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.

JMT Thru Hike #1 – Overview

On By KBGearDaveIn Backpacking/Hiking Stuff, Mountain StuffLeave a comment
Lots of discussion about which direction was better. The only two directions that really matter on the JMT are “up” and “down”!

At 5:45 on a Wednesday in August we walked into Yosemite Valley, twenty-one days after setting out from the Whitney Portal trail head…and just like that it was over. The thing we had been dreaming about, and planning, and preparing for so long was suddenly a memory. In one sense it is very easy to quantify the accomplishment. We had walked a total of 234-ish miles in 21 days and climbed 42,240 vertical feet along the way…but those are just numbers. Numbers don’t begin to capture the feeling of topping out on a high pass after climbing uphill for miles, or the sight of a snow capped granite peak perfectly reflected in an alpine lake, or the magic of the evening light on that same mountain at sunset, or the power of a roaring waterfall or the soothing sound of a gentle riffle on that same creek. The statistics of a through hike have nothing to do with the joys of walking through wilderness and talking with old friends, or the simple pleasures of making new friends along the way. A hike on the John Muir Trail is very much more than the sum of all these parts.

Three years prior to this trip, I had the privilege of hiking a portion of the JMT with Dan, Phil, Steve and Michelle. ( https://www.seizingthecarp.com/jmt-august-2016/ ) Because of knee problems, Sharon was unable to participate on that trip. Having seen and heard about our experiences however, she suggested that now with the time to do so, we should through hike the entire trail. She didn’t have to convince me, and we reached out to our usual group of willing accomplices. Eventually the field of the willing was whittled down to those actually able to take the time. Dan Boss, Cailie the Gnome Princess and Andrew O all signed on to accompany us almost half way to an exit point over Bishop Pass. Sharon and I would complete the journey on our own. That was the plan. Reality of course had plans of her own.

  • The first day was tough. Lots of uphill with ten days of food crammed in our packs.
  • High camp at 12,000′
  • We woke on day two to hysterical laughter while these two attempted to open Cailie’s bear canister. It was so full, it wouldn’t open.
  • Dan being helpful as always. “We should go up there!”
  • Whitney Pass and thankfully some “down” after all the “up”

On day two as we descended from Whitney pass, Andrew badly sprained his ankle near Guitar Lake. After an initial assessment and some treatment, we decided the best option was to make our way down to Crabtree Meadow and the ranger station there. By the next morning, it was clear Andrew was not going anywhere under his own power. His multi-colored, softball size ankle and the near certainty that he had broken a bone during his fall led Ranger Rob to order a helicopter evacuation. Thirty minutes later Andrew was whisked away, and we were left to mourn the departure of our friend. For someone who works as hard as he does, and has so little free time, it was incredibly sad to see him deprived of the rest of the trip. Having said that, it could easily have been much worse and we were very thankful for all the help in getting Andrew safely home (and to surgery several days later).

  • “Physician heal thyself.” First attempt at treatment at Guitar Lake
  • Andrew convalescing in Crabtree Meadow prior to evac. Rest, ice and elevate. Doing all the right stuff
  • Apparently only one in ten evacs are for ortho injuries. Most are for altitude related problems. Way to be special Andrew

With the evac done, we packed up and continued our journey northward. As I’ve noted before, the four remaining members of the Diapers and Depends team have shared many adventures and are all very experienced backpackers. We very quickly settled into an easy rhythm of life on the trail. Every day brought unbelievable world class views, challenging trails, stimulating conversation, and enjoyable camp life at the end of the day. All too quickly it was time for Dan and Cailie to jump off the trail and head out over Bishop Pass. The fact that we so enjoyed their company made it that much more difficult to say good-bye.

  • K2 and Bobo ready to head out over Bishop Pass.

