We're back and I have new gear!

We have returned from Ireland, and as soon as I find the data cable for my camera, there will be pictures posted here of our many adventures on the Emerald Isle. This was a trip primarily for learning. Of course, to learn from a culture, you have to immerse yourself. You eat what they eat; you drink what they drink; you speak like they speak. In no time, you'll have fierce craic without banjaxin' the whole lot for bein' feckin Americans. As I said - stay tuned for photos.

Now there is another matter at hand. Now that one trip is out of the way, we have something else to worry about - getting ready for this long trip we've been talking about: the very reason for this blog. [Fun fact: In Ireland, hiking is known as "hill walking." Hill walking lacks a certain je ne sais quoi]. So I went gear shopping on Monday in Northampton to buy some footwear. I have always hiked in trail runners because I like my feet to be light and able to breathe well primarily. A lot of people told me that this was ridiculous, and that I would need something more durable for our journey. Upon consulting with the salesperson, he said I should do what feels right to me - simple enough advice, I guess. He has the AT and the Long Trail under his belt and makes frequent treks to the summits of the mountains in the Presidential Range. In a compromise, I selected the child that resulted from the mating of the hiking boot and trail runner. Hannah, being able to see into the future already posted a picture of the exact footwear I would buy. She's that amazing. Yes, I went with the Montrail Hardrock Mids.

As I was walking around the store, trying my new footwear, I stumbled across the trekking poles pictured to the left. They are not the ones I had my eye on, but I liked they way they looked and how they felt, so they came home with me. They are the Black Diamond Trail Shock Compacts. They are lightweight, and Black Diamond promises that they are strong. Being compact, they are not as long as their full-size sibling. They only extend to 125cm. It seems that my perfect length is about 120cm, so I just cannot get any taller...

Also in the footwear category, I received these Black Diamond Wildland firefighting boots today. I did not know that Black Diamond was in the firefighting market. I am pretty excited to use these. I always endorse products that will keep parts of me from catching on fire. Today is the official start of the burning season, and, inevitably, the start of brush fire season. I love fighting brush fires - it's like paid hiking. The trucks only go so far so you don your 50lb pack of water, grab and ax, shovel, or rake, and then trek into the woods to fight a line of fire often several acres in size, empty your pack, and return to the truck, repeating until the fire is out - usually for several hours or maybe days. Blah, blah, blah...I like fire...whatever...now getting back on topic: actual hiking.

I got an idea to get these sandals as they came up on http://www.steepandcheap.com. This website is perfect for the impulse buyer: one deal at a time up for 20-30 minutes, or until they're gone. Sometimes things are too hard to resist. I don't really ever wear sandals, but apparently, there are a lot of people who will even wear them hiking. That got me thinking (and the steepandcheap clock was ticking - imagine the pressure) - since we will inevitably be hiking on some rainy days, I just imagined the feeling of soggy boots on my feet, so sandals just seemed like a pair of little miracles. The Keen Maupin sandals will emerge from the pack when the weather is wet keeping the boots dry in my pack (if all goes planned). It should be nice and warm, and I want the rain to feel as refreshing as possible, and trench foot is SO World War I. Oh, and speaking of packs...

This summer, all my gear will be carried inside the Gregory Baltoro 70, which weighs in at 5.14lbs and has 4600 cubic inches of storage space. The manufacturer says that one can comfortably carry 60lbs on his back with this pack. I'd rather take their word on that one. There are a lot of positive customer reviews floating around the internet about this bag. Many even venture to say that it is the perfect pack. It even became the Editors' Choice of Backpackers magazine in 2008. It has to be good! When are editors ever wrong? Of course, I own their 2006 choice as well, and I'm not a fan. Certainly, I will have some strong opinions of this bag before long.

There is more, no doubt. In the future, you can look forward to such topics as:
-Freeze dried food from NASA. It's out of this world.
-Space age underwear. Is AJ too cool?
-All firefighters are pyros at heart. The emergency guide to starting a fire anytime, anywhere.


Until next time, take care, and happy hiking.