The trip moves ever closer

and I wasn't able to train at all last week, though I did try a few times. There's a nasty cold going around work, and, of course, I caught it--sniffles, cough and all. I still have it, but I will survive. And, heck, I was still able to out hike my room-mate on Sunday. Though I did discover that trekking poles have other uses besides balance. It seems that when you are out on the ridge with nothing but rocks way down below you and the trail under your feet decides it's time to go for a run down the side of the hill a trekking pole can be very useful for bracing you up against that rock face you just dove into to keep from joining that over enthusiastic dirt that is now bouncing off the rocks below. Funny thing is I wasn't at all frightened, though my room-mate apparently was. He was behind me. I just reacted instinctively, evaluated my twisted ankle and sprain pinkie, and continued on. And then I forgot about the incident until my roomie brought it up to a friend at dinner. But now that I look back on the incident all I can think is that I was very lucky and that some adult, way back when I was a stick thin, gangly limbed little toe-headed brat, must have managed to drill something useful into my head afterall. I'm often accused of being too stubborn to take advice, so that is quite a feat.

My room-mate now has his first technical daypack. It's a little large for the particular trek we will be on, but it will do. He had a great deal of difficulty choosing between two different packs. I did find the pack he decided not to purchase (on the cute girl at the registers advice) on sale for approximately half price in a color that is no longer made, but that I think he would approve of. I just might pick it up for him. Mainly because every hiker needs more than one bag, and also because I think it's design will be better for the short trek we will be taking. Of course, the ultimate decision of which pack to take on the trek is his. So he has his shoes. He has his pack. Now he needs his cloths and all the other fun stuff useful for the trip.

It's time to make our shopping lists and final purchases.