Having said good-bye, Sharon and I fell right back into our own familiar routines…we’ve been doing this sort of thing for the past 34 years after all. One difference we did notice hiking as a couple, is that we started meeting and interacting more with other hikers along the trail. We met and spent time with some truly amazing people along the way (more on that in another post.) Unless you’ve done it, it is hard to get your mind around hiking 200+ miles or camping in the mountains for three weeks (without a shower I might add). Very quickly it becomes routine, and then suddenly the end looms. For me, walking into the campground at Tuolumne Meadow was the emotional end of the trip for me. We had decided that we would drop packs and hike the last bit from Tuolumne to Yosemite Valley as a day hike. Even though we took a detour to the top of Cloud’s Rest and enjoyed stunning views from far above Yosemite Valley – the last day seemed very much like an afterthought. We were really just connecting the dots to say we’d completed the hike.

  • Clouds Rest was a worthwhile side trip off the JMT on our last day
  • Pretty amazing view into Yosemite Valley.
  • JMT Rule #1 – Don’t believe anything anyone tells you! The official distance of the JMT is 211 miles. Note the distance listed to Mt Whitney…

So now we’re home. We’ve enjoyed several showers, washed clothes, cleaned and put away gear. We’ve reconnected with many of our friends here in Flagstaff and have tried to convey some sense of what it was like on the trail. We’re left to ponder what – if any – impact our time on the JMT has had. I’ll write more in depth, but here’s a quick first swipe at it.

  • We are fortunate beyond belief to have the time and the health to complete a lengthy and challenging trip like this.
  • We are fortunate beyond belief to have vast expanses of natural beauty like this in our country
  • Sharon and I had very different trips. I felt good and truly didn’t have a bad day. Sharon fought through an early illness and other health issues along the way. As Cailie said, knowing you have the mental resilience and physical toughness to fight through issues like that is something you can put in the bank during other difficult days.
  • I love nature and especially being in true wilderness settings without people. Having said that, having Andrew, Cailie and Dan along, and all the new friends we made along the trail really made this trip special.

There is much more I’d like to share about this trip. I’d like to talk specifically about some of the folks we met. I’ll speak a bit about some of the gear we used – what worked and what didn’t. I have no desire to give a step by step description of the trail or point out specific special places…there’s too much of that on the internet already. I would like to just share some of the beautiful images you might expect to see if you decide to wander this trail yourself…or at the very least, give you a small sense of what draws us to places like this. I will share some of the lessons we learned on a long trip (still possible to learn something new after all these years). So if you haven’t already done so, scroll down and sign up for email updates. And if you have any specific questions, please feel free to reach out. Sharon and I will be happy to offer any help we can. Until next time – Happy Trails and Seize the Carp!

Southwest Colorado…Again

On By KBGearDaveIn Misc. StuffLeave a comment

A beer budget ‘vacation’ with champagne views!

Just a short time ago, a two week vacation was a big deal for us. We would painstakingly sift through our list of places we’d like to go, people we’d like to see, things we’d like to do. I imagine it was something like a dog lover going to the animal shelter and seeing a dozen adorable animals they’d like to take home – but knowing realistically they can only pick one! Every trip we considered looked up at us with adorable puppy eyes, silently pleading, “Pick me! Pick me!”

Prior to April of 2019, time and money were always the limiting factors. Since we stepped away from full time work, we’ve (more or less) removed time as a limiting factor. Now we have to make sure we have the long term means to finance our wanderlust. During the month of July, we took what for us was a pretty typical low rent, beer budget ‘vacation’ with champagne views and accommodations.

We spent two weeks wandering around southwest Colorado. We explored a new mountain range. We spent some quality grandparent time. We helped renovate a historic building. We spent time getting to know our future daughter-in-law. We spent days and days high in the rugged San Juan mountains enjoying the always breathtaking views. It was a perfect, inexpensive, sustainable way to spend two weeks.

After several days wandering around the mountains, we joined the George family and several friends for a work weekend up at the St Paul Lodge and Hut. Chris George Sr. purchased the St Paul mine and with virtually no money, but loads of ingenuity, converted the head house and a miner’s cabin into a backcountry ski lodge. Chris and Donna have recently handed over operation of the lodge to their children. You can learn more of the fascinating history/location here https://stpaulhut.com/about-us/ . We spent a fun weekend, making some major upgrades to the systems, and just enjoying the unbelievable ambiance of the place.

