One of the most confusing things about getting ready for the race for me has been knowing what gear to buy. I have past experience camping, but in Florida there are more car camp sites than backpacking campsites (well at least, that I know of). So the gear I own is mostly for camping out of your car. It’s not made to be light or pack down small. Which are two of the things I have been told I need to pay attention to when buying gear for the race.
I have finally gathered most of my gear:
-Tent- Kelty salada 2
-sleeping bag,- Columbia reactor 35 degree
– sleeping pad- exped synmat 7.5
-travel pillow : thermarest travel pillow small
-travel towel: sea to summit drylite towel xl
-knife ( I know! Crazy I own a knife haha I kind of know how to use it.)- sog trident mini knife
-Chacos(affectionately known as my missionary sandals)
and my Backpack- Kelty Women’s Red Cloud 80 Internal Frame
I have a few other pieces of gear but those were the main pieces of gear I wanted to test out before leaving the country for the year.
I decided what better way to test out my new gear than to go on a camping trip. So my brother, niece and I set out on a camping trip to Blue Springs, FL. This would be the first time my brother and I have been camping together in almost 20 years, and this was also my niece’s first camping adventure (she is 3yrs old). So needless to say I was excited and also unsure of how it was going to turn out.
As I was packing my bag for my 2 night gear test camping adventure, I came to an unhappy realization that my backpack is too small! Ok …my pack isn’t too small, I just want to bring to many things (mostly clothes). You all have probably come to the same question I did, how am I going to pack for a year, when I’m struggling to pack my backpack for a weekend trip? Well just to reassure you, I still have no idea.
How am I going to pack everything in my pack that I think I need for a year?
And then it hits me,
All I need is God.
He is our Great provider.
Philippians 4:19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Really, trusting God to provide for me every step of the way. If I forget to pack something or if there is not room for something in my pack, that’s ok, if I really need it God will provide it for me.
Our Camping trip was full of adventure, and it was a great time to hang out with my brother and niece. I experienced God providing for us when we didn’t have everything we needed. For example not having eating utensils and plates, he provided us with clean cardboard to eat off of and when we ran out of water on a hike and were fully exhausted from carrying my niece I turned to him for strength to get us back to camp, it was truly an adventure.
Also I'm pleased to note that all my gear worked AMAZING, and I'm ready to test it out at training camp on the 18th of May! 🙂
