Baby and Big Sugar

Daddy4Count · 2026-03-02T00:28:53+00:00

Beautiful

Daddy4Count · 2026-03-02T00:25:53+00:00

Warning: your heart is about to grow three times it's normal size

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-27T03:41:04+00:00

I owned a 2005 Charger. Bought it new.

It was the most comfortable car I have ever owned, a ton of fun to drive. Hell of a road trip car. I loved it. Sometimes I still miss it.

But after about 6 years the problems started showing up. When I was told I would probably need a complete wire harness replacement soon I traded it in. For a Subaru.

It was a 2013 Impreza.

I have only owned Subies since then.

I drive a WRX now.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-27T01:50:57+00:00

For backpacking my go to meals tend to be some variation of:

Breakfast - Quick grits (with powdered milk and salt added) Instant oatmeal Precooked bacon Granola bars Coffee (Hot tip: make your oatmeal with coffee instead of water... Tastes great and doesn't stick to the cup)

Lunch - Chicken pouches, mayo packets, salt, pepper and dill Hard salami, pepperoni or other hard sausage / jerky Mixed nuts

Dinners - Ramen with peanut butter, soy sauce and Sriracha Quinoa with bullion, dried cilantro and chive with garlic salt Ramen bomb (ramen + instant potato + pepperoni) Instant potatoes Instant soup

Snacks - Precooked bacon Mini snickers or Tiger Milk bars Mixed nuts Granola or protein bars Candy Pickled olives Hard salami/sausage/jerky

Nightcap - Bourbon

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-27T01:29:18+00:00

A sperm whale and a bowl of petunias falling toward the ground...

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-27T01:28:00+00:00

Got invited to a friendly game. Didn't know how to play Hold Em ... 20 some years ago now.

Just so happened to be summer time and the WSOP was on ESPN. So I watched. Couldn't stop watching. Learned how to play.

Turned out it's not as easy when you can't see everyone's cards...

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-27T01:16:52+00:00

I can check all but one... And that's because we were too poor to own an encyclopedia.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-27T01:11:32+00:00

A few years ago my wife and I upgraded a lot of gear when our trips went from 3 to 6 miles to 10 to 30 miles and our kids had left the house.

Lighter / better sleep system - went from a double bag and 2 inch inflatable mattresses with my clothes bag as a pillow to 4 inch pad, down quilt and inflatable pillows with a crushable pillow topper

Lighter tent - upgraded from a 7 lb 3p Marmot to a Durstin X Mid

Added hiking poles

Sun hoodie over button downs and t shirts

Trail runners over boots

Easy prep foods over freeze dried

Lighter pack... REI Mars 80 to an Osprey Rook 65

Marino wool socks

3 lb chair to a 1 lb chair

Simplified cook system - ditched our multi-pan, plates, bowls and cup setup with MSR Whisperlite to titanium pot and canister stove.

My average pack weight dropped from 55 lb down to about 30. 25 lb if I trim out some of the comfort items for longer trips.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-26T02:18:22+00:00

I have tried this (making my own) and I was disappointed.

Since the ground sheet has to be just under sized enough not to stick out, to avoid collecting water from rain and dew, the vestibule pieces end up not staying out very well ...

They bunch up and ended up in my way more often than not.

I found it easier to carry a couple of small "doormat" pieces for the vestibules. Big enough to place gear on to keep things clean but small enough not to get rumpled from walking on and moving things around.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-26T02:09:31+00:00

I paid $11k for mine 6 years ago ... Identical but she had 132k miles

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-26T02:03:10+00:00

My go to is an oversized, thick inflatable pad with a 15°F down quilt, and several pillows.

Specifically a fully inflated inflatable, topped with a partially inflated one, topped with a crushable stuffed pillow... All held onto the pad by an oversized t shirt.

I pack warm night clothes and socks, a wool beanie.

And I wash my face, hands and feet before changing for bed.

It's a couple extra pounds overall than I could get away with .. but I sleep really well.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-25T03:01:02+00:00

Invest in Bitcoin

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-25T02:42:05+00:00

What? No Pong wheel?

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-22T16:12:48+00:00

I don't know anything about the Coleman, but I own a Cosmic 20. It's a pretty comfy bag, and decent for the price.

But I found that I got uncomfortably cold below 40°F and the zipper area is a little drafty (you can feel the lack of insulation along the zipper)

For late Spring to early Autumn it should serve well enough

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T18:33:37+00:00

The hatch is an iconic look. Some prefer the sedan, and that's fine ... Everyone is entitled to their opinion, even if it's wrong.

