The Gearing Up Process

Oh, what to take, what to take! Gearing up for the trip has also been quite a project which I began last spring. I’m glad now that I did start early so I could try out some of the clothing and the backpack I selected for the Indian journey. I gave everything a trial run by visiting friends in Arizona and had the opportunity to stay at their second home in Flagstaff for a week at approximately 8,000’ altitude – while there I went up the Snow Bowl via a ski lift to 11,500’. Both altitudes reflect the altitudes where I will be in India. I know to lay low for a couple of days until I acclimate and then go slow for awhile – doing that and staying hydrated will do the trick.

So what does a middle aged woman take for a 6 month journey spanning winter, spring, and summer? To begin with everything has to be micro sized, space & weight conscious, practical, and probably not easily purchased where I’m heading. With that in mind I decided to take gear and just a few clothing items opting to have clothes made once I land in Dharamsala. The clothes I have made will be better fit to the environment and to the modesty level expected of women in that part of the world. The fashion is generally loose drawstring pants and a long tunic top that comes down to the knees and then a long scarf for accent. Not being a bright color person I will probably look more like I’m decked out in martial arts clothing – time will tell!

I did a tremendous amount of researching and talking with trekkers at the outfitting stores before actually purchasing gear. Online information allowed me to make comparisons in weight, size, price, etc. Here are some of the things that I decided on:

Technology

• Averatec ultra-thin laptop computer 12.1” screen, 4 lbs.
• Sony Cyber-shot® DSC-W70 7.2-Megapixel Digital Camera
• iGo Everywhere power adapter, splitter and tips
• Cell Phone unlocked
• Sony digital voice recorder
• Eton AM, FM, SW micro radio

Special Clothing

• Clothes that wick off moisture, dry quickly – micro fibers & wrinkle free (LL Bean, Tilley Endurables)
• One long black skirt
• Teva sandles
• LL Bean hiking boots
• 2-in-1 parka – fleece & shell
• Silk sock liners, glove liners and long underwear
• Tilley hat

Hard Gear

• Eagle Creek Switchback wheeled backpack
• SteriPen Adventurer water purifier
• Petzl headlamp
• Mountain Hardware Phantom mummy bag (2 pounds)
• Sea to Summit fleece mummy liner, clothes line, dishpan, ultra thin travel towel, alpine umbrella & misc. items
• Eagle Creek organizers, money belt, TSA luggage locks
• Leki travel staff
• Cup with lid and chopsticks
• Leatherman micra multi-tool
  

Acknowledgments

While fundraising I had a number of people and stores who contributed to helping me become an adequately geared up woman. I really appreciate the gear and hope to use all of it again on return trips to the Siddhartha School and to Lhasa, Tibet.

• John Greene from Eastern Mountain Sports in Ithaca, NY - generous store discount
• Dennis Morang from Eastern Mountain Sports in Augusta, ME – generous store discount & expertise
• Smart EyeCare, Augusta, Maine
• Kris Wheelock, Gardiner, Maine
• Brian Koharian, Fairbanks, Alaska
• Frederika Marshall & Herm Kidder, Deer Isle, Maine