The absolute necessaries - 7/21/2018

33lbs. 5lbs is the -30 degree sleeping bag. So the rest is all you’re allowed. Hours spent weighting out this fleece versus that one. Micro spike crampons are two pounds plus. Three pairs of underwear or four for the eight days. No razor. No shampoo of course as no showers. But you only take the absolute necessaries. Being 6’6” I get no allowance for heavier clothing. So only the needed things. Like toilet paper.

Only the needed things. My mom gathered yards of ephemera. Much but but all went out. Those hiking poles in the picture were hers. She tooled about her town with those for years after a spill needing a new hip. Randomly, I kept them. Now they come with me.

What are the needed things? I know people are all needed. But the things in life. What do you really need? While we never really know, chances are we think we need more than we do and that very desire causes far too much heartache. So what is needed. For me, after Jesus and the people I love, not that much. Maybe toilet paper. ​

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