)? These socks have a built in sock liner and are all the rave - they worked no different than other socks. My feet smelled a bit worse after a day of wearing them, so they became my sleep socks.
Crocs for around base camp/showers
I bought off brand ones from Walmart for $6. I'd have gotten one size bigger than normal for hiking - swollen morning feet needed a push into them rather than slipping on like they should. Wearing them for extended periods (in town) gave me little blisters on the tops of my toes from wear if I wasn't wearing socks.
Pack: Gregory Triconi
This was a good pack, especially because I bought it on sale. I became envious of Bluto's very light and handy Ula pack and wanted one, but it was somewhere higher than $200 and I couldn't justify it when I had a working pack. The only external handy zipper broke right at the end of the hike (thankfully) and I'm in communication with Gregory to get it either fixed or they will replace the whole pack. They have great customer service (although they weren't equipped for fixing my zipper at Trail Days) and for that, a big thumbs up...BUT I'd go with a lighter weight pack with hip belt pockets next time. My cargo shorts had to carry anything I needed for the day because taking off the pack to grab something wasn't gonna happen.
Pack cover: REI Duck Cover
I was most worried about this - as everyone has different reviews of manufactured pack covers and what crap they were. I can say that I had a fair shake down as far as rain was concerned. It rained almost every day, and this pack cover was decent. When it poured for hours on me, yes water slowly seeped through and the inside of my pack got wet. I always used a compacter bag around my sleeping bag as back up and that stayed dry the whole time. So I agree that the only way to ensure nothing getting wet at all is to use compacter bags - a lot cheaper too! However, the pack cover was really handy to put my pack into when I had to put everything down on the muddy ground, saving my pack from becoming disgustingly muddy and gross. That may have been it's #1 unfailing use.
Sleep System: Big Agnes Encampment , BA Insulated Air Core, bag liner
The bag liner was worth the money. I don't know that it added any warmth, but I like the soft material much better than the inside of the sleeping bag. It was also great to keep everything cleaner so that I only had to wash the liner. The mattress was great too. I'm glad I decided on it. Yeah, blowing up and putting it away each night sucks, but I had a comfy nights sleep even atop rocky and rooted ground. The bag is a too heavy for backpacking and I should have chosen a lighter one, but what did I know then! One complaint I heard was that the temp rating wasn't true. I had a few really cold nights and on some when others were really cold I was toasty, but others my legs were chilly. Taking layers off when your cold DOES help, letting the loft of the bag work properly. It is a roomy bag, and maybe too roomy for me. The fabric rests along the edge of the pad, at least another two inches on either side. This would rest along the side of the tent and be damp in the morning. For what I needed, it worked...but I'd get a lighter bag for long term.
Tent: Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 & footprint
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this tent. At first I had some moisture issues, but that was my fault and after properly using the guy (sp?) lines I fixed the problem (the inside of the tent was wet from the rainfly resting on the inside screen during rainy nights). My only complaint is that anything in the vestibule touching the vestibule top would collect moisture through the night. However, this is small beans when most of my hiking companions were having some assorted issues during heavy rain nights, I never worried or had any problem. Overpriced, yeah-but I liked having the footprint for extra protection against wear on the bottom of the tent and I used it under my bag when sleeping in the shelters. I will also say that at Trail Days I tried out some hammocks - and I would have been a hanger if I'd had the chance before to try it. It is the most comfortable and easy way, unless your backpacking where there are no trees.
Water System: Katadyn Micropur tablets, 1L Nalgene, 2L Platypus
I first drank from the Nalgene, slung through my hipbelt straps and carried extra in the platypus all day because I thought the tablets took 4 hours to treat water (only 20 minutes actually). I had switched to iodine because I thought it would be a quicker system. I then realized this was not at all good for me (thyroid disease) and stopped immediately. I also got a drinking tube for the platy and then just used that primarily (MUCH BETTER). I went back to the tablets (after finding out 20 minutes was all that was necessary). Sometimes I didn't even treat my water when it came directly out of the side of the mountain. Yeah, I was taking a risk...but I didn't get sick and it was great tasting water. I didn't mind the taste of either the iodine or the tablets. But I don't have any problem drinking water with floaties either. When your thirsty, it doesn't matter. I'm glad I had the Nalgene though. Sometimes I had to get water using the lid as a bowl because it was shallow. I also mixed flavored drinks in it. I added a small 16 oz. empty bottle for hot chocolate and morning carnation instant breakfast. Cleaning chocolate drink is too messy, so having a 'chocolate bottle' was the way to go for me. I saw others with Steripens that either worked great or didn't work at all. They seemed finicky and fragile. My hesitance to get a pump was because of the weight, although a fellow hiker hated getting water because it was 'a chore' with his pump. I liked and will continue to use the tablets.
Stove: cat can stove, WalMart 1L aluminum mug, utensils
I never had a problem with my stove. It worked so well in fact that Bluto was envious of it and thought about converting to homemade alcohol from his canister stove. I am so happy with this stove. It wasn't stinky, and didn't burn anything. Once I figured out how much fuel I used per meal/per day and I could carry the right amount it became weight effective too (at first I had a whole 20 oz. bottle of alcohol, and it isn't weight effective if you carry more than 14 oz). My aluminum mug never failed me and I didn't burn food either (a common complaint). I carried a spoon and fork, although eventually just the spoon.
