or the search for the ultimate bag.

Like Carl, I've been looking for the ultimate camera bag.  Hopefully, he can learn something from my mistake.

I've not found a bag I really like.  Ideally, I'd get a backpack with room to hold the DSLR with lens, a couple of extra lenses, external flash, camera battery charger, extra battery (or two), extra compact flash cards, card reader, MacBook, MacBook powerbrick, and GPS.  Extra points for a novel or two.

This past week, we went camping (pictures will be posted soon).  And even though we've done this several times, I still managed to forget a couple of crucial camera things.  First off, the original battery for the D70 finally seems to be dying.  I charged it prior to leaving, however we got to the hill country with a dead camera.  Ok, no big deal, we specifically got a campsite with electricity for this very problem, except the camera charger is no where to be found.  Luckily we also had Mary's P&S so she could get some shots that day.  Our trip had no schedule, so we decided to take a trip into Austin (about 40 miles) to visit the Texas Capital and a Best Buy.  Well it ended up being three trips to Best Buy because the first one didn't have any chargers in stock, and the second one they sent us to had the charger but no batteries, so it was back to the first one.  Upon arriving home, we found the camera charger tucked away in the drawer where we keep chargers.  Yes, we paid too much for the charger and battery, but now we have them.  Now all I need is a place to keep them.

Mary was snapping pics with the P&S most of the whole way, and it would be nice to see those on a map, but that leads me to forgetfulness item #2.  I managed to misplace the GPS.  It actually went with us, but I couldn't find it either.  It ended up getting shoved under those novels I mentioned (which never got cracked.)

I guess the bag search will start up again in earnest to prevent this in the future.