Shopping, Comfy Stuff and a Surprise

Being selected for the Gratitude Hike has opened up lots of doors and windows...to the sporting goods store & online retailers! 

For a girl who doesn't love to shop I have definitely enjoyed getting lots of new clothing and gear for this trip!

(Ok, ok I'll admit I do like to online shop and have the merchandise 'magically' appear on the front porch courtesy of my friendly neighborhood UPS driver, who by some coincidence, is married to my dog walker.  He leaves dog treats along with the packages on the porch.)

For this trip, I've had a few packages delivered from stores I rarely (REI) or never (EMS) shopped before:  Cozy, yet 'rugged' hiking pants, a pair of the softest fleece pants I've ever worn & hiking underwear (I never knew they made special undies for hiking, but they are amazingly soft too!). 

One evening I spent more time than I'd like to admit climbing all over the "rock" in the shoe section of my local REI.  I must've tried on every pair of women's hiking shoes.  Twice.  I finally settled on the super comfy Merrells.  They feel like pillows when I put them on my feet. 

After deciding on the shoes, it was on to the socks.  Wool?  No too itchy.  Lite Hiker, Thick Hiker, CoolMax, SmartMax...I don't even know but I finally found three pair that are so cozy & soft.

Next it was off to the backpack section.  I love that they have backpack fitting experts at REI.  And these large bean bags to fill up the packs with different weights when you're trying them on.  The pack I selected is a fun turquoise color.  But it also fits well and after loading it up & wearing it on a few hikes in my area, I would go so far as to say I love it. 

Lastly, the backpack expert helped me pick out a water reservoir ("Get the largest, you never know!") and by now the store was closed, but no one seemed to mind.

This weekend my brother Mike gave me a Bear Grylls Survival Kit.  A very thoughtful gift, although it makes me a little nervous to think of myself actually needing it!

One small item I picked up has had me smiling - it's a small thermos.  One of the other hikers on this trip suggested it might be nice to carry a hot drink to enjoy at the summit if the weather is cold.  While doing some last minute errands, I found a small one I thought would work well for me; it's stainless steel and has a lovely purple 'grippy' middle that feels good when you hold it.  I like how stuff feels (clearly).  When I got the thermos home and was washing it, I noticed in small print "HERO" on the sticker.  I had to look at it a few times, then I even went on the company's website to confirm what my eyes would not believe...it was indeed a HERO line of mugs and cups. 

With all this shopping, planning and preparing, I've learned & experienced so many things that I wouldn't have expected.  It has me excited & anxious to see what lies ahead...I might just turn into a
mountain woman. I don't know yet what that even means, but I think I like it.

Now I just hope I can fit all this stuff in my suitcase!