November 29th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Gear, Survival Skills
Of *course* you’re skeptical. But just be thankful this isn’t the 9,438th post out there on how to fit survival gear into an Altoids tin.
Can an iPhone be significantly useful in the wild? Without a signal? We just read about a blogger who’s sufficiently optimized his iPhone, to argue a good case for it.
For quick [...]
November 19th, 2009 | by Andy | published in BWCAW, Flim, Nature, North Shore, Winter Sports
Dude, drop what you’re doing. Cancel all your evening plans (as if you have anything important on a Thursday night.)
There are two great outdoorsy films showing tonight in Minneapolis. Both are at cool venues. Both offer Super Extra Bonus incentives to attend. Your challenge will be picking which one to see. That’s right, they overlap [...]
November 18th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Nature, Uncategorized
I was up at 3am the other morning for the Leonid meteorite show. After 45 minutes, my buds and I might have seen eight; far fewer than the expected 2-3 per minute. Even now, well-filmed videos from the night, don’t seem to do justice to the event.
Well, shoot! I should’ve just watched this time-lapse of [...]
November 17th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Canada, Canoeing, Gear
If you’ve ever known the love of a Langford Canoe, you’ve likely felt it either while visiting Canada, or in having to travel there yourself to buy one. So sad, like a bittersweet camp romance.
Take heart, unrequited paddlers — this one’s got a happy ending. Canada’s oldest operating canoe company is now importing to the [...]
November 15th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Outdoor Living
We may have spent a lot of time in the cold during our Choose Your Own Adventure vacation in the Alleghenies, but our hearts are warm with good memories and new friends.
Big thanks (and an open invite to visit the BWCA) go out to Jean-Luc, Tom and all our buds at Appalachian Outdoors; Eric and [...]
November 13th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Uncategorized
Did you know that the peaty soils of boreal regions can store carbon for 8,000 years? And twice as much of it as you’ll find in tropical rainforests? Neither did we.
But before this starts sounding like a Total Cereal commercial (“It would take 4 Amazon basins to equal the carbon output,”) we’ll point you to [...]
November 11th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Kayaking, Outdoor Living
Spend a few days with the Gear Junkie, and you’ll become inspired to experience the outdoors actively, to accept challenge eagerly, and to live your life superlatively. Kinda like how they do in them crazy 80’s Mountain Dew commercials (see this, this, and O yes Lord! this.)
The final day of our Choose Your Own Adventure [...]
November 10th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Biking
My bike is barely ahead of Stephen’s as we dart like sparrows between branches and low-hanging grapevines. The trail cuts left sharply, rounding a tree trunk. I brake, but slide off the trail. He passes me as I struggle to manoeuver back on course. I look up and my jaw drops because I can’t see [...]
November 9th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Uncategorized
Yes, we’re alive, and back within Internet access! Trip reports from our adventure in the Allegheny Mountains will post this evening. Thanks for waiting!
November 7th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Kayaking
Tomorrow is the final day of our Choose Your Own Adventure sweepstakes trip with the Gear Junkie. And with your help, we hope to go out with a bang. Or maybe a splash would be more appropriate.
We’ll be kayaking in Raystown Lake, a colossal man-made body that’s 30 miles long. Since I’d rather not circumnavigate [...]
November 7th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Fishing
The Gear Junkie has bagged a brown trout. Pam’s caught two. And our river guides? I’ve been too busy snagging branches and submerged rocks to pay attention. We’re losing sunlight on Day 2 of our adventure in the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania. Think I’ll go for a dip in the 52-degree waters!
Each day, your votes [...]
November 6th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Fishing, Outdoor Living
On this second day of my Choose Your Own Adventure vacation with the Gear Junkie, I got to catch exactly *no fish* and go swimming in a frigid trout stream. And yes, as a matter of fact, it *was* fun. I’ll post the full report on that later, but first, I need your help.
Tomorrow we [...]
November 6th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Hiking, Wildlife
Woo hoo! Our first day here in the Allegheny Mountains was marked by high altitudes, high thrills, and truly high-on-the-hog living.
As part of this Choose Your Own Adventure sweepstakes theme, your votes had me tracking wild boar during our day hike. (Don’t forget to make your pick on Day 2’s activities, later on.)
Read on for [...]
November 5th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Hiking, Nature, Wildlife
As winners of the Choose Your Own Adventure sweepstakes, we’re in the Allegheny Mountains with the Gear Junkie. But our trip is made even more special because you can vote on our itinerary! Your votes had me tracking wild boars today; watch for that report later tonight.
Our plan for tomorrow: Fly-fishing local trout streams, [...]
November 4th, 2009 | by Andy | published in Bushcraft, Hiking, Survival Skills, Wildlife
Wow! Tomorrow begins our adventure in the Allegheny Mountains, with the Gear Junkie. We’re extremely pumped — and you should be too, since you’re voting on our first day’s activities!
Since the trip is the grand prize of the Junkie’s Choose Your Own Adventure sweepstakes, we want you to be a part of it. We need [...]