Building the Plan

I attended a "Pub Talk" last Wednesday put on by the Florence Chamber of Commerce, the Small Business Development Council of Oregon, Lane Community College, and something called RAIN (entrepreneur network of some sort with a convoluted name). This Pub Talk was the first in a series after the pilot last Fall and I found it most useful.

The RAIN dude, David, a young man with a lot of know-how on business models, walked through the Business Model Canvas with us using various examples and then challenged us to complete one for ourselves. I found a good template at https://strategyzer.com/ that matches the one that David used.
https://assets.strategyzer.com/assets/resources/the-business-model-canvas.pdf  is the template and https://assets.strategyzer.com/assets/resources/designing-crystal-clear-business-model-canvases.pdf is a guide for completing it. 

When asked if anyone would like to share their roughed out Canvas, I shared mine. While it seems like a fairly simple business--a vendor cart that sells custom ice cream sandwiches--all the elements are there as there would be for a larger business.

The Value Propositions or "what you do for each customer segment" would be:

• Provide a small range of custom ice cream sandwiches that are made with local ice cream and cookies to the crowds at the local Florence farmer's market and street fairs, and for local delivery to neighborhoods.

The Customer Relationships or "how the customer interacts with you" varies with each customer segment:

• At the farmers' market or street fairs, customers would approach my bicycle/tricycle ice cream cart and make a choice from the 3-4 options laid out on a chalkboard and purchase that choice with cash. (credit/debit?)
• Though a website and/or Facebook schedule, allow delivery orders for specific ice cream sandwich types for specific neighborhoods on specific days of the week. Based on a production schedule, certain types of ice cream sandwiches would be created. 
• For local scheduled events, such as meetings, parties, weddings, etc., a pre-arranged selection and amount of custom ice cream sandwiches would be provided for a set price. 

Channels are specific means to market to my customer segments and how I'm going to get the product to them:

• Street fairs and farmer's markets would be advertised on the Facebook page and local Facebook pages to announce where I planned to be and when. The sandwiches would be sold from the freezer on my tricycle. 
• Deliveries to the various neighborhoods would be on a schedule. For example, Coast Village and Florentine Estates on Monday, Greentrees on Tuesday, etc. Individual orders would be packaged up and there would be some extras for those who stop me along the way.  I would deliver on my tricycle. 
• The tricycle would be used for local weddings and events, where it was possible to ride the tricycle there. If business improved, maybe a trailer to haul the tricycle around might be an idea to pursue.

https://lanesbdc.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SBDC-SPRING-SCHEDULE-2018-FOR-WEB-1.pdf

https://strategyzer.com/


I'd like to say that it was the realization that I was selling something to people that was not good for them that gave me a change of heart, but what it probably really was was the look on Keith's face when I tried to explain that I wasn't really interested in making money or working that hard. I guess it was an insult to the struggles of the small business person who is putting in the long hours to make her business a success that I really didn't want to put in those hours anymore. Like it would be easy for me. Either way, I'm going to put this dream away for right now and see if I get serious about working hard again.

Things Rarely Go Exactly As Planned

There is a term in the project management world that I think is one of those terms that are such good metaphors for life. The term is "progressive elaboration." My take on the definition as I taught to project management certification students was that every project needs a plan, whether that plan was just a rough outline or a detailed spreadsheet full of minute steps. But, just as important as the plan is the understanding that the plan will change. The reason that it will change, no matter the amount of detailed planning, is that our perspective changes as we move into the project. We begin to see things that weren't visible before. Opportunities that weren't on the table when we were planning are presented to us. Roadblocks that weren't even near the road during the planning are now front and center.

My plan to build and to run an ice cream bicycle/tricycle was more on the rough outline end of the planning spectrum. More, actually, into a just-an-idea realm. This was by design, as I wanted to see what the process was going to throw at me and just roll with it.

