It’s been a busy week!
Good news! My PCTA permit has been received, printed and laminated for safekeeping. A permit is essential for all PCT hikers (either local permits or one sent by the PCTA). Any hiker can be stopped by a park ranger at any time and if you cannot produce your permit then the fines can be quite steep. The technology on the PCTA website only allows you to print one copy of your permit, so it’s important not to lose it! Allowing only one copy is the PCTA’s way of protecting public lands and national parks. It’s a bit of a lottery as not everyone was awarded a permit. I was one of the lucky ones.
Also printed out my insurance documents, campfire permit and ESTA.
MY LAST TRAINING WEEKEND
My last shakedown hike was completed at the weekend. It involved two nights of camping and two long/challenging day hikes where I could test some new gear.
Learnings – Camping
1. The tiny pump is 100% coming with me. I love it! Not just for pumping up my airbed in record time, but the light is super handy and I used the deflation feature which made packing up the airbed easy.
2. OMM Tent socks. I’m gutted as I have torn one sock down the seam so I am going to go back to my Sundick booties for reliability. These tent socks are light, but not durable. (glad I learned that one now and not when on the trail!).
3. I need to add pepper to my salt and pepper shaker! (It’s all these little things!).
4. My tent doesn’t leak (as previously thought). I’ve learned that it’s all about site selection! I pitched facing the wind, and no dips (for puddles!). The NotchLi held up brilliantly in awful winds and horizontal rain on Saturday. It rained again on Sunday night I was bone dry both nights and slept very well.
5. I’m now confident in packing up inside a one-person tent whilst it’s raining and keeping myself as dry as possible.
Learnings – Walking
1. I tested the new Montane Women’s Tucana Lite Stretch Capri 3/4 Pants (that’s a mouthful!). They are new to the market and not cheap (£70). But, after wearing them for two days, in the cold, wet rain, I will be taking them on the trail. I washed them in the shower at the campsite on Saturday as they were very muddy, and they were fully dry within a few hours of hanging up in a cold car.
2. I need zip lock bags for “rubbish” in my front mesh.
3. I will swap my Anker Powerpack for my Solar powerpack.
4. I feel bad, but my “SHOUT Banner” on the back of my pack will have to go. It’s cumbersome and heavy, plus it limits the mesh on the front of my pack. I need to think of something else. Any ideas are welcome.
5. Gloves! I’ve learned that I will not buy expensive gloves ever again. I’ve lost the right-handed glove that I bought at the expo last week! #NotHappy
Other stuff:
* Thanks to the lovely Sarah B who gave me a little gift to say “good luck”. Very touching, thank you.
* I have trimmed down my bounce box content (will do a video of what I am taking).
* My Skinner Socks are now going with me as looking at the current videos, the river crossings are crazy!
* Alfie ate my microphone windshield and also my cork massage ball (Alfie is a dog, just in case you didn’t know that!). I’ve now ordered replacements.
* Two brand new pairs of Salomon Senseride 4’s have arrived. I will wear one pair and the other will go in my bounce box.
* I have removed over 3000 videos and photos from my phone, but still have a few thousand to go!
* I have downloaded a few books into my Kindle and also a few games that I can use offline. (I have an 11hr flight which is going to be challenging for me!).
* I still need to download some audiobooks and also a selection of Netflix / Amazon Prime films (any suggestions are welcomed).
* I have decided to take my rucksack on the plane with just my expensive stuff such as my tent, sleeping bag, sleep mat etc. All other stuff will go in the hold with an Apple Airtag so I can track everything. I’m sure it will all be fine, but if my pack or tent goes missing then they would be hard to replace, so i’d rather have that with me.
Two weeks to go! Eeeek!
Thanks, as always, for listening to my rambles.
