Author: KBGearDave

Cycling Lake Superior’s North Shore

On By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff1 Comment

Or…“Now for something completely different…”

09/2020

Back in the day, the British sketch comedy show “Monty Python” would transition from one sketch to another with a ridiculous image and the words “And now for something completely different.” That seemed appropriate as Dan and I strapped on panniers and prepared to tackle the gravel roads and two tracks of the Superior National Forest in far northern Minnesota.

This was going to be something completely different. In recent years a whole movement known as “bikepacking” has become popular. Typically a mountain bike is fitted with camping gear strapped on and around the frame to enable self-sufficient off road capability. You may notice that the picture below does not look like the picture to the left. That’s because I do not have bikepacking gear, yet we were going to follow a bikepacking route Thus, this trip was going to be a completely different beast. I do have a very capable road bike, set up for road touring with racks, panniers, etc. I do have some offroad capable tires though, so Dan’s idea seemed perfect. What could possibly go wrong?

My faithful steed ready to take on the northwoods

Dan had uncovered an adventurous bikepack route over many of the Forest Service roads near the Boundary Waters Canoe area. Given our home base in Flagstaff, normally I wouldn’t have considered jetting off to do a trip near the Canadian border. Because of a few other things going on, the timing worked out well to join him. I had about four days to book a cheap flight, box up the bike, sort and pack gear/food, and make my way to Minneapolis, and then with Dan to a motel a short distance from the trailhead.

The suggested route with camping and resource information as found on a bikepacking web site.

Almost immediately it appeared as though we were going to have a challenging day. While the overnight rain had ended, and the forecast was for clear skies, 20-30mph winds remained. Then the climbing started. Then the rain returned. The wind, hills (2,000′ worth) and rain would stay with us the entire day. That in itself would have been enough fun, but then miles of road ‘improvements’ left a nice, soft layer of dirt and gravel for us to slog through. One might think that when faced with this level of ‘stupid fun’, the prudent course of action would be to retreat to the nearest brew pub. Of course we’ve seldom been accused of being prudent.

Never mind the wind. Never mind the rain. Never mind the muddy roads. Never mind the flat tire just as another torrent of rain arrived. We were there to have fun!! And we were going to have FUN whether we liked it or not. Actually we did have fun. We had the right gear. We were warm enough. We had chosen to be there. At some point in those situations, you have to just laugh at the ridiculous nature of the whole thing. Granted, that moment came almost immediately, but by days end, the rain had stopped. The sun made a brief appearance. We found a lovely, isolated place to camp next to a lake. It was all good! Plus, our patience and suffering was duly rewarded over the next three days as we enjoyed tailwinds, sunshine, perfect fall weather and mostly good roads. The only real challenge came on day two where the suggested routed took us down a remote two track. The recent rains left behind miles mud puddles interspersed with rocky two track that made us question our choice of routes.

In the end, the north country treated us well. It had been a long spell since either of us had done any bike touring. This trip provided an opportunity to refresh some rusty bike touring skills, and reminded us why we originally fell in love with bike touring. We were able to put some new gear through a shakedown cruise. It was satisfying to learn that the bikes and gear performed flawlessly. It was comforting to know that we could easily handle some pretty rugged terrain should it become necessary. The scenery, the company, the joy of being able to cover significant distance each day at a reasonable pace had us both desiring and planning for bigger and better things.

Paddling Lake Powell

On By KBGearDaveIn Water StuffLeave a comment
Yet another thunderstorm about to pounce!

For all you Forrest Gump fans out there (and really, who isn’t?) I had a “Lt. Dan” moment. As the sixth thunderstorm in a row came rolling through, I channeled Lt. Dan as he swung from the rigging of Forrest’s shrimp boat during a hurricane. “You call this a storm? Is this all you’ve got!” I stood getting soaked, almost knocked off my feet by the wind, and screamed at the storm. For the record, I believe I was justified. Thunderstorm #6 blew down the rain shelter and flipped my kayak 20′ up the beach! All of this after the prevailing winds had not prevailed at all during the first four days of the trip…I’d had just about enough!

It wasn’t meant to be like this. Sharon and I were meant to be making final preparations for our epic Norway/European bike trip. Covid-19 meant everyone around the world has pretty much hung out the “Closed” sign. Fortunately, it only took about five minutes to come up with plan “B” and about five days to get food and gear together for a trip from Wahweap Bay to Hall’s Crossing…about 95-ish miles depending on the source. Sharon graciously dropped me off at Wahweap and I set out for a long, solo trip up the lake.

I guessed that it would take ten days, but I brought food for fourteen. I’ve paddled plenty, but never this far or for this long. I honestly didn’t know what I’d be able to do each day. I also didn’t know what the weather would do. I had hoped for prevailing winds from the southwest to provide a gentle assist as I made my way north and east. As noted earlier, the winds were seldom gentle, even on the final days when they finally decided to offer some assistance. But hey, its spring in Arizona – I should have known to expect the unexpected.

Camping

One of the huge benefits of camping in AZ and UT is being able to sleep under the stars. Although I did need to make some accommodation for the wind on a couple of evenings, it was absolutely glorious sleeping out. I was able to watch as the moon gradually waned over the eight nights. Each night was I able to lay in my bag and stare up at starry night sky.

Practical Matters

This was actually a fairly simple trip to pull together from a gear perspective. I had the kayak. I added a few bits of minicell foam just before the trip to protect my heels and knees and I’m glad I did. The best piece of new gear was a deck bag from Seattle Sports…but really anything on the market would probably work. It was sooooo nice to have water, food, maps, camera readily available. Hands down, the best gear was a decrepit old tarp we’d had around forever. Paired with some hiking poles and bits of string, I had shade in five minutes. Several nights I had protection from the wind. It served surprisingly well as protection from the thunderstorms and vicious winds that came along for the ride. I had food for fourteen days – just in case I got really adventurous. Our platypus gravity water filter provided all the water I needed. All the gear was stowed in eight different 10L dry bags. All told, I had just under 50 lbs of gear stored in the kayak, with room to spare.

Exploration

If you’ve never been to Lake Powell, it is hard to overstate its beauty. Just paddling the main channel all the way to Hall’s Crossing would be a worthy goal. I read somewhere however, that if you include all the side canyons, Lake Powell has something like 2,000 miles of shoreline. All along the main channel there are side canyons begging to be explored. I didn’t have the time or the energy to do them all, but I did sample a fair number of the side canyons I passed. All told, my exploration added about 35 miles of paddling to my trip. Here is a small sample.

As on a Colorado River trip, its not just about the water – it is also about the places you can get to from the water. I was able to take some amazing hikes and take in some incredible views as well. I did have to keep in mind that I was in a very remote place, with no people around. I didn’t get as adventurous as I might otherwise have…plus I carried a Garmin Mini with me at all times.

Hike above last night’s camp.

Profound Moments

I had a great deal of time on this trip to just … ponder life. I had what for me were a few rather profound thoughts. Early on I had a hard time getting my head around the scale of the place. Lake Powell is MASSIVE! The whole first day, fifteen miles of paddling, I was able to see the butte where I eventually camped…for the WHOLE day. It never seemed to get any closer. In some stretches, you can see two, three, four miles ahead. That is an hour of paddling. I found that if I focused on the point four miles in the distance where the lake made a bend, I got frustrated that it was taking so long to get there…especially with a headwind. If I focused just on my surroundings, my paddle stroke, the color of the water, the sun reflecting off the ripples, the cliffs to my left and right, the clouds, the miles took care of themselves and the time passed pleasantly. Seemed like there might be a life lesson in there. If we’re always looking ahead and trying to get to the “next thing” we miss out on the beauty all around us.