On Thursday, I began taking my first steps into the plan. As I was returning from taking the computer that Pam's mom left us to the repair shop to have reimaged, I stopped into the Florence Chamber of Commerce and began asking questions about how to start a business in Florence.  This led me to the executive director's office--she had just walked in with her two little doggies--who gave me the name of a guy at the city who was in charge of getting new business owners through the process. I left him a message once I got home. I found out that the city offices are in the process of moving to a temporary building so it might be a few days before I get a return call.

The second stop on the way home from the computer tech was BJ's Ice Cream at 29th and Hwy 101. I had heard from the other store downtown that this location was where I should do my asking. The young gal didn't know when the owner, Keith, would be around, but I was welcome to write him a note. As I was taste-testing a scoop of Oregon something or other that had blackberry swirls in it, I wrote Keith a short note about my business idea to give him the opportunity to choose whether he wanted to talk to me or not.  Just as I was about to pull into our driveway, which is about three blocks away, I got a call from Keith. We talked for a bit and he seemed excited about the idea, as it's one that he has had for awhile, but didn't have the peoplepower to make it work.

The change that I am wrestling with is that Keith has a 3-wheeled Cushman, such as the one pictured below, and a cold-plate freezer that goes with it that he mentioned could be part of the deal. 

1970 Cushman--not the actual vehicle

While I still want the bicycle/tricycle to be part of the plan, I don't have the capital to make that happen right at the moment. Leasing the Cushman from Keith might be a solid way to see if there is a market for custom ice cream sandwiches and enough of one to earn the capital needed for my bicycle/tricycle.

Seattle Cycles' MetroBike Electric Folding Bike

 Information about the MetroBike

I was able to spend several days at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas early this month (Jan. 2018) working with Mike Yap of Seattle Cycles and his new bike design--the MetroBike. This is a bit of a review and admiration for this lightweight, electric-assist, folding bike.

Uses for this bike

Every bike has a purpose. A reason for its design. This bike's reason for being is having a well-designed, balanced bike that is a joy to ride. It is a good-looking bike that who's attractiveness is derived from its clean lines and simplicity. It is electric-assist to allow it to be a useful vehicle without getting the rider overheated. It is folding so that it fits into small spaces easily.

Let's work through the many scenarios where this bike would be useful.

• Vanpools--it is not necessary to take a car to meet your vanpool no matter what the terrain looks like. Your bike folds neatly and fits in the storage area of the van without hogging all of the storage space. Once you get to the office, it either be rolled on the back wheel and frame wheels into the office. If you have a small distance to go to get your office building, it can be quickly set up to ride that distance in comfort. On the way home, you may be taking a long way home.

•  Metro Bus--it is an absolutely wonderful development that many metro bus lines have adapted and put racks that can hold two or three bikes on the front of the bus. This has helped with the first and last mile problem that riding a bus alone posed to commuters. The problem is that its success has created another problem--not enough bike rack space. It is almost a given that if you're in a hurry the bus you need to ride on will have full bike racks when it reaches your stop. Having a folding bike allows you to fold your ride to something the size of a pieces aircraft standard luggage and carrying it onto the bus with you. That way you make it to where you need to go on time. With this bike being light, you are able to lift and carry it easily into the bus. 
• Train--even though Amtrak is trying hard to recognize that bicyclists could be their best customer base, they aren't known for being focused on the customer or moving quickly on any aspect of their business. Folding bicycles kind of slip easily into a space that is made for a normal piece of luggage and Amtrak can deal with that. Things get complicated when you have to hang your bike on a rack in the luggage car or you have to pack your bike into a big box that has to be wrestled into the luggage car. Now that you know that you can get your bike on the train without an incident at the ticket counter, plan your next road trip by train.
• Small Plane--the problem with airports is that they usually aren't placed in the part of town that you want to be visiting. Sure there is Uber and Lyft and taxis, but why let your adventure stop once you land? This folding bike will fit into the tiny cargo area of your small plane but will provide you with a nice ride to wherever you want to go once you get the wheels on the ground. 
• Business Travel--there is only so much the hotel workout room can do for your well-being. And, after a couple of days, it feels more like a cell than somewhere you really want to be. If you bring your bike with you on that business trip and you've got something to look forward to after that long day of meetings or better yet before your day even begins. 
• RVing--instead of towing that small car behind your motorhome, bring your bikes. With your folding bike onboard your RV, you'll have a nice ride wherever you stop. And, it will be clean, dry and ready to ride.
• Direct Commute--it's a folding bike, but  it's also a real fine riding machine. One that folds and can fit under your desk.