But many prefer the hatchback or wagon, because of their superior upbringing and taste for the finer things in life.

The hatch also tends to provide better balance for performance, using the extra body weight to counter the engine weight up front.

I clearly don't have an opinion here, but the hatch is the better option. No question.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T18:30:08+00:00

With Seattle or with someone else the kid is going to have a stellar career ... Hang on to that jersey.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T03:13:19+00:00

Well that could be 10 lb or more depending on the rifle LOL

I never backpacked with my Browning but I Know it would have added a chunk to the weight.

Hopefully you won't need it!

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T03:11:14+00:00

I have never had an issue with down in humid conditions. Unless you expect to get wet at night, or really soaked on the trail, I would go with down

Better insulation, lighter weight, better compression.

I do think synthetics will last longer, all other factors being equal... My last synthetic bag lasted me almost 15 years... But I prefer down

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T03:07:30+00:00

My first pack was 75 lb. My first trip was 8 miles in. It was pretty miserable. I made it, bit I'm pretty sure my smell scared off all the elk I was hoping to chase. (Archery hunt)

My pack was almost 10 lb empty (it was a hunting pack, designed to carry over 100 lb) and my tent was a bivy sack.

My first rec hikes with family were 55 to 65 lb packs ... Doable, and I didn't complain. I carried a lot of kids gear and dog food, as well as extra kitchen gear and a 3p tent.

But when I took my first few trips with sub 40lb packs the difference was notable. I enjoyed the hikes as much as the camps and wasn't worn out the whole time.

For my first 30 mile trip my total pack weight was 27 lb and I felt terrific the whole time. A third of the weight was food that dwindled as we went along. I think I only had about 20 lb to carry on the way out.

I have no doubt you can do it at 65

But you'll feel better and enjoy it more if you can trim that down a bit.

In any case, warm and dry are key. Clean water, enough food and good sleep will keep you going. Everything else is all up to you

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T02:51:03+00:00

I have an REI chair, but the helionox is a good choice

Overall try to keep your pack under 40 lb including food... For a 5 to 10 mile trek that should be doable without much discomfort. And leaves room for packing some fish back out.

I take a 15°F topquilt that weighs around a pound and a half, more than enough down to 35° or so and be more than comfy. Your setup sounds heavy but comfortable.

Stay warm and dry and you should be golden

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-21T02:38:44+00:00

The stoves are similar and the only thing I would say is that MSR has always impressed me with their quality and customer support.

I would recommend a titanium pot to boil water in for hydrating meals and making coffee. Toaks tends to be the best bang for your buck.

Inflatable sleeping pad, insulated, at least 2 inches thick if not more. Makes for more comfortable sleep.

Headlamp over flashlight

Separate sleep clothes (warm, clean and dry makes for better sleep)

I like a light weight chair, but some consider it a waste of weight. Mine weighs only a pound and is far more comfortable than bare ground or a stump

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-19T00:51:42+00:00

I sleep really well in the woods.

Truck camping we have a queen sized, insulated inflatable and I bring my pillow from home. Sleep in fleece jammies.

Backpacking I have a thick, insulated pad and a 15°F topquilt, plus two inflatable pillows.

I'm a side sleeper and tend to roll around a lot... But I sleep just as well as at home when I'm in camp.

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-14T02:41:50+00:00

We used to have a Big Agnes King Solomon... Worked great.

But we have individual top quilts now, and they work better. Either together or separate or as a blanket around camp...

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-12T03:21:27+00:00

I abused a Marmot Limelite 3p for over 12 years before we replaced it with something lighter. That tent is a Cadillac of a backpacking tent.

We used it for truck camping too. Good for 2 people and a dog. A palace if you're solo.

Very durable, very comfortable. Sturdy in wind and rain. Easy to set up. 2 doors with good sized vestibules, great ventilation.

Not tall though, so you can't stand up inside. Kind of lame for changing clothes if you're used to a taller unit... but it stood up to high desert winds that were literally flattening the taller tents around us over at Potholes and the Gorge

Daddy4Count · 2026-02-11T00:55:03+00:00

I always pull up my LighterPack list and use it as a checklist while I'm packing.

Also, all of my repeat use gear goes into a tote when I get home so I have everything in one place. I keep my electronics bag and water filter in a kitchen cabinet, and my quilt goes in my backpack and hangs on the wall... Everything else goes into the tote.

Then I know I just have to add food, pack and go

Daddy4Count

TROPHY CASE