[at-l] i am leaving <longish with gearlist and mail stuff>

["Wisperlight" <jeanpaul@sysnet.net>]

just in case you did not know I am leaving on the 7th or the 8th to go to
Maine hopefully being there at the 10th (or I will need to skip Baxter and
come back to it YUCK!)  I did not really weigh it that well yet cause I can
not but it seems to be in the 36 to 40 pound range. it is not ultra light by
any means but it is not super heavy either. I could make it lighter if I got
a bivy sack like I always wanted (OR basic bivy with a siltarp), photon
light and used one of my many alcohol stoves, and a lighter smaller pack
they say nature abores a vacum and tries to fill it(mother nature needs to
buy lots of vacum bags i guess might i suggest stock in vacum bag makers)
... well i am not natural casue i alwasy end up witha very un-full pack. if
nothing exists how can it be somethign and if nothgin does not exist why
does it have a name. that keeps me up at night you know.. anyway I might
buy/switch to on the way if it really seems heavy. I am not using mail drops
I am instead trying to resupply at towns along the way. I however have a
list of post offices left with my parents if this plan backfires. I am also
adding a camera to the mix. it will be any where from 0.5 to 2 pound
extra... I have not decided on the camera yet (I own a lot of them I am
kind of a photographer of sorts I guess not a good one but a photographer
none the less)

knowing me there could be lots of typos and stuff so if it sounds wrong it
prolly is and you might want to mail me to confirm if it is really important
for some reason.

My Gearlist(* indicates I can not pack until the day before I leave)
you can tuckerize it if you like but I prolly wont listen :) no seriously I
like this gear list I have used it for a while now and it suits me<period> I
will prolly lighten it over time but it make me comfortable right now

Pack -
 Mountain Smith Frostfire II(heavy and BIG need a new one am looking at MEC
brio 40)

Other Bags -
 OR waterproof stuff sack(for food I can switch it around and it makes a
great place to store
  clothes and all sorts of stuff I find it very versatile)
 Mesh Sack(for wet stuff, it attaches outside of pack)
 2 compactor bags
 1 small stuff sack(for assorted junk I don’t want floating in my pack)
 Beltpouch MEC Basic Belt Pouch

Sleeping Gear
 Z-Rest 3/4
 Mountain Hardwear 3rd Dimension 3lbs+ 0 degree
 Clip flashlight /w Ground Cloth and 15+1 stakes

Wearing
 Nylon shorts(REI)
 Dufold Underwear
 Thorlo Socks
 Wigwam Sock Liners
 Dufold Short Sleeve Shirt
 Vasque Semi-Lightweight Boots
 A full brim no name hat I found under a rock
 Leki Makalus /w rubber grips and mud cups

Extra Clothing(in small stuff sack and plastic bag)
 200 Weight REI Fleece Jacket or MEC Primaloft Vest which is smaller and a
better pillow
 1pr Thorlos
 2pr Wigwam Liners
 1 Dufold short sleeve shirt
 Dufold Underwear
 <OUT OF BAG>
 Mountain Hardwear Grade 5 Jacket(Bright Orange)
 *Cheapo Modified and resewn Sandals (way under 1 pound)

Cooking/Food Stuff
 MSR Whisperlite /w Windscreens and 22oz bottle
 MSR titanium pot (.9 liters I think)
 Lighter
 Lexan Spoon
 Parsley(yum)
 Bear bag rope
 MSR 3 Dromedary Bag (I like it more than my platypus)
 1 Liter Nalgene Bottle for beltpouch drinking. (I like the wide mouth)

Hygiene
 Tooth Brush
 Tooth Paste
 Floss
 half roll of TP in double ziploc (none fluffy scratchy paper cleans better
=]  )
 PUR filter
 Orange Plastic Shovel(used only a few times before hope to never use it
again)