After the work weekend was over, we met up with Katie Jo – our soon to be daughter-in-law. Having found herself with some rare downtime during her psychology PhD program, she decided to join us for a week of wandering, camping and time with Aaron, Vanessa and the wee ones. Katie is developing into an accomplished ultra athlete, so we did our best to challenge (and share) with her some of our favorite hikes and climbs. I think we succeeded.

Two weeks of no stress bliss with family and friends in one of our favorite places. Truly a champagne lifestyle on a beer budget, and another wonderful chapter in the story of our retirement…with more to come.

Ode to a Bonk

On By KBGearDaveIn Endurance StuffLeave a comment

My legs felt tired as soon as I started up the trail. It normally takes a bit to loosen up and feel good, so that wasn’t surprising. On this particular day though, I wasn’t feeling it. Not only did I not loosen up, as the climb continued, I felt more and more tired and (it hardly seemed possible) actually started moving even more slowly. It gradually occurred to me that on the previous day, I may have been a bit light on calories. In fact, on reflection, I hadn’t really eaten much after breakfast. Just wasn’t hungry and we were busy doing stuff. No problem! I told my body, “Body – you’re ‘well marbled’ with a fair bit of reserve fat! Why don’t you just burn some of that instead!” My body thought about that for a moment and then flipped me a double bird, planted a solid hit on the family jewels, gave me an atomic wedgie followed by a swirly, and then danced over my crushed spirit singing, “Na-na-na-boo-boo!” In other words, using a military reference, I was experiencing a MOAB – Mother Of All Bonks! Not the British bonk, but as a Runner’s World article put it, the “sorry stewpot of dehydration, training errors, gastric problems, and nutrition gaffes” that causes either the legs or the brain to call it a day!

One would think that after doing this sort of thing long enough, bonking would be a thing of the past. I’ve found, however, that I never go wrong underestimating my capacity for stupidity. Anyway, I told my body, “You’re not the boss of me!” and kept trudging uphill, moving so slowly that time actually moved backwards. To pass the time I re-worked one of my favorite Dr. Suess stories (my apologies to Suess BTW).

Well… I was hiking up the mountain, and I saw nothing scary. For I have never been afraid of anything. Not very. Then I was high up on the mountain when, suddenly, I spied them. I saw a pair of pale green running shorts with no calories inside them! I wasn’t scared. But, yet, I stopped What could those shorts be there for? What could a pair of running shorts be standing in the air for? And then they moved? Those empty shorts! They kind of started jumping. And then my heart, I must admit, It kind of started thumping. I said, “I do not fear those shorts with no calories inside them.” I said, and said, and said those words. I said them. But I lied them. Then I finally reached the mountain top and the next thing that I knew, I felt my hand touch someone!
And I’ll bet that you know who. And there I was! High in that awesome place Those spooky, empty shorts and I were standing face to face! I yelled for help. I screamed. I shrieked. I howled. I yowled. I cried, “OH, SAVE ME FROM THESE PALE GREEN SHORTS WITH NO CALORIES INSIDE!”
But then a strange thing happened. Why, those shorts began to cry! Those shorts began to tremble. They were just as tired as I! I never heard such whimpering, so….I put my arm around their waist And sat right down beside them. I calmed them down. Poor empty shorts with no calories inside them.

Dr. Suess…sort of!

When I finally trudged to the top of the climb, I sat down and had a serious talk with my body. I promised, in the future, to remember to provide the necessary calories before heading out on a long hike/run. It apologized for the rough treatment it gave me on the way up (although just between you and me – I’m not sure my body was entirely sincere). In any case, we made up and actually had a decent run back down As unpleasant as it was, those kinds of experiences always serve as good reminders that no matter how experienced we may be, it can be the simplest of things that trip us up. Lesson learned. Thank you, body, for that!

Gear Report: KB Rain Kilt 3.0

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

Of all the trips we’ve taken, and of all the adventures I’ve written about, the most visited page here is the one describing the rain kilt. (Kilt 2.0 ) If you’ve read that article, then you know I’m a big fan of the rain kilt. Since the first version was field tested back in July of 2016, and a major revision shortly after that first trip, I’ve used the kilt exclusively in all my travels.