The second thought occurred to me after my “Lt. Dan Moment” mentioned earlier. After four days of angry headwinds, followed by a parade of violent thunderstorms on my off day – I was getting pretty frustrated. After the last thunderstorm passed however, I was treated to a calm evening and beautiful sunset. I came to think of that moment of calm, and all those that followed over the next several days as “moments of grace.” The biblical definition of grace is an undeserved gift of God. I realized that I had expected beautiful calm weather for my trip. Without the storms, I probably would not have had the deep, profound sense of gratitude for the moments of calm when they came. I likely would have taken them for granted. Instead, whether I was paddling or spending time in camp, I was very aware of those calm moments. Again, that seemed like something I wanted to hang onto after the trip was over. The realization that headwinds and storms eventually pass, and the importance of appreciating the “moments of grace” when they occur.

A “moment of grace”

This was a special trip. Going solo, I think, made it a much more profoundly satisfying experience. Having said that, now that I’ve had “my” trip, I would love to do this again in the company of family and/or friends. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. In the meantime, seize the carp!

Hall’s Crossing and a happy reunion with Sharon

Reading List

On By KBGearDaveIn Misc. Stuff3 Comments

On a recent backpack trip in the Grand Canyon I learned that my fellow travelers happened also to be avid readers. Over the course of several days, we had a number of interesting discussions about favorite books and interesting stories, as well as suggestions for good reads. Following my normal sleep pattern, I had some extra time this morning to ponder other books that I had enjoyed, and in turn would recommend to others. Given the current climate of suggested isolation, I thought I might share some favorite titles that I’ve found especially enjoyable over the years.

  • The Sneetches and Other Stories by Dr. Seuss. This sly little story about Sneetches, as much as anything I learned in college or Sem, prepared me for work in the inner city of Milwaukee. The Pants with Nobody Inside Them taught me empathy. A must read for children and adults alike.
  • Desert Solitaire and the Monkey Wrench Gang by Edward Abbey. Not a huge fan of the Abbey himself, but in my formative years I connected with Doc and his desire to burn down billboards, and Ed’s admonitions to get out of cars and walk! or crawl in order to really see and experience wild places.
  • The Journals of Lewis and Clark. Down the Colorado: Diary of J. W. Powell’s First Trip. Nothing like the very words of the explorers themselves, who so casually spoke of most hardships as if they were just another day at the office.
  • The Conquest of Mt. McKinley by Belmore Brown. These early climber/explorers were hard men. What they went through to almost be the first to climb Denali makes modern climbers all seem like sissies. By the way – If I loaned you my copy, whoever you are, could I PLEASE have it back. I miss it!
  • Touching the Void by Joe Simpson. A harrowing tale with probably the highest pucker factor of any book I’ve ever read. And one of the few movies that is as good as the book. Talk about the will to live….wow!
  • A Most Hostile Mountain by Jonathan Waterman. The author/climber intersperses his own effort to climb Mt St Elias with historical details of the Duke of Abruzzi’s efforts to climb the same.
  • Shackleton by Alfred Lansing. My favorite adventure story – hands down! Shackleton’s failed expedition and subsequent survival story has been called the most successful failure of all time.
  • A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. This was the first true “laugh out loud” book. Don’t watch the movie…please, just read this book if you haven’t already.
  • Apollo by Charles Murray and Catherine Bly Cox. When JFK challenged the nation to go the moon, none of the technology, systems, or procedures had even been envisioned, much less invented. This is the fascinating story of how it all came together.
  • The Sky Below by Scott Parazynksi. This is one astronaut’s story. Interesting to read about the joys, frustrations, egos, and hard work necessary to achieve space flight.
  • The Expanse series by James S. A. Corey. If you’re into space, the fictional world created by this talented writing duo (know by the pen name above) is a wonderful read.
  • Around the World by Bike by Alastair Humphreys. I loved Al’s observations and honesty, and thoroughly enjoyed going with him on his four year journey. Sharon enjoyed the story, but was not as big a fan.
  • Miles from Nowhere: A Round the World Bicycle Adventure by Barbara Savage. Back when Sharon and I were embarking on our own lengthy bicycle adventure, this book was massively inspirational.
  • Maiden Voyage by Tania Aebi. At age 16, without most of what might be considered “necessary” skills, Tania set off and sailed around the world by herself. Many years after her voyage I had the chance to meet Tania. Sure got me dreaming!
  • The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I’ve read countless fiction novels. Enjoyed many/most of them tremendously. For some reason, this one always bubbles up to the top of any list I can think of. Makes me want to go buy a small bookstore.

I’ve told many people that one of the greatest gifts given to me by my mother was both the ability to read, as well as a love of reading. I consider there to be no greater luxury than a comfortable chair, a good book, and the time to read. This list is by no means exhaustive, but I hope somewhere in this list, you will find a book that inspires, amazes and broadens your horizons.

I very much look forward to hearing your suggestions for good reads as well. Please leave them in the comments section below.

Dear Gravity…

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Endurance Stuff, Mountain StuffLeave a comment

…We need to talk. I’ve been attracted to you for as long as I can remember, but I’ve started to feel that what we have together is unhealthy. So often it seems that I’m doing all the work in our relationship. I feel you judging me for the extra pounds around my middle. Half the time we don’t even talk – you hardly let me get a word out. Then I start to think that the problems are my fault. You know the old cliche, “Its not you…its me.” Maybe you’re right. Maybe if I dropped a few pounds, passed on that extra beer or cup of ice cream we would get along better. But in the end, it seems that no matter what changes I make, or commit to make – you’re constant – you never change. It is frustrating. At the worst of times, you are a cold, heartless shrew.

Most definitely NOT on speaking terms with gravity
Photo Credit: Joel Schenk

But then, I get to the top of some ridge or peak, and the pressure you’ve been putting on me lessens. It’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, (and legs, and feet). I take the time to enjoy the view and the accomplishment, and just like that I’m ready to forgive you for all the suffering you put me through. As I head down a trail and fall back into your warm embrace, and enjoy the wind on my face, I remember why I love you. Time flies when you’re having fun, and as I fly down on my bike or skis, or lightly run down a trail – I’m having FUN! I find my voice again. I sing, and laugh and shout for joy. We’re an awesome couple! We make a perfect team! You’re my best friend. The thing is – this hate/love cycle just doesn’t seem healthy. I realize that any good relationship requires hard work. And I really do appreciate all you’ve done for me. We’ve had some great times over the years. But just once in a while – I wish you’d lighten up and give me a break! That doesn’t seem like that much to ask. Its not like there’s a law against that, is there?

I think we have something special, I just needed to get some things off my chest. I’m willing to keep working at our relationship. I hope you’ll continue to be there for me.

XOXOXOX – Dave

Aaron…on the way DOWN Mt Humphreys

To Hell and Back

On By KBGearDaveIn Endurance Stuff, Mountain Stuff, Water StuffLeave a comment

As a general rule, my goal is to avoid any place named “Hell”. This past week I made an exception. According to the USGS, some variation of the word “Hell” is affixed to 73 places in Arizona. After a good start, our winter has sputtered a bit. Since skiing conditions have suffered as a result, and for a change of pace, I decided to give the kayak some love. This time of year there are two obvious choices from Flag – Lakes Powell or Pleasant…both a two-ish hour drive. Whilst pondering my options, the thought occurred, why not combine time on the water with a trail run in a new area?

Some internet searching had turned up a little traveled trail leading to Governor’s Peak. This nondescript little peak is located in the northeast corner of the Hell’s Canyon Wilderness, located in the Hieroglyphic mountain range. Twenty years in Arizona and I had never heard of any of these places. That was definitely part of the attraction.

