I have that little frisson of excitement you can get when anticipating something enjoyable. We leave for Georgia tomorrow - making it time to get serious about packing. I have been keeping a little pile of to-be-packed items sitting on the floor in the bedroom. But, now it's time to make sure I've got everything.
Chuck and I have spent the afternoon/early evening seeing if we can fit everything into our packs - it's a tight fit if we bring the more heavy duty tent but no problem if we bring just a tarp to sleep under. One will be warm, one will certainly not be. For now, we'll bring them both and decide when we get to Georgia.
After we packed it all up, we pulled it all back out again and then packed suitcases with the things that were either heavy or that they are unlikely to let us carry onto the plane. Surprisingly (or maybe not) it didn't take very long to pack. But, then again, I realize that when you have to carry everything you need on your back, you can't really over pack.
Packing in general has never been my strong suit. I worry too much about not being prepared for weather extremes. I always end up with things in my suitcase that are never used. And then there is ALWAYS one thing I really need that I forget - phone charger, toothpaste, migraine medicine... Every single time. Most of the time I figure out what it is on the way to the airport, but that's a little too late.
Fortunately, for these hikes, I can keep it simple - two sets of clothes (the set that will get wet and the set that I will wear in the tent when the wet set is truly wet), bedding, hiking poles, toiletries, and food. At least that's most of it... And we have a couple of days in Cumming to pick up any last minute items.
We are both excited for the trip, but we each have our own little pre-trip stresses. My stressor is work. It always seems that right before you leave on vacation, the work piles up faster and higher than it ever does when you aren't going anywhere. I had so many things I really needed to complete before I left, but I've been having quite a run of bad luck and last minute requests at work lately. I feel as though the pile is higher than it was when I started today. I contemplate bringing my laptop with me to Georgia, but I really don't want to - a break from work is what I need. Finally, I decide I will either work late tonight or get up very early tomorrow (more than likely I'll do both) to get as much done as I can, and the rest will simply have to figure itself out.
Chuck's stress is about making sure everything is taken care of before he leaves civilization behind for six months. Bills, instructions, cancellations... It's a lot to think about. But, ultimately, I can help with anything that needs to be done while he's gone. Ultimately, the stress is all worth it. I'm so happy he gets to do something he enjoys so much, and I'm happy I get to experience just a little of it with him.
Now to try to sleep before the journey begins!!!!
Chuck and I have spent the afternoon/early evening seeing if we can fit everything into our packs - it's a tight fit if we bring the more heavy duty tent but no problem if we bring just a tarp to sleep under. One will be warm, one will certainly not be. For now, we'll bring them both and decide when we get to Georgia.
After we packed it all up, we pulled it all back out again and then packed suitcases with the things that were either heavy or that they are unlikely to let us carry onto the plane. Surprisingly (or maybe not) it didn't take very long to pack. But, then again, I realize that when you have to carry everything you need on your back, you can't really over pack.
Packing in general has never been my strong suit. I worry too much about not being prepared for weather extremes. I always end up with things in my suitcase that are never used. And then there is ALWAYS one thing I really need that I forget - phone charger, toothpaste, migraine medicine... Every single time. Most of the time I figure out what it is on the way to the airport, but that's a little too late.
Fortunately, for these hikes, I can keep it simple - two sets of clothes (the set that will get wet and the set that I will wear in the tent when the wet set is truly wet), bedding, hiking poles, toiletries, and food. At least that's most of it... And we have a couple of days in Cumming to pick up any last minute items.
We are both excited for the trip, but we each have our own little pre-trip stresses. My stressor is work. It always seems that right before you leave on vacation, the work piles up faster and higher than it ever does when you aren't going anywhere. I had so many things I really needed to complete before I left, but I've been having quite a run of bad luck and last minute requests at work lately. I feel as though the pile is higher than it was when I started today. I contemplate bringing my laptop with me to Georgia, but I really don't want to - a break from work is what I need. Finally, I decide I will either work late tonight or get up very early tomorrow (more than likely I'll do both) to get as much done as I can, and the rest will simply have to figure itself out.
Chuck's stress is about making sure everything is taken care of before he leaves civilization behind for six months. Bills, instructions, cancellations... It's a lot to think about. But, ultimately, I can help with anything that needs to be done while he's gone. Ultimately, the stress is all worth it. I'm so happy he gets to do something he enjoys so much, and I'm happy I get to experience just a little of it with him.
Now to try to sleep before the journey begins!!!!
It was nice to meet you and Chuck today at Unicoi Gap. I have enjoyed both of your writings'. Good Luck with your adventure, and enjoy your time on the trail. I can totally relate to the work issue. I will be using vacation time for a section hike also.
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Thank you so much Crystal! You are a lovely trail angel, and it made our day to meet you!
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