[at-l] New: Making a "record" of your hike

[icw39@ncfreedom.net (Clark Wright)]

I wanted a "permanent" journal, so my one concession to weight was a
nice, leatherbound journal, about 5 x 7, which had thin paper pages;
worked out great!  Stayed dry in a ziplock; just used 29 cent bic pens;
took extras to leave pens at shelters where register did not have a pen
. . .

thru-thinker

Rami wrote:
> 
> [Kelly:]
> What kind of notebook or journal does everyone carry on the trail?  What
> about pens vs. pencils?  Also, does or has anyone carried a book while hiking?
> 
> Kelly
>   I use a legal pad and a carpenters pencil.  The legal pad fits into a gallon sized ziploc along with the pencil, camera, batteries, and a book.
> 
>   The pencil is easy to sharpen with a pocket knife and the lead inside is thick enough that it doesn't break easily like some pencils.
> 
>   I have adopted the techniques of some of the folks on this list by taking pictures of things like journal pages (so I know what time frame the roll of film corresponds to), a particular shelter log page, (especially if there is a good entry I want to remember) and things that remind me of specific things on the trip.
> 
>   I record the weather (usually), the miles, the place I am sleeping (especially if I have a map location to connect it to), my mood, my complaints, but most importantly, what I thought about during the day.  My mind is always doing at least three things, (right now, I'm listening to the soundtrack to Cirque du Soleil "O", typing this post, watching "combat missions" on the USA network (volume off) (my brother made me promise to watch since it's his favorite show), working on a gear test report for my dog's new pack, adding books to my library shopping list for tomorrow, and enjoying a Guinness)  but when I'm in the groove of a hike, I enter a Zen-like thought process that I really enjoy.  I also doodle and write notes to my family about what I wanted to say to them during the day.  I guess you can tell I usually fill a couple of pages a day on a long hike, huh?
> 
>   I've tried to keep up with a journal in daily life, but I just can't bring myself to write.  That's the really funny thing for me.  I fill pages on the trail and can't even write a paragraph at home.
> 
>   -r
>   returning his ADHD brain to low level cruise mode
> 
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