Setting up the Journey

There is a lot to be said for the initial steps you take to get ready for a trip across a continent. It is that first step that sets the pace and diligence that will mold the journey to its conclusion. It all started with an idea, as many journeys do, an idea to find ones self. This journey is more than just to see the sights, but to see the sights of the soul. I feel that we as people are disconnected from the earth. We are a society who live in a constant state of fear, whether that fear is of a possible economic collapse, terrorist attack, or just the inability to afford the life we have been told is the one we need. We are a world of excess, and backpacking allows us to become true minimalists. We begin to stop the petty thoughts of what color our gear is and what our neighbors will think of it. We begin to see things for their true necessity. When you are getting ready to live out of a 4000 cu in. pack there is no time for bigger gear that is prettier. You have to make the minimalist decision. What is the lightest weight and most functional. A lesson that could be used in society in every way.