Spent the morning prepping for future travels, knocking out tasks that once would have required a physical trip, all from the comfort of home. I ordered new hiking boots from REI, an updated version of my worn-out pair that keeps the essential wide toe box. I also renewed my expiring US passport online; surprisingly, I didn’t even have to mail in the old one. However, we’re not quite ready for a robot to steal the zen of cleaning gear, especially Dwight’s improvised drying system.
Category: Travel Gear
The end of the road
We reached the end of our hike in Pitlochry after yet another day of “good everything”: the hiking, the views, the weather, and the company. It was here I bade farewell to my boots; the soles were simply too worn for another stint. They’ve served me well, but their journey ends here. Already, the four of us are talking about our next multi-day trek.
Tracking the migratory patterns of our gear
Set up trackers for our upcoming trip: D and T for our backpacks; 1 to track a cardboard box we’ll check in at MSP then mail from Glasgow. The rectangular tracker goes in my wallet. (The total weight for the four devices is 1.5 ounces, 43 grams.)
One pint of protection
One-pint Ziploc freezer bags are essential travel gear. They protect our passports and phones, and will allow us to use our devices safely in the inevitable Scottish rain. They’ve been difficult to find since the pandemic, but yesterday I managed to order a bunch at a good price from Amazon. After our Sunday morning walk, we found them waiting for us in the package room.
REI refresh
Headed over to REI Co-op to freshen up our hiking wardrobe. Clothes shopping at a brick-and-mortar usually isn’t my thing, but I make an exception for hiking gear. Besides, I was almost out of bike chain lubricant, and they carry that too.
Glasgow gear swap
Over the years, we’ve learned to travel light with just carry-on backpacks, even for month-long trips. For our Scotland hike, we’re bringing hiking poles, which must be checked. Dwight found a sturdy, 3-ply box in our building’s recycling area, which turned out to be just the right size despite my doubts. In Glasgow, we’ll swap the poles for our noise-canceling headphones and other items we won’t need on the trail, then mail the box to a post office to collect at the end of our hike.
Travel essentials
Started gathering items for our upcoming trip to the Southern Hemisphere summer. The currency is left over from a trip in 2020. We use the detergent sheets both at home and while traveling; there’s enough here for 14 loads. The Japanese coffee filters have become an essential part of our gear. Our entire packing system relies on Ziploc freezer bags ranging from one pint to two gallons.
Internet micro-influencer for a day
Helped a neighbor install the Airalo app and an eSIM for their Portugal trip. The $16 total was much better than Verizon’s $12/day international roaming. The price included a $3 discount with my code TOM7929 (feel free to use it, I get a kick-back). While I was there I helped resolve other techie issues: cheekily, Dwight called me the Florence Nightingale of Electronica.
Digital Travel Documents, Real-World Hike
Loaded a San Francisco Bay Area Clipper transit card and a Delta boarding pass for a flight tomorrow onto my watch. We’ll hike from inn to inn in Marin County, ending up next Friday in downtown San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The watch is a fun addition, its main advantage over my phone…… Continue reading Digital Travel Documents, Real-World Hike
(Not Quite) Minimal Backpacking
Soon we’ll be hiking inn-to-inn in California. We’ll stay 3 nights in a fake British pub with no tea kettle in our room. Confirmed this minimal (8 ounces) setup reaches the ideal temperature range for coffee (195-205°F). The kit includes Japanese-style filters, a trusty aluminum mug from my teenage years, and two slightly younger plastic cups (about 36 years old).