 

Jay Guettler and Mike Yap

Design Elements

• Integrated Motor
• All of the motor control and sensing circuitry is sealed in the hub along with the motor. This sealed package keeps the electronics safe and dry no matter what the weather and riding conditions. It also keeps the operation and maintenance simple.
• Flexible Battery Solutions
•  Everyone's regular commute is going to be different. It may be flat or have a good deal of hills. The person may be 120 pounds or 220. You may not need to carry anything more than your cell phone and keys or you may have a couple of panniers full of stuff. Weight, terrain, needed speed to be traveling, and how much effort you're able or willing to put into the commute is part of the equation of how much battery energy you're going to need. 
• Battery current is measured in Amps. Current is the "juice" flowing out of the battery. The amount of current flowing from a battery over an hour is an Amp-hour--this is how batteries are rated. Voltage is the amount of "pressure" that current is under. The more voltage, the more "pressure." Watt-hours are the Volts times the Amp-hours.
• A small water bottle sized battery configuration provides about 215 Whr (36V x  6Ahr), a tall water bottle sized battery will provide around 300 Watt-hours (36Volts x 8.3Amp-hours)
• A 250-watt motor ran at full out for 1 hour will require 250 watt-hours of stored energy. It is unlikely that you will be running your assist motor at full out unless you are climbing a large, steep hill.


• Front Wheel Stability
•  Many small wheel bicycles have an inherent instability or twitchiness about the front of the bicycle. For a long time, riders and designers believed that characteristic to be caused by the small wheels. Large wheel bicycles (26" for example) tend to be easily ridden without having hands on the handlebars. With smaller wheel bicycles, this tended to be a lot more difficult. 
• It turns out that it wasn't the small wheels after all but the rack or angle of the front forks. Having a steeper angle on the forks (more straight up and down) on the smaller wheel bikes made them more stable and easier to ride without having hands on the handlebars. Whether you plan to ride without having hands on your handlebars or not, a more stable bicycle is easier and more of a pleasure to ride.
  
