Take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill only time.

I love backpacking and hiking.  Though I rarely set out to just backpack.  Usually it happens as part of a climbing trip.  Still, I've done at least half a dozen trips where the point was just to walk and take pictures for two or more days.

The Finger Lakes Trail runs right through Ithaca.  I've section hiked the trail from about 20 miles west of Watkins Glen to Kennedy State Forest (Greek Peak).  About 60 miles of trail.

My current backpacking goal is to hike Vermont's Long Trail.  I'd like to do it without a resupply.  I'm pretty certain I'm physically capable of doing it, but I'm not certain it will be a pleasant experience.  And if it isn't pleasant, why do it?

2005 was a pretty good year in terms of sleeping outside.  I managed a total of  40 bag nights, not counting nights in hostels.  14 nights during the Australia trip alone (and zero nights outside in Africa -- too dangerous).  Most of the other nights were during climbing trips, so it was car camping more often than backpacking.  Shelter during those 40 nights ranged from typical (tent, tarp, bug bivy), to lazy (car), to atypical (yurt, HCC tower), to none (sleeping out under the stars).

2006 was even better.  81 nights outside -- including two nights sleeping on a cliff.  60 nights from my summer road trip.  The other 21 nights were during various shorter trips during the year.