Welcome! This site is dedicated to outdoor adventuring. Click the menu links along the top, check out the adventures below, use the search box at the very bottom, or click on the site map to quickly locate the topic you are looking for. Comments are appreciated. Enjoy your day!
I am going to kayak the Mississippi River from Lake Itasca to Dubuque, IA with my brother next summer/fall and was wondering roughly how long you think that it would take?
My brother and I have plenty of kayaking and camping experience.
Hi Michelle,
That should be a fun trip. Check out this page where I show how long it took me from point-to-point. I was paddling fairly long days, most people would want more time. Skilled paddlers in really good shape pushing hard could probably do it faster, some much faster.
Have fun!
Buck
Rando Leon
47 Elizabeth St.
Crawfordville, Florida 32327
Email: randoleon@gmail.com
Phone: (850) 274 – 6928
I am planning on a Thru-Hike starting on March 12, 2017 or 2018 at least those are my plans. You may ask why wait so long to start my hike, my reason for starting in 2017 or 2018 is that I need to save up for gear and everything that goes along with such a grand epic adventure. I have been on Disability since I was 24 and now I am 51 and at a point where I know I can do it. It is just so hard to save on such a limited budget such as Disability. I am planning on keeping a blog and writing all about my experiences on the Trail.
I am in search of Sponsors, So what I am asking for is any and all info that you may help me with to start trying to get Sponsors or any help for my trip, I will greatly appreciate it. Maybe if with what I save and if I can get enough Sponsors I might be able to start my hike even sooner. We’ll Thank You for your time and please remember ANY and ALL HELP and SUGGESTIONS are GREATLY APPRECIATED.
I am also willing to test gear and return it with my review.
I have been researching gear and this is the list I have come up with so far for my hike. As you will notice I am trying to keep my base weight on the Light side.
Appalachian Trail Gear List
Golite Jam 70L Backpack 31 Oz. $130
Platypus Big Zip LP Reservior – 3 Liter 6 Oz. $35
Gossamergear Shoulder Strap Pocket Set of Two 1.7 Oz. $30
Mountain Laurel Designs Pack Liner/Food Bag 1.2 Oz. ea. 2 for $5
Kelty Cosmic Down 20 Degree 550 Down Sleeping Bag 43 Oz. $128
Sea To Summit Adaptor Coolmax Travel Liner 9 Oz. $45
Hennessy Radiant Double Bubble Pad 10 Oz. $30
Tarp-tent Sublite 19.5 Oz. $209
ZPacks Bear Bagging Kit 3 Oz. $45
Mountain Laurel Designs UL Ground Cloth 2.4 Oz $8
Black Diamond Storm Headlamp 25 to 160 Lumens 3.9 Oz. $30
Black Diamond TRAIL BACK TREKKING POLES 20 Oz. $50
Sawyer MINI Water Filter 1.3 Oz. $22
Sawer MAXI-DEET 100% DEET 2 Oz. $6
DriDucks Frogg Toggs Rain Jacket & Pants 10.2 Oz. $14
SmartWool Balaclava 1.8 Oz. $32
Cabela’s Insect Defense System™ Zip-Off Pants $80
Cabela’s Insect Defense System™ Jacket $65
Cabela’s Boys’ Insect Defense System™ Knit Shirt $30
Ultimax™ Cool-Lite Mid Hikers Socks 2 Oz. $11 ea. pair
Polypro Glove Liners – Black, Medium 1.1 Oz. $7
Mountain Masochist II Hiking Shoe 21.6 Oz. $60
Coleman Exponent F1 Ultralight Stove 2.7 Oz. $27
GigaPower Fuel 3.9 Oz. $5
Mountain Laurel Designs 850 ml Titanium Pot 3.3 Oz. $50
Lightload Pack Towel 36×60 .6 Oz. $10
Ultralight Travel Toothbrush .65 Oz. $3
GSI Outdoors Cathole Sanitation Trowel 3.1 Oz. $5
Lifeline Trail Light Dayhiker – 57 Piece 4060 First Aid Kit 3.7 Oz. $8
Vargo Titanium Spork .3 Oz. $10
Dr. Bronners Peppermint Castile Liquid Soap 4 Oz. $5
Gossamergear Rite in the Rain Notebook .6 Oz. $6
Total Ounces 147.85 Oz = 9 Lbs. 2 Oz.
Total Price $1116
Hi Rando,
If you contact the manufacturers of all the gear you are interested in you will likely get SOME gear to test and review although most will turn you down. If it were me I’d get my blog/website up to show that I’m serious and so gear manufacturers know that you can give them some advertising for their money. If I were a manufacturer I wouldn’t donate gear until you have a near-term and firm starting date.
You could ask around on Whiteblaze.net to see what people have to say about sponsorships. You will be met with some encouraging comments and some comments to the effect of “if you’re strong enough to hike 2,000 miles you’re strong enough to earn money to pay for your trip.” Just warning you in advance!
You might add up your weight again. That looks too light for that list. Sub 10 pounds is a very light base weight in the real world. If it were me I wouldn’t carry any of the “Insect Defense System” clothing, but that’s just me. Just skimming through it it looks like a sensible list overall.
Good luck with your planning!
Colter