Wanna try the JMT with me?

“Tekapo, you might wanna look for us when you get to Marie Lake or Sally Keyes. By way of your timing, there's a good chance we'll meet somewhere along the way. Will keep an eye out for ya...”

“Hey! There's a HUGE... I mean H-U-G-E... JMT meeting in Fresno Friday 8/2, 6 p.m.... location to be announced. It's a party, the Last Hurrah, the Big Kazoo, everybody's welcome... Springsteen will be there!

OK... so maybe I'm kidding. It's Fresno, for Chr!s sake. I'm tring to liven things up... I may never have the opportunity again, you know. This could be the last time you have to say goodbye... or hello, for that matter...

Sanity. Try it. It's contagious!”

“Yea..Fresno is like Bakersfield's fat smelly twin brother....”

“I'm still trying to ditch weight. I've bailed on a few things I might otherwise take for comfort - like my PreCip pants. I'll take the jacket for rain protection and warmth.

I'm considering - seriously - using a Pepsi can stove, thanks to wsdavies kind offer to make one for me (I'll start another thread on this issue). I think it'll come in under 2 oz., saving ME 13 on the Whisperlite I normally would use. But how much denatured alcohol to take in place of 22 ounces white gas (for the first 8 days, then Snow Nymph re-supply's me with another 12).

I may be overdoing my menu a bit, so I'm going to reconsider my appetite (no fishing this trip).

Tent? I'm stuck on my SD Orion, at 4# 12 oz., since it's free-standing, and offers more reliable shelter from the elements, and them little beasties flin' and crawlin' in the night. Never used a tarp, figure a trip this important is no time to "get the hang of it"... At least, that's what I'm telling myself.

Still, I'm getting stoked. It's nearly time. You could come too, you know....”

“I dont want to go back thru the thread..when are you leaving??”

“Sunday, 8/4. Saturday, we'll arrive at the TH, probably head to VVR for dinner that night - the last civilized meal for 2 weeks - arrrrrrrggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!”

“Just wait till you catch a wiff of my 7 day B.O...At least it keeps the bears away...”

“Good deal Obi..I wish you have the best hike ever..Looking forward to the trip report =)”

“Ya I have herd alot about that trail and I would like to go on it someday!

8D”

“170 miles of the meanest, toughest, rootin' toot'nst, rigorous, knee crunchin', foot jammin', thigh-masterin', sweatiest beautificationist place you ever did see!”

“gettin' excited yet Obi? ;)”

“Just got back from REI...got a new pair of trail underwear(by far the most important thing in my pack)plus a new aluminun pot and some socks..It's amazing how little these folks know about(real) backpacking...Seems to be regurgitated jargon passed down by gear companies...Fight the power!!..hehehehI asked them about finding some tyvek and the guy said ty what??You get the picture..”

“No surprise there, Steve... yea, WW, almost as much as I would if Pam Anderson was standing nekkid in front of me!

Well... maybe not THAT much... but close!”

“Obi and gang,

I hope you have the greatest experience ever. You are very ambitious to take on such a hike. Are you really looking at averaging over 12 miles a day?? I guess I haven't been paying much attention and hadn't really done the math. Now I know why I'm not joining you on this trip.

Don't forget, extra film doesn't cost much. We want to see lots of photos.”

“You can count on lots of pics, PPD... But you're a much stronger hiker than I, and 12 miles, give or take, seems to me to be an easy mark for YOU... I know THIS much... I couldn't keep up with you on the Llama Rama last year, but I still think we can do it... I could be wrong, but only the attempt can prove one of us right, eh?

Sure you don't want to come along?”

“Obi - you tempter, you! I may be a strong hiker but I don't think I could (or would want to do, same thing really) 12 miles a day. Being out 2 weeks sounds like a gas. Maybe next year we can come up with something reasonable.”

“I can't believe it... I've re-worked the numbers, re-grouped the gear, re-packed the pack... I trimmed the Tyvek groundsheet, corrected a few weights I had listed (I had a few items in pounds rather than ounces - DUH!), and bailed on the Whisperlite and the White Gas in favor of wsdavies Pepsi Stove and D-natured alky-hall. I even threw in an extra Coolmax T, and kept the GPS in, and there you have it... 40.67 pounds, INCLUDING Food + Water (2-L)...

Dunno about YOU, but for ME, this is an achievement... not being a minimalist, I nevertheless have the strong desire to shed weight... and with some encouragement, I got basic pack down to 24.6 pounds...

Uhhh... that DOESN'T include the pepsi stove, 'cause I don't know wht IT weighs, but I'm guessing 2 oz..

It's getting better all the time...”

“WHAT?! no laptop with an external power supply?? how are you going to post real time trip reports???”

“HEHEH see you folks in a couple weeks!!!!!!”

“Woooo Hoooo! Rock On-enjoy!! I'll be out there next week!!!”