Sam and I are getting short on time, only two weeks to go before the trip. Most of the equipment is ready to go, just picking up miscellaneous stuff now. Still need more hiking, and I am still worried about the altitude changes, though getting more familiar with the route, altitudes, etc. We’re getting pretty excited, I can tell because Sam talks about the trip in words with multiple syllables, really extending himself out there past the usual “yeah,” “duh,” and “no” we’re familiar with from our fun-loving teenagers.