Capsized Canoe 2006 was amazing!

The trip was more then I thought it would be in many ways. This is it, the full trip description and summary of the trip highlights.

At the end I have added a section of things we will change for next years trip.

You can find all the pics from this years trip by following this link.

Thursday Aug 3, 2006

Gerry and I left Newcastle by 4:00 pm and arrived at the Welcome Inn Motel by 8:00 ($50 a night..great deal and only 15 minutes from the Brent access point)

It took us all of 30 seconds to move our gear in the room and we were in the car again heading for a local watering hole. We found the bar on the main strip and it was called McCools. Despite the lack of draft, it was just what we needed and was full of lots of "local colour". I had one beer and noticed that it was hitting me really hard. Before I knew it , Gerry ordered a second and once we killed those we decided it was time to leave. On standing I remembered that I had been taking muscle relaxants for my back and was not too mix them with alcohol. Well needless to say, with in 10 minutes I was pretty much hammered and was having problems walking. After some laughs at the expense of some locals, we made our way back to the hotel and I were asleep before 11:00.

Friday Aug 4, 2006

We were checked out of the hotel and on our way by 7:00 and after breakfast at a greasy spoon restaurant next door to the Dixie Lee in Mattawa we made our way to Brent.

Erin (from Ontario Parks) was at the main gate again this year and she was very pregnent. Judging from Gerrys smile , you would think he had something to do with it. Erin told us how the storm the had caused all kinds of damage several weeks ago in Algonquin had blocked the road going into Brent, trapping her there for 4 days. As for the trail conditions, she was quick to assure us that all of the trails have been cleared of storm damage....we would find out later that she was somewhat misinformed.

We were in Brent talking to Jake by 8:30. Always an interesting guy, Jake seemed to like the idea that we had managed to get up early to beat the long weekend crowds. He told us a poem that sums up his personality

JAKES POEM :"Here I sit by the fire starring at a log, the more that I meet people the more I like my dog"

The entire trip from Brent to Burntroot took us 10 hours and 15 minutes, ( 2 hours over my original estimate). The longest portage of the day was the 2380 and it felt even longer. I had planned on carrying the canoe for the entire distance, but needed to exchange it with Gerry after the first 1/3 and then carried it again for the final 1/3. This took the wind from my sail a bit, as I realized that I had underestimated the difficulty the portaging was going to be. It was not the weight, I was having trouble finding the right balance with the canoe and so the yoke was causing some pretty severe pain at times as it dug into my neck.

Catfish Lake was very rough and this had me feeling fear for the first time on the trip. We also met up with a pair of younger guys named Matt and Graham that Gerry nick-named "The Frat Boys". After talking with them, we discovered they were gunning for the same Table Top site that we were. The huge waves combined with the fire of competition had us cowboy up another notch and kept us within a few hundred yards of the speedy Frat Boys. In the southern part of Catfish we saw a moose of in the distance (Moose #1) and

We ran into the frat boys again as we reached the portage on Pearley lake and this would prove to be the last we would see of them, they were just too fast. Once we had conceded the site and as the fatigue of 8 hours of tough canoeing set in, our stroke was a little slower and our smiles all but absent. Near the end of Pearley we saw another moose and this managed to raise our spirits a bit (Moose #2)

By now I had started to find a good balance with the canoe and Gerry helped me to adjust my pack a bit. Between the two, I had found a comfort zone and this made the long portages much better.

At the end of the portage going into Burntroot Lake both of us were happy to finaly be there, but also silently cursing the Frat boys for beating us to the site we so badly wanted. We then geared up and started to paddle towards our secondary site, located at the opposite end of the preferred table top site island.

As we approach the island, Gerry suggested that we go to the other site to check to see it it is indeed occupied. I was reluctant to do it, as the last thing I wanted was to see the frat boys enjoying our site. As we paddled up to the site to our surprise the site was empty! We happily made short work of setting up camp and within the hour we were sitting down to sausage on a bun and a cup of a very nice Pino Noir. After a late night skinny dip (that would become our trip ritual) we were both in bed by 9:30

Saturday Aug 5, 2006

We were up, fed and on our way to the south or Burntroot by 8 am. Our mission was to find the Barnet Farm and the Aligator.

After a 2 hour paddle we found the farm easily and took lots of picks of the what is left of the buildings. We took a short hike around the clearing that would have been used as the garden and found overgrown strawberries and raspberries everywhere. The strawberries were gone, but there were many raspberries and as we ate them it was amazing to think that they have survived over 130 years.

