Homemade fleece balaclava and more

I made my own balaclava today. I used a fleece sweater that I picked up at the thrift store and a fleece balaclava pattern I found online.

I opened the JPEG image of the pattern in an image editor, cropped it, and increased the dimensions so that when printed it would be at actual size. (72 pixels per inch) Then I sliced the image into pieces that would fit on 8.5x11 inch paper. I printed out the pieces, cut the pattern pieces out of the paper and taped it back together. Then I pinned it to the sweater.

My scissors were not sharp enough to cut the fabric cleanly. And I do not have a sewing machine so I used a needle and thread. The sweater wasn't long enough for the pattern but when held up next to my head, the pattern looked way too long anyway. So I fit it onto the sweater as well as I could.

I was dismayed at the condition of my scissors. I nearly ruined the project. I ended up having to sew an extra portion of fabric on the top of the head because of how badly I cut the fabric. But it looks and works fine.

I added a drawstring to the head opening. My plan is to use it when sleeping or if it's very cold outside, or possibly even while riding my Vespa. The drawstring lets me pull it a little tighter around my face.

After I made the balaclava I wondered what I could make from the sleeves. I decided to cut off the sleeves and put a drawstring through the shoulder end. When cinched at the toe end, I can wear them as sleeping socks. I can wear them around my legs to keep my legs warm. I can wear them on my arms to keep my arms warm. They can even be used as a pillow. They weigh less than my wool sleeping socks and have more uses.

I like having homemade gear, even if the perfection isn't there. Maybe especially if the perfection isn't there.

I think my start date will be May 24 or May 25.

May 24 is a Sunday. But it might be easier to say good-bye to Tony on May 25, which is a Monday.

Laces thought I ought not to take the bus in Santa Barbara to get to the trailhead. She thought I should walk the whole way through Santa Barbara. She's the proud owner of an imaginary ball of twine she unwound all the way from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. Perhaps she's encouraging me to unwind my own ball of yarn.

Part of me feels I don't have what it takes to do that. Part of me thinks I'm not dreaming big enough and that's why I have decided to return. I am going to keep things open and let them unfold. Perhaps starting without the bus holds the possibility of things unfolding differently than they would if I did take the bus.

Spring into Green at UCSB

I was invited to set up a table representing Santa Barbara Hikes at the UC Santa Barbara campus for some event they call Spring into Green, something about promoting green lifestyles.

I brought some print-outs from my web site about the trails plus some info about ultralight backpacking plus all my ultralight gear. I passed out lots of sheets with directions to some of the trails and lots of my old brochures I made when my site was brand new back in the late 90s. I answered some questions about local trails and recommended the Robert Stone books. I had some of my own books but didn't sell any.

I brought my backpack packed and ready to go for the PCT with all my gear. I amazed lots of people by having them pick up my pack. What amazed them was not only that it was so light but that it was all the gear needed for months on the trail. Of course, the amount of gear for months is really the same amount of gear as for a few days, but it sounds more impressive.

People enjoyed my ugly little alcohol stove. I tried to impress people with the low cost options for going lighter. Some things are expensive, like sleeping bags and tents, but some things are really cheap like making your own stove, reusing plastic things you'd otherwise throw away, certain kinds of shelter can be pretty cheap and many packs are very cheap. Mine was only $80.

I was able to help a guy planning to hike the PCT this year from Kennedy Meadows to Canada. When he lifted my pack he was amazed and grilled me for more info. He had actually been on his way to Sports Authority to get stuff for his PCT hike. Well, I stopped him from doing that! I unpacked my pack and showed him my stuff, including The One, and gave him tips on saving money and going light at the same time. I passed out a sheet with links to various web sites about going light to lots of people. I was doing my job as Gossamer Gear Trail Ambassador.

The entire event was a lot of fun for me and a success if measured by having a good time. I find a lot of satisfaction in the things I do these days. I'm in demand, I'm doing leadership-type things, I'm teaching, staying active and involved. It's too bad none of them make any money. After the PCT I've got to find a balance between authentic life and profit. How does one have a career and a job (where you pretend it's your career) too without the latter sucking all the life out of you?