Wednesday, 24 March 2010

Planning- About 1 month til starting the PCT

So right now, at 1 month and counting down until my start date, I have about a million things I'm trying to figure out. So far, I've gotten a new camera (Olympus Stylus Tough 8000), a new long-sleeve light weight shirt to protect me from the desert sun, a one-way plane ticket to San Diego, a place to stay in SD (with some friends), a new backpack, I'm getting loaned a bear canister for the Sierras (thanks again for doing that program, Jim!), my thru-hiker permit, my passage into Canada permit, about a months worth of dehydrated meals.
I haven't yet gotten new poles (mine come apart at the wrong place), shoes for the trek, a sleeping bag(though I think it's on the way), a more complete resupply plan, a way to get to the trailhead at the mexico border (though I do have some leads on that), a puffy jacket (they're lighter and more stuff-able than fleece), and you can never have enough dehydrated meals!

It may look as though I have a lot done, but I am trying to get everything ready before I head into Denver on April 4th to begin a 14-day sleep study that I've qualified for. This study keeps me in a room for 14 days, feeds me, and lets me have 5 or 8 hours of sleep. They are studying the relationship between sleep deprivation and obesity/diabetes. They are also paying me $2500- this is obviously the main reason for me to do this sleep study- money for the trail!

I've already put my two-weeks notice in at the place I'm working now, so I'll be done with that March 31st, just in time to celebrate my sister's birthday! Now all I have to do in these next couple of weeks is try to not forget the small stuff- first aid stuff, socks, water purification, guidebooks, camera card/extra battery/wire, figuring out resupply points,etc. Oh, yea- does anyone have book/movie suggestions for me to check out for my sleep study?