“There is always a sadness about packing. I guess you wonder if where you're going is as good as where you've been.”
-Richard Proenneke
I
spent today packing. Don't worry! I'm not leaving Alaska just yet,
but I felt the need to downsize once again. Right now I have a duffel
bag and a ruck sack holding all my earthly possessions, which doesn't
sound like much but I've been wondering lately (especially after
hauling the bags through airports all the way to Alaska), how much
stuff do I really use?
Do I
need six shirts when I only really wear three? How about pants? Two
leggings, two shorts, two khakis and a pair of jeans. I think I could
cut that in half and be fine. I'm even thinking of sending my laptop
back to the folks in New Hampshire, since I have my kindle and do
most web based activities on that right now, although the laptop
makes job hunting much easier so I may opt to keep it for now.
After
packing what I see as the bare necessities into my ruck sack I even
have room left over for odds and ends like food or shampoo should it
come to that. Without my laptop it weighs about 13lbs and is a little
over ¾ full, though I'm planning a few extra lbs for last minute
can't-live-without stuff.
I had
to downsize a lot to fit into the Jetta and then even more when I
went to New Orleans, but I'd like to get to the point where
everything I need fits on my back. Maybe this summer will give me the
push I need.