step one of trip preparation: purchased my BOOTS last night at REI. not boots, but BOOTS. they were even on sale! i think they are trying to blow out the women's model, though, because only the men's version is listed on the website. guess not too many women buy these. i have gotten killer deals on mountaineering boots before: lowa civettas for $99 - normally $385, and some boreal boots cheap, too - only because the biggest size they had was a euro 39, which is what i wear. a plus to small feet!

i already have hiking boots that i love and that have accompanied me on many an outdoor adventure. always blister free. never needed second skin or moleskin or any of that with my old boots. they're not beefy enough, though, i need 'extending backpacking' (read: very very very very stiff. big. heavy) boots. now i have to break them in. lots of walking with heavy stiff feet. yay?

tried on backpacks, too. mine is old and no-frills, bought on a college budget years ago. now i have an excuse to buy a new one. i can order arcteryx gear below wholesale thanks to pro deals at the gym. (i didn't get paid for doing their website, but i get membership and can order gear at cost. not a bad deal. it makes it too easy to acquire more gear, though...ah...gear...) the one i need to get is HUGE. did i say HUGE? i take that back. it's GIGANTIC. the bora 95. sweet pack. loaded it with thirty five pounds at REI - if i leaned wrong i felt like i was going to fall over backwards. i'm going to be hauling upwards of 45 pounds on my trip. damn. i better start carrying everst on my back when i walk the dogs...

i am geeked on hiking boots and backpacks. hmm. i hope that's not a bad thing. sorry to subject y'all to my excitement. :)