Gear tip from Andrew Skurka

Skurka backpacks with two pairs of socks. I take three, and no matter what, ONLY put on my wife’s home made lightweight woolen socks for sleeping.
Click here for a repost of Skurka’s blog entry on this topic

Book Review Yogi’s CDT Handbook- Planning Guide

I’m giving Yogi 4 out of five stars on this brand- new 2012 version of her 2007 thru-hiking hiking guide. While this book targets the unique challenges of the Continental Divide Trail, it can also be seen as an updated compendium of state of the art backpacking information.
Yogi puts out a good product. I used her “Pacific Crest Trail” planning guide in preparing for and in thru-hiking the PCT in 2010.
Yogi’s Guide offers the reader direct access to the up to date wisdom from not just Yogi herself, who is a Triple Crown backpacker, but additional recommendations of 15 other CDT hikers.
Here’s a PDF of the Table of Contents of the Planning Guide.
I particularly enjoyed the following sections : Warm Top, Trail Food, and Post-Hike Thoughts.
I have three suggestions:
First, it would make more sense to move the Guidebook and Maps section to follow CDT Impressions section. Second, include an early link to Ley’s “compass rose method’” related to GPS use. More than one hiker referred to it before the reader is able to understand what they were talking about. Third, while Yogi defers from any specific recommendations on electronics because ” the electronics arena changes much too quickly..”, she contradicts here self in the GPS section where she turns the show over to Starman, who goes on to list 12 specific Delorme and Garmin units. It would be of interest to hikers to view electronics recommendations, with the understanding that the data is dated. A link to a blog about backpacking smartphones, for example could be listed as she did with her GPS info.
This is a guide that is well worth the $40 Yogi charges for it.
I do wish she would sell it as a stand-alone purchase. Right now, it comes bundled with a companion CDT Town Guide, a 196 page book detailing services and resources in some 89 CDT trail town and resorts.

Swimming pool and firework

Having a great time today with the vitamin D therapy here in Florida. I hit the hot tub, swimming pool, and even laid out in the warmth of the sun this afternoon, in my bathing suit.
So easy to camp here, but there are some surprises, like cool evenings.
I ‘m pleased that I have my Ibex thin long underwear. It went down to 44 last night and I needed some help in my 40 degree bag. Super thin tights, a zip crew long sleeve top, and light wool socks are a now permanent part of my 4 season packing list. The underwear also keeps my down bag clean on those nights when I am unable to find enough water to wash my grimy skin. When worn under my day clothes I can be outside in the 40′s and be comfortable.
There are still be snakes here, so I keep my tent zipped up.
I am learning about battery management and data needs on my iPhone 4S. I just switched to my first decent phone- i came over from my Mi-Fi device/ iPod Touch.
The camper profile here is bizarre. We have a site in a loop that is .4 mile around and there and are 20 of these loops in Fort Wilderness. . There are 22-70 sites on a loop. I have walked past complete loops consisting exclusively of huge self- contained RV’s that range in list price from $100,000 to $500,000. What’s spooky is walking past dozens of these units and not seeing ANYBODYoutside. My friend Edward tells me that these folks are only seen getting into their row-behind cars for a daily shopping run into town.
Had a great time last night lying in a recliner, while listening to cool loud music on the beach, with fireworks blasting over The Magic Castle.

Where’s Uncle Tom?

I just bought a cup to save on coffee expenses while camping in Florida this week. The cup cost me $15.44, but I get unlimited refills while I’m here. I’m on my 3rd cup and it is only 10 AM. Where am I ?
(No fair if I told you where I am vacationing. )

Get smart on the trail

Encountered some stretchy thinking in a guidebook I am reading:
Just because you did’t see any bears when you were singing doesn’t = singing kept the bears away. It’s not true in Boston, MA and it might not be true that day in Yellowstone. The truth might be that there were no bears around.

How’s a snow bike handle in the snow?

I didn’t plan to ride on the snow today. But when I spotted a couple of hungry-for-action snowmobiles go whining across the 20 acre hayfield across the nearby stone wall I changed my mind. I want to see what this new Surly “Pugsley” snow bike does on a snowmobile trail. Five and a half miles later, I completed a loop of learning that included a serious workout.
I learned that:

1. It is still a bitch to pedal a bicycle in loose snow.  My best performance was when I was in the tractor tire path that my next door neighbor established when he hauled out a big oak tree some 1/8 of a mile from the snowmobile trail.
   

   Love that tractor!

2. The track from one pass of a snowmobile doesn’t help that much.  The snow was powdery and loose beneath.
3.  I will carry a tire pump and pressure gauge each time I ride this thing. I kept lowering pressure in the tire , but was nervous about letting too much out and being stranded in the woods with a flat tire.
4. Momentum helps.
5. The workout is fantastic.   Not only is it hard to keep churning out forward momentum, but the front end needs much more correction as it is skidding about and moving to and fro.  Also, there are unexpected dips and obscured drops under the snow that you have to quickly react to. At one point, the snowmobile path went down a steep drop and across a stream.  Although the path looked frozen, my front wheel dropped through the crust right over the stream and the tire, rim, and half the wheel submerged into the icy water.  I went sideways off the bike  , but kept standing.  I thought that I’d have some kind of problem with ice buildup on the wheel, but there was no problem.  I am not sure that I am going to keep the clips on the pedals.  I was thrown to the side numerous times where I staggered around trying to stay upright after I released from the pedals.

