Hi! I'm Randy and this is my web site. It's all about my backpacking experiences. I've been backpacking now for 6 years and an avid hiker and lover of the outdoors as long as I can remember.

Here are some pictures of me from my backpacking trips: Glacier(2000), Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Hawaii Volcanoes/Na Pali/Waimea, Glacier(2002), Indian Peaks/Rocky Mtn, Glacier (2004), Olympic, North Cascades, Torres del Paine.

Since you clicked on the "About Me" button I'll assume you want to know "About Me", so here is goes............

I'm an IT professional and hobbies include:

  • backpacking (there's a thinker, huh?)
  • skiing
  • lifting weights
  • reading Stephen King books
  • programming web sites (another shocker...........)
  • listening to music (all kinds .......... from Slipknot to Mozart, and everything in between)
  • drinking Coke Zero, diet Mt Dew, and diet 7up

I guess those are the big ones, although the list could probably go on forever if I had enough time.

Here's a list of some of the equipment I'm using right now:

  • Gregory Palisade backpack - anything Gregory, you won't be sorry
  • Sierra Designs Dream Machine sleeping bag - need that "stretch" for my shoulders
  • Sierra Designs Hyperlight AST tent
  • Bridgedale GTX Trekker socks - it's all in the socks........
  • Sweetwater Guardian water filter - haven't gotten sick yet... =)
  • Clif bars - wouldn't go anywhere without 'em
  • If you have to take prepackaged food, Mountain House freeze dried food - just like mom used to make........ well, ok, not so much. Personally I'm big into dehydrating my own meals, and just completed my first trip cooking every meal in a ziplock freezerbag (read as: NO dishes!). I hope to expand on this area of backpacking here soon.
  • Camelbak hydration systems
  • moleskin - the life saver!

Spring of '04 I started running in 5Ks. Can't say that I'm going to the olympics any time soon, but I think I've done alright. Here are some links to my results:

West Bloomfield 5k - I finished 86th overall

City of Westland 5k - I finished 41st in the mens group

That's about it. Please check out the site. If you have any comments or questions, either about the site or about backpacking, please feel free to drop me an email.