  • The trail…well…path to Governor’s peak
  • Amazing hiking through the saguaro cacti
  • Lake Pleasant to the southeast from the summit.

The descriptions were accurate. The trail was lightly used…and in many places was more of a suggestion of where a trail might go if one existed. Some well placed cairns were most helpful in leading to the summit. Probably the most surprising, and most welcome feature of the hike was the presence of flowing water. Water in the desert always seems such a gift. At several creek crossings I just sat and listened to the sound of trickling water, accompanied by the scores of birds also enjoying the streams.

For a trail run, as is often the case, there wasn’t much “running” involved – at least on the way up. Turns out there was a significant amount of “up” on this trail. Coming down, the trail was a bit more obvious and I was able to jog down most of the way. Love all the oxygen at lower elevations. Overall, a super pleasant way to spend a few hours.

Back at the car, I changed clothes, pulled out the bag chair, and enjoyed the view and a few snacks. Then it was off to the 2nd part of the day. The northern launch ramp at Lake Pleasant was just a few miles back down the road. Since there was a fairly brisk southerly breeze, I decided to head in that direction first.

From the comfort of bed earlier in the day, I had thought I’d spend three or four hours getting a real workout paddling around the lake. Yeah, well…plans change. Paddling into the wind for an hour seemed like enough of a workout, especially for muscles that seemed genuinely surprised to be swinging a paddle again. I poked around the Scorpion Bay marina checking out the sailboats and chatting with a couple in another kayak. I enjoyed a leisurely (with the wind) paddle back north – checking out some bays, coves and mules along the way.

I love winter. I love winter activities. I’m most definitely NOT ready for winter to be over. But what a treat to be able to enjoy a lovely ‘spring’ day for just the cost of a few hours driving.

The Great Arctic Bike Adventure…

On By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff2 Comments

…that never was!

69.6492° N, 18.9553° E

69.6 degrees north latitude. That number likely means very little. Some context would probably be useful. The Arctic Circle is a line of latitude at 66.5 degrees north. During the summer months above the Arctic Circle, the sun never dips below the horizon. Many years ago I spent a fascinating summer working in Prudhoe Bay on the northern coast of Alaska. When I first arrived, the polar ice pack extending all the way to the North Pole, was still visible from shore. The latitude there was 70.2 degrees north.

Why does this matter, you may ask? And what’s the deal with 69.6 degrees north? If you were to enter those coordinates into Google Earth, you would be taken to a town called Tromsø. It is a town, about the size of Flagstaff, located in far northern Norway. It has the distinction of being the 3rd largest city north of the Arctic circle anywhere in the world (following Murmansk and Norilsk – because I’m sure you were wondering). While fascinating I’m sure, what really makes Tromsø stand out is that Sharon and I are now the proud owners of two – one way tickets to that fair city. Lord willing, on the evening of June 15th, Norwegian air will drop off two tired Americans, two bicycles and assorted camping gear at Langnes International Airport at 69.6 degrees north latitude. And thus will begin our Great Arctic Bike Adventure.

Our starting point.
Our faithful steeds waiting patiently to go out to play.

Getting to this point has been an interesting adventure. We’ve been talking about this trip for quite a while now. Initially we thought of starting in southern Europe in early April and following summer north. Then because of obligations here at home and some ultra cheap fares, we considered a June flight into London and spending some time wandering the UK before branching out. Ultimately, the desire to revisit Norway, especially this part of the country, the ease of camping, a good ticket price, and trip flow led us to choose our June visit to Tromsø . Our “no plan plan” is to spend a two weeks pedaling south, hopefully meeting up with some friends near Trondheim for a week -ish of exploration. Then we’ll wander south into Europe/UK and wherever the spirit leads. Fortunately we have old classmates, co-workers and friends we’ve made who live in Norway, the Netherlands, the UK, the Czech Republic and Germany. We’d love to see them, as well as get some local beta. The internet has offered up enough beautiful and interesting places to occupy several years of touring. Since we likely will spend around four months on the road, it will be interesting to see how the trip unfolds.

We have quite a bit to do before departure. There are several other adventures to enjoy first. The KB Gear sweatshop will be cranking out some new gear…which means the lone elf will be quite busy. Being gone for an extended period of time means lots of decisions and life details to sort out. Needless to say we’re quite excited and looking forward to the big adventure – and sharing it with you. Exactly how we’re going to do that is just one more detail to work out. All part of the fun.

Yeah…this is on our route south from Tromso. Jeg elsker Norge!

Update

Sharon and I know this look well. This was Oliver learning it was time to leave Florida. Sharon and I had pretty much the same look when this thing called COVID shut down our plans to bike tour Norway and Europe. We’re still hoping that our planning wasn’t in vain, and that we’ll be able to carry out this plan at some point in the future.

1987 East Coast Bike Trip

On By KBGearDaveIn Biking StuffLeave a comment

“What a long, strange trip its been”

It was like a bizarre episode of the Twilight Zone – “The Train Ride from Hell“. We lumbered along at 5 mph, then slowly shuffled off onto a siding. Hours later we’d begin to lumber along again, until we shuffled off onto another siding. Repeat endlessly! Eventually we were running more than 24 HOURS behind schedule. This was no small feat, given the whole trip was supposed to take that long. Sleep deprived and trapped in the madness, we laughed hysterically at the thought that we’d make it to our destination faster if we unpacked our bikes and rode the rest of the way. We passed the time making up verses to the Grateful Dead song “Truckin.” Amtrak staff seemed not to care. On the rare occasion when an Amtrak employee came through our car, they seemed genuinely surprised, and somewhat annoyed to find the train full of people. One sensed they wished we would just go away. Things came to a head when Milo, a very large and intimidating man picked up the conductor and pinned him to the wall of our coach. I have this vivid memory of the conductor’s feet dangling a foot off the ground as Milo stood nose to nose and yelled, “You WILL get me and my family to Miami to meet our cruise ship! We are NOT going to miss our boat!” Staring death in the face apparently jolted some brain neurons into action, and sparked the novel thought that perhaps all these people hanging about were actually meant to be taken someplace. This led to a flurry of activity, and before long we were all herded off the train and placed on…buses…to take us to our destinations. You can’t make this stuff up. Strong work Amtrak! “What a long, strange trip its been!”

  • Free from the nightmare…and a happy conductor bidding us all “good riddance!”
  • Readying the bikes for travel

In spite of Amtrak’s best efforts, we did arrive in Richmond, Virginia. Bikes came out of the shipping boxes, were re-assembled and loaded with camping gear. And just like that, our great adventure began. We had biked and toured before, so in general we knew what to expect. We’d never had the opportunity to travel in this part of the country for such an extended length of time. Looking back now, the objective facts of the trip are easy to recount. Trip length…49 days. Miles traveled…2,600. Total cost for two months of travel – $962. Route…Virginia along the Skyline drive portion of the Blue Ridge Parkway. To Berryville to visit old family friends the McCuans. Washington D.C. to visit the capitol and a distant relative of Sharon’s. From there it was north through Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. We turned right and wandered through, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. We hopped a ferry from Bah Hahbah to Yarmouth, Novia Scotia. North through the land of Evangeline, around the land of Anne of Green Gables (Prince Edward Island), New Brunswick, and down the St. Lawrence Seaway in Quebec to Quebec City.

People

Bicycle travel is special, in that it makes you uniquely accessible to people. I can’t begin to count all the conversations we had with complete strangers. People would just begin talking to us. Most had questions. Many of the questions were similar “No – we’re not teachers” and “Tires actually last quite a long time – although we do bring a patch kit for blowouts.” Many of those interactions blend together, some were more memorable.

