Show notes
Today on The First 40 Miles, what kind of backpacker are you? Find out your type! Then on the SUMMIT Gear Review, a ten essential basic that may require a little educating to use. On the Backpack Hack of the Week, you’ll learn how a simple pinch may save your life. And we’ll wrap up the show with a little trail wisdom from a man who would probably spur some fascinating discussions around the campfire.
Show Notes: Episode 039
Opening
* Story of finding a used Gregory pack @ Goodwill
* It was very dirty, but didn’t have any holes in it, just worn spots
* Don’t pay more than the amount you can afford to lose $7
* Gave it a good soak with unscented detergent
* Used toilet plunger to agitate and remove dirt
* I used a steam cleaner to get stuff off, but that affected the lining inside the pack
* Left outside for a few hours to dry (not too long, to avoid sun damage)
* It’s a good pack, it weighs more than a nice new pack would, but it has great suspension, and a hip belt
The Top 5 Backpacker Types
Mile Chomper
Lighter and faster are your by words. You believe success is measured in one of two ways: miles or kilometers. You tend to travel on the lighter side, often trading in heavy leather boots for almost weightless running shoes. It’s not that you don’t want to take time for the view, it’s that you want to consume as much of it as you can. The beauty of nature is a dish best enjoyed by bingeing. Nothing is more frustrating than an injury that sets you back, and nothing is more tempting than just powering through that to get to the next vista. Whether it’s trail running, or hiking a steady pace from sun up to sun down, your adrenalin rush comes when you’re standing on the peak or arriving at camp.
Tree Gawker
You come for the beauty, you come for the rivers, you come to see an open sky and get recharged, camera or art supplies in hand. You often pull back from the group to get a shot without people blocking it. You’ll even use the precious phone battery to set your alarm so you can capture those ethereal, misty images at dawn. You may have earned the trail name Disney Princess because you have an uncanny way of attracting wildlife and getting their National Geo moments on paper. You envy the likes of Thoreau and wish you could leave it all and immerse yourself in nature’s world with pen and paper in hand. Your dream trip may include an extra day with side trips off the trail and meadow wanderings that follow the path of an animal.
Outdoor Innovator
You love stretching your creativity with minimalist gear. You may be able to answer the question “How many ways can you use a trekking pole?” You enjoy getting creative and planning improvements for the next trip—even while on your current trip. People may shake their head and wonder why you have tree bark strapped to your feet in camp, but you smile anyway… Not every trip goes as planned, but that’s ok, because some of it wasn’t planned at all. Some may consider you to be a little unconventional or perhaps unprepared, but you see it as a chance to stretch your creativity muscle. Your dream trip may include foraging, lashing, day dreaming, bushwhacking, or mooching.
Solitude Seeker
You plan trips away from the crowds…the backcountry is where you’d rather be. Off the trail, scrambling, backpacking alone or with another Solitude Seeker. You see things that no one else sees because you are stealth, aware and prepared. To other trekkers you may seem somewhat mysterious and aloof, but you’re always willing to share grub or point out a view to another traveler you pass along the way. Your skills are honed and sharp so that your risk in travelling alone is minimized. Because of your desire for long periods of solitude, you typically set up communication plans with your close family and check in at predesignated intervals.
Show Notes: Episode 039
Opening
* Story of finding a used Gregory pack @ Goodwill
* It was very dirty, but didn’t have any holes in it, just worn spots
* Don’t pay more than the amount you can afford to lose $7
* Gave it a good soak with unscented detergent
* Used toilet plunger to agitate and remove dirt
* I used a steam cleaner to get stuff off, but that affected the lining inside the pack
* Left outside for a few hours to dry (not too long, to avoid sun damage)
* It’s a good pack, it weighs more than a nice new pack would, but it has great suspension, and a hip belt
The Top 5 Backpacker Types
Mile Chomper
Lighter and faster are your by words. You believe success is measured in one of two ways: miles or kilometers. You tend to travel on the lighter side, often trading in heavy leather boots for almost weightless running shoes. It’s not that you don’t want to take time for the view, it’s that you want to consume as much of it as you can. The beauty of nature is a dish best enjoyed by bingeing. Nothing is more frustrating than an injury that sets you back, and nothing is more tempting than just powering through that to get to the next vista. Whether it’s trail running, or hiking a steady pace from sun up to sun down, your adrenalin rush comes when you’re standing on the peak or arriving at camp.
Tree Gawker
You come for the beauty, you come for the rivers, you come to see an open sky and get recharged, camera or art supplies in hand. You often pull back from the group to get a shot without people blocking it. You’ll even use the precious phone battery to set your alarm so you can capture those ethereal, misty images at dawn. You may have earned the trail name Disney Princess because you have an uncanny way of attracting wildlife and getting their National Geo moments on paper. You envy the likes of Thoreau and wish you could leave it all and immerse yourself in nature’s world with pen and paper in hand. Your dream trip may include an extra day with side trips off the trail and meadow wanderings that follow the path of an animal.
Outdoor Innovator
You love stretching your creativity with minimalist gear. You may be able to answer the question “How many ways can you use a trekking pole?” You enjoy getting creative and planning improvements for the next trip—even while on your current trip. People may shake their head and wonder why you have tree bark strapped to your feet in camp, but you smile anyway… Not every trip goes as planned, but that’s ok, because some of it wasn’t planned at all. Some may consider you to be a little unconventional or perhaps unprepared, but you see it as a chance to stretch your creativity muscle. Your dream trip may include foraging, lashing, day dreaming, bushwhacking, or mooching.
Solitude Seeker
You plan trips away from the crowds…the backcountry is where you’d rather be. Off the trail, scrambling, backpacking alone or with another Solitude Seeker. You see things that no one else sees because you are stealth, aware and prepared. To other trekkers you may seem somewhat mysterious and aloof, but you’re always willing to share grub or point out a view to another traveler you pass along the way. Your skills are honed and sharp so that your risk in travelling alone is minimized. Because of your desire for long periods of solitude, you typically set up communication plans with your close family and check in at predesignated intervals.