• Smooth Rideability with or without Electric Assist
•  Can the bike be joyful to ride even without the electric assist being available or just not engaged? All motor-assist bicycles, by definition, can be ridden without the electric-assist being engaged, but some of them feel more than a bit clumsy without it. This bike is designed to be a smooth, joyful ride even without the electric assist.
• Rolling Wheels for Easy Rolling when Folded
•  Even at a weight in the low 30 pounds, it's easier to move the folded bike around that doesn't want to fall over if you let go of it for a moment. The wheels that are attached to the rack mounts on the frame allow the folded bike to be easily rolled around and to remain in an upright position when you stop without you having to hold onto it.
• Brake Type Flexibility
•  Like a lot of things bicycle, there are differing schools of thought on every aspect. Brake type debates still rage on and it becomes a matter of preference of which type each rider wants to have. The design of the bike includes the frame and fork mounts for both rim and disc brake systems to be installed.
• Motor Regen over 15-20 mph (??)
•  The chosen hub motor systems for this bike have the ability to create battery regeneration when it senses that you are not pedaling and yet going over 15-20 mph. (I could not find the motor specs and this capability needs to be confirmed)
• Accommodates a Wide Range of People Sizes
•  The low single member frame design allows for a wide range of rider sizes on the same bike. To make the adjustment between individual riders and their riding styles, the seat post, and handlebar stem can be adjusted to accommodate smaller riders (5'4") to larger riders (6'4").
• Standard Componentry
•  By using standard bicycle components, the cost of maintenance is reduced at the same time making it easy to make modifications and customization based on the owner's requirements.
• Drop Outs for Fenders, Front Bag Mounts, Rear Racks
•  If your riding requirements include having fenders, the drop outs are there for you to add standard 20" fenders. The drop outs for the rolling wheels are there to accommodate the addition of a rack. If you would like a front frame-mounted bag, adding a Brompton bag mount gives you access to their full range of stylish accessories.
• Tire Sizing Flexibility
•  Through recent testing on tire sizes, the idea that you have narrow tires in order to reduce rolling resistance has been dispelled. To take advantage of larger tires--up to 2"--the frame design and brake components were sized to allow for the space needed for the larger tires while working just as well with the narrow tires. http://www.bikeroar.com/articles/why-you-must-run-wider-tires-on-your-road-bike
• Simple Controls
•  Simple controls are easier to navigate while riding. The simple motor controls consist of large red LED numbers 1-5 indicating the levels of assist that you wish to have. Levels 1-2 for the flats and normal riding. Level 5 for serious hill climbing. These are set with a simple +- switch operated by your thumb.
• Stress Tested Frame for Safety
• Not all bicycle companies put their frames through a comprehensive stress testing--these bikes were as part of their design process. 

Trying Something New

I've been retired for a little over a year now and have exhausted the pent up wanderlust created by years of constrained working enough to settle down to a bit of self-created constraining. Creativity thrives, so I've heard, within a set of constraining parameters. With too much freedom, the mind wastes time and energy just trying to figure out where it is and what it wants to do. So, I evolved this project in order to put some control on my wandering mind.

It may seem silly and simple on the onset, but I think it has all the makings of something that will satisfy many of my requirements. The musts are at this time:

1. Be fun
2. Have some usefulness to it
3. Provide learning opportunities
4. Be shareable
5. Be relatively inexpensive
6. Provide value

The project is to design and build a cargo tricycle with a refrigerator on the front for selling cold treats.

There is so much mind candy here! It's a fairly complex building project. I'll have to learn Sketchup to design it, learn how to weld to build it, and work with the city to figure out how to get the business operational. I feel if that I can document the process well enough, it will be shareable and useful to others trying to create a small business that doesn't need a huge amount of capital to get going. And, what's not fun about an ice cream cart?

Italian Cargo Bike Manufacturer Site 

Three Months of Training in Huntsville, Texas

Our training really started much earlier, but we approached it with much more seriousness once we reached Nedra's place in Huntsville. We had tried to walk as much as possible, yet I think the walks were just reminding our bodies that they were made for something other than sitting rather than actual making progress towards a higher level of fitness. Once we got settled in, it seemed that the clock was actually moving faster and we could see that it wasn't  going to be long before we were set to be on the trail. 

Pam used a gift from her dad to contract with Brandi down at Hard Body Studios to create and lead us through a work out plan that would at the very least give us a hedge against immediate injury on the trail. Brandi and Cory, the really nice guy who guided us through most of our workouts, were the only two I saw there with hard bodies and we were not going to join them in six weeks. By the time the first set of sessions were over, we knew that we were going to have to get another set. We had progressed only far enough to know that we had a ways to go to be even slightly in shape enough to not get hurt just stepping on the trail. After two sets, 12 weeks, at two sessions a week, plus a couple of sessions on our own each week, we feel stronger. Not strong, per se, but stronger. We haven't lost any weight to speak of, which can be discouraging. We're hoping that the muscle is heavier than fat theory is the cause. 

