Preparation

Bagging 7 months worth of Idahoan mashed potatoes and Rice-a-Roni pasta (and, later, Vigo beans & rice, freeze-dried meals, couscous, Pringles, and deluxe mixed nuts). Also on the manufacturing line: wind screens made from aluminum foil, 20-tile rolls of toilet paper, 5-day batches of baby wipes, 12-inch rolls of Luekotape, and many other things.

After moving back to Massachusetts from Boulder, Mom helps out with the process: repackaging 5-oz bars of dark chocolate into 2 2.5-oz bars for deserts. If I left them in 5-oz bars, the temptation to eat an entire bar would have been occasionally irresistible.

Taking advantage of a bright sun to partially dehydrate beans & rice, rather than having the electricity-consuming dehydrator do all the work.

Getting ready, in more ways than one: trying to fatten up some; trying to keep my body moving; and trying to prepare my body for the Southwest's hot temperatures.

Maps, guidebook chapters, and resupply information for each maildrop point was organized beforehand to minimize the demands on Mom and the risk of time-wasting mistakes.

My parent's basement became Ground Zero for the trip's supply chain: all of my maps, supplies, and food were down there. The sheet on the left gave information for each maildrop (address, estimated date of arrival, contact person, etc.) and the sheet on the left detailed exactly what had to go in each maildrop (Dr. Bronner's, new shoes, warmer sleeping bag, etc.). I could be this specific in my planning because I've learned through other hikes what I need and the frequency of those needs. Again, to minimize demands on Mom and the risk of mistakes, I packed up as much as I could beforehand, and then had Mom make marginal changes as on-the-trail conditions necessitated.

Close up shot of my maildrop contents list.

Uncle Sam would not appreciate me leaving without paying him first.

The night before I left, totally ready to go, finally...

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