Well, he wasn't exactly the best at weight management because we know he carried a lot of stuff he did not need to be carrying, specifically winter gear and he did not take up offers to ship that stuff home.
Obsidian never saw him journaling. But I agree he was writing on the trail. You get bored. Especially if he was hiking only 10 miles a day, lots of daylight even after you make camp.
They investigated the notebooks and could not find a location where he bought them, but they were from Dollar General. He could have bought them south of where he hiked with Obsidian.
Other hikers saw him filtering his water, on the AT, which he obtained from a creek.
Obsidian said he could not make a fire. He was found with a camp stove and fuel canister but it did not appear like he was using it. The fuel canister was rusted in the police photos.
@gfinale have you listened to the CCSO podcasts? A lot of what you are bringing up is covered in them, I recommend you listen if you have not yet.