Yes Bulldog, so long ago I might should be posting this on the Remembering When thread. 1979 was the year, and fresh out of high school, away I went 2100 miles GA to ME. No cell phones, no Spot, no water filter, no treking poles. Just me, a pair of Vasque Sundowner boots, and a Jansport D3 pack. Man that was a great pack. Still have it, still take it out now and then. Fond memories of buying 150 Mountain House freeze dried meals at one time and putting together supply drop boxes. Actually buried 2 plastic containers of supplies one month pre trip. One at Wallace Gap road cut in NC, the other, at Fontana Dam in the Smokies because there were no Post Offices nearby to receive my packages. Found both buried containers in good shape. Nothing to add to your water but Tang. Remember Tang? Heck, its what got Neil Armstrong to the moon. I remember 22 days out of the first 30 days it rained. Long all day rain. Bummer. Went 317 miles before I took my first fall. Drank unfiltered, untreated water the entire 5 months. Never got sick. At trips end I had gained 2 lbs. in weight. For me no boredom issues. I was and still am a huge flora/fauna buff, so each day was like some grand field trip. I strongly suggest anyone that goes on any long trek to get into birds, plants, trees the heavens, something. A few months of just grinding out miles can be tough on ones mental state. I could go on and on and do have some great stories, but am really tired now. Good luck to Brett and his crew. I'm sure they'll do just fine----- john