Things are serious now. We have a PCT gear spreadsheet.

From all the things we’ve been reading, it seems like one of the biggest things you can do to help your success in any long distance hike is to manage your pack weight. This means ultra light gear. On the spread sheet, Andy has our base pack weight at a little less than 10 lbs. each and the cost off all the new gear at a great reduction, thanks to internet competition.

We’ve been walking with and without packs 8 to 15 miles most days and discovering the comfort of “vitamin i”.

Tomorrow, we’re hiking to Oklahoma City from where we are in Norman. It’s about 22 miles. We’re staying with a couchsurfer. I was thinking that the day after, we would hike from Trina and her husband’s house to the Oklahoma City National Memorial. In a perfect training scenario, we’d walk the 22 miles back the day after that, but I somehow think it might not happen.

This next paragraph is about granola. Just warning you, in case you want to skip it. I was looking for a granola recipe that I could make and bring hiking since oats don’t agree with me or Andy. I did some quinoa flake granola experimentation with Ana the expert granola maker. Results: quinoa granola…amazing! Granola is extremely easy to make and insanely good. And now you know, if your oat intolerant, substitute quinoa flakes. And, if you are oat tolerant, make yourself some granola. You’ll never go back to store bought again.