I am sure the scene above is similar to what you would see in the homes of all the team members as they prepare for adventure that starts this Saturday the 20th of August.

To do List

• Purchase mole skin for blisters.
• Tape up tripod legs so they don’t fall off.
• Buy new shoe laces.
• Charge batteries.
• Clear off memory cards.
• Locate my favorite socks.
• Try out the sleeping pad that Frank lent me.
• It goes on and on…

Yesterday I gathered my food and neatly set my freeze dried dinners in the order that I plan to eat them.  I scattered the three beef stroganoff meals through out the week so that I don’t get sick of them.  Which day should I pick for my freeze dried salmon dinner ?  How about after the longest day as a reward for dragging into camp at the end of the day?  Because the mules can only carry so much, we are limited to 2-2.5 lbs. of food per person per day.  All of my stuff fit into a box and a shopping bag and came in at 1.8 lbs. per day.  I still hadn’t added my apples.  Then it dawned on me. If I take my fresh apples and dehydrate them, I can bring the beer I have been hoping for and the more apples I dry the more beer I can bring!  Wonderful.

For those interested in the details, below is my gear list.

Luxury:
Journal &  Pens
DSLR and lenses
Tripod
Phone
Extra phone battery
GoPro

Equipment Essentials:
Tent, poles, stakes  
1 Water Bladder
1 Water bottle
Sleeping pad
Sleeping bag  
Backpack for mules  
Day pack
Large garbage bag      
spoon  
cup

Ten Essential +:
Pocket Knife   
First Aid Kit         
Emergency blanket
Compass    
Maps
GPS  
lighters
Headlamp             
Extra batteries
Sunscreen
sunglasses
Small water filter  
Bug juice
Sun hat  
2 Bandanas  
Bug netting for head    
rope / hanging food   
Plastic bags for garbage
Hiking Poles

Clothing:
Hiking boots           
camp/water shoes  
2 liner socks      
3 heavier socks        
1 zip off pants
1 short sleeve shirts  
1 long sleeve shirt  
1 fleece jacket
1 down jacket    
Long underwear   
Rain coat     
Fleece hat
Gloves    
Wicking small towel  
balaclava for sleeping

Personal Items:
Toothpaste
Tooth Brush
deodorant
Hand Sanitizer
Toilet paper
Trowel for burying waste
Watch
Thin wallet with ID, Cash, Insurance Cards, Meds list
Advil
Aleve

Emergency:
Radios
Whistle
Mole Skin
Duct Tape, 8 ft.
Tweezers
Ankle wrap
Ace wraps
sewing kit

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