Had a nice easy bimble this morning and we managed to complete our early morning run without using headlamps - spring is coming! Of course the remnants of last weeks snow fall may have helped smooth the surface and provide a crisp easy surface to run on. Although the odd yelp from behind indicated that now and again someone broke through the surface to discover water!
My real heavy mileage was today racked up on the computer in the form of flight bookings to three of the Slam races. Vermont will just be a ’quick’ car ride north, but the others require alternative forms of transport. So, six plane tickets later (Guth is an integral part of the team), my credit card took had taken quite a beating. Maybe I could have waited a bit longer before booking but prices looked like they were creeping up; beside it is done now and all I need to worry about is paying off the damn statement!
Some of my running friends are starting to talk about fast pack adventures later this year, which are best descirbed as minimalist self-sufficient outings lasting at least two days at a pace more akin to running than hiking. If you have never tried it, they can be great fun. The greatest test comes from equipping yourself with the least weight possible while at the same time ensuring you can stay protected from the elements, refueled and of course hydrated. Attitudes about natural water sources when hiking seem to vary considerably, in the past I’ve hiked with people who just seem to know where to get water from and never suffer any ill consequences, to others who are clearly terrified at the prospect of ingesting some vile bacteria even after careful filtration. Personally, I prefer to carry a filter as I find the taste residue from tablets unpleasant. The down side is weight and the space the device takes up in my backpack. A company called Aqamira have just released an ultralight water filter called Frontier Pro. The neat thing is that the filter is also a drinking value that fits onto collapsable water containers or hydration packs. The company web site says:
The Frontier Pro filter will connect directly to any water bottle with a 28mm opening such as a Platypus® or standard spring water bottle. Using the tube connection feature you can connect to the drink tube of your hydration system, or drink from any open container or water source. Since you drink directly from the unit there is no chance of confusing inlet and outlet tubes resulting in possible cross contamination.
Without trying it, I can’t say if the thing is as good as it is made out to be. But at only $20, it looks to be certainly worth trying.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost
