Been a couple of week, time to update!

I am up to four mile every three days with the pack. Got on the scales the other day and from SO (skin out) was looking at 22 lbs. total, (pack, water jugs, clothing, shoes and poles).  Just added another 4 lbs for tomorrows trek.

During a  Costco run, found some new carbon fiber hiking poles and a Nike light weight "dry-fit" shirt..  Who would have thought that two ounces each pole would make such a difference!  Next trip to Costco, I picked up three more of the shirts, three pairs of dri wix hiking underware, six pairs of  kinda dri socks (we'll see) and found the Stri-pen (for water purification) for $50! I had been looking at on line and the lowest on line price I had found was $80.

I ordered a Titanium Pot and Spork, and some  tiny #9 biners with tie lines for my tent/tarp, made a couple of pot cozies.  My box is starting to get crowded! 

I have been looking at different modes of keeping a journal and have decided to get a Kindle Keyboard.  I decided that to combat boredom on the trial, I should do a lot of reading.  I do that now (a lot for me, anyway) when on the road in the RV but  I don't want to carry a lot of books.  Kindle solves that, and with a $0.99 app will make a good journal.  I ordered the one with free 3G, and WIFI, so I can surf a little and do Email  if near a town with a 3G tower!  Will not replace my Ipad, but at 1.0 lb. less weight, it will work for me, and be great for book reading and maps in PDF format.  Now I don't have to buy an Iphone.

My electronics will now include my current six year old "dumb" phone, (for which I had to order a USB cable adapter for charging from a USB port),  that is good for making phone calls (who would have thought), the Kindle Keyboard, (for notes, journals, maps,  reading, emails, net surfing), and a Nikon Coolpix S9300 camera (yet to purchase).  I have a solar charger and hope it works well, but may have to buy a 5000 or so MAH backup battery to keep everything going.  If I get a backup battery, I would most likely send the solar home.  All depends on how much charging I will need, hopefully, not much.

I have also decided to move up, by about a month, my departure date.  More hiking in cool/cold/snow weather and less in the hot and humid.  Can't avoid the rain unless I wait until it is too late to finish in the north before the park closes!. So Mid FEB to mid AUG time frame.