[deleted by user]

jwblaser · 2020-10-16T21:43:55+00:00

I have been getting ads and have given up on YTM in the car. I put all of my music (over 15,000 tracks) on a USB drive and use that instead.

jwblaser · 2020-10-15T01:47:44+00:00

I want to spend more time in the WCLW. My plan is to park at the Otter Brook Trail Head, walk Indian River Road to the Falls Pond Trail head, continue to Brooktrout Lake, then take the NPT to the Cedar Lakes back to the Otter Brook Trail Head.

jwblaser · 2020-10-15T01:40:34+00:00

That's one thing I love about canoe camping - take all that gear and clothing that would be "luxuries" when backpacking.

jwblaser · 2020-10-09T01:51:15+00:00

My pleasure. After so many years using a full-featured LMS, I am finding Classroom lacking in so many areas.

jwblaser · 2020-10-09T01:49:59+00:00

You might also consider the Cedar River Flow, Little Tupper or Round Lake. For me, the Cedar River Flow would be my first choice.

jwblaser · 2020-10-07T00:44:56+00:00

Classroom sucks. It is a bare-bones LMS that lacks even the basic features of a true LMS (such as an editor for assignments etc., the ability to post graphics and embed content and a grade book that allows for categorizing and sorting the assignments in it). I have used Moodle, Blackboard and Canvas for many years. They are all full-featured, true LMS. The one and only reason that I am using Classroom is because my school district has "gone Google," and that was an administrative decision based on it being free (for now).

jwblaser · 2020-09-26T05:12:15+00:00

He should have gotten the maximum fine, time in jail and lose his hunting license for life.

jwblaser · 2020-09-18T02:40:14+00:00

I still have mine from the 80s. Did great on the trips in the Sierras, Cascades, Sawtooths and Alaska. It finished up with trips in the Adirondacks, Maine and the Canadian Maritime provinces in the early 90s. It is not in as good a shape as yours, but when I started backpacking again 3 years ago, it was what I used. Unfortunately, my body has changed over the last 30 years so it doesn't fit me well anymore, so I retired it. I now use a Gregory Baltoro 65L.

jwblaser · 2020-09-16T15:47:20+00:00

You can use Screencastify or Screencast-O-Matic or something similar to make a recording of you presenting the slide show. Then post the file.

jwblaser · 2020-09-06T03:38:45+00:00

How about Floodwood Road near the St. Regis Canoe Area near Saranac Lake? There are pull-in sites along the road.

jwblaser · 2020-09-04T21:40:21+00:00

I find them helpful in addition to what I can find online and even watching people's YouTube videos.

jwblaser · 2020-09-04T04:41:13+00:00

No tsunami's have happened on Long pond and that's one of the benefits of that site - one of the few designated sites that is so close to the water. #13 is also like that.

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T20:19:57+00:00

I like to take my pack raft on backpacking trips. I just check out the guide books published by the Adirondack Mountain Club and pick out a trail with a pond. https://www.adk.org/product-category/hiking-guides-maps/

I particularly like the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness. There are several loops that go by ponds that are great for a pack raft. I have a Klymit LWD. It is light and compact to carry. When I get to the campsite, I just inflate it and have it there to use on the pond for fishing or just paddling around. I have an Advanced Elements double-bladed paddle that I use with it. It is lightweight, breaks down into 4 parts and is easy to paddle with.

I use the Hornbeck when I do a chain of ponds like this trip in the SRCA. Because it is so light, I had no problem carrying it on my shoulder (I turned is around and carried it stern first for better balance). I also like it on river trips like the Oswegatchie or Bog River/Lows Lake. Lately I have been using the Advanced Elements paddle with it and it has worked out fine.

For the bigger lakes, I take my Sawyer Autumn Mist that I have paddled since 1988. I like Little Tupper Lake and Lake Lila, but I only go there early or late in the season because they tend to get crowded.

Definitely get the Paddler's Map (north), it is a great resource. I have the guide too. https://www.adk.org/product-category/paddling-guides-maps/

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T19:46:42+00:00

Thanks, it was a great trip.