  • “The road ahead is so crooked and rough you’ll be shakin’ before you know yer shakin‘” Local sitting on his rocking chair, when asked about the route ahead.
  • “Where y’all from?” “Wisconsin.” “Is that over by Rochester?” Conversation with geographically challenged folks in upstate New York.
  • “If the fire’s hot enough – anything will burn” (fellow bike tourer Tom on his love for massive quantities of gummy bears, gummy worms, and all manner of penny candies).
  • Arthur in Novia Scotia. He had traveled by bicycle for five months, biking in cut off jeans and a flannel shirt, and living on $4.83 per day. He refused to leave us alone while at the same time extolling the virtues of traveling alone.
  • The McCuan’s. Neighbors from when I was a wee lad. We visited them in Berryville, VA. where they lived on a 162 year old farm. I had always thought Winnie and John were the coolest people – ever! Teachers who had traveled the world, they were the consummate hosts. They gave us a tour of the area and welcomed us to be part of daughter Laurie’s graduation from high school. (I was in 3rd grade when Winnie brought Laurie home for the first time).
  • The Mc Cuans – Winnie, Elizabeth, and John
  • Laurie – Graduation is a big deal in Virginia
  • “Do you have problems with sheet?” When we failed to comprehend the question, “You know – #2!) French-Canadian cyclists Suzie and Sophie quizzing Sharon on whether biking had given her “problems with sheet” as well. This was their first ever bike trip. While they didn’t mind camping, they had a unique method for securing lodging for the night. They would wait until early evening before stopping at small town convents. “Oh seester…we ‘ave been cycling all day and are hungry and tired. Would you have room for us???” Apparently this never failed. I recently connected with Suzie via Facebook. She currently runs what looks like a lively B & B/Cafe. http://gitechambrechaletstmathieuduparc.com/en/photo/
  • We met Tom and Ruth Stuwe at church in Barre, Vermont. They invited us to their home, fed us pizza, gave us a tour of the town, engaged us in fascinating conversation, and as we continued our journey, gave us some excellent route suggestions and told us where to buy the best apple fritter ever.
  • Canadians Sophie and Suzie
  • The Stuwes – Barre, VT

Places

While not quite as slow as Amtrak, cycling hits the sweet spot. It allows you to cover significant distances while also immersing you in your surroundings. There is no way to share everything we saw over the course of two months. So, perhaps, just a few highlights will suffice.

The Skyline drive portion of the Blue Ridge parkway is meant to be biked, with beautiful views of “blue” ridges stretching off into the distance. Several times we crossed the Appalachian trail, and one night camped next to a through hiker.
Good times!
We’re not big city/museum kind of people. Yet we found Washington D.C. to be a fascinating place. In person, the monuments were quite powerful.
  • Gastric trainwreck.
Preparing for rain…riding in the rain…fixing flats…doing maintenance…
…eating insane amounts, and questionable food choices.
All regular features of bike touring.
Some camp spots were more picturesque than others. Maryland was not very welcoming, so we ended up camping under a highway overpass. Hmmm...where have I heard of that before?
  • “Did you know PA was so hilly?”
    “Nope!”
  • Mt Jo in the Adirondacks
  • Refreshing dip on a hot day
  • Mad River, Vermont
Various images from upstate Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire.
  • Belfast, Maine – founded 1770
  • Panmure Lighthouse – Prince Edward Island
All these pictures were scanned from slides. The Canadian slides, sadly, remain unscanned…and thus unavailable.

A few more notable memories…

  • Prince Edward Island: A bluebird day biking along the deep blue Atlantic, with colorful fields of lupine in the foreground.
  • Adirondacks: Biking late into a warm evening and finding not only a perfect wild camp next to a lovely stream…but also a polaroid picture of some guy’s…”manhood”. He was obviously proud of it – Sharon thought it was no big thing!
  • Hantsport, Novia Scotia: Celebrating Canada Day in Hantsport with an awesome parade. Everyone in town was either in the parade, or sitting along the road cheering.
  • Panmure Campground, Prince Edward Island: Celebrating the 4th of July grilling burgers with fellow cyclist Kevin from Delaware.
  • Novia Scotia: Days of huge tailwinds and cruising easily at 20+ mph.
  • Quebec: Days of brutal headwinds and barely moving at 3 mph.
  • Spending the most romantic, memorable day ever in Vieux-Quebec (old Quebec) on Sharon’s Birthday. It was a magical day wandering the streets, sitting at sidewalk cafes, watching street performers. It was a magical day, right up to the point late at night when we realized someone had stolen our bikes…in spite of locking them for the first time on the trip.
  • Getting home several days later to have Sharon get horribly sick and bedridden…only to find out it was morning sickness. Hello Aaron…we’re your parents!

The objective facts of the trip are easy to recount and document with pictures and stats. The subjective effects are much more difficult – perhaps impossible – to convey. Safe to say that the experience had a profound and lasting impact on us. Only two years into our marriage, we learned that we could work and play together, all day, every day, for two months, often in difficult circumstances. We experienced the joys of seeing new places and meeting new people. This trip reinforced our wanderlust and desire for human powered travel. Over the years, we’ve often joked that this was just our first “trip of a lifetime!” It is also a big reason why we’ve continued to seize the carp so vigorously in the years since, and why we’re excited to dive back into the bike touring scene.

Bicycle Touring … then and now

On By KBGearDaveIn Biking Stuff2 Comments

1987 and 2020

Sharon and I have talked about this often. Whenever we look back on all adventures, our fondest memories are of our first really big trip…a two month long bicycle tour back in the summer of 1987. For years I had known that if I pursued a career as a pastor, I would spend one year as an “intern” or “vicar” serving in a large congregation. As there was a stipend involved with that position, for one glorious summer I could entertain the possibility of traveling instead of taking a job to pay for school. Oh – the possibilities! For years I traveled the world in my mind. I pondered paddling the 2,600 mile length of the Mackenzie River all the way to the Arctic Ocean. I dreamed of getting a small sailboat and sailing around Lake Superior. I considered through hiking the Appalachian Trail…well, at least part of the AT! Prior to the internet (yes children – there was a time when information was only available in books!) I read countless books and dreamed endless dreams.

Then Sharon and I met, married and started dreaming together. Since we both loved biking, eventually we settled on a plan to travel by bicycle for an entire summer. After lots of discussion a trip along the east coast of the US and Canada seemed to be a practical and affordable destination. That decision, the planning that followed, and the trip itself set a pattern that would form the foundation of a life time of travel and adventure.

Once we’d settled on the destination, maps quickly covered the walls of our tiny apartment. Newly discovered information led to endless discussions on the pros and cons of various routes, places we’d like to visit, and time tables. We considered gear choices and decided what we wanted, what we really needed, and what we could safely leave at home. We looked at what gear we could afford, what gear we could make ourselves, and what we would have to buy. Over the course of many months, we prepared our bikes, gear, and bodies. During the preparation and the trip itself, we learned some valuable lessons.

Prepping for rain…
  • It’s not necessary to have every last detail nailed down ahead of time! We had a general route with a few specific destinations in mind. Once on the road however, we needed to be flexible with our route and time table to account for our health, the weather, the people we met, new information, etc. It worked beautifully. To this day we still prefer to follow what we call the “no plan” plan! This pretty much guarantees that whatever happens, we know everything will go according to “plan”. Much less stress!
  • Preparation is part of the fun…not just a necessary evil. For close to two years prior to departure, we had fun planning and daydreaming about our trip. It gave purpose to our daily riding routine and gave us a goal to work towards. Imagining the trip ahead of time allowed us to enjoy the trip twice…the one we dreamed about and then the journey itself.
  • It really is about the journey, not just the destination. This particular journey started the moment we decided to take a bike trip. The joy this trip brought us came not just from having “done it” but all the memories we have of “doing” it. Every day was an adventure in itself.

