February 28, 2009

Requiem for a backpack

While in Australia, it became apparent that I really needed to replace my Jansport backpack. As much as I loved it and had vowed not to get rid of it unless it was falling to pieces, I couldn't ignore that its straps were flatten to about half their original thickness and it was uncomfortable to use for long periods. I decided to get a new backpack when I went to the States last September, which is what happened. While I was slow to move over to the new one, I've been using it for a few months now, so it's time to say goodbye to my old Jansport bag that I used for 13 years.

I've written about my old backpack once before (strangely, exactly 4 years ago), so I won't repeat myself. Here's a photo of what it looked like in the end, complete with some dried-on mud left over from Rock Werchter, the last time I properly used it.



I just tore up the edges of the patches I put on it in 1998; it's definitely a different shade under them. I plan to move at least a couple of the buttons over to my new bag. I'm not sure what to do with the backpack though. It seems wrong to throw it out, but I don't want to hold on to it. In any case, my time with it is done. It served me well.