Compass Dork

That's me.  Well not yet, but sooner rather than later for certain.  Up until recently I've just been reading up on technique and the fundamentals of wilderness navigation but now I can finally start to practice.

Suunto MC-2.  My first piece of Finnish gear

I think Gina might have gotten sick of me commenting on how I needed to get a compass soon over and over.  So she went ahead and got me a sweet ass compass for my birthday to shut me up.  And as you might be able to tell its the same model as the one on the cover of one of the books I checked out.

I don't know much about compasses yet to really discern value but the MC-2 seems to be a very popular full featured unit.  It is mentioned in all three books I have as being top of the line.  Score.  I have already adjusted for declination to 16 degrees W for NH and gotten decent at plotting bearings on a map and solving little test questions about determining location based on several bearings etc.  It's actually kinda fun, I have always taken to problem solving in general and I think orienteering and me will get along just fine.  I think.  I have a feeling there is a certain art to being really good at orienteering and navigation that you can't get from reading a book so I am anxious to get into the woods and get a feel for the real thing.

I scored a $50 gift card from my HMO today for staying healthy so I'm trying to think of any other gear that I need to procure before next year.  So far I am thinking about a nice light/bright headlamp, a dry bag or two, and maybe some techy layers for staying dry/warm.  Is there a chance I just keep trying all this new stuff as an excuse to buy new stuff?  Is that what happens when you get older?