I’ve been thinking about this a great deal recently because we are currently in the planning phase of a new trip. Some time back Sharon casually dropped one of her bombshells. “We should take a bike trip in Europe!” Never mind that we hadn’t bike toured in forever. (For all that we love about northern AZ – road biking is nowhere on the list). Never mind all the reasons why it would be difficult or impractical. It took me about five seconds to consider and agree “Let’s do it!” At first, the plan was vague. “Let’s go to Europe, ride our bikes and camp along the way.” After nine months of dreaming, talking, and researching, our no plan “plan” has assumed only a slightly more defined amoebic form. One way tickets. Probably 3-4 months. Probably leaving in May…or June…or July. Probably starting someplace in the UK. Definitely revisiting Norway. Definitely (well, probably) crossing into the EU proper at some point. So, really, just a few tiny details left to sort and we’re ready to go!

It’s been an exciting process. Over the years we’ve met and made friends from all over the world. They’ve offered some great insights and perspectives. After doing tons of research (thank you internet) turns out 3-4 months isn’t going to be nearly long enough to come close to seeing all that there is to see. Decisions, decisions!

  • Kona Sutra
  • 3 lb Black Diamond

I finally upgraded my 32 year old road bike. It is still in perfect working order – but spare parts are no longer available. That can be a problem one the road. We now have a matching set of Kona Sutra touring bikes – AMAZING! I’m still planning on using some of our original panniers, complemented by some new Ortliebs. I’m excited to ditch the 8 lb mountaineering tent that served as our home first time around. Instead, we’re using the same ultralightweight tent that served us so well on our JMT hike. Air mattresses instead of “barely there” foam pads will be luxury. This time we’ll have all the information in the universe at our fingertips as we travel.We have the time (and wisdom) to embrace a more relaxed mileage schedule to take into account our status as “mature” adults. I like how our “no plan” is shaping up.

Now that the family fun and busy-ness surrounding the holidays is behind us, I think I’ll probably dredge up some old photos and share details of our first bike tour. It will be fun to take a tour down that particular memory lane. And as the no plan for this summer comes together, I’ll share that as well.

Hope you’ve had a great 2019 and have big plans to seize the carp this coming year.

Diapers and Depends through the Years

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Endurance Stuff, Mountain Stuff, Water StuffLeave a comment

Sharon was recently going through some old photos and came across this one from February 2012. We’d all just climbed up the insanely steep “trail” out of South Canyon – and most important – were all still smiling. This little trip was the first time I’d met Rob, Cailie or Andrew. it was also the very first Diapers and Depends Expedition.

I’ve described this before, but during the trip we very quickly started with some good natured trash talking – e.g. the youngsters among us were “barely out of diapers”. We were so old we needed Depends! And so it went. Thus was born “Diapers and Depends Expeditions”. Since then, plus or minus a few others, the Diapers and Depends gang has reeled off an impressive list of accomplishments. As often happens, seeing this early photo made me a bit nostalgic and prompted this pictorial walk down memory lane celebrating the last eight years.

2012-2013

2014-2015

2016 – 2019

I can’t begin to describe what joy and enjoyment these folks and these trips have brought to our lives over the past eight years. And this extensive list isn’t nearly complete. It does not include all the conversations, emails, texts, phone calls, Flagstaff beer runs, picnics, dinners, birthday parties and just general time spent together with the Diapers and Depends group. It doesn’t include all the fantastic times we’ve spent with our grown children and extended family. It doesn’t include our large circle of friends here in Flagstaff. So, in this Thanksgiving week – it seems appropriate to be thankful not only for the opportunities we’ve had to explore so much of our world, but especially for all the wonderful people who are part of our lives.

Happy Thanksgiving All!

#Trailer Life, Da U.P. and Points beyond…

On By KBGearDaveIn Gear Stuff, On the Road1 Comment

For as long as we’ve dreamed about retiring, we’ve dreamed about finding beautiful places to hike, bike, camp, kayak, backpack, etc. In order to facilitate those dreams we had planned to convert a cargo van into some kind of sleeping/gear hauling adventure vehicle for longer than #vanlife has been a “thing”. We spent endless hours talking, planning, and researching different ideas. I actually drew up plans for how we’d convert it. I read reviews of vehicles and scoured the internet looking for deals. Yet, when retirement rolled around – we were still vehicle-less! Biggest reason? I HATE, DESPISE, LOATH, DETEST (getting the picture?) buying cars. So I kept putting it off. The other reason is that with a van we saw a few potential problems that had no easy solutions. We wanted to be able to carry our kayaks. Getting them on and off a 12 foot high vehicle would be no small feat, and would only get more challenging as the years go by. Another issue was safe seating for tiny humans. Almost every van conversion we’d seen did not include additional approved seating for children.

So, long story only slightly shorter, for our first retirement road trip we traveled and slept in the back of our 4Runner.

It worked beautifully. We were comfortable. We had plenty of room for all our gear. It was a perfect example of KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). After two months on the road, we realized we didn’t need the extra space (or expense, or time to convert, etc) that a van would offer (and require). We were content and had actually had decided to stick with the 4Runner…until we saw a co-worker’s teardrop trailer. We were impressed by the simplicity, the great features, and head room. The price was 1/4 to 1/2 the price of a van – without the need to do any work converting. Within about 30 minutes of getting home, we’d done some internet research, talked about it, and pretty much decided that a small teardrop trailer would be a good fit for our travel needs. Fast forward several months. In early October we pulled into the TCTeardrop workshop in Wausau, Wisconsin to meet our tiny new home.

The Happy Campers

After a brief tour of the camper by the staff at TCTeardrops, we took advantage of a favorable weather forecast and immediately headed north to da U.P. for a shakedown cruise. It was amazing.

  • 1st night along Sturgeon River
  • Sturgeon River wilderness
  • Lake Superior Camp
  • Superior Shoreline
  • Fall colors

The fall colors were out in force. We found beautiful and remote places to camp, hike and bike. The trailer was a dream. No set up necessary. Comfy, warm, and quiet. It was everything we hoped for. At this point I would like to mention that Sharon and I actually prefer sleeping in a tent or under the stars. And in the interest of full disclosure, it should be said that for years (actually for a lifetime) I have mercilessly heaped scorn and derision on RV owners. Now I guess I are one. We both very quickly fell in love with the ease and comfort of the teardrop when in ‘car camping/traveling mode – and especially for traveling in foul weather.

Several weeks later we arrived back in Flagstaff. We just recently finished hooking up solar power, installing a Propex propane heater, and decorating the galley area. We have a few more minor additions we’d like to make – but in the main, it’s ready to be taken out and used.

  • FoStep 1 of the install was to remove the factory install.
  • Steve graciously offered the use of his expertise, several hours of his time and the use of his awesome shop.
  • Fuse panel, shunt, Bogard power controller and fuses
  • Basic solar install complete
  • Several days later I’d added some circuits and finished routing and securing all wiring.
  • Propex heater
  • All wiring and the heater are located behind a removable panel.
  • The final look, complete with Sharon’s paint and wall paper touches.
  • The heater vent and thermostat inside. Bring on winter!

For any gear geeks out there, we have a 200 watt solar panel permanently mounted on top of the trailer. This feeds power to a Bogart charge controller http://www.bogartengineering.com/products/solar-charger.html which in turn is monitored by the Trimetric TM-2030 http://www.bogartengineering.com/products/trimetrics.html All this amazing technology feeds into a 125 amp hour battery. Our biggest energy user will be our 50 liter Dometic fridge. On paper anyway, we should be able to stay out indefinitely with all our power needs being met with solar.

