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One of the dangers of any activity that involves “gear” is that people can get hyper focused on “gear” rather than the activity / goal. Ironically, there is a similar danger for people pursuing minimalism: a temptation to chase after the “perfect” rather than being content with a functional system already in use. I recommend…
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Snipped from The Tim Ferriss Show Transcripts: Jack Kornfield (#684). BoldItalic added by me for emphasis Jack Kornfield: In all these years, my understanding really is that it comes down to love. I’ve met [inaudible 01:05:26]. And lamas, and gurus, and lamas and everybody else in between in my industry. And some of them are fabulous.…
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This post has been extracted from my camino page because the most common question we have gotten from friends was about what we carried. They already knew something about the Camino itself and most wanted to understand how we managed to “go so light” for a trip in May (temps were 37-72F). We have only walked…
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The story of the prodigal son is well know, even among people who haven’t read the Bible. The parable is found in the 15th chapter in the book of Luke. The conventional telling of the parable is about a young man who leaves home and squanders his inheritance. When he hits rock bottom, he returns…
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The following is a list of the lessons I learned, beliefs that were strengthen, and/or topics which frequently came up in discussions with others while walking the Camino. Walking the Camino provided a wonderful opportunity to consider what makes a meaningful life. The book Walk in a Relaxed Manner by Joyce Rupp is far more…
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I have carried the Gossamer Gear Vagabond Trail more than 2500 miles over last few years for EDC, done in a day outdoor activities, and onebag travel which included walking 500 miles of the Camino Santiago Frances route from SJPP. Between Jan 2023 and March 2025 I lived out of a Vagabond Trail as we explored…
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Combining a poncho, alpha direct “poncho liner”, and sleep sack can provide an extremely light (10.8oz) and versatile system, ideal for hut to hut treks in moderate weather or warm weather back country trips: I used this systems on the Camino Frances with good results. Since then I have been used it on some hut…
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The following is one of the posts that makes the rounds a bit like a chain letter. No idea who the original author is and how it has changed from when it was first written. My wife received it from a friend as we were talking about several of these items which made me think…
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TL;DR. I think the best trade off these days is REI Multi Lite Towel (L). It’s fast trying, easy to use, can wrap around my waist (size L is 50″x25″), reasonably light (6oz) and compact. I have found that is pretty odd resistant (daily use for a two weeks drying after a shower each day…
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I would like to produce images which inspire to help others see the world in new ways like Ansel Adams, Mary Ellen Mark, Sebastiao Salgado (Salgado@NYT), Steve McCurry. Peter Turnley, David Turnley or Galen Rowell. After many years I realized I am more of a “snapshot” taker. While less aspirational, taking good snapshots is still valuable.…
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In have an updated list which captures what I am using now. I strive for simplicity using items that enable a healthy, impactful life, while removing unnecessary friction and decisions. Additional thoughts in my packing light post. The following is a complete list of everything I own. Making this list was inspired by zenhabit’s one…
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Several items on my personal gear list were used by the whole family, and thus, this page was born. I have excluded our furniture. We keep only those items that are useful and/or are enjoyed which allows our family to focus on doing things that we find rewarding rather than devoting ourselves to managing stuff.…
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For the next 2-3 years we will be traveling. partially to explore the world, partially to determine where we will spend the next season of our lives. We decided not to sell our home in Mountain View, but to rent it out given the high rent and that it seems like a good investment to…
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I retired this pasted summer so I would have more time to pursue my interests. I decided to sign up for psychology class at Foothill college for several reasons: I am interested in psychology, and thought having introduction class would ensure I had a broad and systematic overview of the field. In my younger years…
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Athletes, especially those who engage in endurance activities are typically familiar with VO2max because it’s a useful predictor of their performance in races. As we age, VO2max is also a good predictor of what physical activities we will be able to engage in, so I think it’s useful for everyone to be aware of. What…
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When I first started to learn about nutrition, I found a lot of conflicting information about protein. The USFDA recommendations were low. Advice to body builders was high. There seemed to be differing views about optimal timing, the minimum effective dose, maximum effective dose, etc. Yesterday I listed to podcast #224 ‒ Dietary protein: amount…
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TL;DR I have seen excessive media consumption have a profoundly negative impact on friends. One had the news on in the background whenever she was home. It led to her being anxious and worried all the time. She recognized this and started to limit how much time she listened to the news. Within a few…
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Retirement: A stage of life when you are able to invest time without being constrained by the need to earn a salary. It becomes easier to pursue things that you think are truly worthwhile without having to make compromises. It’s possible to be “retired” and be working a job that pays you a salary if…
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Trekking packs are similar to travel packs, but put more of an emphasis on carry comfort and optimize the volume to weight ratio. Trekking packs are often a bit narrower than typical carry-on sized travel packs and taller than personal sized daypacks. Travel packs typically have an “urban vibe”, prioritizing organizational features, ease of access,…
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The Camino de Santiago is an amazing experience for nearly everyone. For some, it’s a once in a life time experience. For others, it is repeated regularly, it’s part of their life’s rhythm. Almost all are touched by what is called the Camino spirit. This is the combination of kindness, curiosity, and openness without judgement…