Use any piece of gear and before long you see room for improvement. That has definitely been the case with the kilt…there has been a constant evolution. The beta version proved the concept in some truly nasty conditions. However, it turned out to be too square and didn’t overlap enough. Version 2.0 was an improvement, but consisted of two pieces which required extra time and effort to sew. And even though it only weighed 8 oz, I was interested in using some lighter weight materials as well as tweaking the design a bit more.

Version 1.0 … note the almost square shape.
Slightly more colorful and slightly more flared version 2.0

Before retirement, one of my co-workers happened to be a professional seamstress. We had several interesting conversations about design possibilities, and with her help, I came up with a new design that not only fits better, but is easier and quicker to sew.

An early version of 3.0 One piece and even more flare.
For this version I used 1.1 oz Silnylon. Final weight…1.95 oz!
Feeling very manly in my rain kilt (its not a skirt!)

I’ve now made three kilts using the new design, and with each one I’ve made some small, but significant changes. In a few weeks, I am excited to be joining four of KB’s “sponsored” athletes. We will be field testing the latest and greatest to come out of the KB Skunkworks on the John Muir trail in California. Based on the feed back I receive, I will incorporate any final design changes into the pattern. If anyone is interested, I’m happy to share information on making our own. Seize the Carp!

Continue reading “Gear Report: KB Rain Kilt 3.0” →

Wanderlust

On By KBGearDaveIn Misc. StuffLeave a comment

“My heart is on fire for the things I haven’t done, and I’ve yet to grow tired of being on the run. It’s my ever restless spirit – sometimes it brings me down. And the only way I know to stay afloat is by kickin’ round from town to town. Cuz’ I’ve been too long in one place Got the whole world at my feet and I can’t wait I’m taking off I must escape – cuz’ I’ve been too long in one place

(Barefoot Movement – Too Long in One Place

After being on the road for two months, we were excited to be home. We were looking forward to reconnecting with our Flagstaff friends – and we’ve done that with a passion. Hardly a day or night has gone by since we’ve been home that we haven’t gotten together with someone…to play, to pass the time and catch up, to eat or enjoy the local night life. We were looking forward to all the outdoor activities Flagstaff offers. We’ve been out mountain biking, mountain hiking, trail running, paddling, camping, etc. We’ve been getting after some long overdue home projects and general maintenance. So, yeah, it is good to be home.

A good deal of our time at home, however, has been spent prepping for our next adventures – ten days in the San Juan or La Plata mountains in SW Colorado, three weeks of backpacking on the John Muir Trail, Imogene Pass Run (again), a two week paddle up Lake Powell, and some extended quality time below the rim up at the Canyon. That gets us to the end of October! Because of the length and nature of these trips, there’s a fair amount of work to be done preparing food, organizing gear, taking care of logistics, and coordinating with all the fine folks who will be adventuring with us.

Even though our plate is full of exciting adventures, I share John Muir’s sentiment, “The world is big and I want to have a good look at it before it gets dark.” Several of our good friends have shared their experiences in Scotland. “You should totally go” they say. “You’d love it!” Why, yes, I’m sure we would. And we say to each other, “Wouldn’t it be nice to visit Scotland (in spite of the rain)? Maybe we could combine that with a return trip to Norway. Wouldn’t it be fun to take our bicycles and tour – yes, in spite of the rain! If we biked and camped it wouldn’t cost that much! Maybe we could extend it to other parts of Europe?” But then Mike and Lori, and then the Smoldering Whartons and their beautiful girls wax poetic about the wonders of New Zealand. “You should totally go” they say. “You’d love it!” Why, yes, I’m sure we would. And then we talk to other friends and see pictures of the alps, and the coast of Greece, and Croatia and Montenegro – who wouldn’t to grab a ruck sack and head to those places? But then, there is so much to see closer to home. For years we’ve talked about returning to the Canadian Rockies. We were there backpacking with Aaron when he was only six months old, and we’ve been trying to get back ever since. And what about sea kayaking in Georgian bay on Lake Huron – the pictures are amazing! And speaking of kayaking, haven’t we talked about going back to the Pacific around Vancouver island? And southern Utah…I mean…come on…southern Utah is a world apart! And not just Utah, but Colorado, the Grand Canyon, the entire southwest! There are several life times of exploration to be done within a few hours drive. And the grand kids. Oliver is shredding it on his mountain bike and Kiri just started walking. And family, and friends, and, and, and, and….”My heart is on fire for the things I haven’t done.“

