The Google Doc Spreadsheet - VERY IMPORTANT!

Muy Importante!
Alexa started a google doc (good thinking Lex!!!!) for organizing gear for lending. I (being the over-planning excel-obsessed person i am) have expanded it to include several worksheets for your use. The link to it is over to the left on the top of the page. It's invite only so you should have gotten an e-mail about it.

Once the doc is open look at the bottom of the page, you'll see the tabs for the various spreadsheets. If you need help e-mail me or Lex or leave a comment here and i'll try to help ya!
1) Personal Packing List - this is what you need to bring
2) Group Gear Sign-up - Here's what we need for the groups and who has it (or not)
3) Gear to Borrow - if you need something and don't want to buy it check here and see if anyone has some to lend!
4) Contact List - this has contact info for those coming. this is an invite only doc so your info won't be out for random skeevy folks to stalk you.
5) Group sign up - we have to go in two groups because of the size of our group. So i've got two lists in there and you can sign up for which ever you like. We're all going to do the same route just one group will do it backwards (not walking backwards but opposite of the way the other group is going... oh you get the idea). Please don't neglect to sign up. i don't know who you absolutely want to be with - aside from my charming self of course... ; D - so you need to figure this out amongst yourselves. I've asked my mother to "lead" the other group as she is fairly experienced and a motivator... but "lead" doesn't mean much really, we're women and i think we're all communists (or do i mean socialists??) at heart!

Dietary Restrictions?

Anyone have dietary restrictions, food allergies, etc?
I know that Jes Corey will be handling her own food needs for the group meals. Anyone else?

Here's my thinking for group meals. Any requests or questions or issues?
Friday Dinner (car camping at Red Creek Campground):
Salad
Spaghetti w/ sausage
garlic bread

Saturday Dinner
rehydrated bean & rice burritos

Sunday Lunch (after hiking out, back at Red Creek Campground)
meat and cheese sandwiches
chips

(note: all other meals you will be responsible for planning and packing your own) for bfasts: i'll be bringing instant oatmeal, or granola (you can pack in powdered milk too), used tea bags are great for washing out your bowl. lunch: i usually do bagels, cheese, summer sausage. snacks i do granola, gorp (trail mix), chocolate, energy bars.  

Gear Check and Supply meet up?

Not sure if anyone has time in the next couple of weeks but Alexa has offered the use of her dad's house (lots of room inside and outside) for a gear check, gear swap, rei and sam's club supply field trip type gathering.  I think it could be good to ensure everyone has all they need, however, i know that i probably won't be able to make it... things this month are already super tight and i'm already ditching poor ben with the crazy kids the whole backpacking weekend... :(

The Poo Post

Contrary to rumors and that one section in the article i posted. We will not be packing out our poo. We will be digging "cat holes".  If you use paper or wipes (i use wipes in the back country) i ask that you not bury those but pack that out. (i know, not terribly tasteful and fun but it's not a big deal. really.)  I also ask that you pack out pads, tampons, etc.

The method:
I get a small stuff sack maybe like 4"x8" or so. I get a gallon size ziplock bag and cover the outside, especially the seams with duct tape. This is my used paper/wipes bag. Also in the stuff sack i keep a pack of clean wipes or tp and hand sani. We will have one trowel per group and there will be a "keeper of the trowel".

You snag the trowel grab your dookie bag and trek off somewhere discrete and at least 200ft away from water - about 70 adult steps. Dig your hole about 6"-8" deep and set the trowel aside. FAR aside. do you business. put the dirt you dug out on top of your business using your shoe or hand or a stick DO NOT USE THE TROWEL - there will be no dookie on the trowel! stamp the dirt down with your boot. and i tend to find a rock or branch to put over the spot to keep others from digging in that spot.

Use your hand sani. gather your tools and head back to the others.

A short word about pee:
peeing in the back country is relatively simple. Since we're all ladies you just gotta master the squat and avoid flat rocks as the back splash will get cha. Also, try not to pee on your shoes or pants.  It's good to keep the 200ft rule for pee as well but pee in healthy people is not a big deal (via the CDC).