HAPPY NEW YEAR

[Aaron Sorensen]

So what's in store for 2007?

Anyone out there have a resolution that involves getting out more?

[Thomas Knighton]

As a matter of fact, mine does! Of course, I'm a newbie, so getting out once, is getting out more, but let's not word parse ;)

Tom

[Denis Hazlewood]

I just came back from a holiday vacation and got the news that I'm to be laid off. It could have come at a better time of the year for getting out but I'll do the best I can to make use of the "unstructured" time to try out my new Big Sky Evolution 2P.

[Miguel Arboleda]

Sorry to hear about your getting laid off, Denis. A lousy way to start a new year…

Last year I was out of work from May till November. While financially it wasn't cream pies in the sky, it did give me the opportunity to do a lot of hiking, and to try out some of my ultralight gear in longer-term conditions.

Your getting laid off in the winter might give you a chance to test your skills and gears a little more seriously, and to learn new skills. And with a tent you were waiting for for a long time, no less.

Hope the job hunting goes well.

With my new job and moving to a new place and making big changes I hope to make this year when, first and foremost… even more than lightweight equipment… I get myself back into tiptop shape. I want to be doing a lot of hiking this summer. Maybe even one trip outside of Japan.

[Denis Hazlewood]

Miguel,
Good idea: Get outside my comfort zone. Get out in the rain. Point Reyes isn't that far from a warm dry restaurant. I will, however, carry a synthetic bag. No sense in being silly about it.

[Chad Lorenz]

My resolution is to spend a third of my nights outside this year. I'm signed up for a NOLS semester (94 days, maybe 80 nights outside? DEFINITELY not lightweight) a thruhike of the Superior Hiking Trail (about 14 nights) two weeks on the AT in May, and I'll need to make up the other nights on weekends and hopefully with some winter camping at school. I feel that if I can do a third this year, I'll have to try and match or better it the next! Does anyone have any long hikes planned?

[Colleen Clemens]

thanks. happy new year to everyone as well.

2007 will hopefully see me moving (no clue where to), and absolutely will see me backpacking more. my oldest son will turn 5 this year and is becoming quite a fun hiking companion so i think we will get out more together.

i also need to resolve to get my gear sewing done ASAP!

[Shawn Basil]

Sure. I'm actually starting the year in a bike phase, mixing trails and pavement on my mountain bike. During Spring Break, I'm "through-riding" the Natchez Trace from Natchez, Mississippi back to Nashville, Tennessee, about 442 miles of relatively mellow riding over a week, staying at litle campgrounds along the way. Then I intend to follow up with a couple of canoe trips in April and May. Then when summer hits, I plan to through-hike the Sheltowee Trace in Kentucky (about 275 miles). Afterward, I hope to move to a new teaching job in the Maryville, Tennessee area, right next to the Smokies. This should still give me enough summer to head north for a through-hike of the Long Trail in Vermont. Then the fall will hold lots more exploring Great Smoky Mountains National Park. So, yeah, hopefully I'll get out more in 07!

[Mark]

I'm going to do my first marathon this spring; right now I'm shopping around for a good one. (The Atlanta Marathon course is reeeaaaaaaally boring.) I'd also like to try some trail races. The bigger goal is to work out away to tackle the AT or PCT this year.

-Mark

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