Packing

I hate it. I mean, I really hate it. We've got a collection of thrift store / yard sale suitcases around the house (and in a storage unit), and every one I've traveled with has just been a huge pain in the ass for one reason or another.

I was trying to choose a suitcase to take to New Hampshire for PorcFest / ForkFest, and something kept nibbling at the back of my brain. Wasn't there a time when packing was much easier? Back when I used to travel a lot, and had to carry a bunch of crap with me? What did I do back then? Oh, wait ...

That's not EXACTLY like my old sea bag, but pretty close. And it was about $20 (not an affiliate link). Arrived today. Two of these held pretty much everything I wore, etc. for a six month trip to Saudi Arabia, so one should be plenty for less than a week in New Hampshire.

The major concern isn't space, but rather weight.

I don't think it will be a problem.

I understand the temperature COULD get as low as 45 degrees Fahrenheit at night in the White Mountains, but taking my sleeping bag (rated for -20 degrees) seems like overkill. I'll go with a light, thin blanket and, just in case, an ultralight "emergency" / "space" blanket.

I've got a tiny, light camp stove, and will bring either a plastic "camping style" French press or a small moka pot for coffee, some kind of compact cooking / mess kit, that kind of thing, in an old ALICE pack inside the sea bag. My tent is a bivvy setup that weighs about two pounds. Most of my preferred clothing (Thai fisherman pants, t-shirts) is light and rolls up nice and compact. My guess is that the bag weight limit is 40-50 pounds. I shouldn't be over that.

I'll pick up the actual food and drink at the other end of the flight, between the airport and the campground (in New Hampshire, not Vermont -- no sales tax!). Cheap styrofoam cooler, bag of ice, a brick of Cafe Bustelo coffee if they sell it up there (some inferior brew if not), a jug of creamer, cold cuts, etc. It will all get consumed or otherwise disposed of before returning to the airport for the flight back.