We then set off to find the alligator and it proved a little harder to find, but after 30 minutes of searching I spotted the roof of it through the brush. This was an amazing site and we spent a lot of time exploring it and taking countless pics.

We then set off home and after another 2 hour return paddle we were back on the table top site.

The rest of the day was spend swimming and resting ourselves, as we would be on the move again in the morning. Little did we know how much we would need the rest on Sunday.

Sunday Aug. 6, 2006

We were fed, broke camp on our way out of burntroot by 8:30. Our goal today was to make it to the high falls site, make camp and then travel up river to see the POW camp. By now both of us had all but perfected our portaging skills and so it was no longer a task either of us dreaded. I carried the canoe for the first three and Gerry carried it for the entire 1900 (talk about crushing it...way to go dude!).

We arrived at the Nippising River by 11:30 and made our way up river to get to the high falls site. We were paddling against the current and the closer we got to the falls the more difficult it was to paddle, but it was manageable. Once we turned the final corner and were with in 100 feet of the portage, the current really started to whip our buts, but we kicked it up to 10 and were making some headway, but the 2 steps forward one step back was really tiring. Now only 20 feet from the portage and paddling all out, that feeling of fear came back as the current started to pull us sideways. This would capsize us...the overwhelming fear enabled us to kick it up to a level neither of us thought we had and as the foam from the rapids sprayed all over us we managed to pull into the portage....Barely!

After some nervous laughs about what had just happened we geared up and made our way to the beautiful high falls site. This is where the Saturday started to go wrong...the site was awfull! No cover, no room just a firepit and a place to drop the tent. Worse yet, with the current being as strong as it was, there was no way we could swim. So we decided to have lunch and look at our options.

I should mention that our MSR mini-works water filter has been working well. On burntroot lake the filter needed to be cleaned after every liter or two. On the Nippising River however, the water is much dirtier, in fact in looks like dark tea. Here we were lucky to get 500 ml of water before the filter would clog and when your thirsty that filter is a lot of work. Just remember this for later...

Back to the lunch on high falls...we looked our options a) Stay at the shitty site with no shade, no room and no swimming b) Leave and shoot for the Nippising Hill top site that we had planned on spending Monday night on. Well we choose the later and after a much needed lunch of tuna wraps, granola bars and filter tea water, we were off again by 1:30

The Nippising River was long and the first hour was cool, but I have to admit that after 3 hours of the same high banks and never ending winding river, it got a bit boring. At one point I was so sick of having to clean the water filter after every 500 ml that I announced to Gerry that I was going to just drink it straight from the river. I know it seems crazy now, but at that time I was tired and the filter had become work..10 minutes work for 500 ml did not seem worth it. Gerry managed to talk me out of it and I worked on filtering the water while Gerry paddled. After 20 minutes, we had added Gatoraide to 2 liters of filtered tea water and were happily straining silt through our teeth.

We came around a corner near the site and were stunned to see a moose less then 10 feet from us (Moose #3). He turned out to be a great model as he stood there for 5 minutes and let us snap away. All the time we were almost close enough to touch him. This made the tea water seem not as bad.

We arrived at the Hill top site Near the end of the Nippising at 7:00 and made short work of making camp, dinner and hanging our first bear bag of the trip. The site was another bad site unlevel ground, a hike to the water and not much of a clearing, but at this point neither of us cared. After our ritual skinny dip, we decided two things: 1) Despite being only 8:15, we would go to bed 2) In the morning we would break camp and head for Brent

This had us coming home a day early, but because we had traveled so much distance the previous day, we were a day ahead of schedule. We considered spending the last night on Cedar Lake, on the island we were on for last years trip. But in the end we decided we had out grown the island and it would have to wait at least another year for a visit form us.

We then went to sleep for the last night of Capsized Canoe 2006.

Monday Aug. 7, 2006

With military percision we broke camp and were on the water by 8:00. As we approached the end of the Nipising River where it starts to widen, we saw another moose (Moose #4) that charged across the water in from of us. Gerry and I stood back in awe of this powerfull animal, all the time knowing that our trip was coming to an end. We watched as the moose slowly disappeared into the brush and without a word Gerry and I new it was special moment.

The Nippising widened into Cedar Lake and despite being so close to the end, the park would not let us have and easy crossing. The wind had picked up and the waves forces us to paddle hard in to stop being pushed off course.

We arrived at 10:30 took a few pics, loaded the car and set off home. We did however, stop for lunch at the Dixie Lee in Mattawa (another tradition) before winding our way back through the highway congestion of long weekend traffic. We arrived home just before 4 pm filled with rediscovered appreciation of our family's and a feeling of accomplishment. We had done it!!!

