On the 5th day of Christmas, the postman brought to me my LiteAF backpack that I ordered back in October! I was so excited that it arrived almost one month early. It weighs in at 48 ounces and takes off 3.5 pounds from my other backpacking backpack. This will significantly help me keep my total pack weight below 40 pounds — even when we have Ghost along for the trip. The pack is rated to hold up to 35 pounds, so that is my goal.
Here’s a neat fact about the cottage company, LiteAF. The owner, Chris, still sews the packs himself. You can search YouTube and find videos about this. I really love supporting American small businesses. The pack is seam sealed and sewn really well. I will still use a pack liner for the items that I want to ensure stay 100% dry on trail. The backpack IS waterproof– made from Dyneema in a print called “Groovy Blooms”. Dyneema is the same fabric our grizzly bear bags are made from – just a bit stronger.
This bag has a frame – it is the Dyneema 46L Curve custom full suspension custom backpack. I got pockets on the front – both straps. I got extra pockets on th sides and on the bottom. I also bought the trekking pole loop kit. These pocket add another 15L, I believe. Lots of room– especially for a 9-10 trek in the wilderness of Maine.
It doesn’t have a pocket inside for a hydration bladder, however, it coms with a pocket on the back of the backpack that will work perfectly. With the Osprey, the hydration bladder pocket is on the inside of the pack. This makedit very difficult to refill when you stop to filter water. You literally have to remove everything from the pack in order to get the bladder out to refill. Using the pocket on the outside solves this issue. I looped the tube around the front and through one of the daisy chain loops.
Once we get on trail, we will be able to determine quite quickly if this set up works. We plan on trying them out next month in Tellico Plains. The bridge to Bald River Falls is open again and we are going to go there over a weekend to do some hiking on the Benton Mackaye trail. This will give me an opportunity to test out the best way to pack things in my new pack.
Over the weekend, I moved out the beds from the extra guest bedroom. I had bunk beds and a separate twin bed set up for kids. The room has;t been used in two years. Two years ago tomorrow, we finished setting it up for my son, his wife and their kids to come live with us for almost 3 months. Since it doesn’t get used and Sean would like an office space separate from his sleeping quarters, I moved the King bed into this smaller room so that he could have use of two rooms for this purpose. We made the kid room into our camping equipment room. We installed shelves and it looks fantabulous! All of our equipment is organized.
We have always kept our down quilts and sleeping bags in th main living area of the house. The basement is too damp and down too expensive to let moisture ruin. It’s a great staging area now. When my friend from Texas (or anyone else) visits, we have a guest room, as well.
This transition has been healing for me, to say the least. I am donating the mattresses to a ministry that helps families in need. They have a family who can use them and I don’t want to store mattresses in the basement, either. The dampness ruins them. They were used for just under 3 months, so they need to be used by someone! They are in GREAT shape. On the way to the vet for River tomorrow, I am going to drop off some really cool LEGOs at a friend’s. Her sister is homeschooling her grandson and they plan on visiting the Wright Brother’s sites in Eastern North Carolina. So building the LEGO Wright Flyer fits perfectly into the curriculum. I also have an airliner LEGO set, as well. These have been in a closest for over 16 years! It’s time to let someone get good use of them.
I have a big bag of donations and then all I will have is a truckload of books to get rid of. Many of those I add to the library in front of our house on a regular basis. I told Sean that when he gets married and if he has kids, we will get new stuff. We need the space for all the things we are doing in our current lives. Also, I don’t want to be featured on one of the hoarding shows. <laughter>
Healing looks different to each person. I vowed that in 2026 I am going to heal from all of the abandonment in my life. Step 1: getting rid of the reminders. If and when folks want to return, it won’t be about material goods anyway, right?
Last, I got a little carried away with my post on Christmas, so I am editing it. Christmas was a rough day! The support groups of abandoned wives and parents — whew — rough going for thousands of folks. The holidays are hard when you lose a loved one. It is a journey no one wants to be on, but here we are. Be true to yourself and keep on keeping on. What I have learned in the last decade is that no matter what you do, some folks are going to hate you. Just be yourself and the people who love you for who you are will be there. Life is really good right now and I am stoked as we head into 2026! Can’t wait to see the Maine Adventure unfold.
My Little Red Bike 