we made it to the coast!

wind bound, gear upgrades, wildlife!

We would’ve launched today but beginning a trip by launching into 40 knot winds and a small craft advisory isn’t really what we’re going for vibe-wise. Instead we’ll officially begin our trip tomorrow, Friday the 13th, and spend a few nights in the San Juan Islands before turning north and headed to Canada.

Camping in the PNW

The original plan was to launch ASAP, but between the long drive, a few last logistics, and the weather (today) it just didn’t make sense to rush. Instead of force it, we’ve been taking the time to go over gear and check for tears or leaks, swap out some charts for better versions, and make a few small gear upgrades here in town.

I ended up buying a new mid layer and an XL fleece to wear on top of all my other layers. It’s been cold and my layering system wasn’t quite cutting it.

I’ve noticed that a lot of outdoor brands make clothes that are awesome for weekend day hikes and car camping, but particularly when it comes to women’s wear, things just don’t hold up in the backcountry. The tapered and form fitting cuts of women’s outdoor wear meant to cater to a very specific body type and look “good” tend to sacrifice the extra heat and insulation provided by roomier clothes. If there’s no space between your base layer and your mid layers for air to heat up insulate, you’re going to be cold. A lot of outdoor clothes for women specifically are made to look good in Instagram photos rather than function in a variety of weather conditions, because that’s what sells.

I’ve had good luck with either wearing Smartwool men’s or sizing up two sizes on mid layers, RAB (true to size) or Helly Hansen (mostly true to size/size slightly up).

Shoreline rocks

We’ve been camped out at a small state park for the past few days and in grateful for the chance to rest and recalibrate. We’ve seen eagles and otter and starfish and seals, and as far as delays go I can’t complain.

Beast in the Night & some bonus stories/photos:

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