(un)Packing Fears ~ Amish (power)

[Kittyslayer]

So in addition to dealing with my fears, I also have to be able to address my wife’s concerns while gone.

Need a plan(s) for keeping my electronics charged. I look forward to be untethered after decades of 24/7 work availability but still need some power. I am pretty stingy in my use of gadgets such as setting my phone to Airplane and using the Low Battery setting but can’t go 2000 miles without a charge. Looking for strategies on recharging devices as I pass through civilization.

Current Electronic Gear:
iPhone 13 mini (USB-C to Lightning)
Garmin InReach (USB to Micro)
Petzl Bindi (USB to Micro)
Nitecore NB-10000 (USB-C to USB-C)
Anker NanoPro 521 wall charger (two USB-C ports)

So where to look for power when passing through town?
Restaurant ~ table near outlet
Soda Machine ~ extra outlet
Parking Lot Lightpoles ~ some have outlets
…?
…?

Amish.jpg

[rhjanes]

Yes to all your thinking.
You could consider a second Nitecore. Prioritize all charging. Perhaps headlight first, but then that depends on how much you use it. If you make camp before dark and only use it to get up in the middle of the night, the charge could last days. Another thing to do is lay out the devices and also the cables needed. They don't weigh much so you should look at them to make sure you can charge multiple items. Try this trick also, that Nitecore can be chargeg while also passing electricity thru to another item. So you can plug into the wall, cable to the Nitecore, and then try a cable out of the Nitecore to say that Garmin. You could then do this twice if you have a second Nitecore. The other line out of the wall into the second Nitecore, out of the Nitecore into maybe the IPhone. Doing this WILL slow down the charge rates to all the devices but if you are stopped for half a day or overnight, it's a way to get everything charged.

My wife's concerns were put to rest with the Garmin Mini and before that the InReach. I was able to test the device and show her I would send her two Text a day over it. "Starting here, everything is fine, no reply needed" and "Stopping here, everything fine, no reply needed". Knowing where I was (even approximately) and that I could reach help, reach her and she could reach me meant I went from "well.....you CAN go hiking but you should have someone with you and not go alone" to "Have fun! When are you back??".

[Slo-go'en]

You get good at spotting an outlet from yards away. Top off your phone before heading into town and only charge the power pack, as you will likely be leaving it unattended while shopping. Behind Vending machines is a good bet. Anyway, you'll probably be overnighting off trail often enough to keep everything charged.

[gbolt]

Like Slo Go en stated, Overnight Town Hostels are all set up for Charging electronics. I usually made sure Headlamp was fully Charged on way into town. Once at Hostel, Double Plug was used to Charge Phone and Anker Battery. As mentioned you could trickle thru Anker Battery to charge a third item. Also, many restaurants had Charging Ports or Plugs near table for Topping off the Phone while eating. It was never an issue from Hot Springs to Katahdin.

[HankIV]

As Slo-go’en said your juice finding instinct will develop quickly.

Just as important is the juice conserving habits. Airplane mode for the phone. Download Farout in full, including in “File Manager” whatever map format you want and photos if you want. I did them all, it’s free once you’ve bought the trail on the app. Turn GPS off in Farout unless you need to locate yourself. If you are going to do tracking on the Garmin, stretch out the intervals. Quit apps on the phone when not using. Make sure apps can only use your location when you are using them. (Good for reducing marketing pushes as well). Turn phone annd Garmin off at night if you can remember to cut them back on.