Weighing and working

It's getting close! Hard to believe that in less than 2 months we will be on the trail :). We have been preparing for the trail by weighing most of our gear, figuring out where we can save weight and where the comfort would be worth the weight. It is a tough balance to maintain. MerryCline and I have been practicing our meditation, one of the things we have learned can make a huge difference while hiking the trail. I think I have all the gear I need. Decided to go with the ultralight ExPed sleeping pad on top of the foam pad. Have had problems in the past with insulation regarding this pad, but I know with the foam roll underneath I will be fine. We spent a couple of nights camped out in MerryCline's backyard to see how our sleeping set ups worked out. That's when I learned that the Klymit inertia pad wasn't supportive enough for a big guy like me. I sleep on my side and stomach most of the time, so I need something that will take the pressure off of my shoulders and hip, and the thicker inflated ExPed seems to do that for only 2 more ounces. Those of you reading might be thinking "2 ounces, what the heck?" but over a six month trek where you hike 2100 miles, stuff adds up quick and you want to save weight where you can.

Also, we started a new job today working for Entergy. We have been very fortunate to get these short term jobs that pay so well. It really takes the stress off of wondering what we will have to do when we get off the trail. And I am already broke, so anything helps right now. New Orleans was our final trip that we took last weekend. We saw some of our good friends from the park and went to some amazing parades. They were experiences that I have never had before and will remember for the rest of my life.

I am going to try posting more as we get closer to our departure date so that it will be a regular practice by the time we start hiking. That's all for now. Check back soon for more updates on our adventures.