Aside from my spiritual preparation for the World Race, I’m also making a huge fashion and function preparation. Also known as the material items I need to bring. Gear. The big G. The thing everyone on my squad is talking about. What to bring? What brands offer the most quality and bang for your buck? I’ve spent a LOT of time searching the web, on gear forums, talking with my fellow squad-mates, looking at what other current racers have chosen and how it’s working for them on the route. I’ve gone in-person and *think* I’ve found my mate. Gregory.
I’m a fashion junkie. I’m picky about what I wear. It weighs heavily on my mind before I give a tour at a museum, before I go to seminars, or really just anywhere. So you can imagine I’m of course being challenged to think outside the box. I must say, I really like the brands and women I’ve been talking to that are incredibly outdoor savvy. I love the outdoors as much as the next person. I love sunsets, green and lush landscape, snowshoeing, anything on the lake since I’m from the Mitten. But lets be real, I have never lived in a tent, I have never carried all my survival possessions in a backpack, I have never gone without a mirror. Am I in for a rude awakening? Yes! Am I aware of it? Yes! I’m trying incredibly hard to read and immerse myself in the outdoor and backpacking lifestyle as much as I can before September hits. I’m confident that I can rock boho chic clothes while on the race (that’s my fashion choice for the race… it offers the most function/fashion that I need for this type of setting).
This summer outside of training camp I’m really excited to venture to a place in Michigan called the Manitou Islands. They are secluded islands that once dropped off, you can’t get off them until two days later. So I’ll get a bit of a taste of going without comforts and mosquito infested areas. I’m really excited for it. I’m going to embrace this chapter of my life like no other. If that means leaving my Louis at home, great. If that means I’m going to strap on a Gregory Deva 85 while traveling to serve the Lord, fired up! If I’m leaving my Mr. Jimmy Choos at home and trekking in my keens, a-mah-zing!
In all seriousness I’m glad I’m leaving my comforts out of my pack. I’m glad the hair straightener *may* get left behind. Perhaps I’ll fall in love with this fashion change and keep it for good. All I know at this point is packing doesn’t have to be a headache. God will provide, nobody is going to remember what my clothes look like. I want people to remember how I make them feel not if my hair was frizzy and my clothes hadn’t been washed in days.
Embracing my new “style”.
