Last night to pack

So here it is, Thursday night, the night prior to me leaving for my three-day adventure with the elusive wapiti. I am now thinking that I have gone over all my plans and contingencies way too much. I made the dumbest move I have ever made in a couple years last night. I spent from about 1600 to 2030 making a list and checking all my gear, washing all my clothes, organizing...worrying, then shooting my bow one last time. By the time I was done shooting, it was getting dark and I really needed to eat. With all that going through my head, I did it. I LEFT MY BOW OUTSIDE ON THE CANOE. I didn't even realize it until I came home tonight at about 1600. I pulled up and there it was, my brand new bow, sitting in plain view of the road...on the canoe...in the glaring sun. WHAT A MORON. That would have grounded all my plans if someone had been inconsiderate enough to just wander up and take it. Luckily I live in a relatively rural neighborhood, but still.

I've gotten to the point where I've read and done everything I can possibly think of. I desperately just wanted to come home from work all day and pack my stuff. Rethink everything and make it work. Actually, I just want to go....and it's not just to hunt. I'd love to get up there earlier than I'm going to make it tomorrow, just so I have the daylight to get everything situated.

This afternoon has been the afternoon of packing. I managed to find that 5-gallon water cooler in Walmart...then headed to the grocery store to get more pepper, trail mix stuff, and oatmeal. I got home and treated my pack...then of course had to bring it inside to pack. Not sure that's how it should be done, but it was really unavoidable. Now it shall sit packed until tomorrow afternoon. There is only so far I can take all of this. I grabbed a pallet from my recently-departed neighbor's house and put that in the bed of the pickup. I have heard that the bed of your truck can heat up enough by driving to re-warm any meat you have in it. And since it's a two hour drive from here to there, I feel better by having a 4-inch buffer from the bed of the truck and the potential 100's of pounds of meat I may have coming home.

Ugh. The biggest blow to my entire plan came while packing. That Dwight Shuh (sp?) pack I bought is simply not meant for a three day and three night trip into the woods. I had an inclination that would be the case, but kept hoping. So what ended up happening tonight is that I packed my normal backpacking internal frame pack with all my camping gear and more water and will have to make two trips tomorrow evening. Suck. Just the clothes themselves took up much of the bowhunting pack...since I wanted to keep them all together in the baking soda laced trash bag they are in. I seriously don't know how else I could get this done. I have heard of one other person who stashed their camping gear at a predetermined camping spot prior to the season opening and think that might be the only other way. Just short of taking a buddy along. That would cut down on the two trips because you really only need singles of many camping items like tent, stove, pots, etc. Plus it would be much safer...but here I am, dealing with it the only way that is reasonable at this late hour.

The good thing is that I know I have more than enough to make it comfortably. If that's worth an extra 4 miles of hiking, so be it. I have put extra food and water in the truck, as well as additional game bags (heavy canvas-like bags), and other gear that will be easy to grab on a return trip if the need presents itself. I also know that I have everything without having to double check...I know it's all there because I took the time to lay it out last night and do an inventory. Today was simply spent packing the packs. I will have to regroup and repack at the campsite, so am slightly worried about daylight. I will hopefully get up to the trailhead around 1900, so will only have a limited time to make the trips and set up camp. I'm planning on eating on the way up there and have a headlamp...so I'll make the two trips early on, then set up camp probably close to dark with nothing left to do but repack...and that can easily be done in the dark. I mean really, what else am I going to do? I can hike about 3 miles an hour with a 45 pound pack and this trail is on an easy ridge and each pack weighs much less than 45 pounds...so I should be good. Not to mention work will likely be unbearable tomorrow given that I have a deadline I want to meet with the woods, so I most likely will convince myself to cut out a couple hours early.

I'm guessing this is going to be my only large adventure this season...since this is the only three-day weekend I will have...this just isn't feasible to do in two days. However, I suppose when I'm only planning on two nights, then I might have enough room in the smaller bowhunting pack to make it. Plus I will probably learn a lot from this trip about what I need and what I don't. I have learned how to backpack light, but that has taken a couple of trips of varying length, so I figure this too will come.

The important thing to remember here is that I have packed enough stuff in the truck, so in case more days and nights are needed (if I get something down) then I will have it readily available on the mountain. Plus I'm going to take a cellphone to call for assistance if I do get an elk. If that happens, these two folks will be able to pack in some extra water and whatnot if need be. BUT, as it looks now, I have plenty for all for many days. Again, ugh. Definitely a learning experience.

So I'm done thinking about this for tonight. I shall deal with everything tomorrow and give myself an evening to relax and KNOW that I'm well prepared and ready. I figure tonight will be primarily occupied with watching videos and dreaming.