Ah…the curses and joys of wanderlust. We are well aware of the curse. The constant desire to see what is over the horizon can blind you to the every day beauty all around. We try hard to be mindful of the joy of friendships and experiences right before us. Life is too short to waste a single day, especially just wishing to be somewhere else. The joy of wanderlust though is to be forever energized and excited by experiencing new places, meeting new people and making new friends. Mark Twain said it well. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” So, as we like to say, seize the carp! Today! Tomorrow! Right where you are or over the horizon! With us or on your own!

Life on the Road

On By KBGearDaveIn Misc. Stuff3 Comments

Reflections on a two month road trip.

On April 8th we left Flagstaff on our first road trip as retirees. Seventeen states, almost eight thousand miles and two months later we pulled into our driveway again. We’ve spent the last few days getting resettled and reconnecting with several of our Flagstaff friends. Yesterday morning a friend asked, “So what was your favorite part?” I was actually kind of stumped. I gave a long, rambling, I’m sure unsatisfactory answer! There were so many good parts I hadn’t really thought of any as my favorite. Her question got me thinking. Sharon and I talked about it a bit. So after some consideration I thought I’d share some reflections of our time traveling.

What worked? For a variety of reasons, we put the cargo van conversion idea on hold and decided to hit the road in our trusty eleven year old 4Runner. That turned out to be a good decision. It is comfortable and quiet. Even packing for two months of traveling, kayaking, and mountain biking gear, we had room to spare. Our two wheel drive version easily goes just about anywhere. Even with bike and boats attached it isn’t immediately obvious that we are sleeping in back. With the recent flood of people jumping on the whole “van life” bandwagon, sometimes spending in excess of $100,000 in order to, ironically, “live simply“, there is some smug satisfaction in making do with what we have (and long since paid for). The feeling now is that unless some screaming deal on a van comes our way, we will likely continue to make use of Grandma and Grandpa’s “Bumpy”.

Hands down, the best piece of new gear was the Yakima “Full Swing” bike rack. Crazy expensive, but unbelievably convenient. Without it, we would not have had access to the back unless we removed bikes and rack. Comes with a retractable cable lock. Not a super fan of the bike attachment straps, but they were adequate. Overall, this rack probably did more to make our living arrangement work than anything else we did. One other lifesaving gear was our home made duct tape/magnet bug screens for our windows. Cool air came in, all the little nasties stayed out.

But, back to the question du jour…what was our favorite part of the trip. Turns out no one thing rose to that favored position. The “favorite” part of the trip was having the time to take the trip in the first place, arriving back in Flagstaff with lots of pleasant memories and experiences in tow. In no particular order of importance, some of our favorites include…

  • Paddling in cypress swamps in Louisiana with the amazing wildlife (including stone, cold killer gaters).
  • Boudin sausage….mmmmmm, so good.
  • Karen’s 80th birthday party in Florida with family and friends.
  • Chickamauga civil war battlefield museum.
  • The Wednesday night paddle on the Tennessee River with the Chattanooga paddlers.
  • Amazing single track bike trails all across the country.
  • X-Ray tech x-ray tech reunion in Madisonvilled, KY with time for me to take a side trip to Land Between the Lakes
  • Several new friends
  • Memory lane tour of Milwaukee seeing old familiar faces and places.
  • High School Graduation for nephew Andrew
  • Spending time up nort’ der in Wisconsin with Mom, Mike, Lori, Candy, Harry, Georgia, Bob, Dana & family, Jennifer, Barry…and the bear!
  • Kayaking Cave Point, Rock Island and around Peninsula state park on Lake Michigan.
  • Camping on Washington Island and an evening at Fiddlers Green.
  • Spring Peepers looking for love
  • Spending time with old friends Allen and Lisa, Laura, Phil and Kathy, Tim and Gretchen, Rob and Cailie.
  • Finding out that Souix Falls, SD is a pretty cool place – and getting to spend time there with Sandy, Blair, Seth and 12.
  • Time with Kevin and Katie in Colorado Springs and getting to meet and play with her very cool family.
  • Hiking and biking and camping in the Buffalo Springs area northwest of the Springs…and watching Katie crush her first ultra-marathon!
  • The mountains of Colorado.
  • Hanging with Aaron and Vanessa in Durango and getting to be full time grand parents with no time constraints.
  • Having a “just very good” place to call home at the end of it all.

