Vacationitis

def'n: vacationitis: "It is a fairly normal condition which is a result of ones immanent departure from "town" and headed to somewhere else. It can happen whether one is leaving for the weekend or for a week or longer. It can happen whether you are going across town to stay in a hotel or out of state for a much longer vacation."

Let me tell you, when you are about to head on a more epic vacation than normal, it's even worse. I think I've memorized my itinerary, have Google Earth'ed Kilimanjaro more than once this week, and have just checked the weather in Tanzania.

*SIGH*

Anyways, 8 more days.

Hmmm...I notice that there isn't a Wikipedia or Wiktionary entry for vacationitis. I think I may need to make one up.

Critical Test Succesful

No this has nothing to do with finding out whether my blood has enough oxygen carrying capacity for high altitudes or anything.

Instead, I test packed my duffel bag today. Important findings:

1) It is really full of stuff. Funny how packing clothes for a 2 week trip and multiple climates will do that. Mostly it's a reminder that I was way too cheap almost 10 years ago and should have bought a down sleeping bag instead of the way-too-bulky synthetic.

2) I have a surprisingly comprehensive collection of outdoor gear and clothing. Well, mostly clothing.... not a camp stove to be found, but then again, I'm not cooking on this trip.

3) It all fits! All my stuff for the hike actually does fit in the duffel, including all costs, clothes, sleeping bag/pad, etc.

4) It's a little heavy: my not completely accurate assessment of weight of bag + contents clocks in at 34 pounds, slightly over the 30 pounds per porter limit. Not sure if this means I'm paying extra, or whether I'll be pulling my sleeping bag out on the mountain.

5) It barely all fits; as in my trekking poles, daypack, hiking boots do NOT fit (or at least wouldn't easily). This means I'm good for the hike, but not for air travel. I sort of expected this, but it means I'm definitely bringing a second piece of checked baggage so I can get all that stuff in this one, and have a small piece to use and keep in town.

Anyways, good stuff to know. Now I just have a few other things to get (sunscreen, snacks, etc) and I'm ready (gear-wise) to go in less than three weeks!

General Update

I haven't kept this up very well, but here's a basic update:

Point One, Uno, the Key:

I leave in 6 weeks. Tomorrow. Scary.

Woo!

But seriously, mega-prep still to be done. I've bought most of my stuff... a few small things still hanging out. I'm working out regularly. I still want to get more in shape, and little lighter. I need to do a few more hikes, although I'm reasonably confident in my boots, and like my pack.

Also a major point: The trip is now paid for. Yay!

So, all in all, not bad, just lots of double checking, and continued focus on fitness and final prep. But still mainly daunting that it's ONLY 6 weeks away!

New Daypack

During my recent return to home (Calgary, woot!) went with the fam to MEC to pick up some gear... always tough shopping for this stuff in Memphis, which is not exactly an outdoor pursuits hotspot.

Anyways, long story short, my new daypack (the MEC Gladerunner) is apparently a "freeride daypack" so now I can hike my snowboard up mountains in the winter. All I know is that it does what I want, is the right size, and fit really well.

New Hiking Boots

Vasque - Zephyr GTX

Finally got around to buying new hiking boots last weekend... much more serious than the current cross-trainer-ish type hikers than I've been wearing the past couple years.

These also replace my way-old non-waterproof heavier-than-heck all-leather boots that I basically never wore.

And yes, I need to break them in - although I did go for a light 3.5 hour hike the day after I bought them and had no problems, hotspots, blisters or anything, so the time spent in the shop trying them on and entertaining/scaring the other customers apparently paid off.

One of those "why I'm going" pictures

This is from a blog by some Brits from Yorkshire of their climb back in January.



Appropriately labeled "The view from our tent".

Heck yes! And that's at Karanga Velly camp, around 12,000 feet in altitude, day 4 of the same route (at the beginning at least) I'm taking.

Drat.

It's important to note that opportunities for really cool experiences like this don't come without sacrifices. In this case, there's lots of supposed sacrifices (training, planning time, etc.) that are actually worthwhile things in themselves. And obviously there's the cost (major coin).

However, there are actual sacrifices involved... the sort of thing that Warren Buffett crossed with any economist could call "the opportunity cost for psychic satisfaction".

In this case, my trip dates eliminate the possibility of doing two really great things: First, some of my favourite people here are spending the Labour Day weekend in a beach house. Without me. Major suckage, as my high school self would have put it. Secondly, the Austin City Limits Music Fest is the final weekend of the trip... meaning of course, that I will not be seeing Bob Dylan, Joss Stone, the White Stripes, Killers, Arctic Monkeys, Block Party, Bjork, etc, etc, bloody etcetera at this time.

Bleh.

Ah well, it'll be worth it, surely.