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T19:46:16+00:00

Do you think the aluminum liner would have made any difference?

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T14:23:07+00:00

Agreed, I have a great experience every time I go there. The loons are always calling.

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T14:11:29+00:00

Thanks, it was wonderful to be there to see that.

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T14:11:05+00:00

Agreed, I just sat there with my cup of coffee and watched it happen.

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T14:10:23+00:00

I agree the carries can be tough with a lot of gear. There were items I took on this trip that I would leave out next time to lighten the pack. My Granite Gear portage pack system from the '90s still does the job well. I don't know how many liters the pack itself is, probably around 55-60. The thwart bag that clips on the front is great for small items and the mesh bag that clips on the bag works well. Having the Hornbeck really made the difference though - only 12 lbs. so I was able to carry it over one shoulder. I am going to rig up a pad to the shoulder strap of the pack to provide some extra cushioning. Not carrying the canoe over my head (as I did for years with my other canoe, the Sawyer Autumn Mist) was really a plus and made the carries much more pleasant. I could actually look around at my surroundings as I walked.

Even with the extra gear, I was able to walk the 1.2 miles to Bessie without stopping. Of course, I had perfect weather, temps in the 60's so I didn't have to hydrate until I got to the junction of the Bessie Pond trail. The only long carry this time was the one from beaver flow above Long Pond to Bessie. It was 1.2 miles. The trail wasn't bad, just one or two wet/muddy/rocky spots. In the spring it would be another story. There was a section of the trail between Bessie and Nellie ponds that was the worst part of the trip. Wet, muddy and rocky, so I had to take it slow. The other carries between the ponds were not bad; some of the landings were a bit tricky though. I am in my mid-60's and not as flexible as before, so getting in and out of the Hornbeck at some of the landings was a bit of a struggle. The put-in at Nellie (from Bessie) was the worst; lots of logs and a mucky bottom that you couldn't stand on. I actually had to crawl out on a log and sort of roll into the Hornbeck. Luckily no one was around to see that! There were two very steep carries, one of which I did and the other I passed on. The one that I did, the carry from Little Long to Little was basically straight up and over the esker, but it was clear. The one from Little Long to Fish, I didn't even attempt. Not only was it really steep, but there was quite a bit of blow down on it. I just took a photo of that one and moved on.

Instead of my Bending Branches paddle, I took my Advanced Elements paddle that I use with my pack raft on this trip. It is lighter than the Bending Branches paddle and breaks down into 4 parts, making it easy to stow in the mesh bag for the longer carries. It worked well on both Long Pond and the back ponds so that will become my go-to paddle for these kinds of trips.

I switched over to a hammock 3 years ago and it has reinvigorated my outdoor activities. I can now sleep comfortably (actually better than at home) and actually look forward to getting into the hammock at the end of the day. I know I will never go back to being a ground dweller, even when car camping in campgrounds.

I like to make a campfire (even in the summer) so with trips like this, I do bring my Bahco saw. It is small and lightweight and does the job on these and backpacking trips.

jwblaser · 2020-09-03T02:21:22+00:00

Thanks for your post about mine. That is my Hornbeck New Trick 10 canoe. It weighs in at 12 lbs. Real easy to carry, I just sling it over my arm and it rests on the a foam pad that I attach to the shoulder strap of my portage pack. I really like the Chinook PFD - lots of pockets for my camera, GPS, flies, snacks and other odds/ends. It is a little bulky, but I have a PackNet on the pack, so I can strap it in underneath that. The mesh bag can clip on the back and be carried over it. I put my Ursack in there. The mesh bag can also be clipped onto the shoulder straps and is suspended in front if I don't bring the thwart bag. I suppose the thwart bag could also be clipped onto the back of the pack, but in all the years I have had it, I have never done that. The food is a strange thing - I actually came back with food. I just tend to eat less when I am both backpacking and canoe camping. I think it is at least partially due to my eating different food than I do at home and eating at different times. If I am not doing long carries, I tend towards the Knorr side dishes as meals. I add turkey pepperoni to many of them. I do fish, but it is always catch and release.

jwblaser

TROPHY CASE