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Aug. 8th, 2012 10:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lupagreenwolfOi. Summer's been so damned busy, I barely even have time to write any more! July was especially so, between various early-month vending events, and the fashion show (and having an entire box of my art and books stolen during offloading and how THAT screwed up my schedule), and then FaerieWorlds which is pretty much my biggest event of the year. So far August has been "let's play catch-up" month, and things don't look to be slowing down until at least September. I have no idea when I'll be on LJ/DW more regularly again, but I wanted to at least touch base. A few highlights:
--Art. It eats my life. Etsy has all the new goodies, and you can see photos from the fashion show here.
--Last week I did my first solo backpacking trip ever, on Mt. Chinedere southwest of Hood River. It's a relatively easy hike, two miles to the peak, not that much climb, and one I've done before--I did my first backpacking trip ever two years ago withbaxil there. It was a pretty incredibly experience; I chose Wednesday into Thursday partly for the full moon, and partly because there was hardly anyone there (though the peak has cell phone service, and I had two hiking poles and a knife just in case, even though I had the entire peak to myself the whole time).
I'm pretty proud of myself for it, too. I set up my ultralight tent for the first time, and managed even without tent stakes (rocks work, too). I used the little alcohol burner to boil water for food (same thing as two years ago--instant potatoes with a can of chicken mixed in for protein!). I got to enjoy a sunset and moonrise at the same time, and did a little nature reading and writing. I got to see the full moon shining over Mt. Hood again, and I woke up to this amazing sight (Hood in the foreground, and Mt. Jefferson further back and to the right).
And I did it all carrying a pack that weighed about a third of what I do. I do need to find a better way to carry water; my torso is too skinny to strap a Camelbak on backwards, and I can't wear a hip pack and my backpack at the same time. I ended up running the strap of the hip pack through the shoulder straps of the backpack, but that wasn't a satisfactory solution for the long term. I have an external frame vintage Kelty pack, so it's not as modular as some newer ones. Suggestions?
--I came out of the crazy closet today. Some of you have known about this for years, but I finally felt it was time to be more open about it in general. So you can read what I had to say over yonder :)
Alright, that's it for now. I miss long-form journaling, and I will be back more in the fall. Just need to keep slogging through the summer busy-ness!
--Art. It eats my life. Etsy has all the new goodies, and you can see photos from the fashion show here.
--Last week I did my first solo backpacking trip ever, on Mt. Chinedere southwest of Hood River. It's a relatively easy hike, two miles to the peak, not that much climb, and one I've done before--I did my first backpacking trip ever two years ago with
baxil there. It was a pretty incredibly experience; I chose Wednesday into Thursday partly for the full moon, and partly because there was hardly anyone there (though the peak has cell phone service, and I had two hiking poles and a knife just in case, even though I had the entire peak to myself the whole time). I'm pretty proud of myself for it, too. I set up my ultralight tent for the first time, and managed even without tent stakes (rocks work, too). I used the little alcohol burner to boil water for food (same thing as two years ago--instant potatoes with a can of chicken mixed in for protein!). I got to enjoy a sunset and moonrise at the same time, and did a little nature reading and writing. I got to see the full moon shining over Mt. Hood again, and I woke up to this amazing sight (Hood in the foreground, and Mt. Jefferson further back and to the right).
And I did it all carrying a pack that weighed about a third of what I do. I do need to find a better way to carry water; my torso is too skinny to strap a Camelbak on backwards, and I can't wear a hip pack and my backpack at the same time. I ended up running the strap of the hip pack through the shoulder straps of the backpack, but that wasn't a satisfactory solution for the long term. I have an external frame vintage Kelty pack, so it's not as modular as some newer ones. Suggestions?
--I came out of the crazy closet today. Some of you have known about this for years, but I finally felt it was time to be more open about it in general. So you can read what I had to say over yonder :)
Alright, that's it for now. I miss long-form journaling, and I will be back more in the fall. Just need to keep slogging through the summer busy-ness!
no subject
on 2012-08-08 08:13 pm (UTC)Kelty high five! I have an old external-frame Kelty too, and love it to bits. I have found that a canteen with clips that are compatible with my cross-bars is one of the best ways to haul water; I'll carry a smaller bottle either in my hand or in a vest pocket (my vest has big pockets) and refill as necessary. I've clipped two half-gallon canteens conveniently and three at a stretch to my pack, but I generally also carry iodine if I'm going to be out long enough to need the frame pack in the first place, allowing me to refill whenever I'm fortunate enough to have a stream nearby. Given most of my trails parallel rivers, that makes it easy, even in the high desert I inhabit.
I don't know if iodine or similar water-purifying goodies are an option for you, but I don't actually carry more than about a gallon of water at a time.
no subject
on 2012-08-09 03:59 pm (UTC)