In addition to the workouts, we walked--a lot. We started with no weight, just a day pack with sandwiches and water, to full weighted packs with a full load of food. We walked to the grocery. Not having a car made sure that we weren't tempted on the hot days to drive. Our first 10 miler with full packs felt like we were going to need a least a week of rest to recover. Today's 8-miler with full packs was made at 25-minute miles, which included a bathroom break at HomeDepot and some time trying to convince some horses that apples are a treat. Have you ever heard of horses not eagerly going after apples? We joined the Lone Star Hiking Club and got a few hikes in with them; two with full packs. We did an overnighter. Then we did a multi-day backpack. 

We are as ready as we are going to be, as we board the bus in the morning and are on the trail in less than seven days. Away we go!

A Four Day Shakedown Hike

Things came together faster than we had figured with some mail thing that we were waiting on, so we canceled our workout session for the day and made preparations to go backpacking. The weather forecast was for clear, but warm weather (possibly 80's), and 75% humidity.

Our food was all ready to go from the night before. Four days of food. There was still room in the food bags, so we figured we could hold a couple more days worth if needed. It came to 11 lbs. for the four days. Three dinners with some sort of protein. granola for three breakfasts with Nestle Nido Fortificada Mexican powered milk--it was the only thing available at the store. Some wraps with summer sausage and sharp cheddar cheese and mustard for lunch. The first day out we had some left over steak that was covered in salsa for the meat in the wraps. And an indiscriminate amount of snack stuff. 

We finished packing our clothes. It's not that hard these days, as there isn't much else in our room. Pam forgot her ID and money, but we should be fine as long as I don't lose my wallet. 

We were out the door at 10:20am. We made it several hundred yards down the road when Pam realized that she'd left her long sleeve shirt at home and it would be needed, especially if it got real sunny out. If it rained, she had rain gear. 

We walked our normal route, as if heading to the grocery store, and continued down Smither to the Veterans Memorial Parkway. Instead of going all the way to the frontage road, we cut through Elkens Creek subdivision. If I would have known that we could have walked all the way through the subdivision to connect to the Lone Star Hiking Trail, I would have done that. We instead connected to the LSHT at the frontage road next to I-45 and hiked the 2.5 miles into Huntsville State Park.

We got to the entrance station just two minutes before they would normally close on a Thursday (4:45pm), but this week was special; it was Spring Break. We had absolutely no idea. The place was packed. So packed that we had to spring for an RV spot, as it was the only camp spot left open. After the 12+ mile hike, the $35 seemed like a fair price for a shower. 

There are 30 Alligators in this Park

We found a space for our tent that was as far from the park road as possible. This small footprint of our new tent makes it much easier to find a place with relative levelness to place it. The spot has to meet other criteria too, like not being in a drainage area, not have too many sharp objects to expel, and possible good orientation for beneficial breezes. 

Our Little Abode in the midst of Mansions

Dinner was Annie's spiral pasta with white cheddar cheese powder and half a small summer sausage cut up into it. It was yummy!

It didn't take long to get into bed and sleeping soundly after we had showers, as the sun was down and dusk setting in. We were beat.

It took us two hours to get moving the next morning. I think every move we made took twice as long as it does on a normal day. "Normal" defined as one where we didn't walk 12 miles the day before. Breakfast was cold cereal ready to go, just add water, and a cup of hot tea.  Not exactly a complex meal to make.

A Nice Bridge

10:20am we were headed back up the road that we'd walked in on to get back to the  Lone Star Hiking Trail (LSHT). This is not a criticism against either one of these agencies specifically, but more of an example of the general lack of coordination I regularly see between neighboring agencies. The signage for these trails and how to navigate between them sucks. The only prominent sign in the state park was the one that announced that you couldn't enter unless you paid your fee--kind of clues you into the priorities here. Yet, it gives you not a wit of an idea where to pay your fee, even though you are obviously able to walk into the place from the trail. On the other side of the coin, the LSHT maps have no indication that other trails exist in their vicinity or cross the LSHT. Throw into the mix the National Forest that borders the Huntsville SP, which has trail closure signs up for certain mountain bike trails, but have no indication about either the LSHT or the Huntsville SP trails even existing.  People, can we possibly start working together here?!

