Dropped out College, Travelling the World

Yeah, it does. I dropped down from twenty-five pounds of rice to 1.5 pounds. I can always get more.

 

Yup. A pound of rice is like 99 cents. is you're hitching, you have plenty of chances to resupply. When I hike my base pack weight is about 14 pounds. then a pound a day for food and 3 liters of water (five when I'm unsure of sources). Max I carry is 28, but I'm a little older than you are

 

Dude, Zoomie, you kick ass. You're so fucking helpful. Thanks man.

 

If you make it to Northern AZ, come visit me at the Grand Canyon

 

Really squawkers? Thanks.

 

Dude if you make it to MD hit me up, you can couch surf here.

 

Cool.

 

If for some reason you make it to Harrisburg, PA; you have a roof over your head and some food on the table.

 

if you are going off the beaten path or otherwise you'll need something like a stick as long as the length between your elbow and the tip of your longest finger.

you never know if you'll need it

about a year ago or so i was in the tent on a campsite and woke suddenly to find some drunken guy standing outside threatening to kill us. annoyed and sleepy i rang the police and they whisked him off to some happier place.

 

30 lbs seems like way too much to me. But then again when I first started out I had around that much weight in my pack. I'm only 25 but I don't like to carry a heavy pack, did that 5 years ago when I first began living homeless and camping out around Canada, had this huge waxed canvas army cargo pack and all this stuff I thought I needed which, through experimentation and experience, learned that I didn't and learned that I would much rather be as mobile as possible and the only packs I use nowadays are cheap junk from China that cost a few bucks and that I can throw out after a few months when the zipper is broke and the straps are worn and they aren't worth hauling around no more. I used to spend 30-40 dollars on a quality pack, but no more, not worth the expense to me nowadays. Once you've slept in a variety of environments and gotten wet and cold and miserable and learned how to keep warm without carrying a tent or sleeping bag it's much easier to get by only carrying 10 pounds or less. I wouldn't mind getting a hammock again. With a light 1-2 pound hammock and a small mosquito net you will sleep very comfortably in any kind of country that isn't too far north and that has trees for stringing up the hammock.

The past 2 years I haven't carried around more than about 10-12 lbs and even that seems like too much to me. I sleep rough and need to stay mobile. I just returned from another few months travelling through the Middle East and Europe with a pack that weighs about 7.5 pounds which works out to 4.8 lbs for this winter Jordanian herder's jacket I bought(which is too heavy for the summer months), and the rest is shaving cream and 2 razors, an extra pair of light cotton pants, a light cotton shirt, a tea kettle, suntan lotion, thread for sewing (had to ditch the needles at one airport during my travels), a length of rope and some scraps of paper and pens.

The way I travel is I pick things up as I need them and discard things as they become more of a burden than a necessity, and I always end up ditching extra clothing here and there that I don't need. I usually stay around 3-7 lbs these days. I mostly travel in subtropical/tropical countries so of course you need more bedding and heavy clothing in a colder climate like here in Canada in the winter months. Of course when you want to fish or hunt that increases weight but it's worth it for the food.



As far as food goes, I prefer to travel in countries where I can gather a lot of berries or dates/oranges/tropical fruit as I travel and use that as my staple -I follow the Paleo-diet when I can so I prefer fresh fruit/vegetables/nuts/meat/fish. I barely ever carry any food for more than a day or two except for dried fruit like dates but even then I use the tea kettle as a container for berries or fruits and consume them within the next day. I remember when I used to carry stuff like Nutella and Peanut butter and stuff like that but I wouldn't carry that anymore, it can't be compared to fresh food in my opinion.

I like the example of the Peace Pilgrim (search on google), who carried just the clothes on her back traversing the U.S., now that is travelling light.

 

Please update this so we can know where you are. It helps and gives you something to do in cities aside from dumpster diving. If I'm still around middle tennessee and you are passing by here I could smoke you out or cook for you. Just let us know where you are and I'm sure members would like to help. I've been in situations where a blunt or a nice meal would have changed my mood significantly and have been out on the road as you are about to be.

I usually carry about 25 lbs, but my shit is way heavier than necessary. I could get different equipment and drop 5-10 pounds, but I'm too content and cheap to change. Once again good luck brah!@~

Ps. The above poster has some good words. The first time I set out I had entirely too much shit. You just have to learn through experience what you want to carry and what you don't need. I usually don't carry more food than I will eat in a day unless I go to the grocer and pick up some vegetables. You will get tired if you travel all day, there's no way around it. Before you set out your body isn't used to an additional 30 pounds on it, and its definately not used to walking miles upon miles with that extra weight. The more you do this the lighter your pack will be.

 

Sadly, my trip has been canceled. It blows, but I got a job, and now I'm working construction. I still have the itch to travel, but, I don't know.