Or anyway, how we do it... a step-by-step guide.
(This is my Manic Monday post.)
1. Spend all winter looking at catalogs (and e-bay and web sites) of new equipment that you can't afford and aren't going to buy anyway because the stuff you have is perfectly adequate.
2. Have a lot of conversations with your partner(s) in crime about what went right last year and what went wrong and how things are going to be different this year.
3. Make a work-out schedule to get in shape for the trip. Explain it to the dog, because she has to get in shape too and she actually likes that part.
4. Check to see if you washed the sleeping bags after the last trip... realize that you didn't and that the partner would be angry about this so arrange to take them to the laundromat without mentioning the fact to anybody... except the dog. She's okay with it.
5. Actually go for a walk with the dog. Notice that the trees are looking like they might eventually have leaves again.
6. Vow to bring enough oatmeal and do the complicated math involved. Here's the equation. Days Out X People On The Trip X Two = Number of oatmeal packets needed.
7. Think about making pancakes instead.
8. Take the dog for a walk and wear the backpack.
9. Change your mind about pancakes, as they are a lot more work than oatmeal. Redo the math and start thinking about snacks and dinners.
10. Have an argument with partner about who has the tent and stove and where it might be stored.
11. Take a walk with dog and wear the backpack with added weight.
12. Decide to make your own granola. Search all afternoon for the recipe and then change your mind. Put trail mix on the grocery list.
13. Things are getting close. Have a long conversation with partner about how prepared you are and how much training you've done.
14. Belatedly realize that partner is in better shape and go for a really long walk with a lot of weight. Come home with a tired dog.
15. Make up menus.
16. Another walk.
17. Make long lists in collusion with partner and have more exciting arguments... er I mean discussions.
18. Go shopping for food.
19. Stay up all night packing, unpacking, repacking and discussing the packing.
20. Get up early... about ten minutes after you went to sleep, drive for hours, and then spend two weeks in the wilderness.
Sounds like fun?
7 comments:
Sounds exactly right!
just about perfect!
have you left already? or is this just "the list"?
Hysterical! But the real weird part is there are echoes in this tale of almost any pre-trip experience!
I've never been much of a camper or hiker. Have a great time!
When's your next trip??
Polly: :)
Katherine: We always go in July. We'd go more often if we could.
Greyscale: I think any trips taken with any group larger than one have the lots of the same kinds of stress involved.
Travis: We always do. It's our favorite thing.
Mags: Some time towards the beginning of July. Jasmine's trip to her father and to see grandparents in Kansas has to coincide so things don't really get firmed up till some time in June.
Hah! That's why I don't really wnat to do that anymore!
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