What did you get for Christmas?

[Highland Goat]

I decided to try to make a fruitcake this year. Ended up making two. Man, that turned into one expensive project! I figure the first one cost me well over $30! A little less for the 2nd, as I had some ingredients left over from the first one. I must say, they come out tasting really good.

Yes, it can get pricy. I only make fruitcake when the price on dried fruit and nuts align. However, I usually make at least five, since with enugh brandy the stuff lasts forever.

[MtDoraDave]

Hiking stuff, I got a pair of Darn Tough socks (my first two pair are showing signs of wear after 3 years), a down puffer jacket, and the National Geographic hiking book by Skurka.
...and for home use, I got a 1.5 liter stainless steel double walled french press and a 1.7 liter electric kettle (I think that was because she didn't like the stove top tea pot whistling and waking her up) . It's nice to go back for a second cup after a while and have it still be hot from the press. The old glass press was for "now" only.

[JC13]

Cash, a new pack, and new quilt.

[jensaito]

Universal Camera Lens Kit, Darn Tough Socks and AeroPress

[pesphoto]

how about hanukah gifts? just ordered myself Goosefeetgear down booties...

[KCNC]

Best of luck to your wife, KCNC, with her upcoming surgery - hope all goes well and she has a speedy recovery. Love the "MST in a Day" shirt, I was out of the state that weekend and could not participate. Dupont and Triple Falls are fantastic - and you get to celebrate post-hike at Sierra Nevada!

Thank you, things are moving along quickly and we may be headed to surgery in just a couple of weeks. The "real" recovery takes about a year, but as other transplant recipients have counseled her - "One year to get your life back is a small price." So we're getting our minds right to be recluses; it's all about being a bit of a germaphobe for a while. We'll probably do some trips in the motorhome this summer and hopefully I can figure out a way to meet up with our son on his AT thru-hike for a section or two.

As a family we covered about 12-15 miles of the MST in a Day - there was a 1 mile section that my wife and daughter did. My son and I teamed up for 3 adjacent sections. She's never done any tent camping, but is becoming enamored with the idea of doing some backpacking in her "next" life. She's already planning some car camping trips with day hikes, so if I ease her in to things I may end up with an enthusiastic backpacking partner before it's all said and done!

We've got friends in AVL, so it doesn't take much to get us up there (and it never takes much to get me to a good brewery!)

[KCNC]

I got time with my out of town kids. Better than stuff.

We got that, too. It's great.

Our oldest is the production manager for a peach farm up north, so he's able to take a week at Christmas without much worry.
They left yesterday and our middle child went to spend New Year's with friends, so we're empty-nesters again for a few days.

[middle to middle]

I got ALEXIA think I can use it to order pizza from a shelter ?

[KCNC]

I got ALEXIA think I can use it to order pizza from a shelter ?

Go search Youtube for the "Trevor" video from last Christmas. Make sure your bladder is empty and you're not drinking anything.

[soumodeler]

Best present was the one I bought myself:

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Loaded up at the Mountain Crossings 40% off sale!

[rocketsocks]

Best present was the one I bought myself:

MVIMG_20171228_140701.jpg

Loaded up at the Mountain Crossings 40% off sale!

Whats with the three poo shovels? Morning, Noon and Night constitutionals.

[LIhikers]

Looks like there's multiples of everything

[soumodeler]

Whats with the three poo shovels? Morning, Noon and Night constitutionals.

I have 2 separate daypacks and I get tired of moving one trowel around and sometimes forgetting it. Now I can just leave one in each pack and not have to worry about it.

[soumodeler]

Looks like there's multiples of everything

Pretty much, yes. I may have a gear problem...

[bigcranky]

Pretty much, yes. I may have a gear problem...

You can quit any time you want.

[RangerZ]

+1 on this. Anytime we are back together is good time. Saw my daughter and SIL at Thanksgiving, then as a surprise at retirement ceremony. My son and DIL are passing thru town today on their way back to Kokomo.

[RangerZ]

Sorry, that was supposed to be a reply to Feral Bill.

[Tipi Walter]

pneumonia and whooping cough


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wow, reminds me of a 19 day backpacking trip I pulled in February 2017 whereby I got walking pneumonia or the whooping squirts or the blue munge or the Norovirus or some such crap and had about the worse trip ever. Coughing hacking fits!!!! On many days it took me 7 hours to hike 2 miles. Here's a pic on Rocky Top Mt on the BMT---as I enter my Diseased State.
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Best present was the one I bought myself:

MVIMG_20171228_140701.jpg

Loaded up at the Mountain Crossings 40% off sale!

Now this is a great pic!! I'm drooling into my keyboard. There's nothing much better than gearing up for a long backpacking trip and getting new gear for the trek.

What did I get for Christmas and for my next January trip??

Two pairs of Smartwool mountaineer socks---My favorite, in size medium.

Two pair of Wintersilk midweight long sleeve silk tops with mock turtleneck---my standard load baselayer on all trips.

AND BEST OF ALL---
Dan McHale finally sends me a Demo pack to try and while it's not quite the required 7,000 cubic inches I'm making it work and will hump it out on my next trip.

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Here's the McHale pack after getting it loaded with some test weights---the pack is in there somewhere behind all my crap.

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Here's an initial test pre-Christmas test run.

[rocketsocks]

I have 2 separate daypacks and I get tired of moving one trowel around and sometimes forgetting it. Now I can just leave one in each pack and not have to worry about it.

Not that I get, I prolly have 6 flashlights and got another for Christmas.

[George]

I bought her a chain saw for her birthday a couple of years ago.

just proves that romance is not dead