When I left college in Durango and headed up to Denver, I had just about everything I owned in my backpack. Sleeping bag, down parka, shirts, pants, etc. - all of it would have gone to Mexico, Hawaii, Antarctica, wherever. That down jacket also made a good pillow when I stuffed it in my sleeping bag stuff sack at night.

Thanks for all the comments, as well! I'll try and get more of this little story published in the next couple of days. It may be a bit before I get up to Fairbanks so I'll probably add the Pan Am menu later.