Marinating in Farts and Fear

First, before I continue I'd like to just say that I love Arc'teryx! What a wonderful company. They are rather pricey, but I really appriciate they're costumer service. I go on and on about Bruce (my Arc'teryx Altra 62), but I think it was one of the best investments, especially if your carrying something like that around and have no idea what you're going to be doing. They replaced both buckles on my bag, which ended up breaking during my trip. The first one was replaced by another company, but I brought up the issue with them and they gladly replaced it.

I've got my list down proper but I'm not going to upload it until about tomorrow. I have a handful things to get before I leave. I didn't know the fun fact about the life span of tooth brushes (3-6 months) and now my teeth just laugh when the bristles run over them.

Additionally, I need a hair brush. They actually fall apart. Its not a thing that lives forever. The plastic bits fall off and soon your carving ancient mystic symbols into your scull. According to hair dressers I should be combing wet hair with a comb, but really, the brush is quick and tidy, and, while I am concerned about my hair, I don't think my hair is going to up and move if I maintain my use of a brush.

Travel tooth paste. I don't need to explain that really. I'm traveling and its tooth paste. I come off the plane having sat in 5.5 hours marinating in recycled farts, time travel and fear masked with t.v dinners, brushing my teeth is a priority, because then at least my mouth doesn't resemble what the rest of me has been doing.

My feelings towards souvenirs.

Then, the bane of purchasing if your using a backpack, I must acquire souvenirs. I do like the people I'm giving these gifts to, but I have a limited amount of room! There are things I could bring! My lucky piece of horse hair. My batman suit. A wig for special occasions. C'est la vie I suppose.

Tomorrow, the book break down... How I will endure the 6.5 hour flight over a distance that took the vikings 5 years, frost bite and cannibalism, by complaining about small beverages and whining about the video selection.

Meet Bruce: Arc'teryx Altra 62

They say go big or go home...

Well they say that in places like sports stadiums and monster truck rallies. When it comes to backpacking, "go big or go home" is rather frowned upon.

I get the vague impression people think you have some sort of clothing obsession and a sever inability to downsize.

In anycase go big is what I did with my backpack. While not the biggest my Arc'teryx Altra 62, better known as Bruce the Bag. I bought this bag in the late summer/early fall of 2012, though the exact date escapes me now.

Bruce lounging on the floor of my bedroom.

When I purchased the bag, I had no idea what I was really getting into. All I knew is I wanted a female oriented back pack, but I didn't know what size I would need. I didn't know what brands, or models there were, and what features were important. All I knew was I was going to be living out of it for 3 months and that seemed like a very long time. So off we went to the MEC to ask some people who knew things.

Now, the lady who helped me was a mix of usefulness. Perhaps she was having some sort of internal conflict of some kind but I found I had to push her for answers to my questions. It was my mother who ended up being the most help. I don't know what it was, but she was able to ask all the right questions. How will this endure? How much can it fit? How is this suited for Europe travel? and most important - How does it fit? Again and again she asked that.

I have a bad back, it runs in the family so I wanted a bag that would help and not do any damage. I tried on two bags prior, one MEC female bag and one Unisex bag. The Unisex was a flop right off the bat. It didn't settle right on me and with added weight I knew it would lead to some troubles along the line. Not only that but it was 70 +10 liters. The other female one didn't suit either, though I can't recall why. I just remember trying on Bruce. It fit like a glove. snug where it should be and the weight evenly dispersed across my back.

Once I hit the road traveling I was initially nervous about carrying  it around but I had packed lightly. I Germany, it made it easy to distinguish my bag from everyone else. (It is very hard to miss that color of green in a pile of bags) Once I got to Scotland, it was even better. Everyone seemed to travel with backpacks over there! But my Bruce still stood out. When I settled in FW and started to do a bit more camping like trips, it was really beneficial to have it along. I never over filled it and when there was a bit too much stuff, or someone didn't have enough room, there was always Bruce.

I may, one day, get a down sizable bag, for shorter excursions that involve mucho plane travel, but for now there's going to be Bruce.

I love my bag. the perfect size, weight and colour. It was pricy, 400 + dollars but completely worth it in the long run.