Into The Wild

Well, I left my regular backpack over at a friend’s on Thanksgiving. It’s just right for riding to work – it fits a change of clothes and my lock, has a little cell-phone pocket on the shoulder strap, and is pink with Hello Kitty on the back.

So this morning, it’s either the man-purse fanny-pack manly waist-mounted equipment transport system, or my backpacking pack (yes, I actually have a real backpacking pack, and no, it’s never been used by me. I loaned it to a friend once.) This thing’s got about 500 straps and pull thingies and all kinds of stretch cords and a hydration system. And no Hello Kitty on the back.

I laid out all my supplies as if I were heading into the Sawtooths for a week-long solo trip and went over my checklist:

* Pants
* Shirt
* Belt
* Banana
* Apple
* Lock
* Phone

And by god, off I went into the wilderness, Sir Edmund Hillary on a bicycle, for my 15 minute, 3 ½ mile survival trek.

I’ve never felt so alive.