I’m having a wonderful time with my niece and my oldest sister! Did I tell you I had a shower? And fabulous food! And they helped with a remarkably quick & easy review of what to remove from my pack. 


I weighed myself when came into my neice’s home. I weighed 96 kg, down 2 from my start, much of it probably just temporary dehydration. Myself plus the full pack (without food & fuel) weighed 212 kg — my body weight at the time of Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis … That means my pack weight was 16 kg without food and fuel. 

Applying the lessons learned from Kookork was easy. 

Binoculars, extra clothes, excess repair kit materials, and more … Oh my! I am shocked …

(Perhaps I should list everything going on my back and/or not continuing with me. Perhaps tomorrow evening …)

Tomorrow I ‘slackpack’ with just a ‘bumbag’ with water, first aid kit, and snacks. I’ll be joined for part of the time around the southern edge of Hamilton by my oldest sister and my niece. I’ll do only a relatively short distance. 

… And I will be hiking without my mentors Kookork and Delta. I may catch up to them, only to leave the Trail earlier than they stop tomorrow. … I’d very much appreciate joining them when I start with my full pack Tuesday on my way up to home. We’ve still got a few world problems left unsorted … And I’ve got so much left to learn about hiking …