Thanks for this breakdown Erik - there is always so much to learn. I also find estimating food difficult - almost always have too much. I hope you're enjoying Honduras.
I just got home from Honduras last night. Wow, what an experience! In the context of the type of trip I was on, the photography opportunity was very restrictive, but I still think I got some compelling images!
This is great Erik - all the lessons about gear and stuff are good, but ultimately it comes down to the stuff you write about at the end that really matters.
Haha! Yeah, I realized that as I got down to the bottom of the more straightforward stuff. It felt like I was getting long winded about some smaller points and needed something more substantive. Glad you liked it!
Greetings from Stateside, and hello to you in Honduras! I hope you're having a blast. I definitely did, reading this summary, and reliving your trip with you. My nerdy side was geeking out over your pack weight breakdowns and all those "boring logistics" things.
I can't find it right now, but there was a YouTube video I watched recently where a guy was reviewing a nifty gadget (a tube-like straw, similar to the straw you would use to drink from a water bladder) that attaches to his water bottles (that are nestled in his pack side pockets) and he can drink out of it on the go. This eliminates the need to buy and use a water bladder (which can sometimes sprout leaks) and it eliminates the problem you were describing, which is the "I can't reach my damn water bottles and now I'm dehydrated!" I can try harder to track that video down if you're interested.
Also...you didn't eat lunch? Damn, I admire the grit. I ate protein bars for breakfast, but lunch was my first "proper" and large meal of the day. Trail mix was a go-to! I never got sick of that. Plenty of my friends did though. But Knorr sides.....that's a different story!
Anyway.....on the "What did I LEARN from the trail" section....that, my friend, reads like poetry. And now I need to figure out how to quote sections of a Substack post so I can re-post them in my notes.. "These are the mysteries the mountains whisper to you when you ask for answers from a rainbow.".... SHIVERS!!!! So happy for you! And hope to read more about your long-distance backpacking adventures!! (I'll keep on nudging (nagging) about a long AT hike...!) Excited to hit the Foothills Trail in November!
Hey, I just got home last night! My phone was in airplane mode the whole time I was in Honduras to avoid international charges, so I'm just getting caught up.
That idea of a tube to the water bottles is really interesting. It seems easy to rig up, if I can't find one to buy. I stopped using bladders a long time ago, not only for leaks but because they are so hard to get in and out of the pack when its loaded!
For lunch, there were points in the middle of the day when I took a little longer break and that's when I'd eat my protein bars and some extra trail mix, but I didn't spend the time to fix a dedicated meal. I also wasn't really that hungry. Probably a combo of the activity/heat/dehydration. I have to look for these Knorr sides. I've read about them in several places now!
Poetry! Wow, thanks! Towards the end I felt like I was getting a bit long winded over some fine points and wanted to change it up. So glad you liked it!
That's excellent that your plans for the FT are coming together! November should be a fantastic time to go! I'd LOVE to do the AT, but the big hurdle is the logistics of not working for that long. I am looking at the Bartram Trail next. It starts right next to the western end of the Foothills Trail and goes just over 100 miles north into North Carolina. Would have to do a re-supply in Franklin, NC. My hope would be to do it in the late fall, but might not be able to until early spring.
Good luck with your millions of notifications 🤣 I salute you!
That's interesting, I remember reading in your piece here that lack of hunger was a sign of dehydration. That's funny because I find that sometimes when I'm super hungry, I just chug some water and turns out, I was only hungry because I actually was thirsty! But that doesn't seem to describe your experience. Bodies sure are fascinating.
*shudder* Ah Knorr sides....keep an eye out next time you go into your local grocery store. They're probably by the soups or packaged mashed potatoes. They're super cheap (cheaper than the backpacking dehydrated meals), lightweight, and decently filling...usually it's rice and stuff. The flavors are really strong though, so dear God did I get sick of them near the end..🤮🤣🥲
And yes, poetry. 🙃 that's all I'll say there.
Dang the Bartram Trail sounds cool!! And it's longer than the FT too! Sucks about the job situation and not being able to hit the AT, though. Perhaps someday you'll get the opportunity!
