Currently Inked: Loadout for Short Cottage Escape
Last Wednesday, I posted some pictures I took on a recent hike. In fact, I went on a 1 night, 1 day get away trip to the cottage with the family. To be precise, we headed up on Friday night, September 30th. And headed back home on October 1st. I pondered a bit on what pens I should take seeing as I still had a couple of September inked pens to use up and my planned pens for October were only partially inked up. So, I did what any rational pen addict would do for a 1 day trip that starts at the last day of one month and ends on the first day of the next month: I took all pens in sight!
Loadout (In order of appearance in line-up)
Superior Labour Pen Roll To carry pens and notebooks!
Writing Instruments
Pen: Franklin-Christoph 66 Stabilo Ice HPS 1.1 Cursive Calligraphy
Ink: Akkerman #28 Hofkwartier Groen This is one of the last 2 pens inked from September. I managed to use up the last of the ink on Friday night just by journaling and lettering.
Pen: Nakaya Decapod Twist SF
Ink: Platinum Blue Black This is second of the last 2 pens inked from September. I managed to use up the last of the ink on Saturday morning by journaling. I’ve had the blue black in this pen for almost 2 months so I’m glad for a change even though I do like the blue black.
Pen: Franklin-Christoph Model 45 Antique Glass Masuyama 18K F Italic
Ink: Diamine Chocolate Brown
I was very excited to get a Franklin-Christoph pen with the popular Antique Glass finish. The Masuyama 18K fine italic nib is pretty sweet so far. It pairs nicely Chocolate Brown ink.
Pen: Franklin-Christoph Pocket 66 Italian Ice Masuyama 14K F Cursive Italic
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Yu-Yake
If it’s possible, I was even more excited to get a Franklin-Christoph pen with the fluorescent Italian Ice finish. I love the contrast of the fluorescent purple body with the vibrant red-orange of Yu-Yake. It was particularly nice to admire it in the fall colours landscape.
Pen: TWSBI Eco Black F Pendleton BLS + Extra Flex
Ink: Akkerman #5 Shocking Blue
The TWSBI Eco has been great so far. The nib work of Pendleton Brown is very smooth and flexy. I like that the Shocking Blue looks almost black in the demonstrator body.
Pen: Pilot/Namiki Vanishing Point Raden Water Surface F
Ink: Callifolio Baikal
The Vanishing Point will be my go-to pen for meetings this month so I inked it up with a business appropriate blue-black. This is my first time trying Baikal. So far it showing some nice shading.
Pen: OMAS Ogiva Alba EF Extra Flessibile
Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku Ama Iro
This demonstrator orange pen is perfect for taking along on a fall hike.
Travellers Notebook Pan-Am Edition I keep 2 inserts in this: one for long form writing and one for drawing or lettering. I always do at least 1-2 writing sessions on the weekend so I had to take this along. I managed to get some good writing in during breakfast at the local cafe.
Travellers Notebook Passport As always, this TN comes along for the trip. This time I did my usual 3 notebook set up. I also used the Essential Leather zipper case / card holder from Baum-Kuchen. This minimalist case is perfect to carry a few cards and some cash on hand inside the TN.
Hobonichi Techo I took this along for that beautiful Tomoe River paper and for writing my mantras of the day and gratitudes.
During the Saturday hike, I changed up the carry slightly because I wanted to go light. My idea was to only take what would fit in my small camera bag. Since I had used up the ink in the Franklin-Christoph 66 Stabilo and Nakaya Decapod Twist, I left them behind at the cottage. The other pens came along for the hike in the Superior Labour pen roll. I also used the largest pocket in the pen roll to take along a couple of inserts from my Passport sized TN.
Final Thoughts The good thing with trips to the cottage is that I already have a lot of personal items there. Hence, my packing can be pretty light and that means I have more room for pens. More and more I’m learning to “disconnect” when I’m at the cottage so writing becomes the perfect escape and entertainment.
My Galen Leather zippered pen case came along while I relaxed on the docks at the lake. Fountain pens living dangerously on the edge...