This list is by no means a complete list…just a few of the more memorable highlights. Like any good trip, the list of people and places we couldn’t visit was even longer than the things we did.

What didn’t work….as well. Looking back, there are a few things that could have gone better. Obviously we had no control over that wicked wench winter. She just wouldn’t leave. We somehow failed to anticipate that as a possibility. As a result we brought more warm weather clothes than necessary, and left too much of our foul/cold weather at home. The other thing that didn’t work as well was our schedule. We purposely planned our trip to be present for some major family milestones and opportunities to visit. We knew that going in, but the result was that because of the distances involved, we rushed through some areas and had to decline invitations that normally we would have accepted. In the future, whenever possible, we would definitely like to leave time to embrace opportunities that arise along the way.

By the end, we were ready to be home to enjoy all that we enjoy about Flagstaff…but we were also quite comfortable being on the road. Apparently our “practice” over the years has paid off. Its been a smooth transition. And even though we’ve only been home for a few days, talk of future adventures has already begun. For now though, we’re grateful to have the time to dream about the future and every day enjoy the things we enjoy! STC

Cheers!

Friends and Family Tour #3

On By KBGearDaveIn Misc. Stuff, Water Stuff2 Comments

An Ideal Day on Washington Island

For the past few years as we worked toward our goal of retiring, we often started conversations “So – speaking of retirement...” During these conversations we added to our list of things that needed to be done, ticked off progress made, but mostly talked about how we imagined our lives would be apart from work. Now that we’re actually living the dream, so to speak, a recent day captured it beautifully.

We caught an early morning ferry (“Just the two a yuhs?”) from the very tip of Wisconsin’s “thumb” sticking out into Lake Michigan across “Death’s Door” to Washington Island. It had probably been a quarter century since we’d made the trip. With no real plan, we eventually found ourselves at Jackson Harbor, looking a mile and a half across open water at Rock Island. The weather looked, the winds were light, so we decided to seize the carp and paddle over to the island. Rock Island is actually a Wisconsin State Park with regular ferry service during the summer months. This early in the season there was no ferry, so we had the island to ourselves. We spent several pleasant hours wandering the trails and exploring historic sites.

Taking the ferry from Door County to Washington Island.

Landing at Rock Island

Lake Michigan shoreline

Historic buildings on Rock Island

Sharon enjoying the fruits of her labors…a New Glarus Spotted Cow.

Back at the dock we relaxed and hydrated (it’s a safety issue) with an adult beverage before heading to the island’s performing arts center to watch the local school kids perform the musical “We are Monsters“. Pretty impressive for grade school kids. It must have been exciting for the kids to perform in front of an enthusiastic packed house. It was fun for us to be able to peer through this little window into island life.

Washington Island School play.

Our musicians/entertainment atthe Fiddlers Green.

After the play it was off to Fiddler’s Green Pub. Kate, the proprietor, is a fascinating lover of music and pub funkiness. Two long time friends of Kate came in to play and sing in the most informal of settings. By the end of the evening everyone in the bar had pretty much met everyone else, and also had been invited to play or sing. A friend of the musicians bravely picked up a guitar and shared a song. It was a magical evening.We ended up back at some property owned by a friend of a friend who graciously and enthusiastically encouraged us to stay on his land. We spent another peaceful night in the 4Runner.

As we imagined and dreamed, this was exactly the kind of day we hoped for…being active in beautiful places, meeting new people and adding unique experiences to our memory bank. Clearly, you don’t have to be retired to enjoy a day like this. You just have to look for, and then say yes when opportunities arise. For our part, we’re going to continue to seize the carp wherever and whenever possible.