Today we finally got serious about the Japan Nakaseno Hike that we are planning for next month. Seriousness took the form of a 4.3km hike along the local Piles Creek Loop track, starting and ending at the Girakool picnic area. The aim of the walk was to test not only the fit of various clothing items (pants, boots, socks, sock liners) but also the adjustment of our new Osprey day packs and whether we'd manage the weight of all the shit we're planning on humping each day.
Turns out, once I've added 2 days change of clothes to the Patagonia micropuff, Goretex jacket and rain pants, in addition to my tablet, power brick, selfie stick (yes I know) and various chargers and cables, my pack comes in at around 6kg with a 1litre water bottle included. More than I expected, but, it turns out, quite manageable.
With a quick stop for a snack at the half way point, we completed the 4.3kms in a respectable 2 hours plus change. We were pretty hot and sweaty by the end, but walking back out of that valley was a bit of a killer!
All things considered, our equipment performed well, and the weight of the pack was never an issue. It makes me wonder whether my MacBook might not be able to make the journey with me as well. Sounds like something to test next week.
Upon completion of the day's walk, I set about creating a Google MyMap of the day, including photos. This was all achieved without pain, and directly on my phone:
So too was the creation of a Relive 3D rendition. Seems like Relive is not calculating the distance correctly, which is a bit of a shit, but apart from that both tools are ridiculously easy to use with the files being spit out of my android GPS tracker app.
The quality of the Relive output is a bit shit right now, but I'm hoping that it will look better in HD once I pay a few sheckles for membership (did someone same 30 day free trial? 👺).
For the rest of this blog post I've been tap tap tapping into my tiny Samsung 8" tablet, and it's taken a God's age. Pretty fucking painful - as anyone who's had to do it can attest - but much lighter than my 13" MacBook. I'm not sure if my sanity is quite worth the daily weight saving to be honest. On the Japan trip I'll have the laptop approximately every third day as our luggage catches up with us, but as Lucas and Richard will tell you, I do like to complete a blog post each and every day. And damn if I'm not a wordy motherfucker. I might just have to bite the bullet and add the extra 1.3kgs. Hmm food for thought 8-).
Postscript: so after trying the laptop in my daypack yet again I have decided that it really is too heavy to lug each day on the trail. And so, I've compromised with the purchase of a Logitech Keys-To-Go bluetooth keyboard weighing in at a meagre 170 grams.
It might smell like defeat, but hey - I'm using it to type this postscript and it's working a treat. Looks like I'm having my cake and eating it too. Snootch.
Postscript #2: so I just signed up for the Relive 30-day free trial. Here's what it looks like with a newly regenerated video and using the embed code that they supply. Pretty sweet:
Turns out, once I've added 2 days change of clothes to the Patagonia micropuff, Goretex jacket and rain pants, in addition to my tablet, power brick, selfie stick (yes I know) and various chargers and cables, my pack comes in at around 6kg with a 1litre water bottle included. More than I expected, but, it turns out, quite manageable.
With a quick stop for a snack at the half way point, we completed the 4.3kms in a respectable 2 hours plus change. We were pretty hot and sweaty by the end, but walking back out of that valley was a bit of a killer!
All things considered, our equipment performed well, and the weight of the pack was never an issue. It makes me wonder whether my MacBook might not be able to make the journey with me as well. Sounds like something to test next week.
Upon completion of the day's walk, I set about creating a Google MyMap of the day, including photos. This was all achieved without pain, and directly on my phone:
So too was the creation of a Relive 3D rendition. Seems like Relive is not calculating the distance correctly, which is a bit of a shit, but apart from that both tools are ridiculously easy to use with the files being spit out of my android GPS tracker app.
The quality of the Relive output is a bit shit right now, but I'm hoping that it will look better in HD once I pay a few sheckles for membership (did someone same 30 day free trial? 👺).
For the rest of this blog post I've been tap tap tapping into my tiny Samsung 8" tablet, and it's taken a God's age. Pretty fucking painful - as anyone who's had to do it can attest - but much lighter than my 13" MacBook. I'm not sure if my sanity is quite worth the daily weight saving to be honest. On the Japan trip I'll have the laptop approximately every third day as our luggage catches up with us, but as Lucas and Richard will tell you, I do like to complete a blog post each and every day. And damn if I'm not a wordy motherfucker. I might just have to bite the bullet and add the extra 1.3kgs. Hmm food for thought 8-).
Postscript: so after trying the laptop in my daypack yet again I have decided that it really is too heavy to lug each day on the trail. And so, I've compromised with the purchase of a Logitech Keys-To-Go bluetooth keyboard weighing in at a meagre 170 grams.
It might smell like defeat, but hey - I'm using it to type this postscript and it's working a treat. Looks like I'm having my cake and eating it too. Snootch.
Postscript #2: so I just signed up for the Relive 30-day free trial. Here's what it looks like with a newly regenerated video and using the embed code that they supply. Pretty sweet:
Relive 'Piles Creek Loop Track'
