I have been using a sleeping bag (on those rare occasions I need one) that I inherited from Charles several years ago. It’s big, blue, bulky and seems to be made mostly from cotton and flannel or something. A nice red plaid lining.

I used it on a visit with friends in Port Jervis, NY this past early spring when it was stil cold there. Noticed it wasn’t all that warm. But otherwise I’ve never given much thought to the things. What’s to be said about them anyway? They’re big enough. They have a zipper that doesn’t get stuck. Well padded. Pleasing color maybe. 

Whoa! Little did I know – literally 🙂

Charles let me know that the bag I was using would not really work for The Trip – I’d probably freeze to death – and sent a recommendation for an upgrade. That enticed me to look around a bit to see if I couldn’t become a more informed buyer. It’s like stepping off the side of a cliff into a bottomless pit to see how far you can fall.

Lotsa bags out there!

Charles’ recommendation turned out to be solid – why would I doubt that? – but I decided I wanted a bag with a hood and the one he pointed me to didn’t have one. I also wanted a roomy pouch and not a slender mummy style. I wound up buying a Big Agnes Silver Creek +30 bag. It’s large and has a pouch on the underside to slip the sleepng pad into. It’s a “sleeping system” 🙂

I was hoping to test all this out this weekend on a two trip to WV’s New River Gorge for a rafting event. But my bag might not arrive in time. REI shipped it FedEx Smart Post. It made it from PA to Reston in two days but then they dropped it at the local post office for final delivery and advised me it might take a couple or three days more before I actually receive it. I’m leaving Saturday morning, so I really need it on Friday. There also seems to be some questin about when the new tent that Charles bought me as a late birthday gift will arrive, but that’s another blog. I may wind up on the ground with a sheet the way things are going. Will be all prepared for delivery to the local morgue. 

Hmmmmmmmmmm.

What’s the penalty for breaking into a PO to get your goods?