Introducing the Adventure

Welcome to the first post of Negative Pack Weight, a blog that will chronicle my preparations for a hike along the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota during early Summer 2014. Most of those preparations will focus on preparing my gear and preparing my body. My goal before I leave is to lose more weight that what I'll normally be carrying on the trail--hence the "Negative Pack Weight." Now, I lovelovelove researching gear, trying out gear, making gear, modifying gear, and all that gear stuff. I also really like good food and good beer, but my job mostly requires me to sit on my butt in front of a computer. Those factors coupled with a good dose of laziness after I get home from work mean that I have some weight to lose. It's more fun to sit in front of the computer and get sucked into online discussions on the minutia of gear, but I need to get my butt moving more, too.

Photo by Greg Seitz. Photo editing by BlueCanoe

This will be my first big backpacking trip, but not my first big physical adventure. In 2006, I rode Adventure Cycling's TransAmerica route from Virginia to Oregon, camping out and generally having a grand old time (except for the sore butt, spider bites, hail storms, forest fires, etc.--all part of a good adventure). Stories of that trip can be found here: http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/circumtrektion

A couple of other long-distance bike trips followed, though none as grand as the first, but I'm ready for something different now, so I'm making the move from bike-packing to backpacking.