Three weeks from today on January 1, 2015 the American contingent of my World Race Fusion team will depart the USA! 3 WEEKS…21 DAYS…HOLY BUCKETS!
I have been reading packing lists, watching WR packing guide videos, and reading alumni blogs with packing tips. Since August I have been gathering items and planning. Since arriving in Alabama in September I have been shopping, mostly online, for the few things I was missing. I prefer shopping in person so that I know things fit but I am living in a black hole of camping gear stores. It’s very strange after living in Denver. In October, I wrote out my packing list, here, and today I packed my main pack. I have never been ready for a trip this early before, and it is kinda freaking me out.
Packing for a year seems daunting at first. What made it manageable was first thinking about only packing for a month, and second realizing that shops and laundry mats exist all over the world. Even if we end up in a remote area we will be in cities twice a month for travel. This means I could get over my need to have several different outfits, and I don’t have to pack many toiletries. So what did I pack? This is what will go in my main pack. I will also be taking a day pack with my electronics and entertainment.
On the left is my gear. Sleeping bag in the orange compression sack in back, tent in the neon rectangular bags, random gear in the middle, and a couple of big dumb floppy hats in front. Still need to pick a sleep mat that is why there are two in the photo.
On the right are my clothes and shoes. I’ll be wearing hiking boots and pants and a fleece jacket on the plane. Always wear the bulkiest stuff! For a year I will have three long skirts, one pair each shorts and pants, nine tops, two dresses, four pairs of shoes, and a swim outfit. Oh yeah. I have solved the modest, cute, in my size swimming suit problem! Check it out. What do you think?
I found a cute rash guard on Amazon and will be pairing it with a pair of Dad’s swim trunks. They are huge but they have a draw tie and come to my knees. I think I look good. 🙂
The goal is to spend as little as possible on preparing for the Race. Partly because my funds are limited and partly because we have a lot of gear. Dated gear but it is in good repair and it works.
The two most important decision will be a sleeping mat and a backpack. Mom has two packs she has had since she backpacked and camped in high school. The blue pack is an external frame. The green pack is a Kelty internal frame. Mom thinks I should take the external frame because it has a bigger top pouch and the sleeping bag can attach to the bottom of the frame. I want to take the Kelty because its an internal frame, I think its easier to pack, and its a vintage Kelty.
We just spent three days moving gear from one pack to the other, each pretty strongly debating for our chosen pack. (And I thought I got my opinionated, bull headedness from Dad. Seriously, live with your mother for three months, and you learn you’re just like her.) Anyone who knows my mother will get a kick out of this. I asked her this morning if it would hurt her feelings if I took the Kelty. She replied, “No not at all, but you will be making a mistake.” Haha! Today a decision had to be made so I can buy an airporter, a duffle style bag to put the pack and sleeping bag in to protect them on the airplanes.
Well to make a proper decision I packed each pack, attached the sleeping bag, and then put it on with my day pack on front. This way I could feel the weight and the feel how the pack fits.
I had to wear the boots and bandana to make it real. That’s Fuzzy in front. He was a gift from my brother when I was sixteen and is going to be my piece of home next year. Hey, he doubles as a pillow so he’s functional.
The Kelty was the winner. It was better balanced even though it puts a bit more weight on my back and shoulders. The external frame is too top heavy and at some point next year I would have been a stranded turtle. Been there, done that, don’t care to repeat. To make sure the Kelty would work I walked up to our mailbox with my cats. Wish I had had a camera because the two of them running after me was real cute.
Pretty sure the distance from Fuzzy’s nose to the back of the sleeping bag equals my height. The Race is getting real!
