I was backpacking in Sleeping Bear Dunes. It was March, so when I made it through woods and over dunes, I'd have miles of beach to myself. It was an over-nighter, a chance to test new ultralight backpacking equipment. I hiked wooded hills quickly, enjoying cold air.Halfway through forest, I stopped to cook noodles. The cheap 3-ounce pot was from a dollar store, and it worked fine. I was happy, because from catalog descriptions, expensive titanium pots are all heavier, probably because they're too thick and with too many gadgets.
I had to use a small twig-fire when my homemade alcohol stove didn't provide enough heat. I later learned that isopropyl alcohol doesn't burn as hot as alcohol used for a gas additive, but twigs worked in any case.
Backpacking On The Beach
After eating, I hiked to Lake Michigan, and sat up on a large sand dune. I watched waves push ice up onto empty beach. Coyotes began to howl in distance, and clouds rolled in. I was on beach looking for petoskey stones when snow began. Backpacking in March has its risks.
I was in running shoes, and it would be below freezing that night. In northern Michigan, March is definitely part of winter. My feet stayed warm while I hiked, but I hadn't planned on them getting wet. At least I had a pair of warm, dry socks for sleeping.
Ultralight Backpacking Equipment
It was first time I used my GoLite Breeze backpack, which weighed only 13 ounces. I was hiking with about nine pounds on my back, and that only because I threw in some canned food. I was going light, but I knew forests here and felt comfortable with my abilities.