This is The Week!

So I've let this blog lay idle for the past month as we have been making plans, watching the weather, and wrestling over gear choices. I upgraded my gear over the past couple of months by replacing my old Therma-Rest mattress with one that is a half inch thicker and five inches wider. It adds a little weight, and takes up a bit more room, but will probably be more comfortable. I also bought a new French Press coffee maker. This one, made by Thermos/Nissan is insulated and will keep coffee hot for longer while in camp. My old glass press, while quite nice, required immediate transfer of the coffee into a thermos during the winter so as to keep that second cup warm enough to drink. So the new press effectively consolidates two appliances into one, saving space and weight. And I finally tossed my old insulated plastic mug in favor of one of the new titanium double-walled mugs that cost a fortune but are light as a feather and apparently do a good job of retaining heat. We'll see...

I'm watching the weather closely. It looks improbable that I will make the entire week without rain, but the first day and last two days look like they will be dry and of mild temperatures. I have been in contact with the various campgrounds I will use to ensure that they will be open - many campgrounds close for the winter months, and we don't want any surprises at the end of a long day of travel. My first stop is Roosevelt State Park near Jackson, Mississippi after 400 miles of interstate. So it's a fairly boring ride the first day.