In just fourteen days, we’re heading out on the trail in Maine! The freeze dryer is still humming along! We’re in the final stages of getting everything ready, especially since I’ll be in Chicago for work next week. I was bummed to hear that the cherry orchid didn’t produce any cherries this past year because of the freeze. We ended up grabbing some cherries at Aldi to put in the freeze dryer. It will be done this next week and Marty will get them packaged up. Fruit is always a treat when we’re backpacking!
I think I’ve nailed down what clothes I’m packing in my backpack and what I’ll be wearing. It’s been a bit of a journey to get it just right. I’ll be wearing the same clothes for 10 days. In the backpack, I’ll have Smartwoll shorts and a shirt for sleeping, a change of Smartwool underwear, a change of Sockwell socks, Smartwool lightweight leggings, a Smartwool long-sleeve sun hoodie, and a microfiber towel, and a washcloth. I’ll also have my North Face puffy jacket and raincoat.
I’ve decided to wear the same Smartwool bra all 10 days, along with a lightweight Smartwool t-shirt, my Purple Rain kilt, and a pair of Wool& brand bike shorts. If it gets really buggy, I’ll switch to the leggings and maybe the long-sleeve sun hoodie. I’ll be wearing my Sockwell compression socks with my Altra Lone Peak trail runners, too.
It took a few test hikes to get to this point, but I’m pretty sure this is what I need on the trail. I’ve taken Ghost’s spoon, bowl, and extra leash out of the picture. It’ll feel a bit strange to be backpacking without our furry husky! I sure am going to miss him.
I ended up cutting 3 inches off of my hair and think that this will make it easier on trail. I gave the new cut a test run last weekend. Last weekend, we camped at a $10-a-night HimpCamp way out in the middle of nowhere near Hot Springs, NC. No electric or water hookup, so we were boondocking. We only saw one person near our campsite all weekend—and that was pretty far up the dirt road. We backpacked 4.1 miles just to get a few miles in. It was our last hike before we hit the AT in Maine. If I didn’t have to work, I’d probably get more miles in. Ha ha I tested the new cut and the Nike dri fit headband and it worked great with the Tilley hat.
It was HOT last weekend. Summer is in full force here in the Carolinas. It’s another good way to test gear– in the heat. Which also means chafing and finding the right chafing cream. We have settled on Chamois Butt’r. I have the her version! A little prevention goes a long way! Until the Gorge hike a few weeks ago, I had never had chafing so bad….I think it was due to the pants I was testing out AND the combo of the wicked heat. This Chamois Butt’r has helped it heal and you can bet I will be using it to PREVENT. Just to be on the safe side.
I’m planning to use my Day 1 journal to jot down each day on the trail, so I can share more detailed posts about each section later. My neighbor’s son mentioned a heartbreaking story about a father and daughter who tragically passed away on Katahdin last year. On June 1, 2025, they reached the summit and apparently intended to spend the night? I’m not entirely sure of all the specifics. A storm hit, and they succumbed to exposure, tragically just a few hundred feet apart. When we finally summit Katahdin, we’ll have our shelter, extra clothes, and water. Plus, we’ll have a Garmin Montana with In Reach. We’re also planning to leave all our trash at the car, which should make our packs a bit lighter. We’ll be shuttling from Baxter State Park to the entrance of the 100-mile wilderness on July 5th (we’re now aiming to get there a day earlier than originally planned).
I’m heading out to Chicago tomorrow and will be back on Saturday. I’m driving because it’s my favorite way to travel. I’m trying to pack for the Chicago trip AND make sure my backpack is set to go. I’ll get back late Saturday and will hit the ground running with work bright and early Monday morning until we head out for Maine…… so it’s almost go time!
I feel pretty good about my gear and clothing choices for this trip. I’m nervous about two things– not being able to carry enough snacks for ten days and summiting Katahdin. I am not looking forward to the 5,000 ft of elevation gain over 4.4 miles. It will feel good once I get to the top…..but I am nervous about that last part of the hike.
My Little Red Bike 