Packing It Out

photo courtesy of Amy Dobbs Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet Jean-Jacques Rousseau It has been a few weeks since I’ve posted. Here is a quick update on what Joe, Paul and I have been up to…  Here in Minnesota Paul and I have focused on finishing boats and guiding winter trips in the Boundary Waters. In Georgia, Joe has been working hard as lead butcher at a local grass fed farm, Hunter Cattle Co. We’ve been buzzing with anticipation for this upcoming journey; Being patient and keeping our focus on work projects has been challenging to say the least. We are currently finishing up the last of our obligations and to-do’s before we begin our journey along the Appalachian Trail. Boundary Water Winter Trips On the back-trail. photo courtesy of Amy Dobbs Paul and I just lead a series of trips near the border of Canada at a wilderness lodge, Camp Menogyn. Menogyn is located in the northern reaches of Minnesota off the Gunflint Trail. The camp is o...

http://sitoto.com/scenic-photography-hd-hits-picture-fisherman-in-boat-hd-photography-windows-wallpaper/ In this post, I want to share a story I heard a few months ago that really put things into perspective. This story helped reinforce my desire to life a simple happy life. An American investment banker was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.  Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna.  The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them. The Mexican replied, “only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “but what do you do with the rest of your time?” The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siestas with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village...

It blows me away that we are already coming to the end of January! Throughout this post I want to give everyone updates on our planning and training for Packing It Out’s first trip along the Appalachian Trail. Yep, you read that last sentence right. Packing It Out is no longer a solo effort. As of right now, Packing It Out will be a trio. More information on how this happened below.  Most of January has been dedicated to working and training. I’m still working for Wilderness Inquiry but instead of working as a trail guide I have become a full-time boat repairman. After many seasons of hard use, our cedar strip canoes need attention. Luckily, I get to work with a guide that I spent the whole summer with. Paul and I spend most days dreaming about the trail and ways we can simplify our lives. It didn’t take long for my audacious ideas to rub off on Paul. As of right now, he is on board to hike the AT with me. To say that I was excited when he told me he would be hiking with me ...

About the Appalachian Trail From the Appalachian Trail Conservancy  The Appalachian Trail is one of the longest continuously marked footpaths in the world, measuring roughly 2,180 miles in length. The Trail goes through fourteen states along the crests and valleys of the Appalachian mountain range from the southern terminus at Springer Mountain, Georgia, to the Trail’s northern terminus at Katahdin, Maine.  Known as the “A.T.,” it has been estimated that 2-3 million people visit the Trail every year and about 1,800–2,000 people attempt to “thru-hike” the Trail. People from across the globe are drawn to the A.T. for a variety of reasons: to reconnect with nature, to escape the stress of city life, to meet new people or deepen old friendships, or to experience a simpler life. The A.T. was completed in 1937 and is a unit of the National Park System. The A.T. is managed under a unique partnership between the public and private sectors that includes, among others...