So, all went well.  Should be no problem with these trails hardening up .  It is supposed to rain a little bit tonight with single number temperatures coming right up.

Who needs a gym around here?  Not me.  I’ve been pleased with the hiking, walking, snowshoeing, road biking, and now snow biking alternatives that are right out my door.

Loop around Moody Pond

Date: Jan 16, 2012 1:13 pm
Distance: 5.18 miles
Avg Speed: 3.6 mph
Max Speed: 17.1 mph

Why I Backpack

PCT 2010 A Day Alone

Sometimes I need to remember.

Fat Tires, Snow ! and the Yukon

 

Superb photos of  riding super fat tire mountain bikes in  the Yukon, where you have these huge dogs that might pull you around.  Just find a quiet moment, sit back, take a breath and drink in the imagery.   Four superb photos here–>Flickr: Anthony DeLorenzo’s Photostream. Photos taken by Anthony DeLorenzo, “Just a guy who lives North of 60 and loves to ride bikes”.  Anthony lives in Whitehorse, Yukon with his wife,  not-so-wonderful dog named Starbuck, and his bicycles. I’m now following Anthony on Twitter.

Snowshoeing the Loneliest Trail in Camden

Craig Nelson and I just spent a chilly two and a half hours crunching out a five miler in the Camden Hills.  Here is a link to the map of this hike.

I consider the Frohock Mountain trail the loneliest in the Park, because it just doesn’t connect to anything- it’s out and back,  and the summit (at least in the warm weather ) doesn’t have a view, it is leafed in.

Standing on the lonley summit

During this time of year, the leaf drop allows one to look out to the east to see glimpses of the Bay, and to glance west brings views of the ridges of Lincolnville/Searsmont in the distance.  We had our boil up, as usual.

Nelson boiling up

I feel it is excellent practice to ignite wood, or even alcohol stove fires in the windy sub freezing temperatures.

Even though it was below 20 degrees and breezy out, my clothing selection was adequate.  I had on for skin base a ultra-thin Ibex wool short sleeve t-shirt, covered by a wool blend long sleeve Trek bicycling shirt.  I like the bike shirt in the cold because it affords a double layer of fabric over the kidney area.  My outer layer was my Patagonia Houdini shell. The Ibex wool gloves I had on were inadequate.  My hands were painfully cold.  I have yet to figure out an acceptable hand cover for when I am using my hiking poles. Wrist straps complicate things.  I think it should be shelled mittens with inner liners.

Later, at home, after rising from the couch, I experienced a terribly painful episode where both my thighs cramped up , a seriously uncomfortable bout of pain that had he shrieking like a baby.  I would very much like to understand what I have to do to prevent this type of reaction after a day of harder than average leg exertion.  Any good ideas?

Winter hiking warrants precautions !

Good article in the Bangor Daily News Today:  Winter hiking warrants precautions, by Brad Viles.

I had used the Essential Winter Gear  list recommended by the Appalachian Mountain Club  to prepare for last weekend hike in the White Mountains, and found it lacking a few critical ( to me) items.

Viles got it right, though, by including the rest of the things that I had in or clipped onto my winter pack: a whistle, emergency shelter ( space blanket), chemical hand and foot warmers, insulating bottle covers, face mask or scarf, a cell phone( but don’t depend on reception in the puckerbrush), down jacket with hood, plus a thermos of hot cider, cocoa, or coffee. Viles didn’t list coffee for that thermos, I recall from a previous article that he believes it is a diuretic. Updated research disproves the “coffee is bad for you in the outdoors” school of thought.  If you are a regular coffee drinker, there is no additional fluid loss, plus it is a legal performance enhancement.

Here’s Viles’ recommendations that I  formatted into a tabular format that can be downloaded and use as a check off list:
Winter Day Hiking List
Trekking poles or ski poles
Day pack
Map
Compass
Water bottles (2)
Insulating bottle holders
Headlamp
knife
Waterproof matches
WHISTLE
EMERGENCY SHELTER ( SPACE BLANKET)
CHEMICAL HAND AND FOOT WARMERS
Cell phone
Extra Food
Thermos of hot cider, cocoa, coffee
Clothing
winter hat
NEOPRENE FACE MASK/SCARF
Sunglasses
Goggles
Lightweight long underwear top
Midweight long underwear top
Waterproof/breathable shell
jacket
Insulating gloves or mittens
Lightweight long r
pants
Waterproof/breathable pants
Liner socks
Wool socks (wear one and bring
an extra pair)
Gaiters
Boots

Here’s me on yesterday’s snowshoe hike with my own personal additional gear ( headphones–>  iPod–> rocking tunes!)

Gotta have the tunes ( except in rattlesnake or bear country)