Things to Change for next year:

1. Bring less food- We brought enough food to last us 2 weeks and it added a lot of weight.
2. Outback Oven- It works great, but at the end of hard day it is just to much to spend 20-30 minutes preparing a meal. Next year more simple meals and leave the oven at home
3. More protein - Next year we will bring more protein powder and textured vegetable protein
4. Just spoon- Not a big deal, but why did we bring a knife and fork?
5. Solar battery Charger- Did not use it once
6. Clothes - Bring one more t-shirt and another pair of Merino wool socks, by the end I was getting too smelly

I am sure I will add to this later, as I do not have my trip notes with me.

Lastly, I just want to say something too my buddy Gerry. Thanks for being there brother!

P.S- Capsized Canoe 2007 is only 336 days 5 hours and 6 minutes away!

Overdue update and someone forget there medication?

The trip was more then I could have ever hoped for and I want to give you a summary of the experience. To the scores of people that have been asking/demanding that I do a post trip update, my next post will be for you, this one is to the fans of this blog.

I am still blown away at how maney people read the blog and how upset a limited few get when I have not updated for a while. Of the angry email I have recieved since my last post, this one is my favorite:

Dear ***whole,

Where the *uck are you? You left over 2 weeks
ago and still no update...I have followed this blog for months and now just
before we get to the end of the story you decide to say *uck it, I am out of
here? Well I have had it with this bullshi* ...........later
shi*face!

ElectricLatte

P.S - I was just thinking that
maybe you were injured on the trip and that has stopped you from
updating. If so GOOD, I hope it hurts prick.

Reading that makes me wish Gerry and I were back in the middle of the park again...isolation has so many advantages.

Trip summary next folks!

We Leave Today!!!!

After a year of planning and learning, we leave for our trip in a few hours.

We have everything packed and ready to go. The only thing left is making our chicken wraps that we will have for lunch on day one and as I write, the breasts are on the BB-Q.

I am a little concerned about the weather. On two of the days we are away the weather network is calling for a 30% chance of rain/thunderstorms. I never reallly got what that meant...the way I look at it, this means that it is not likely we will have rain...is that right? Either way, we will be moving ahead with our travel plan, but sunny and warm would beat rainy and cold any day.

Well I have to go have a shower and get ready to go, so this will be my last entry before we return from Capsized Canoe 2006. I will post pictures and of course keep a journal of the trip and post upon our return.

Lastly, thanks to everyone that has taken time out of there day to check out my blog, it made the learning process so much easier with all of your help. Thanks everyone!!!

Wish us luck,

Jim

EDIT:

After posting this I looked up what POP or "Probability Of Precipitation " means. I am glad I found this 'cause I feel much better about our chances of NOT getting rained on

Photo Contest

On last years trip Gerry and I shared a digital camera and that worked out well and provided us with some great pictures. This year it will be much different, as now we each have our own cameras and will be going head-to-head in our privite competition to get "the shot".

Despite the fact the Gerry and I are far from professional photographers, we managed to get some very good pictures last year and plan to build on those with some technical shots as we play with shutter speed, f-stop ect.

We will have our own competition, but for anyone else that might be interested, Gerry shot me this link to the Ontario Parks Photo Competition. Check it our...but if you win, can we get the prize?

Download Updated Gear List

I have made our gear list available for download. It is posted on our site www.capsizedcanoe.ca , and here is a link to download the Gear List in Microsoft Word Format :

http://www.capsizedcanoe.ca/gallery/Canoe%20Trip%20Gear%20List.doc

...and don't forget to let me know what you think!

Everything is coming together

Gerry and I got together at my place last night for the final gear check and pack-up. We assembled everything we are bringing (from equipment to food) in an attempt to divide the weight evenly. We started by laying everything out on the floor, so it would be easier to see it all and as we packed each item, scratched it off the gear list we had created a few months ago. We then did the same thing for the food list.

I think this system worked well, 'cause after we had everything packed I went through the gear list and circled the things that were left, as a reminder to either get it or forget it.

After all the packs were....well....packed, we brought them upstairs to be weighed. In my kids bathroom I have an old school Doctors office scale and this was perfect for finding out how many lbs. of crap we were going to be hauling around Algonquin.

Gerry' Pack 53 lbs (with full water bladder)
Jim's Pack 47 lbs (with empty water bladder)

It is worth noting that our food weight was just under 30 lbs, so as the trip goes on our packs will be getting much lighter. With 30 lbs of food to eat, I think it is same to say the same can not be said of Gerry or I.