Hygiene / First Aid kit: toothpaste/brush, floss, bio soap, toilet paper, ibuprofen, daily vitamin, band-aids, antibiotic cream, duct tape, cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide, anti-diarrhea, Benedryl, needle, safety pins
This got cut WAY down real quick. I cut the end off my toothbrush and got travel sized toothpaste (I had a bigger one to start). I ditched the biodegradable soap and sponge and instead washed my dishes with leaves and sand (more effective too!) and used tea and sunlight to destroy germs. Any place that had a shower had soap to use. Kept the floss, toilet paper, vitamins, two band aids, duct tape and safety pin. Everything else got pitched because likely you won't need it, or if you do, then go into town and get it. I kept two anti-diarrhea pills just in case, but never needed them. I added Burt's Bees Res-Q ointment, which can be put on anything and is a miracle worker. I also added the chaffing bar, earplugs, sunscreen and bug spray. The 100% deet spray pen didn't deter anything with wings and was useless. I also dried out several baby wipes for the next couple of days. Most of these things (and replacement items) were either found in hiker boxes or split between several people (ibuprofen).
Rope w/ homemade rock bag
Life Gear Flashlight
Ziploc Baggies
Matches
Bic Lighter
Knife - Cabela's Pine Ridge folding knife
I cut my rope down to about 30 feet after a few nights of hanging a bear bag, going for minimizing anything I feel comfortable with. When possible, I always used the bear cables (not always 100% secure without an extra carabiner keeping the food bag in place. The flashlight didn't last as long as I thought and wasn't nearly as awesome as I'd hoped. It was fun to play with the blinking blue light, but I traded for a headlamp in Hot Springs when the flashlight had failed me one night for a middle of the night grass watering. I reused my ziplock baggies when I could and didn't go through as many that way. I carried two lighters, but gave one away when someone needed it. I also learned to dip the end of a used match into the alcohol pooled inside my stove and use that to light the stove. This worked the best meant I could use the same set of matches over and over. I used the knife for everything and it was all that I needed. I might think of getting a bigger one or carrying a hatched for other trips, but for the AT, this small knife is fine.
Clothes:
Base/wicking Layer - REI & PolarSkins baselayer top/bottoms
Insulating Layer - REI ultralight fleece, Sporthill pants
Wind-proof shell - Marmot jacket
Water-proof shell - Frogg Toggs rainsuit (top) and Marmot cargo shell pants
Gloves
Rain hat
Turtle fur Balaclava
Underwear - BEST Sportsbra evah!
Sunglasses
Bandanas (2)
I added a third bandanna last minute that may not have been necessary. I lost the sunglasses the second day and never replaced them. I only needed one bra (putting on wet dirty clothes soon becomes the norm). I lost my rain hat within the first two weeks and replaced with a found baseball cap that worked better. A hat for sure is necessary for both weather (rain and snow) but also the sun and bugs. I used the gloves maybe twice, always getting wet from sweaty hands, but kept them warmer than nothing. I could have done without them. The Balaclava was one of the best pieces of gear I had. Regulating body temp through my head was HUGE - and it kept my earplugs in at night! Rainsuit - if I hadn't been sweating while wearing it, no doubt would it have kept me dry from rain. However, since you sweat from the inside and it raining outside, it just provides a barrier between the two. The only thing that really makes a difference is protection from the cold. I sent my snowboarding pants home (dumb I know, but it sounded good at the time) because they were too heavy and hot. I traded for a pair of zip-off cargo shorts and a separate pair of rain pants. Both being way overpriced, I wished I'd made better decisions at home and shopped at Salvation Army first! My nylon shorts I picked up last minute in Florida at Salvation Army were great for around camp and sleeping in ($1.50)! The sporthill pants were also too heavy and hot. It might be cold or chilly in the morning, but put on some lightweight clothes and get going - you'll warm up! Lightweight layers should have been key - I just hear 'layers'. I love my Marmot Windstopper jacket, but it wasn't the right choice. My cloths worked, but I made a lot of bad choices.
paper & pen
watch
Harmonica
Medium pack towel
The harmonica got sent home quickly. I was so tired at the end of the day, it wasn't an option and certainly not during the day when I was climbing mountains. Maybe on a different hike later. I was glad I had a watch. It helped me pace myself and know when to expect to be somewhere or where I was based on pace. It helped fulfill the detail oriented part of me that otherwise might have been wondering around scared in the woods with no idea of what was going on...or maybe I should have left the watch at home! :) Paper and pen helped keep notes until I could recount stories on the blog. I stopped actually 'journaling' on the trail quickly as it took too much time. The pack towel was great for wiping off the tent inside or out when wet since it had such great absorbency. I did throw away the little outside holder and just threw it in my stuff (ounces count)!
