Kim2Pine: Day 0

All my bags are packed! I’m ready to go 😁👍🏻

After a wonderful sendoff from my Kimberley community, I have finally loaded all my gear into the backpack and am ready to get the last chores around the house done.

Thank you to my incredible neighbours for their support and interest! I am also grateful for the support of friends and family in Canada, the US, Germany and New Zealand!

Because of questions I have received, and obviously out of my own curiosity, I have weighed my gear and can report back now: Just my gear, the backpack as shown, without food and water, weighs 6.8kg or 15 lbs. With food for 3 days to Creston, and 700ml of water (that’s how I’m starting off tomorrow), the backpack weighs 8.7kg or 19 lbs.

The only addition is my fanny pack (406g loaded; snacks, sunscreen and passport etc.) and the trekking poles I carry. My phone is in my pants, so that’s an additional 227g. I use it frequently during the day for navigation (where needed), pictures and (sometimes) listening to podcasts. I find it easiest to slide it in and out of my side pants pocket; during rain it would probably be in the fanny pack.

So that’s the extent of it … tent, quilt, pad, clothes, first aid, cook set, electronics, Kindle and miscellaneous items. The picture shows the (odor proof) bag with my initial food and water. Obviously for a full resupply that would be heavier; leaving Creston I will have food for 6 days.

I’m leaving a somewhat smoky Kimberley, and the air actually looks better along my route, maybe with the exception of the Northport WA area but that can change by the time I get there. No fire closures so far and I will be well informed of any changes and will adjust accordingly if necessary. Health and safety are most important; routes and distances can be modified!

More soon after my first days, going through the Purcell Mountains …