A lazy day leads to a catchup post.

Yesterday, In my excitement at discovering the second espresso machine since Springer Mtn., I drank too many coffees and couldn't sleep last night.

In light of this, I took another zero-day, and you guys get a catch-up post.

(Sorry the links in this post aren't clickable, either the Blogger app for Android doesn't support it or I have to go back and take remedial blogging.)

First off, here's a GPS track of a hard day's hike. The track cuts off when I reached the road and I needed the last iota of phone charge to find the hostel, so it's a couple of miles short of the day's total. The terrain is fairly typical for the trail in that area. (This is the day, ending at Davenport gap, that I mentioned a couple of posts ago.)

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=202603287991080756649.0004a1e56af3adab655c4

A couple of you have asked for some detail on my gear, as of Gattlinberg, this is the contents of my pack.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2tAkuKaJyT_iVax2QcDGOw

The bundles are, from top left, in rows:

-Hiking Poles.
-Pack towel.
-Bag containing rope.
-Tent, Squall 2 Tarptent.
-Rain Jacket, by Go lite. (An upgrade, lighter than the one I left NY with)
-Sleeping bag. Marmot Plasma. (Great bag, rated to -9C, will probably be swapped out for something lighter in a month or so.)
-Washbag, Ziploc replacing the actual wasbag I left NY with. Saving oz's!
-Valuables Ziploc : kindle, passport, spare glasses, wallet.
-Sleeping pad, Neoair. Great, very comfortable.
-Foodbag, waterproof for hanging from bears. (My stove and pot, since sent home, were inside it at the time.)
-Headlamp.
-Bandanas.
-Clothing. (2 T-shirts, 2 shorts, winter running top and leggings, hoodie, 3 pairs of socks. Winter gear will be exited in a week or so.)
-Backpack, 65L.
-Water bladders, the blue/grey thing is an inline water filter.
-Alcohol bottle. Fuel for stove, since removed.

That photo is about 10 days old. I'd just dropped my fleece, switched to a lighter water bottle and raincoat. Since then I've got rid of my cooking gear, going all cold food, and swapped my 'night socks', that lived at the bottom of my sleeping bag, for a silk sleeping bag liner to stop the bag getting too dirty.

Loaded with 4-5 days food this comes to a 25-30lb, which is pretty good.

In the last few years I've gone from a small two-bed apartment in Dublin, to a smaller apartment in Brazil, to a smaller hotel room in Brazil, to a smaller still apartment in NY, to the contents of a 65L pack.

At current trends, in 18 months, I'll be walking the earth in a single silk sarong.

Something I've not talked much about is the social aspect of the trail. While it's far from crowded, you could be the only person for a mile or two in any direction, everyone is using the same shelters and campsites. There are people from many walks of life, all ages (I've met people from 15 to 80), there's a great feeling of being in it together. You make friends with people traveling in the same bubble as you down the trail, you ask after them, you read their entries in the shelter journals to see how far ahead they are, and you write messages to be found.

I was expecting to be more lonely. And while anyone who doesn't think I miss my many homes is nuts, the separation is lessened by the comradery of the trail.

OK that bit was supposed to be a jolly paragraph explaining trailnames!

Everyone on the trail gets a trailname, usually it's something about you, easy to remember and unique. I don't know what started it, but for me it has two big functions; a conversation starter, and it ensures you're talking about the right 'John' when you ask after someone.

Some examples are: Goldilocks, Kiddo, Tidewalker, Bam, Firestarter, Cargo.

I'm Alien, 'cos I'm not from around here.

That's about it for stuff i wanted to share that wouln't fit in my usual posts. Thanks to everyone who's reading along and commenting. The support's been fantastic and you all make it that much more likely I finish this thing!

Talk soon.
T.