boondocks

I was pretty excited this afternoon at lunch. I was getting the wife to look at some possible trails to hike this month in Shenandoah NP. She really wants to go on vigin trails with me. By that I mean, she wants to hike trails I haven't been on.

It seems that the first 3 miles or so of the trek we are looking at will be on a trail I have been on. No big deal! Once off that trail it will all be new to me and her. It looks like a monster loop we will be attempting. I am guessing this series of trails is about 18-20 miles total. The last 5 miles are so has us crossing a river 16 times. I wonder how that will be in the spring time? Deep? Cold for sure! Then we will wrap around and get onto the Appalachian Trail and wind up back at the start.

I am excited to be able to go out and do this with my wife. We haven't had a weekend in the woods by ourselves since the boy came along. I just want to enojoy the alone time and hopefully run into some wildlife i.e. bears, deer and whatever other critters we cross. I will be sure to document it for all to enjoy. I will bring my digital and regular old school camera. I am planning to make this happen April 22-24.

We just ordered our own backcountry stoves last night. I went against my judgement and went along with my wifes choice and got the Jetboil backpacking stove. (I can't put in the link for some reason but you can check it out at www.jetboil.com) It looks pretty cool and with some of the gear you can buy for it will wind up to be a great backpacker stove. It is ultra light weight with the fuel included and that is a bonus for me since I have no idea how to pack my bag yet.

I have also just realized that almost all of the gear that my wife and I have bought over the last few months is the same. Our Asolo hiking boots are the same. We have the same backpacks just a different shade of blue. We now have the same stoves. We are like the Barbie and Ken of hiking. I wonder what else we will buy that is the same? I know that we are both looking at sleeping bags....