We’d actually purchased the Propex heater for our eventual van build, so it is probably massive overkill for our tiny trailer. However since we had it, and since we plan to camp during the winter, overkill might be OK. https://www.propexheatsource.co.uk/heaters/hs2000

One thing became immediately apparent during the past week (and countless hardware store runs). I am sooooo glad I’m not doing a van conversion. Even with retirement size free time, it would have taken months, and lots and lots of dollars to set up a van the way we’d planned. Instead we’re now ready to go play. And when we do, we’ll definitely let you know how it goes.

If you’re interested, Todd and Carol Mowry are the owners of TC Teardrops (get it? Todd and Carol). They were away at an overland expo when we arrived, so we didn’t get a chance to meet, but they were great to work with. They offer four trim levels. We chose the “Overland” version that comes with a cool swiveling hitch, electric brakes, beefy wheels and an extra receiver hitch in the back. We then added several items from their extensive list of options. You can check out their website here… https://www.tcteardrops.com/ As always, I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

Until next time – Seize the Carp!

Superior Sunrise

Grand Canyon Exploration

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff2 Comments

Tapeats – Deer Creek Loop

In 2010 our family celebrated some major life events – a high school graduation, a major anniversary, a milestone birthday. We celebrated in true Flagstaff fashion with a river trip through the Grand Canyon. Because of their unique nature and amazing beauty, most trips take time to stop at Thunder River/Tapeats Creek and Deer Creek. Several years later we managed to snag a back country permit to hike down to those same iconic locations via the north rim. Alas, it was not to be. In a gross miscarriage of justice, we were denied the use of our permit when a government shutdown “closed” the Grand Canyon. Social justice warriors that we are, we set out to right the wrongs of gov’t shutdowns past.

So, years later we again managed to obtain a coveted back country permit and prepped for our return to the Canyon. Our plan had been for a group of six to make the journey. Instead, work, busy schedules and injury whittled that number down to just two – Dan and I. Quality over quantity I like to say. On a Friday afternoon in late October Dan and I arrived at a lovely little spot along the north rim to spend a relaxing evening before hitting the trail.

Next morning we headed down the Bill Hall trail under blue bird skies and perfect temperatures. While steep in places, this trail offers a relatively easy descent to the esplanade and points beyond.

  • Dan contemplating the beauty…and over 5,000′ of descent

I’d read about it, but the esplanade is an amazing place. Relatively flat, it offers a welcome respite from down climbing. Plus the scenery along this stretch is nothing short of spectacular…slickrock, dramatic formations, canyons…the esplanade has it all.

Beyond the esplanade we dropped into Surprise valley, eventually making our way past Thunder River to our camp at Upper Tapeats.

  • We slept under the stars every night…except for a brief hail storm on night two when we put up the tarp.
  • Sunset from Tapeats creek.

After a long first day, we had scheduled a rare rest day at upper Tapeats. We’d toyed with the idea of doing some exploring, but ended up simply spending the day next to the creek. We chatted with each other and folks from a few different river trips. I made good progress on my current read, and then…just stared at the scenery. We did discover one small down side of being deep in the Canyon this time of year. The sun dropped behind the Canyon walls at about 3:00 pm. By 3:05 pm we busted out our puffies. By 6:30 pm with no moon it was completely dark. I read. We talked. We enjoyed the night sky and watched for shooting stars, but ultimately the combination of dark and cold made for some long -ish nights.

Day three was a leisurely stroll down to the River. Thanks to generous river folk, we were able to enjoy a malted beverage with dinner. Day four we picked our way along the route downriver to Deer Creek. The Patio and Deer Creek Narrows were as stunning as I remembered. Dan was appropriately impressed. We arrived early enough to have plenty of time for more rest and relaxation. Other than the big day down (and obviously what comes down must go up) we had more free time on this trip than any I can remember…maybe ever. Maybe its true that with age comes wisdom…or maybe not…I forget.

  • Yay for generous river trip people!!
  • The only way to fly – sleeping under the stars
  • Deer Creek narrows.

While our permit allowed us another rest day at Deer Creek before our hike out, the long nights and a below freezing cold snap convinced us to hike out a day early. Temps in the low 30’s and blue bird skies made for a perfect day to regain the 5,200′ back to the north rim. We topped off our excellent adventure with the appropriate post hike beer and burger at the Cave Dweller lodge where a sign informed us “There are no caves at Cave Dwellers. No ferry at Lee’s Ferry and no lake at Jacob Lake – sorry for the confusion!” Many thanks to Dan for making the long trek out from MN to share some time in a lovely corner of the Canyon.

As always – if you have any questions about this – or any other trip. Leave a note in the comments section. You can always sign up below to receive email notifications whenever there is a new post. Seize the Carp!

Time, Pink Floyd, and Paddling Uphill

On By KBGearDaveIn Water StuffLeave a comment

Back in the day of full time pastoring, three small children and Sharon’s career in medicine “free time” was an unproven concept – sort of like the possibility of life on Mars. Theoretically possible, but requiring an almost impossible effort to determine if it actually existed. Fast forward a few decades and we find ourselves on the happy side of retirement with a seemingly endless supply of “free time” to follow John Muir’s desire, “The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.” However, in their timeless classic “Time” , Pink Floyd captured a sad reality about time.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it’s sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you’re older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time…

Pink Floyd “Time”

While we now have almost endless “free time”, the reality of life is that no one has an endless amount of time. So what to do? Henry David Thoreau went into the woods to live simply “to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life.” He did not want to, “when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” I guess the point of all this is that Sharon and I recognize that time is a precious gift. We don’t want to waste a single day. We are also trying to balance our desire to see some of this big world, while also spending time with people we love. We are trying to balance our efforts to do things that bring us joy, while also doing things that have meaning and bring joy to others. A bit of a challenge that…

So, recently Sharon spent some time back in Wisconsin. Jim received Packer season tickets as a high school graduation present. While the Neubauer clan grew up attending Packer games, it’s been a while since Sharon and her Dad watched a game together. She also spent a wonderful weekend spent with a group of girls, many of whom went to school together from kindergarten all the way through high school. There was of course time for Jennifer – Sharon’s best good buddy (they go together like peas and carrots), as well as with sister Sue, Allen, Andrew and Eric. Over all, time well spent.

With Sharon otherwise occupied, I had time to finish one of my many, long overdue home projects. I’d re-routed and rebuilt some stairs between a middle and lower deck, but hadn’t had time (OK – I hadn’t taken the time) to finish all the railings. It was nice to have long swaths of time, uninterrupted by work and other responsibilities to cut, paint, and install fifty-one stiles and all the supporting pieces. Check one big item off my “to do” list.

With that job done and Sharon arriving back in town in a few days, I decided to reward myself with a micro-adventure. I drove up to a favorite spot for a lovely evening under the stars, followed by a paddle uphill from Lee’s Ferry the next day.

I had started the day with a vague notion of possibly paddling the entire 15.6 miles from Lee’s Ferry up to Glen Canyon dam. As always, it was hard but satisfying work paddling upstream. This time around, I managed to make it past the big “hill” at Horseshoe bend that had stopped me on a previous effort. For some reason I found it amusing to look up at all the people lining the edge of the canyon wall and realizing that my little boat and I were probably going to be in lots of selfie photos. At some point 12-13 miles upriver, it seemed that the current was speeding up and I was slowing down. Time to give in to gravity and just go with the flow. Except for a two mile stretch where a hellacious headwind actually blew me upstream while I was attempting to paddle down – with the current – it was a glorious float. Upon review – I considered this a day – actually several days – well spent.

