For those who have been there, the pack, repack, and repack again to make sure it all fits and that you remember everything can seem like the most challenging part of the whole race!  Last year I was in tears before departing for Patagonia with great fears that I would never get everything stuffed in and would have a trail of clothes, food, and items tied together like a trail dragging in the dirt behind me.  Fast forward a year and I am happy beyond belief to be well packed (disclaimer: backups and 2nd options are in my suitcase) in my carry on backpack knowing that I have the items that will carry me through the week, especially should my suitcase decide to take a trip to Tahiti instead (note – I am NOT tempting the gods with this challenge!).  Of course, I will be replaying this exercise all day Friday and Saturday morning prior to the REAL departure and can only hope that my choices in food, nutrition and so on will be right in the groove.  

For now a last check of the list, a tending to a sick daughter who despite feeling like crap is thrilled to have hours with me at home this morning questioning every item I am packing (“Toilet paper mom???  Really??”) and making sure that my chocolate bark treats are included to make me happy at the end of very long days.  Work is buzzing and I will do my best to stay plugged through the end of the week before I take the leap into 7 days without any internet, email, texting, etc…..yikes.  That is a real challenge nowadays.  But, I am looking forward to the short time I hope to get nightly in the cybertent capturing some thoughts of the day on this blog and even more so, reading the blog comments and emails from home — those fill my gas tank nightly and pull me through the day looking forward to sharing words of the trail, the people around me, and random musings.

Signing off from NYC for now….on to an 11 hour flight to Santiago, Chile, and another 2 hour domestic flight to Calama.  1 hour later, via bus, I should be in San Pedro, Atacama Crossing!