| Catch-all Discussions » The end of a very long portage » 2/04/2023 1:06 pm |
My condolences, Dave.
I lost both my parents during the last seven years. I doubt there's ever a day goes by that I don't think of them. That's such a beautiful memory of your trip with your dad. Thanks for sharing.
| Trip Planning » Low Water Crow river between Big Crow and Lake Lavieille » 10/07/2022 6:50 pm |
This response is probably too late for your planning, but yes, the levels are good enough down to Lavieille and beyond. Levels were low on my way down Sept. 21-24, but 4 days straight of rain after that brought levels up nicely for the return upriver a few days later. I was solo-ing but I met other tandems who were managing with occasional wading and bump-n' grind.
| Trip Planning » Crow River for Labour Day » 8/08/2022 3:54 pm |
Went down to Lavieille and back up in late September 2019 solo. There was enough water and minimal upstream walking most of which occurred a little downstream from Crow Lake when coming back upstream.
Water levels can be fickle, of course.
| Catch-all Discussions » But the loveliest of all was the Loonicorn! » 6/21/2022 11:53 am |
Great loonicorn portrait!
Just wondering: I have no problem believing the reports about green alligators and long-necked geese in Algonquin. I know for sure that cats and rats are often reported, too. The common chimpanzee, yes, there have been occasional sightings, thus the name, "common" chimpanzee. Nonetheless, I'm a little sceptical about the presence of humpty-back camels. Those are probably just the Canadian moose. When those guys are annoyed or threatened, they really get their backs up!
| Trip Reports » Never startle a Momma moose with calves. Turns out they hate that. » 6/01/2022 6:30 pm |
That was a lot of fun to read! Glad you had a memorable spring trip. So should I be the guy? Nah! I'll let someone else say "Moose-whizzer, wrong answer!"
I think you know this already, though. In fact you might just be checking to see if we're paying attention. Well, here goes:
Those aren't trout...
| Trip Reports » 8 Days Solo in September - VIDEO » 10/18/2020 10:44 am |
Beautiful work!
I'm impressed by your technique, but more than that, by your decisions about what to put into the story and what to leave out.
| Trip Reports » 8 Days Solo in September - Canoe to Burntroot and back » 10/07/2020 8:23 am |
Cody, congratulations on the beautiful work you've done on this report. Meticulous detail, enjoyable to read, lots of heart in it, and details that will be helpful to others who read it. And you, the traveller, will be left with excellent notes, pictures, and memory-aids as the years advance and you have an inventory of hundreds of trips behind you.
Thanks for sharing your report.
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA392 » 7/24/2020 8:43 pm |
🎶 ...she's callin' my name...
Catfish are jumpin'... 🎵
| Equipment » Repair Tape » 7/12/2020 9:44 pm |
Gorilla Clear tape can be good for some jobs. I've used it for a long-term seam repair on a folding skin-on-frame kayak at waterline where hypalon rubber meets the canvas deck. I was surprised at how well it adhered. That repair job, however, hasn't been given a follow-up testing in wet and rough conditions. Tear-Aid is in another category altogether, i.e. much more expensive per inch of tape. I've used it for long-term repairs on awnings, tents, bug netting, canvas, and nylon clothing. It behaves a lot like Tenacious Tape. I like it a lot and usually carry some in my repair kit. There are two kinds: one for vinyl and one for just about everything else.
| Equipment » Canoe Seatback » 5/16/2020 8:54 pm |
I've used my GCI Sitbacker occasionally, and made a point of using it today on a day-paddle to our local reservoir. I chanced upon one as a throw-in when I made a deal on some other used gear on Kijiji. I don't particularly like this sort of seat because I don't think they're conducive to supporting the torso (abdominals) during serious single or double-blade paddling. Leaning back on these things compromises efficient paddling strokes. That, and they're too heavy to tote along on BC trips. They ARE nice, though, for restful in-boat stops for snacks, for fishing, and for lazing about in the boat. They buckle to canoe seats easily and don't jiggle around too much. The top metal bar likes to remind your back that it's there, but wearing your PFD will soften up the contact point.
I much prefer using back bands similar to those pictured in one of the above responses. 1) They're light
2) they're a nice support for snacking, fishing, and lazing in, and 3) if they're a good fit with your back they can be a good support when double-blading. I don't like them when single blading as I'm bothered by the straps at elbow height. When single-blading and paddling to get somewhere I fold the back band (actually, a hanging kayak seat in my case) down, and just use it as a thin bum pad.
Hope these observations help.
| Trip Planning » Ontario to reopen provincial parks for day use starting Monday » 5/09/2020 2:38 pm |
The Parks memo I read said "non-operating" parks open Monday, "operating" parks Friday. APP and other Ont. parks that have campgrounds are "operating" parks. At least that's my understanding. Our local (sw ontario) prov. park's website hasn't clearly spelled anything out yet, so there is bound to be confusion stemming from the terminology used. Hopefully, Parks Ontario will clarify.
| Trip Planning » Catfish/Burntroot/Nipissing Route - In Which Direction? » 1/13/2020 4:28 pm |
During spring ice-off the Nip could be a tiresome upstream paddle if water levels are high. Travelling up the Pet from Cedar, however, is not normally a problem as the fast-water approaches at the downstream end of the ports are short and usually do-able. At lower water levels the trip up the Nip from Cedar to Nadine port and further up to the connection through to Burntroot (via Remona and Whiskey Jack) is fine and people do it often enough.
| Where In Algonquin? » WIA 302 » 10/14/2019 11:50 am |
Latour Creek?
| Catch-all Discussions » MooseWhizzer - as promised, the retelling » 6/29/2019 9:58 am |
What OBS said! Excellent!!
| Trip Reports » Kiosk - Nipissing: May 17-25 - Day 1 » 6/09/2019 9:18 am |
Paddlerunner, good work!
You capture the light and the mood of May ice-out solo tripping. I really liked the footage of the geese. Do give yourself a break over having worried them to catastrophe. I doubt that your passage traumatized them into neglecting their nest for more than a few minutes. That said, your commentary about some of your doubts, your feeling the blues, etc. is what helps make your story interesting and real. I've never paddled out of Kiosk, but have done several solo trips on the Nip. I'm looking forward to your next instalment. Thanks for sharing!
| Trip Reports » Kayak Camper: Ice-out 2019 (Days 1 & 2 : video) » 6/02/2019 3:30 pm |
Enjoyed your TR, Uppa! Thanks for sharing.
| Backcountry » Lighter Weight Back Country Meals » 5/30/2019 8:16 pm |
Zemantics wrote:
My fav beef stew recipe:
Dehydrate and you will LOVE it, imo. Best to make a batch for dinner at home, get an idea for how much you'll want as a meal at a campsite, and dehydrate 1.5x as much using the leftovers from that dinner. You won't need a whole batch for a meal.
You good also do powdered eggs, dehydrated ground beef+corn, and gravy packets to make a Backcountry shepherds pie. Search Maddy the goose on YouTube. He's got a good recipe that he walks you through.
The beef stew recipe looks and sounds good. I was surprised to read that it would dehydrate well, though. I've come late to dehydrating, and have never tried dehydrating chunks of cooked beef, believing, probably mistakenly, that they wouldn't dry uniformly. Should the cooked beef chunks be cut up smaller before laying the stew out onto the parchment paper or sauce sheets?
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