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  1. BrienC

    Trekking Poles Turned Me into the Flash

    From my blog post about a day on the John Muir Trail a few years ago: One long day during my trek, I planned to camp by a lake that was almost 12,000 feet in elevation. This particular day was going to be another eighteen miles of hiking. Later that afternoon I met an older gentleman (older...
  2. BrienC

    Dangers of Walking Poles

    Been there, done that. I got tripped up in my trekking poles last summer on the John Muir Trail, in California, and am still trying to get one spranged finger back to normal. One long day during my trek, I planned to camp by a lake that was almost 12,000 feet in elevation. This particular day...
  3. BrienC

    Another backpack Question.

    Yep!
  4. BrienC

    Solar charger: Game changer or wasted space?

    On the CF in 2015, I sent my solar charger home - total waste of weight nd space. As others have mentioned, if you are concerned about leaving your phone unattended, bring along a small portable USB battery pack (like 2500 mAh) to charge. Then you charge your phone from it, while in your pocket...
  5. BrienC

    Rechargable Headlamp

    The simple solution, and a huge weight saving measure, would be to purchase a European power adapter with USB output from Amazon.com or other retailer. You can also wait until arriving in Europe to pick one up (should be less than 10 Euros). These devices have the Europlug round pins (Type-C)...
  6. BrienC

    Backpacks as carry-on

    Nomad, I agree with what others have said so far. I have used an Osprey 48L for both Caminos I have done. And I'm a big fan of carry-on. Planes from the US are usually larger, so they can accommodate larger bags overhead. As C Clearly says, you could remove the top pouch. I have done that when I...
  7. BrienC

    Packing List of a first timer

    Anika, the advice you have from others is priceless. Definitely consider all the points made here. You will need to if you want to make your 15-pound goal. If you have an iPhone (I’m assuming you do because of the other Apple products), then certainly jettison the other electronics, including...
  8. BrienC

    The Camino Cup

    Their own bottle?
  9. BrienC

    Poncho Tent

    Recently, I used a GoLite poncho/tarp on the John Muir Trail in the California Sierra Nevada. Super lightweight, easy to set up, and held up well in some light winds. It was quite chilly (-7c) a night or two but all worked out great. I'll be posting about that trip on my blog, starting this...
  10. BrienC

    Do I really need walking sticks ?

    I love my poles, and I've read that we are something like 25% more efficient when we use them. However, one long day during a very recent trek in the Sierra Nevada range of central California, I planned to camp by a lake near to 12,000 feet in elevation. This would be another 18-mile day, about...
  11. BrienC

    What did you forget?

    Something to ponder, and adds zero weight to your pack: Save a copy of your important information to some sort of cloud-based solution in .pdf or .jpg format (the most common formats). A simple method is to email all such data to your own email account. Make sure you are able to—and you know...
  12. BrienC

    This is why you take a cell phone on the Camino

    It is a pilgrimage, on a path taken by pilgrims for centuries. Walking in the energies of those previous pilgrims is the blessing. Should we pave it over? I say no.
  13. BrienC

    How did you carry your water?

    Check out the Blue Desert SmarTube Hydration System, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GM6LWS/?tag=casaivar02-20 Buy 2 PET bottles, as SYates suggests. This system has adapters to most bottles and has the convenience of the drinking tube. Buen Camino!
  14. BrienC

    uggg my packing list has no fun

    I agree with jsalt on the lightweight cup. I use a titanium cup and have it attached to my shoulder strap where it's handy for a cafe con leche or a sip of wine. https://www.rei.com/product/870073/snow-peak-titanium-single-450-cup Very much a personal preference, but I think my iPhone is the...
  15. BrienC

    What technology are YOU using on the Camino?

    As the debate goes on "...how does the pilgrim approach the dilemma of “tech or no tech”? Well, that’s a very personal decision to make. Option One: Drop the tech and leave your smartphone or tablet at home, going completely without technology, if you can, and enjoy the peace and quiet. But...
  16. BrienC

    Packing list help!!

    Rules? We don't need no stinking rules! Buen Camino!
  17. BrienC

    Super Light Camino Gear

    So perfectly stated. I very much like "playing in the margins." I opened the site on my Mac in Safari and there it too must be scrolled around side to side to see all text/tabs.
  18. BrienC

    Walking sticks confiscated at Bilbao airport

    Fair point. Just seems an inconsistent use of common sense (the least common of all the senses, as S Yates says).
  19. BrienC

    Walking sticks confiscated at Bilbao airport

    Aren't these pointy things too?
  20. BrienC

    Fleece or ....

    To mix up the conversation a bit: As with my sleeping bag, I prefer down. Down is lighter and packs smaller. Before I made the change from fleece to down, a team member with whom I adventure-raced told me, jokingly, that my fleece jacket was passé, dated. Happy planning!

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