Final gear list

(I am blogging from my phone, and so couldn't format the pictures into the post in the way I wanted. Was hoping to post a picture, describe it, post the next, repeat. We will see how this goes.)

So, final gear list at the start of the trail. (Disclaimer: gear list is subject to change without warning and will morph over time. Gear list at end of trail may not resemble starting gear list at all.)

Final pack weight: 23 lbs

Pack: REI Flash 65

Clothing and insulation:

Misc other gear:

Towel: REI Pack towel

Trowel: Deuce of Spades

TP

Emergency blanket

Lexan spoon

Compass: Suunto A10

Water filter: Sawyer Mini

Headlight: Black Diamond Storm

Blister Protection: Body Glide Foot Glide

Backup water purification: Potable Aqua

Hygiene: toothbrush, toothpaste, floss (doubles as repair thread)

Food system:

Bear protection/food bag: Urack All-White

Stove: Snow Peak Gigapower

Pot: Snow Peak Trek 900

Mug: Snow Peak titanium mug

Generic rope to hang food

Sleep system
Tent: MSR Mutha Hubba NX
Sleep pad: Sea to Summit ultralight insulated 
Pillow: Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight 
Sleeping Bag: REI Igneo 17
Custom tyvek bag cover (to prevent tears due to dog nails)

Protection from the Elements:

Rain Jacket: Marmot Super Mica

Pack Cover: REI Duck's Back 60

Sun hat: Outdoor Research Transit Sun Hat

Rsin Kilt: ULA rain kilt

In San Diego

So, I just realized I have not posted in almost a month. It has been crazy busy. We have been running around packing up our places, getting food that is going to be shipped all prepped, and figuring out where to ship said food, all while still having to take care of normal life.

We are currently in San Diego. An awesome trail angel named Bob came and picked us up from the airport. He is letting us stay at his house tonight and tomorrow, and will take us to the trailhead at 5:30 Thursday morning.

We are not the only hikers here. There are two Israelis, 3 Aussies, a Canadian, and a New Yorker. It is cozy, to say the least.

Tomorrow we run around and pick up some final things we either have forgotten (pack cover for AJ), or couldn't take on the plane (fuel).

Today is my birthday. It is also one month til we hit the trail. Almost everything I own that I don't need for the next month is in a storage unit. All the big items I need for the hike are purchased and either here or on their way. I have alternate and back-up footwear for when they wear out on the trail.  I have a bunch of freeze-dried food ready to be shipped to me to supplement what I can buy in towns on the trail. All my monthly bills are on auto-pay. We have researched available water along the trail and set up a schedule for the desert to make sure we have enough. I have read multiple autobiographies of people who have hiked the trail to learn from their mistakes and try and prepare myself as much as possible.

And I still get anxious thinking about the trail.

I have never done more than a single night backpacking trip. I have never even gone on vacation for more than a couple days at a time. This will be a huge step away from anything I have ever known.

While this causes me anxiety, I also welcome this fact. Stepping away from everything will help me step out of my routine, and hopefully not just go back to that routine when I get back.

Getting my gear finalized

With just over a month til time to start hiking, I'm getting my final gear list ready. I will post a full list once I have everything.

As a preview, here are my "Big 3"

Sleeping bag: REI Igneo 17 (https://www.rei.com/product/111164/rei-co-op-igneo-17-sleeping-bag)
I was waffling between this bag and the Marmot Phase 20. I ended up choosing this one over the Phase due to it having a higher denier shell and being a little less expensive. While it is not quite as light as the Phase and won't pack down quite as well, the Igneo will likely be a little more durable, especially with the dog being along for the trek.

Tent: MSR Mutha Hubba. (https://www.rei.com/product/896095/msr-mutha-hubba-nx-tent)
A compromise between ultralight, and toughness and liveability. This tent is a 3-person, which we decided on in case we need to bring the dog into the tent with us for any reason, which makes it a little heavier. We also wanted something that the floor would be more likely stand up to the dog's nails. Many thru-hikers choose the Big Agnes Fly Creek, since that is one of the lightest true tents on the market (as opposed to a tarp-tent), but not only is that paper-thin, it also has no liveability to it. If one has to spend more time in it than just crawling in and sleeping, its going to be miserable.

Backpack: REI Flash 65. (https://www.rei.com/product/893906/rei-co-op-flash-65-pack)
I had considered dropping down to the Osprey Exos 58, but the Flash both fit better and carried the weight better. Simple as that. The Flash is still on the lighter end of packs in that capacity range, and I have put up to 35 lbs in it for a hike with no issue. I feel good about using it for a long hike where I will probably only have that range of weight for the first day of a very dry section, and usually will be in the 25ish lbs range.

GoFundMe

If anyone feels like donating to the cause, I have a GoFundMe going for my girlfriend and I.

https://www.gofundme.com/my-girlfriend-and-i-hike-the-pct

As it says on the page there, we ARE trying to raise all the money by ourselves, but we are not sure we will quite have enough, so I started the fundraiser. Just throwing it out there.

2 months!!!

I have my official start date for the PCT: April 28th. Life has become crazy. I have to save up enough money to be gone for 5 months, figure out about storing what I don't get rid of before leaving, decide how we're getting to the trail head, and buy a few more items I need for the trail.

I still don't have a sleeping bag. I have been waiting on the Marmot Phase to become available, but if it doesn't soon, I might go with the Marmot Helium. There are other bags out there that are higher on the list of what PCT hikers use, and have incrementally better stats, but with my current money situation, either of the Marmots will be more doable.

I also need to get bear protection for my food, a couple more shirts, shorts, and socks, and other miscellaneous items.

Food update

I've been reading a bunch more about eating while through-hiking. Looks like most people don't even try to eat enough to keep up with the calories they are burning. There's some logic to that, though. 

The more you carry on your back, the more calories you burn. The more calories you eat, the more time you have to spend eating. The more bulk you carry, the bigger your backpack has to be, further increasing the weight on your back. The more weight you carry, the slower you go, further increasing the amount of food you have to carry.

The generally accepted practice is a sort of feast-famine plan: eat just enough to keep you going while on the trail, and gorge yourself while in town to help make up for the deficit. Scott "Bink" Williamson, a perennial through-hiker of the PCT and contributor to "Yogi's PCT Handbook" with 13+ hikes of the PCT alone to his name, as well as being a Triple-Crowner, does this. He averages right around three thousand calories per day on trail, and then stuffs himself when he can.

You're going to lose weight on the trail. Period. You just have to be careful not to lose too much weight. Every year people have to give up on completing the trail because they become too far underweight. Many others realize they are heading for that, and have to take a few days to a week off to regain some bulk and stamina.

There are some tricks to help with this problem.
1.If you're of a slender build generally (like me), try to put on some extra fat weight before heading out. Gives you more to burn.
2. Get in as good of hiking shape as you can be before leaving. The better in shape you are, the more efficient your body is, so the less calories you have to burn.
3. Lighten your load as much as reasonably possible. As I mentioned earlier in this, the lighter your load, the less calories you burn and the faster you're able to go.
4. Make most of the food you carry very dense in nutrients and calories. Malnutrition can be as bad as lack of calories, and the more calories per ounce, the less load you need.