[pct-l] Ten Essentials

[abiegen at cox.net]

1. Air - I find that I need air no mater what the environment - desert, forest, high Sierra. I also find that it lightens things up - as my water bottle gets more air in it, it is easier to carry.
2. Water - Gotta drink at least some almost every day.
3. Clothes - If you've ever hiked on the annual Hike Naked day (Jun 21st), you know just how absolutely essential clothes are.
4. Ibuprofen - Vitamin I, don't leave home without it.
5. The Spot - for when you get tired or bored of hiking. You can create a lot of excitement and draw attention to yourself very easily and quickly.
6. A hockey stick or a cut off paddle or some other really funny, useless thing that you already carried on some other long trail to the amusement of your fellow hikers.
7. A credit card. Piper will tell you that I have threatened to hike the AT with just a credit card - and items 1 through 4, of course.
8. Snickers - bring tons of these so you can trade them for real food.
9. Corn pasta - you don't have to eat it, just carry some so people will know that you are a real Jardini-ultra-light type of guy/gal.
10. Sunglasses - hey you will be hiking in California on the PCT so you gotta be cool.

TrailHacker
"When my body is naked, I can't think"