OGHops

I've seen a few, but it feels like there isn't the flood of gear lists I saw here last year. But maybe I'm just being pumpkin spice about the whole thing and it's all too early.

Today at the coffee shop where I work one of the guys from a pizza place comes in with three boxes and says "we made the wrong pizzas for customers" drops it on the counter, and heads out the door.

The girl I was on shift with immediately begins tearing into one of the smaller pizzas, and I start getting nervous. It looks SO good. Even in the coffee shop's strong air, I could smell it. This place makes really good crust. I think to myself "maybe just a bite" and simultaneously look to the spot on the espresso machine where I've been taking a post-it and writing a mantra for the day.

"Good food"

I sent the girl on shift with me to take the pizza to my improv group that did a show tonight

I'd done almost everything. I'd gathered my gear. I'd done a shakedown. I found a ride for July up to Maine. I was almost done saving money.

Then the manager at the coffee shop where I work went MIA, and after a couple weeks they asked me to take her place. They offered a significant raise. I've never been in charge of people before. I've never been in the right place at the right time like this (several people that would have been asked before me quit/moved in the months leading up to this) and so I said yes.

Maybe next year. Maybe the year after. More likely I've just become a section hiker, and I'll spend a week a year doing the trail. It kind of stinks - I was looking forward to the ex

limited to 75 packs.

Also, I apparently turned it into a version ULA hasn't made yet. It's the 2.0.

This is an open-ended question.

Also, I guess I can share. I'm pretty much done with gear collection, which was fun while it lasted (who doesn't like getting a little box every day or two with some bit of thing you've been painstakingly obsessing over in relation to other, almost identical things) and I did one overnight just south of Rockfish Gap a few weeks ago. In a week I'm doing another three nights in Shenandoah National Park. By the time I get to late June, I may have already done a good part of VA in sections.

I should probably be doing more physical training, however. And saving that cash...

I own a Six Moon Design Lunar Solo but am also planning to hike SOBO. I've heard mixed reviews since buying it during the Black Friday sale, so I'm wondering if I could just leave it at home/throw it in a bounce box and hope that a less populated SOBO bubble allows for me to stay in shelters.

EDIT - I've been successfully chided, people.

I'm thinking specifically about the differences between a typical March-April NOBO departure and a typical SOBO start. The fact that there is no Neel's Gap setup-tweaking equivalent for SOBO's - making gear decision extremely important, what things are necessary, and what things are not?

The concerns I can think of are bugs, weather, and the food situation of entering the 100 Mile Wilderness immediately after the intense hike up and down Katahdin.

My gear list

Yellow star means I've bought the item, red means I haven't and I haven't a clue what brand or model of that piece of gear I'm planning on getting.

I'm planning on doing a flip flop from New York to Maine, then SOBO from there starting late May/early June. I'm sure I'll need additions to this list, and I worry a bit about the 30 degree bag I decided to get when I thought I would do a traditional NOBO starting in late April.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

I've read some things (mostly on whiteblaze) about how ubiquitous crocs are, but everything seems to be dated around the time the crocs' popularity was peaking. Are crocs as camp shoes still pretty popular? Are they that much more comfortable than flip-flops? whats the weight difference?