Monday, April 14, 2008

Super Ultra Light

SUL, or Super Ultralight backpacking, I'm convinced, is the ability of super-high metabolism, hot-sleeping, young men to day hike the PCT. 

The idea of hiking in shorts no matter how cold is something only a Minnesota native would do. I remember at UC Santa Barbara you could always tell who was from Minnesota because they would still be in shorts and flip-flops in the middle of winter.

Today I read about a guy who jumps in a lake just before bed with his hiking clothes to clean them, wrings them, then puts them on and hops into his sleeping bag. In a few hours, he claims, his clothes are dry and he is warm. I'm sorry but I would die of hypothermia.

I will slowly saunter in to the finish line with my heavy (30lbs with food and water, 17 dry) pack having spent three and a half months sleeping warmly and hiking slowly enough to enjoy the beauty.

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