Thanks for this breakdown Erik - there is always so much to learn. I also find estimating food difficult - almost always have too much. I hope you're enjoying Honduras.
I just got home from Honduras last night. Wow, what an experience! In the context of the type of trip I was on, the photography opportunity was very restrictive, but I still think I got some compelling images!
I look forward to seeing some Erik
This is great Erik - all the lessons about gear and stuff are good, but ultimately it comes down to the stuff you write about at the end that really matters.
Haha! Yeah, I realized that as I got down to the bottom of the more straightforward stuff. It felt like I was getting long winded about some smaller points and needed something more substantive. Glad you liked it!
Greetings from Stateside, and hello to you in Honduras! I hope you're having a blast. I definitely did, reading this summary, and reliving your trip with you. My nerdy side was geeking out over your pack weight breakdowns and all those "boring logistics" things.
I can't find it right now, but there was a YouTube video I watched recently where a guy was reviewing a nifty gadget (a tube-like straw, similar to the straw you would use to drink from a water bladder) that attaches to his water bottles (that are nestled in his pack side pockets) and he can drink out of it on the go. This eliminates the need to buy and use a water bladder (which can sometimes sprout leaks) and it eliminates the problem you were describing, which is the "I can't reach my damn water bottles and now I'm dehydrated!" I can try harder to track that video down if you're interested.
Also...you didn't eat lunch? Damn, I admire the grit. I ate protein bars for breakfast, but lunch was my first "proper" and large meal of the day. Trail mix was a go-to! I never got sick of that. Plenty of my friends did though. But Knorr sides.....that's a different story!
Anyway.....on the "What did I LEARN from the trail" section....that, my friend, reads like poetry. And now I need to figure out how to quote sections of a Substack post so I can re-post them in my notes.. "These are the mysteries the mountains whisper to you when you ask for answers from a rainbow.".... SHIVERS!!!! So happy for you! And hope to read more about your long-distance backpacking adventures!! (I'll keep on nudging (nagging) about a long AT hike...!) Excited to hit the Foothills Trail in November!
Hey, I just got home last night! My phone was in airplane mode the whole time I was in Honduras to avoid international charges, so I'm just getting caught up.
That idea of a tube to the water bottles is really interesting. It seems easy to rig up, if I can't find one to buy. I stopped using bladders a long time ago, not only for leaks but because they are so hard to get in and out of the pack when its loaded!
For lunch, there were points in the middle of the day when I took a little longer break and that's when I'd eat my protein bars and some extra trail mix, but I didn't spend the time to fix a dedicated meal. I also wasn't really that hungry. Probably a combo of the activity/heat/dehydration. I have to look for these Knorr sides. I've read about them in several places now!
Poetry! Wow, thanks! Towards the end I felt like I was getting a bit long winded over some fine points and wanted to change it up. So glad you liked it!
That's excellent that your plans for the FT are coming together! November should be a fantastic time to go! I'd LOVE to do the AT, but the big hurdle is the logistics of not working for that long. I am looking at the Bartram Trail next. It starts right next to the western end of the Foothills Trail and goes just over 100 miles north into North Carolina. Would have to do a re-supply in Franklin, NC. My hope would be to do it in the late fall, but might not be able to until early spring.
Good luck with your millions of notifications 🤣 I salute you!
That's interesting, I remember reading in your piece here that lack of hunger was a sign of dehydration. That's funny because I find that sometimes when I'm super hungry, I just chug some water and turns out, I was only hungry because I actually was thirsty! But that doesn't seem to describe your experience. Bodies sure are fascinating.
*shudder* Ah Knorr sides....keep an eye out next time you go into your local grocery store. They're probably by the soups or packaged mashed potatoes. They're super cheap (cheaper than the backpacking dehydrated meals), lightweight, and decently filling...usually it's rice and stuff. The flavors are really strong though, so dear God did I get sick of them near the end..🤮🤣🥲
And yes, poetry. 🙃 that's all I'll say there.
Dang the Bartram Trail sounds cool!! And it's longer than the FT too! Sucks about the job situation and not being able to hit the AT, though. Perhaps someday you'll get the opportunity!