Safety/Other Stuff
 *Very Small Knife (victorinox with scissors) 1oz or less
 Compass(sunto cheaply thing I got free )
 Mini Mag Flashlight AA
 Nite-ize head band for Flashlight
 Whistle(worn about neck, the only place it is useful)
 photo ID
 phone book and journal thing
 pencil
 ALDHA companion(this is a big mental debate for me if I want to bring any
guide book at all)
 Maine Maps(I am brining the Maine maps and if I like them or find a use for
them I will buy
  more on the way)
Medkit
 in bright red bag with a white cross as all should be. so OTHERS can find i
t easily in an  emergency.. not a good place to save weight and mine weight
the same as a small stuff sack

 some assorted Band-Aids(about 12 through 20)
 med tape waterproof(small roll)
 soap
 advil tums and imodium AD (about 4 of each)
 3 or 4 cotton balls and Q-tips
 some iodine tabs
 some anti biotic ointments 2 packets
 sharp tweezers
 small plastic unbreakable mirror
 Deet

I have much assorted gear I will have shipped to me when the weather gets
colder. not all of which will get sent to me but I have things from fleece
gloves, overmits, gaiters long johns, long pants, candle lanterns (nice in
cold weather) all the way up to snowshoes(hopefully I wont need them on this
trail)... which I could have sent to me to really change my gear up.

I plan on sending my:(about 1-2 pounds extra)
 MEC fleece glovers
 OR overmitts
 long john (Capline things)
 nylon surplus navy watchman’s cap,
 goretex jacket(REI Anorak which it is much warmer than my grade 5)
 extra pair of dry socks (wigwam) for sleeping. I can not hike in them


maybe even send:(a few oz)
 my baklava
 neck gaiter(adds much to warmth stop heat from come out of you jacket like
a chimney try it you
  will go from shivering to sweating in minutes)

if it gets snowy I will prolly send my:(a few oz)
 MEC short leg gaiters
 and long pants.

I am still not sure when/where I should send that stuff to me. any
suggestions. just a side note I will obviously send home other repetitious
gear like shorts, long pants and summer hat, winter cap.  I will only carry
one at a time.

if you really want to send me stuff I will include a list of places
(prepared by our very own datto manager POG)

these are the places I plan on going for 100% sure I don’t have
exact dates as to when I will be there yet but I will try to
update them along my trip as I find out more about my hiking
speed. I have tried to choose(asked POG to pick) no post
offices or as few as I possible could cause post office are
closed on Sunday. I will be adding post office I will drop by
on my thru too. you can find out this information from getting
in touch with my parents. please do not call after 10pm or
before 7am you can however mail things to my parents at:

J-C & Rose Miller
6 Heritage Hills Court
Brookeville Maryland 20833

but please call 301-774-0614 for an update
before you mail cause they are moving shortly..
around the end of august. there is also a good
chance POG will know where I am

please don’t mail me anything heavy if you do mail me something
I should be able to use 100% of it on the stop and the box
should really not weigh more than 1 pound. I will have to
carry everything you send me and if I end up carrying .2
pounds from many people it will add up quickly to be a huge
amount of weight. so please keep that in mind. with that in
mind I would much prefer letters of encouragement not items.

Paul Miller
C/O The Blueberry Patch
5038 US Hwy. 76
Hiawassee, GA  30546
Mark: Hold for AT Thru-hiker in lower left corner

Paul Miller
C/O Nantahala Outdoor Center
13077 Hwy. 19W
Bryson City, NC  28713
Mark: Hold for AT Thru-hiker in lower left corner

Paul Miller
C/O General Delivery
Damascus, VA  24236
Mark: Hold for AT Thru-hiker in lower left corner

Paul Miller
C/O ATC
799 Washington Street
Harper’s Ferry, WV  25425
Mark: Hold for AT Thru-hiker in lower left corner

Paul Miller
C/O Bascom Lodge
PO Box 1800
Lanesboro, MA  01237
Mark: Hold for AT Thru-hiker in lower left corner

Paul Miller
C/O General Delivery
Hanover, NH  03755
Mark: Hold for AT Thru-hiker in lower left corner


have fun all and wish me luck
Wisperlight the Polar Bear


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