My New Favorite Store

... just happens to be REI. Over the past week I've gone there 4 times (3 different locations). Each time I've purchased at least one item.

Now I'm totally stoked for camping and I'd really like to get into backpacking. I've never truly gone backpacking in the sense that you have to carry everything with you and hike into your campsite. I want to. My next big purchase will be a pack- any suggestions for a good one?

I've really enjoyed wandering around the store and discovering all the crazy lightweight tools/cookwear/supplies and the funny personal hygiene implements designed for camping and whatnot. They have portable showers that are solar powered.... so you can be out in the woods and still get a hot shower (a very short hot shower as the thing only holds a couple of liters). They also have colapsible toilets for use anywhere. ANYWHERE. That's right... you could be traipsing through the rainforest and know that digging a hole and going there is not for you so you can pull out our folded up toilet and go there instead.

None of the aforementioned hygiene items have I purchased. Just so we are clear.

What I have purchased this past week are the following:

1. GSI Bugaboo Backpacker cookwear set
2. Guyotdesigns utensils
3. GSI salt and pepper grinders (they are tiny and I love them)
4. pack towel (it is super lightweight and stuffs into a tiny little bag so it doesn't take up so much space).
5. SOS pack for emergency situations.
6. odorless bugspray (because who wants to stink like that stuff?)
7. hiking socks
8. silicone tops for my Sigg water bottles and spouts for my Nalgene bottles.
9. Telescoping camp forks for roasting things over the fire (like marshmallows)
10. GSI hae tea kettle
11. Storm Proof Matches


I'm also in the market for a lightweight backpacking tent. That would help, I guess. I already have a tent, but it's not lightweight and you couldn't pay me to lug that thing around. If I did I wouldn't be able to carry food with me or clothes to wear.

I cannot wait to get out and use my stuff! This weekend is the first of many in my camping/backpacking future.