Interview with Mike Clelland!

Ah, I see.

Hello Mike? Where are you? Need some clarification.

My Clelland book is supposed to arrive today from Amazon.

Backpacking Light’s shipment of these books is in and they are on sale in our Gear Shop. I started reading (and more importantly, looking at the pictures) my copy of it last night and I can honestly say it is a valuable book even for someone like me who considers himself a pretty seasoned UL backpacker.

I’ve had the pleasure of leading educational courses in the backcountry with Mike and I can say that I’ve learned a LOT from Mike. He is a fountainhead of information who walks a line balanced perfectly between nerdy-scientist and goofy-artist. I am humbled to have been mentioned in Mike’s acknowledgements at the book’s beginning and can safely say I approve of the words and illustrations between the front and back cover of this book.

Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips: 153 Amazing & Inexpensive Tips for Extremely Lightweight Camping

There is definitely something wrong with the cover. Mike doesn't use trekking poles!

Except that's not Mike on the cover ; )

1) No, I don't use trekking poles, but when I drew the sketch for the cover, I did it at first without trekking poles, and it felt a little empty. i added the trekking pose simply because I thought it helped the image a little.

And it sorta looks like me, and maybe all my cartoons sorta look like me (sorta).

2) I've done a few UL trips for up to 14 days (13 nights) when I've worked for NOLS. My base weight was at around 10 even, and we had a load of food delivered at the half-way point, so approx. a 6 or 7 day ration period back to back.

I've done a few week long UL trips while NOT in a teaching role. But, I've never actually done a 10-day trip with a UL pack.

I've done PLENTY of longer format trips (more than 10 days) with huge loads (skiing, mountaineering, traditional, etc).

My plan for the summer is to make sure I do a 10-day trip with a pack weight under 25 pounds (excluding water). I don't foresee any problems, I just wanna make sure I do it so I can properly promote the book.

3) Sam is awesome!

Clelland! & SamH as instructors on a 3 day BPL course in Montana two years ago was my intro to lightweight trecking. Very dense learning experience and enjoyable as well. Mike and Sam challenged nearly every item in the pack. Mike's book reads just as he instructs on the trail. Both left brain and right brain product here!!!

Well done!

>Except that's not Mike on the cover ; )

Kinda looks like Doug Johnson.

Travis,

Mike's shave saved

0.000160 grams

in weight.

We have to keep the metric crowd happy.

Klic tock, klic tock, klic tock, I'm anxiously awaiting delivery of my copy.;-)

Party On,

Newton

> Mike's book reads just as he instructs on the trail. Both left brain and right brain product here!!!

I'm about 1/2 through Mike's book now and his superb verbal teaching skills translate wonderfully to the pages of this book. Frank hits it on the nose with his remark about right and left brain points of view. It's one of Clelland's qualities – the ability to provide the scientists with an answer about a specific weight in grams, calories, et al just as well as he can provide the lovers with a response about beauty, elegance, and groovy vibes.

Frank overlooking Thompson Lake, Absaroka Mountain Range, SW Montana, September 2009.

My copy just showed up in my mailbox a day early. I'm off to enjoy a good read and a good laugh and I may just learn something before I'm done. ;-)

Party On,

Newton

Hey Mike –

Congrats on your book!
I love your illustrations and writing style.

Cheers,
Craig

I finished reading this a couple days ago and am planning to review it on my blog next week. It's a superb combination of humor, intelligence, and grooviness.

Huge thanks Sam!

Just so y’know – This book was fun to do. I worked hard to keep it as sparse as possible, I wanted it short and simple. I went thru the text and compulsively used my word processor to subtract anything that felt extraneous. I kept anything childish or cute.

–

And – I created a companion blog:
LINK
> > > > > >
http://ultralightbackpackintips.blogspot.com/