No Indication of Other Trails

Coral Snake--Red Touches Yellow, You're a Dead Fellow"

We missed our water source, walked right by it. I'm going to blame the fact that the guide for the LSHT was written for the trail to be walked from west to east and we were not going that direction for my missing the clue to the major water source. That being said, I'm glad that I didn't as it would have meant me carrying that extra water that much further than I already did. Instead of filling up at the spigot on the outside of the pump house for Huntsville water pump,  I guided us to the water treatment plant--they sound sort of similar, don't they? There is a big difference! While it looked like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, it was a different shade of brown that faced us as we walked up on the plant. Luckily, there was a Water Treatment worker there that had just got done testing the water out of the spigot for the appropriate level of chlorine. It looked clean. It smelled okay. I understand the basics of water treatment and how it turns our wastewater into drinkable water. Yet...I still filtered the water before it went into our bottles. I filled another three liter bladder to carry to camp, as I didn't know about the water sources further on. In the heat of the afternoon, I felt those easy 10 extra pounds on my back. 

Hot and Tired

The dry camp at Mile Marker 29 was as rustic as they described in the guide. If we didn't have good folks build a camp there, though, you'd damn near need to camp in the middle of the trail. These woods don't have a lot of open space that haven't been cleared out by someone. We were in the midst of cleaning some of the sweat off of our naked bodies with a few cups of our precious water when we heard voices. These voices were the advance crew of a group of Boy Scouts who were about to arrive after hiking 16 miles on the LSHT. There were about 20 of them, along with a few adults. Pam barely was able get some clothes on after jumping into the tent. These boys were preparing for a trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. It was amazing to watch how fast they were able to set up their tents and get themselves organized for dinner. Brought a smile to my old Boy Scout self.

"Primitive Hiker Camp"

We laid in bed the next morning to let the boys eat breakfast, pack, do their stretching exercises, and get off down the trail before venturing out. It only took us an hour to get going ourselves. After breakfast and refilling our water bottles, we had about a liter left in the bladder. Not to be wasted, I strapped it to the top of my pack and off we went. 

Down the trail just a little bit, we saw the new campground being built by the Sam Houston Trails Coalition. This one was going to be a bit swankier than the one at Mile Marker 29. If we would have known about the other older campground on the east side of the stagnant pond, we would have moved our campsite and let the Boy Scouts have the whole of MM29 camp to themselves. As you can see from the picture above, MM29 is barely a clearing. I wouldn't call it a camp.

We needed the trail guide to walk this next section of trail, as the markings are frustratingly sparse. There was water of varying qualities in the creek beds along this stretch of the trail, but we had enough to carry us through the day.

When we finally reached the Stubblefield Recreation Area, it really shouldn't have been a surprise that it too was packed to the hilt. Even the Overflow area, which has no water or noticeable toilet facilities, was packed. There was trash piled at every eddy in the road, at the ends of the bridge, along with the trash bins overflowing. It was a busy spring break week.

We inquired around to find the camp host to see if some accommodation could be made. Isaac and his wife, a couple of young kids--literally in their early 20s--were living in a 34 foot fifth wheel with two cute-as-hell little ones. They had obviously been schooled by the rangers about stretching the rules, so they gave us the bad news. Sometimes, I wish that I would just not ask permission so often. In this case, after talking with Isaac and his wife for a bit, she let on that he was an Uber driver. It would cost us $15 to get a ride back to Huntsville--the same amount to camp for the night. Faced with having to squeeze into an already overloaded Overflow campsite and walking back the 14.3 miles along Possum Walk Way back into Huntsville versus getting a ride back for the same cost, the decision was easily made. We asked Isaac if we could shower first so as not to stink up his new car so much. He had no problem with that as he needed to get out of his pajamas and get some jeans on first anyway. 

