[pct-l] singing the ultralight blues

[dnielsen at djmurphycompany.com]

Does this mean that I can bring my change of underware that I had in the
gear list before. God I hope so.


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Tow, Doug
Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2011 6:05 PM
To: PCT L
Subject: [pct-l] singing the ultralight blues

Some gentle humor about my betters:
 
Though not having personally met the dedicated ultralighters on this
forum, I have formed a pretty good picture.  They are experienced,
strong, skilled, fit, nutritionally correct, walk tons and tons, and
possess startling good looks.  Am I right so far?
 
They have the new NASA titanium 3 mil-walled 750 ml cup (58 grams,
$117.95), and use it as a bowl, cooking vessel, bathtub, pillow, hat,
latrine, signalling mirror, chair, varmint trap, and map case.
 
Now, let's assess them further.  Possessing legs of iron, they
nevertheless consider it a threat to personal happiness, welfare and
odds of success if their pack weight is over, say, 9.3376 pounds.
Despite hiking 2,600 of the world's most beautiful miles, they can't
stop thinking (sorry, I can't spell obbsesing) about how to take another
pound off next year.  How, by going lighter, they can go from 32 to 33
miles per day, cutting their total trip by...less than 20 hours hiking
time.
 
"I go light so that I won't have to think about my pack."  You are
kidding, right?  If I said that there's a new Photon that's 2 grams
lighter than last year's model, you're already on the web looking for
it, aren't you?
 
I'm 56, a big fellow, 6' 5" and over 200 pounds.  My pack base weight is
20 pounds.  I know the pack is there, but that's it, even when I am
chock full of water and food.  If I carried a two-pound pack, I would
still weigh more than you fully loaded.  I have tried lightweight shoes,
and I put my boots back on in relief-filled gratitude, swinging out the
miles.  My back is fine, my feet are fine, and my knees are fine.  Yours
might be too if you were carrying a few more pounds.
 
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.....
 
Doug
 
 
 
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