ANDOVER — How much does the knife weigh? How much do those winter pants weigh? How much does the protein bar weigh? How much does the book weigh? How much does the plastic bag weigh? 

Can I carry 25 pounds on my back? What exercise can I do at the gym that simulates hiking up a hill? Oh, my, these are only some of the questions that run through my brain all day long.

With the daily negative- or single-digit degrees showing on my thermometer, my camping simulations outside aren’t happening. Oh, my, will I know how to set up my tent or cook my food in the Jet Boil? Will I even like the food I’m carrying with me?

I will test my dehydrated foods on my deck and maybe in March I’ll sleep in my tent and sleeping bag when it is 35 degrees. Still dehydrating many items: apple sauce, tomato sauce, zucchini, corn, tofu, apples, banana, broccoli (even caught my husband eating the apple butter leather — hey, keep it for me). 

Soon I will be putting together meals. I’ll test out the Pumpkin Curry Tofu recipe first; it sounds good and if it is, I will make several bags of that recipe. Yummy!

Sunday, 2/9, after a foot of snow and temperatures getting to 28, I decided to fill my pack with 25 pounds of food, tent, pad, water (“a pint a pound the world around.” — I’m told I need to carry 2 liters or 4 pints or 4 pounds of water!).

I hiked up the road and collected water from Sucker Brook — heard it is not potable. I used my new Sawyer mini filter and gathered water, drank it, and several hours later, I was still upright. Yippie! my first water collection. Easy peasy!

A laughing-out-loud event happened during my road walk. I needed to go to the side of the road and squat. I kept my pack on my back and squatted and did just fine except when I had to get up. 

My legs, from a squatting position, couldn’t lift me and a 25-pound pack! I fell over backward into the snow — yes, bare butt and turtle-on-its-back style! I laughed and laughed because I wasn’t sure how easily I would get up or if someone would come along on the road while I was getting up. 

I just kept laughing as I rolled to all fours (yes, butt in the air) and stood up, pulled my pants up, and went on my way. My husband missed a photo op and he said after I told him about the incident and my laughing, “You were having fun!” I am and will continue to have fun. 

Hope you are having fun with me. More adventures in the next edition.