In the intervening time, a young man with long brown hair and a beard and mustache that belonged on one of the Three Musketeers stepped up to chat with us. He was also looking for the camp host. We didn't get his name, but I would have bought his hat off of him if I thought that I had enough  cash and that he would have even considered selling it. He was looking to do some of the LSHT with his dog to get prepared for hiking the Pacific Crest Trail this year. He had completed the Appalachian Trail last year, so we had lots of questions!  Isaac the Camp Host joined us and answered the young man's question about how long he was allowed to leave his vehicle at the trailhead for his hike. We said our goodbyes and he was off to his adventure. 

Isaac opened the trunk to his Prius--a car purchased for the express purpose of doing Uber--and we loaded our packs, shoes and sticks into the back. I asked him if he and his family ate pizza, as I wanted him to stop by Caesar's Pizza on the way home. He said he wouldn't mind stopping, but also wouldn't turn down the pizza. With the pizzas in hand, we were soon back home. I gladly took another shower after we woofed down a few pieces of pizza and a beer. After quickly unpacking, I settled into a deep nap at 5:30pm. One of the most awesome things about being retired is not caring if I nap and am up half the night. In this case, it mattered not as I was ready to go back to bed about 10pm. 

We did a little over 30 miles in three days of hiking. While respectable, we still have a month of getting ready and to make some more progress. We are feeling stronger and stronger every day. That part feels awesome!

Our First Shakedown Hike

Shakedown Hike to Huntsville State Park

We couldn't have asked for a better day to see if we were close to ready. The high was around 65 degrees, but it felt warm even with shorts on. We were sweating, but the sun wasn't sapping our energy as it was the other day we hiked when it was 83.

Our macaroni and cheese, the kind in the natural foods isle, worked great. Instead of six cups of water to make the noodles, we used about four cups for two packages of noodles and used the cozie to do most of the cooking. The four cups of water covered the dry noodles with maybe a knuckle's worth extra. After getting the water boiling, I added the noodles and then let it boil for a couple of minutes before putting the pot into the cozie. We had some neighbors come by for a chat, so I don't know exactly how long the noodles cooked, but it was maybe 15 minutes. The noodles were perfect. Pam had another idea that worked awesome. Instead of draining the noodle water, we just added the milk powder to the remaining water, then added the cheese powder and stirred it up, then added the chopped precooked bacon. It filled our two bowls perfectly (overflowing) and we ate it all up.

We were in bed a little after that 7pm; just after the sun went down. We listened to Mighty Blue on the AT for an hour and settled in to rest. Rest was a fitful one for me, and because of my tossing and turning Pam woke up chilled every time I turned over and let air into the quilt. This brought on the discussion of us needing our own sleeping bags. Without the ability to get a good night's sleep, we'd be worn out in no time.

We purchased our 3-person Kelty Gunnison 3.2 tent for our bicycle tour through the San Juan Island/Southern Gulf Island about four years ago. It seemed to me then that with bicycles the added weight wouldn't be that big a deal. I was wrong then and when faced with carrying the 8-pound tent on my back, I'm especially noticing how wrong I am again. Plus, just the physical size of the tent is unwieldy. I had taken it out of it's single long stuff sack and broke it up into to two smaller sacks in the hopes of making the bulk more manageable, but its still won't fit inside the pack. After a good deal of discussion and reading more reviews than I did when I bought a new car, we enhanced our yearly kickback from REI and ordered a new tent. This time we're going smaller and lighter with the Big Agnes Copper Spur High Volume (relative) Ultra Light 2 (also relative).

With this new tent, we expect there won't be that much opportunity to be wandering off with the quilt. We're going to try this new combo on our next shakedown hike next week. If it works out, it'll save us from buying two new sleeping quilt/bags.