JMT Through Hike #4 – Gear

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Gear StuffLeave a comment

“How much does your pack weigh?”

“Base weight is twelve pounds!”

“Dude – that’s way too heavy. Mine is only eight! It’s easy to get down to that weight once you realize that comfort is just a state of mind!”

–Overheard in the backpackers camp at Tuolumne Meadow

While the commitment to lightweight packing is laudable, I took exception to this person’s condescending “I’m better than you” attitude. I also call BS on the assertion that comfort is a state of mind. I’ve spent a lifetime finding creative ways to be uncomfortable in just about every conceivable outdoor situation – and I would suggest that discomfort has nothing to do with my “state of mind.” As proof I offer the following: https://www.seizingthecarp.com/lake-superior-learning-curve/ . It has everything to do with bringing along the wrong gear, forgetting gear (like a tent – yes, it is possible), miscalculating time and distance, bad luck, bad weather, etc.

Now if you’ll wait a moment while I climb down off my self-righteous soap box, I will agree in principle with Mr Ego Head above. I have long ascribed to the scientifically proven “Inverse Weight to Fun Ratio” beautifully illustrated in the graph below.

Happy Camper on the left vs Not a Happy Camper on the right

Conversations about gear are a regular feature along the trail. What’s working? What’s not? What people like/dislike about a particular piece of gear. What people wish they had, or wish they’d left behind. So for your reading pleasure, I humbly submit a few thoughts on the subject of gear in general, and some specific comments on gear we used.

When I did a portion of the JMT a few years ago, I brought a tarp tent that got used once in nine nights out. The rest of the time I slept under the stars. It was glorious. The bug situation made that impractical, so we brought our Black Diamond Beta light and Bug Net tent. Total weight 3 -ish pounds. Not the lightest thing out there, but a third the cost of ZPack shelters and far more durable than some of the ultra, ultra light tents made out of unicorn hair, baby seal tears, and fairy dust. Properly guyed out it easily withstood some gusty conditions. At 6′ 2″, I can fully stretch out and have room to spare at the ends – a bit of a luxury in a lightweight shelter. It is easy to pitch – stake out four corners and insert hiking poles. Initially we thought they’d be a bit of a bother inside the tent, but it turned out to be a non-issue. In fact it actually helped keep Sharon on her side of the tent. You can read an excellent review here: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/ultralight-tent/black-diamond-beta-light We liked it so much that I’m going to re-purpose some tent poles to replace the hiking poles in order to use it on an upcoming bike tour.

Our one big experimental upgrade came with the purchase of down quilts. We both got the 10 degree Revelation model from Enlightened Equipment. I saved quite a bit by ordering a previous year’s model, however Sharon’s newer model had significantly higher loft. (https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/camping-and-hiking/ultralight-sleeping-bag/enlightened-equipment-revelation-20 ) Even on a few frosty, below freezing nights, Sharon was comfy in just T-Shirt and knickers. I’m a cold sleeper, and was comfortable, although many nights I did wear my down jacket. We liked the flexibility of sleeping arrangements with the quilt as well as the weight and space savings compared to our regular backpacking bags. I’m not completely sold on the whole quilt concept, but I can definitely recommend the Revelation.

The last of the “big three” backpacking necessities is the backpack. Sharon hauled out her venerable Osprey Ariel 65. It would have been a bit larger than necessary, except for the need to carry ten days of food in a bear canister. Osprey packs are everywhere, well made and – when adjusted properly – solid, comfy packs. I used my Arrakis 50 from Arcteryx. The Arrakis has several unique features, and is extremely rare. That might explain why it is no longer being made. I love the fit and features, and especially the way it carries a load. Even to save a few pounds, I doubt I’ll ever go to a different pack. We were a bit intrigued by the lighter and smaller Osprey Exos we saw frequently along the way. We might explore that option for Sharon.

Beyond that, our gear lists was pretty straightforward.

  • Primus canister stove. In three weeks we used roughly 1 – 8oz, and 2 – 4 oz canisters.
  • Cookwear: Aluminum pot and folding silicone cups. Sharon used a silicone bowl, I did not.
  • Clothes (me)
  • Two running shorts, one pair medium weight tights.
  • One Short sleeve T (didn’t need).
  • One long sleeve cotton dress shirt. Two technical long sleeve T’s (only needed one long T)
  • Arcteryx Thorium AR down jacket with hood (loved it).
  • Beanie hat, sun hat, and gloves.
  • Bike gloves. I wore these all day, every single day to protect my hands from getting sunburned, and from blisters from using poles. For me, these would be a must bring.
  • Electronics: BD rechargeable headlamp. Garmin Mini GPS tracker and two way text. Suunto GPS watch. Fujifilm waterproof camera. Sharon’s IPhone was her camera. Solar charger and small battery pack kept all electronics fully charged.
  • We used a 4 L Platypus gravity flow water filter. Larger than the Sawyers that everyone was using. For a group of 4-5 like us, this was much easier and quicker. Also, on a previous trip two Sawyer filters both kind of crapped out on us. Kept it in a small stuff sack strapped to the outside of my pack. We stopped to filter regularly and thus saved the weight of carrying extra water.
  • Other: 8″ x 10″ scrap of closed cell foam for a sit/kneel pad (big thumbs up – super useful). Sharon brought an REI camp chair. Half way through I “inherited” Dan’s when he left. Nice, but I’d have been happy with just my sit pad. Trowel (for poo holes). Small roll of tenacious tape, needle and thread for repairs. Very small 1st aid kit…just blister stuff, antiseptic, antibiotic, and burn ointments. Bug head nets which we used once or twice.
  • Rain gear. I brought both a jacket and kilt of my own design. Sharon brought her kilt and an old Golite jacket. Amazingly, somehow, blue bird skies for 21 days. Sucked for California, but we did not complain.
  • Bear Canisters: A necessary EVIL required on the trail. I used the Garcia’s on the left. Sharon had the BV500. The Garcia’s was slightly smaller, and slightly heavier – but had a superior lid design. We were (just) able to cram in ten days of food.

After three weeks on the trail we felt we had packed well. We had everything we needed and very little we didn’t need. This was clearly a longer trip, but we’ve done this many, many times before. Having said that, we’re always looking to improve, and better ways of doing things. If we took out our “comfort” items and eliminated all electronics, I could have removed 3-4 lbs. Also, the way things worked out, we were a bit light on food at the outset, and then ended up with a bit too much at our 2nd resupply. Still, with ten days of food and water, I was at about 36 lbs, Sharon a few less. I’m sure my “dude” friend above would scoff at such weights, but we didn’t have to just pretend – we were truly comfortable throughout the entire trip.

Hopefully this was helpful. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out and leave a comment below. I/we are always happy to help. Of course, you should always keep in mind rule #1 of hiking the JMT – “Don’t believe anything anyone tells you!” Happy Trails!

JMT Through Hike #3 – Pictures

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Mountain Stuff6 Comments

“Life is too short to hike ugly places”

-Me…after listening to PCT thru hikers talk about all the dry, dusty, desolate and downright ugly sections they hiked through before arriving in the Sierra Nevada.

The John Muir Trail is hard. Getting from here to there always involves climbing up before climbing down…or climbing down followed by yet another climb up. For many, the high elevations cause significant problems. According to Ranger Rob at Crabtree Meadow, 90% of all evacuations are for altitude related problems. From the southern end, just getting to the start of the JMT requires either STD’s (screaming thighs of death) up from Whitney Portal or a roundabout twenty extra miles. From the northern end, one’s introduction to the JMT is 8,000 feet of climbing from the Yosemite Valley floor to the top of Donohue Pass. The John Muir Trail is hard…but oh, it is so worth it!! As an anonymous writer once penned, “All things excellent are as difficult as rare.” So true!

