Resupply boxes have taken over!

July 18, 2013

It's taken all year to comb the Internet for meal ideas, dry my own food & combine it into meals - then sample and discard what I don't like.  I studied my maps to figure out how many days it would take to hike between road crossings or towns. The longest stretch is 7 days. So I began to plan breakfasts, lunches and dinners, adding snack items, power bars, gatorade powder etc.  My food weighs about 1.5#/day, sometimes a bit less. If it weighs more I ruthlessly cut things out because no one will be carrying this but me!  The lighter the weight the more I'll enjoy the hike & nothing is worse than lugging food that you didn't eat all the way into a trail town.

Here's a photo of the kitchen counter taken by my long-suffering husband!

It took a couple of days to actually count out the meals and pack them into boxes to mail to myself General Delivery at a Post Office near the trail or to small grocery stores, resorts, gas stations or sometimes individuals who like to host PCT hikers in their homes! 

Here's the final packed boxes and clean kitchen counter!  Hooray!

I then gathered the items I'll take in my backpack.  This year I bought an ultralight Mariposa backpack made by Gossamer Gear out of Texas. It shaves 4 pounds off the weight I carry!  My old pack was very comfortable but the pack itself was 5.5# !   

Here's a photo of the stuff I take with me and my new pack in the background.

Power Monkey Solar Charger, ultralight down jacket, Packa rain poncho/pack cover, maps, compass, knife, LED, Kahtydin Hiker Water Purifier, IPod, journal, small medical kit, brush, Tylenol/sleep aid/meds,mosquito head net, Deet, sun lotion, organic soap, lip balm, silk liner, extra pair of socks, bandana, sleeping pad, long sleeve shirt, leggings, Jet Boil and fuel canister, food cozy, tent, down bag, food bag, poles and pack. There are some extra things like iPhone and ID that I'll add at the last minute but that's the gist of it.

I leave from Medford Monday to drive up to Cascade Locks, Oregon where we'll walk over the Bridge of the Gods to the Washington side of the Columbia River. Last year I hiked the length of Oregon so Washington is our goal this year, 500 miles in 35 days (not counting rest days)!  My hiking partner, who I met last year on the trail, is Peggy (or PegLeg as she is known on the trail). She is driving to Medford to meet me and we'll start the trail together on Monday.  

Let the journey begin!