As the day of departure approaches (it’s tomorrow), I am double checking all of the previously loose ends in my life to make sure they are all tied up and double-knotted. I was not able to do everything I wanted to in time, but I did most everything.

I want to thank everyone for the support I have received, especially in the last couple of weeks. Despite the concern that I am crazy or will face spectacular dangers, many have still been very helpful and encouraging, with only a few telling me to fully reconsider my life choices. So thank you!
Thanks to those of you who are following by email and those of you who have expressed interest in sending me letters.

Unfortunately, I did not fit camping into my schedule this winter, so I have yet to officially test out most of my gear. This is both exciting and nerve-racking, but I look forward to the first leg of my journey. Let me reassure all of you: I feel confident. A lot of my gear is warm, in some cases excessively so. Despite this lion of a winter, and the daunting number of miles, it is nothing that I cannot handle. I only wish I had more pictures and stories to tell at this point.

Here are some pictures that I did take of my gear. I will be tweaking some of this gear tonight, and tweaking it as I hike, sending unnecessary gear home and picking up new gear as needed. As with every aspect of my hike, I plan to stay flexible.