Appalachian Pages
I separated the book and sent half home and even bounced future pages when I could. This guidebook is the best IMO and I got the opportunity to look at others in detail. I eventually got in the habit of taking out that days page (or two) and kept in the my front shorts pocket with paper and pen after constantly having to stop to get into my pack if I wanted to before then.
Camera: Canon Powershot, charger, USB cord, 2 extra batteries, 2GB chips (2)
I didn't have any issues here and even got some water on it (and dried ramen noodles)! I took a lot of pictures and still never needed to change chips. Maybe if I had taken more videos that would have been needed. I always had a full battery and was never dead. This was a great system, and maybe could have even dropped a battery and chip. The charger/USB cord is light, although I did bump it when I could.
I guess the moral of the story is the same as everything I read and heard previously: research what you want, but it will likely be different for everyone, so just HYOH! I certainly underwent trial by fire, not having really any backpacking experience or doing a proper equipment shakedown. I made the worse decisions on my clothes, but I had no clue what I was doing, and made the best of what I had! I should have chosen lightweight versatile options. I've always been a live and learn kinda girl, so why should this have been any different!
I am planning more backpacking trips in Michigan (2 to 5 day trips) and will update anything that comes up or changes that I make. Nothai won an alcohol stove at Traildays that he gave me and I'll try out. I forget the name now, but I'll update later. I also realize I didn't take many pictures of mundane camp life stuff, so I'll be sure to do that coming up too.
July 4th
In Illinois, I not only had the opportunity to visit with some friends I haven’t seen in years, we played Chuthulu, which was another treat and perfect! When I lived in Illinois we used to play sometimes all weekend, and try for at least one weekend a month. I miss it.
Most of my extended family made it over to my mothers house on Sunday and I met my sister’s boyfriend as well. I decided to go up to Wisconsin to visit my grandparents with my aunt and uncle instead of driving myself. It was great to just be a passenger! I spent a few days with my sister before heading north. She had asked my help to take her to get her senior pictures taken and then we went for a movie and dinner. It was really nice to spend some time with her.
My aunt, uncle and two of their three kids and I headed up to Grandma's cabin for the holiday weekend (July 4th) on Thursday after everyone got home from work. It was a great time; swimming a little, went on a boat ride, played 'nerf war' with my cousin (he won), and went to the flea market. I also finished my resume (locked and loaded!) and almost finished a book I'd started before hiking (A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson), I still have about 20 pages to go - Australia is a crazy awesome country! I would love to go sometime.
Back in Illinois, I have plans to meet with my old friends tonight at the old meet up spot (Denny's) tonight. I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone. Yesterday I took three of my cousins to Great America. I haven't been in a few years and it was still fun. I am officially putting my foot in my mouth, ERIN - I think Cedar Point might be better!
I'm looking for something fun to do over the weekend and sort of stalling around this area because I got back in contact with Nothai, who is coming to Chicago on Sunday! I'm going to hang out in the area to join him gallivanting around the city. He will want to do all the tourist things that I either haven't done in a while and miss, or haven't done myself either! We also talked about planning some hiking trips in Michigan when we get back.
As it is, I may leave the midwest soon and I really want to be sure I take in the area before leaving. While working at Woodbury, a fellow employee who is a hiker as well told me about a bunch of places along the lake and in the UP that are great for hiking/backpacking. I'm excited to get back in there! I've been restlessly idle for a while and need to get off my booty. I'm glad I've got a bit more of a plan now.
Most of my extended family made it over to my mothers house on Sunday and I met my sister’s boyfriend as well. I decided to go up to Wisconsin to visit my grandparents with my aunt and uncle instead of driving myself. It was great to just be a passenger! I spent a few days with my sister before heading north. She had asked my help to take her to get her senior pictures taken and then we went for a movie and dinner. It was really nice to spend some time with her.
My aunt, uncle and two of their three kids and I headed up to Grandma's cabin for the holiday weekend (July 4th) on Thursday after everyone got home from work. It was a great time; swimming a little, went on a boat ride, played 'nerf war' with my cousin (he won), and went to the flea market. I also finished my resume (locked and loaded!) and almost finished a book I'd started before hiking (A Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson), I still have about 20 pages to go - Australia is a crazy awesome country! I would love to go sometime.
Back in Illinois, I have plans to meet with my old friends tonight at the old meet up spot (Denny's) tonight. I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone. Yesterday I took three of my cousins to Great America. I haven't been in a few years and it was still fun. I am officially putting my foot in my mouth, ERIN - I think Cedar Point might be better!
I'm looking for something fun to do over the weekend and sort of stalling around this area because I got back in contact with Nothai, who is coming to Chicago on Sunday! I'm going to hang out in the area to join him gallivanting around the city. He will want to do all the tourist things that I either haven't done in a while and miss, or haven't done myself either! We also talked about planning some hiking trips in Michigan when we get back.
As it is, I may leave the midwest soon and I really want to be sure I take in the area before leaving. While working at Woodbury, a fellow employee who is a hiker as well told me about a bunch of places along the lake and in the UP that are great for hiking/backpacking. I'm excited to get back in there! I've been restlessly idle for a while and need to get off my booty. I'm glad I've got a bit more of a plan now.
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