Journeying into the backcountry of the Adirondacks during the height of bug season may seem like pure insanity but I did so the third weekend in May to participate in the Audubon Society’s Birdathon (a trip report to appear here soon). And it was certainly no surprise to find hordes of hungry black flies waiting
Aside: Packing Backpacking Gear for an Airplane Flight
Going to California to hike a portion of the John Muir Trail back in the summer 2009 (read about my trip out there here) required doing something I had absolutely no experience with: packing backpacking gear for an airline flight. In fact, I had not even flown on an airplane in almost a decade prior
Aside: Bushwhacking Legs
Sea legs is a term used to describe the ability to walk steadily on a boat or ship, especially on rough seas. In addition, the term is used often as a metaphor for adjusting to living at sea. A similar term applied to off-trail hiking is bushwhacking legs. Although not as commonly used as its
Aside: Bushwhacking over balloon litter
What kinds of thoughts does the sight of a balloon illicit for you? Birthdays? Weddings? New babies? Grand openings? Circus clowns? UFO sightings? Unfortunately, I no longer associate balloons with joyous occasions, instead I think of litter. Yeah, litter. Like the type of refuse you see strewn along the side of the road. Except this
Aside: Where have all the amusing rodents gone?
Have you noticed the lack of wildlife around lean-tos in the northwestern part of the Adirondacks? Have you noticed you can leave your food unattended for 5-10 minutes and upon returning find it unmolested? Even tasty morsels like brownies? Are you able to eat meals uninterrupted without uninvited guests appearing and insistently begging for a
Aside: Who will stop the rain?
Does the anticipation of rain during a bushwhack make you apprehensive? Have you ever had a downpour soak you to the skin while backpacking or hiking? Would you like to reduce the chance of rain while hiking? I know how to do it. And it does not involve any knowledge of meteorology, witchcraft or primitive
Aside: Is the CL50 adversely affecting trail conditions?
While using the Truck Trail in the Five Ponds Wilderness to gain access for my most recent bushwhack from Stillwater Reservoir to Cranberry Lake I noticed an increase in the amount of human impact on this trail. The increased impact was evidenced by the presence of human foots prints, bike tracks and many pieces of
