Corridor 9

With all the heat and humidity that has been hovering over the mid west region of the US, its been hard to think about getting out into the wild. I am one who lives by the layers rule, but have realized that it’s always easier to apply layers than to remove them. Once I’m down to shorts and a t-shirt, there isn’t much more I can remove to stay cool without violating society’s norms.

I have been thinking about getting out a lot though. With the completion of my first BGT test series coming to a close, I will no longer be a newbie. This will allow me to test a much wider variety of gear without having the one piece restriction limiting how much I can test at one time. I’m hoping that this will provide me with a broader range of stuff that I can more comfortably pack as opposed to the gear I currently own.

I’ve been thinking about the best way to start off this camping season. Because I promised Kristie no long trips till next year, I thought that a 2-3 night trip along the North South Trail in the Land Between the Lakes Recreational Area would do well to start off the camping season right. This area is fairly close to home, is fairly mile terrain, and has a moderate amount of cell phone coverage allowing me to stay safe, and make it home if problems arise.

The trail itself is a approximately 65 miles long and rated from moderate to strenuous with rugged hilly terrain in the north and smooth hiking in the south. Ultimately I’d like to complete the whole trail straight through, but I haven’t decided that this would be the best plan for me right now. There are a few logistical details that I am going to consider before making up my mind on exactly how I’m going to go about the trip; Mainly, am I going to have the gear that I will need for a 3 night journey, will I be able to walk 20+ miles a day, what about shuttling back to my vehicle.

I’ll be looking into these questions and more within the next few weeks. I’ll keep you posted!