What part of Indiana are you in? (I'm just across the border in Ohio, near Richmond, IN.) If you're interested, I'd be glad to share my gear list, developed for the Ohio/Indiana/Kentucky hiking I do, with you, just send me a PM (Private Mail) with your email address. My basic gear weight is around 16 pounds, with fuel and water added to that depending on the trip. I'm not an ultralighter, but I do use lightweight gear. It may help you get to a starting point more quickly.

There's a good place in Indiana to go to try out whatever new gear you end up with. It's called Shades Park, near Crawfordsville; it has a backpack area that's a couple of miles removed from the regular campground. I usually try to get there for my first trip of the year, just as a shakedown.