With hours to spare, on the final day, I took advantage of REI’s big member-discount event. I placed the order on March 27, 2023 and received it on the 31st. As our daughter undergoes rehabilitation, more of my time will go to traveling—and, occasionally, hanging out waiting. I hadn’t carried a backpack in years, and time had arrived to start doing so again.
As you can see from the Featured Image and companion, I chose the Urban Assault 21, which manufacturer Mystery Ranch says is “inspired by military assault rucksacks; this versatile daypack is the epitome of clean, functional design. Featuring our three-zip closure, it makes accessing pack contents as easy as one, two, three”.
Oh, I agree, after today lugging along the bag for its first urban outing. Within, dedicated space is available for laptop and tablet, with room for additional contents. I packed Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, notebook and pens, and reading material.
Unless I am mistaken, Mystery Ranch’s slogan is “built for the mission”. My quest isn’t hiking, military trekking, or mountain climbing, but supporting our 28-year-old daughter’s recovery from her double stroke. For that mission, the Urban Assault 21 will carry what I need to create and consume content for ongoing and future projects. For example, time long ago passed to compose and publish a revised edition of my ebook on responsible reporting (for anyone practicing the fine trade of journalism).
Photo vitals, first: f/1.7, ISO 800, 1/120 sec, 23mm (film equivalent); 3:54 p.m. PDT. The second is the same but ISO 1000, one-minute later. Both shots come from Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.