Almost every day, and often multiple times in a day, a hiker on the JMT is confronted by world class views. After the second day we put a one-per-day limit on the use of the word “Wow!” It really was that spectacular. So in this post, I’d like to let the Sierra Nevada speak for itself.

Under the Stars

We spent twenty-one days on the trail. We hiked every single day. With the exception of two nights spent at Tuolumne Meadow, we laid our heads to rest in a different location every night. You can spend hundreds of dollars a night to sleep in someone else’s bed in a luxury hotel and not come close to matching the luxurious beauty of our open air bedrooms. Here is a sample.

Wildflowers

“There is poety among the wildflowers”

– Rachel Irene Stevenson

Cause and effect. This was an exceptionally good snow year in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Heavy snow meant a late melt. A late melt meant a few extra mosquitoes along the trail. More of an annoyance than the apocalyptic swarms of biblical proportions that many warned of. Late snow also meant late wildflowers in glorious colors and quantities. Sharon took some extra time capturing their beauty.

Rocks and Water

At home I am often annoyed by long haul truckers who feel compelled to compensate for certain…shortcomings… by the overzealous use of engine brakes on a nearby highway. So it was with great joy that almost every night for three weeks I was lulled to sleep by the soothing sounds of creeks, cascades, rivers, rivulets, in other words, moving water of every description. Every day we were treated to boisterous waterfalls, gentle creeks, and everything in between. Every day we were treated to stunning alpine lakes filling broad valleys, or nestled in the intimate embrace of soaring granite peaks. Every day we were surrounded by “rocks” and “water”. Those familiar words are empty and meaningless until they’ve been filled with images and memories from the Sierra Nevada.

“Few places in this world are more dangerous than home. Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain-passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action.”

-John Muir “The Wild Muir”

I second John’s sentiment above. Fear not to try the mountain passes. And not just on the John Muir trail. Some fear it is already being loved to death. There are countless lesser know, barely traveled trails all throughout the Sierra Nevada (and all over our country) that will yield similar view and experiences. The important thing is to educate yourself about “leave no trace” camping ethics, equip yourself with what little you need to be comfortable outside – and leave the rest of the gear home. Then get out the door – whether it is for one night or one month. Seize the Carp!

JMT Through Hike #2 – Friends and Fascinating People

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Mountain StuffLeave a comment

I confess that when it comes to the wilderness I am basically pretty selfish. I want it all for myself. I don’t want to share. Perfection in backpacking has always been to never see another soul. The JMT is NOT that kind of a trip! This is a beautiful area and everyone from long distance through hikers to weekend warriors want a piece of it. I knew that going in. Turns out I was surprisingly OK sharing my wilderness with others. In fact, our favorite moments on the trail involved the friends we started with, and the fascinating people we met along the way. This post is a tribute to some of these amazing people.

“Friendship improves happiness, and abates misery, by doubling our joys, and dividing our grief.” -Marcus Tullius Cicero

At times it can be a challenge to organize a trip involving people with different work and family responsibilities, and from different corners of the country. As was proven once again on this trip – it is so worth it. We laughed with – and at – one another. We shared memories of many years and trips together. We had serious conversations about serious matters and deeply personal issues. We walked in comfortable silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. Thank you Sharon, Andrew, Cailie and Dan for just being who you are and making yet another trip special. Can’t wait for the next adventure…

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” -Dale Carnegie

Most interactions with other hikers involved just a smile and brief pleasantries while passing on the trail. Occasionally though, we would stop long enough to find out a bit about the people sharing the trail with us. From time to time we would share info or observations, and compare notes and experiences. Here is a small sample of a few of the fascinating people out enjoying the JMT.

The appreciation of this wild place, the enthusiasm and the joy so often expressed by others was infectious. Rather than detract from the experience on the trail, these brief encounters were uplifting and stimulating. Our passing conversations often led to longer discussions as Sharon and I continued on down (or up) the trail. All the meet ups above took place with southbound folks as we passed. From time to time though, circumstances brought us together with fellow northbound travelers. Several of these chance encounters led to some deeper connections.

Father and daugher – Kirk and Brittney

We first met Kirk and Brittney on our way to resupply at Muir Trail Ranch (MTR). At first we leapfrogged along the trail, then we hiked together for a bit, then chatted even more as we sorted and swapped food from our resupply boxes. As happens, we ended up hiking and camping together several more times. Kirk has been on some amazing trips out back of beyond. Definitely a kindred spirit. Brittney is a veterinarian with some fascinating insights into the challenges faced by folks in this profession…and just life in general. She is incredibly insightful and eloquent – you should definitely check out her blog here. https://dvmexplorer.com/blog/ . Fortunately we met up one last time in Tuolomne Meadows just as we were leaving for home.

Vangie and Jane

We first saw Vangie and Jane at Vermilion Valley Resort as a group of JMT hikers were inhaling embarrassingly large breakfasts. Up the trail we leapfrogged and chatted a bit, then ended up camping together. These ladies were crushing it. Jane especially was knowledgeable about Yosemite and offered some helpful (and for once) accurate information about hiking in Yosemite. Vangie is planning a trip to Nepal later this fall, so we had fun sharing our experiences.

Ondrej & Helena – proudly representing the Czech Republic

What can I say about Ondrej and Helena? We first met camping at Garnet Lake, and then spent the next several days enjoying the privilege of getting to know this wonderful pair. We learned about the Czech Republic. As always, it was fascinating to see our country through fresh eyes. “People here are sooo friendly!” And thanks to their patient tutelage, I am now practically fluent in Czech. “Ahoy” is “hello” – although I think they may have just been messing with me. And “It is beautiful” – To je krásný. Just seeing their smiles and zest for life every day made the world seem a better place.

Our last night in the backcountry we spent hours along this beautiful river with Helena, Ondrej and the Texas Twins. Perfect.

VVR dinner gang. From left, Mylan, Tigger, Kirk, Brittney, Dave, Freight Train, and Taper & Bernard.

At the beginning of the evening, four separate groups were complete strangers. Several hours (and beers) later, we were sharing food and intimate details about our lives. Such is life on the trail. Mylan is in the merchant marine and somehow needed to get to the other side of the Sierra mountains in an impossible time frame. He said it was for work – but there may have been a girl involved. His friend Ethan across the table ate so much food that he earned his trail name “Taper” (for tapeworm). His tapeworm earned the trail name “Bernard”. Tigger and Freight Train met on the PCT. They had intended to through hike and had done a significant portion, until injury and life got in the way. They had rejoined for this middle portion. Even though three months earlier they hadn’t known each other, now they were like a married couple finishing each other’s stories and sentences. It was a magical evening.

Irrepressible Rachel!

Rachel was an interesting find. Tuolumne Meadow has a ‘backpacker’ portion of the campground where JMT through hikers and backpackers can spend a night as they pass through. Rachel was not hiking. She was on a solo bike tour and had camped nearby. Somehow she and Sharon got chatting and before long, she was joining us as we ferried our car down to Yosemite Valley in preparation for the last portion of our hike. The hour and a half drive wasn’t nearly long enough to even begin to learn about all the things that made this young lady amazing. Follow her on Instagram (RachelsontheRoad) to find out for yourself. She well and truly seizes the carp every single day.

Tim Cahill, adventurer and writer once said, “A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” I couldn’t agree more. When I think of our experience on the JMT, I will certainly remember the achingly beautiful mountains, lakes and streams. No doubt it will be those images that will make you want to venture out to see those places yourself. But when I think back to our experience on the JMT, the images that will come to mind first will be the smiles and laughter of the beautiful people we met along the way.