Lastly, Gerry and I have changed our travel plans a bit. The original plan was to leave at 4 pm on the Thursday, drive to the entrance road at Brent and sleep in the car, so we could get an early start Friday morning. Well that sounded like a great idea a few months ago, but the thought of waking up with a soar back has changed our minds. So instead, we will be leaving a little earlier (2 pm) and have made reservations at a motel about 30 minutes from the Brent service road. The $60 for the night is nothing, and well worth it when you consider asoar back wrecking a trip we have been planning for over a year.

Today I am going up to my parents place with the kids. They have a pool and the kids love it there. On the way I am going to pick up my fishing licence and a few other things.

You know as I sit here trying to figure out what to say next, I am just blown away that we leave in 5 days...we have been planning this trip for so long and now it just a few days away. It is hard to beieve. We are both very excited and know that this will be the trip we have both always wanted to do. JUST FIVE DAYS PEOPLE!!!!!!

5 days 3 hours and 35 minutes....tick, tick, tick....:)

UPDATE: Tent?, Drying out, Shopping, Packing

Before I hear anything sarcastic, yes I am posting twice in the same day . Lots of good stuff going on and I will update below sticking with the bullet update format for now.

But before I do that, I just want to give a big thank you to my Dad, who gave me a crash course on fishing basics this past Monday. He was awesome, showed me how to tie on leaders , use lures, spinners and some other fishing related info that will be put to good use on the trip. When I was a kid, I remember going fishing with my Dad to catch rainbow trout while we lived in Labrador, NFLD. It was one of those moments that even now makes me smile. As we stood in my driveway this week, reviewing fishing tactics, I had that feeling again and for a few moments, I felt like a kid again. Thanks Dad!

• Tent?- True to his word, Andrew met me and we have our MSR Hubba Hubba tent!(I take back everything I said Andrew). The tent is brand new, unused and tags still attached. I was so excited that I could hardly wait to set it up. Gerry came over and we put it up together (of course). Keeping in mind this was the first time either of us had put an MSR tent up, it was assembled in 3 minutes and is truly a thing of beauty! It is a self supporting, simple design yet, deceivingly sturdy. One the coolest features; the one piece pole system is wild and had Gerry and I standing in awe of those MSR engineers once again! The tent has a removable fly, that would allow for stargazing...something we hope to have the right weather to use!
• Dehydration Round 2- The lessons learned the first time we tried to make jerky will be put to good use as we try again tonight, Gerry picked up the meat from a butcher friend of his today and from what he has said...this should make some very good jerky! I will update with the results. I have also dehydrated some spicy tomato sauce and successfully reconstituted a test sample. It was great and will add some great flavors for the trip.
• Final Grocery Shopping- If anything, this makes the fact that the trip is almost here the most real and tomorrow we will pick up the food that will make the journey with us...part of the way.
• The Pack Up- Now that we have everything we need, this weekend Gerry and I will assemble all the food/equipment and decide who will pack in what, in the hopes of keeping it even. At this time I would like to lay down a personal challenge to Gerry...lets see how much you could carry buddy, I am sure you could carry like twice as much as me? Let me know...

Storm Caused Much Damage...Jim Clueless!

As a guy that prides himself on trying to know all there is to know on a subject before actually doing it, I am embarrassed to say, this one got by me. I was 100% clueless as to the severity of the damage done to parts of Northern Ontario in the storm a week ago. In fact, I was worse that clueless...I was even unaware the storm happened...at all!

JUL.18 - LARGE STORMS LAST NIGHT, POSSIBLE TORNADOES, 2 DEATHSA woman was killed outside of Peterborough after being crushed by a tree, and another death in Algonquin Park. Possible tornado near North Bay, damage to houses, large amount of trees down, planes flipped over, etc. Over 300 trees knocked down in Peterborough and large areas of power down in that city. UPDATE: 2 CONFIRMED TORNADOS IN NEWMARKET (F0, F1)

Click here to view a TV news summary (Global) of the event, courtesy of SouthernOntarioWeather.com

Now that I have removed my head from my ass I find out that this storm devastated large parts of Algonquin Park and has left the portage routes in shambles. Downed trees are the biggest problem and although the progress of removing them is well under way, at this point there is no way of knowing how much will be completed by the time we wil be leaving. Below is a quoted from a tripper who just returned from the area will be visiting...

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 9:11 pm

We came out at Brent on Saturday afternoon. We saw the crew working the 2.4k port on the Pet about noon on Saturday.. They were about 1/2 of the way to the Narrowbag lake end. Hard to say what your situation would be, I would think the main "hiway" portages would be cleared first, then the secondary routes, and finally the dead-enders. Some had no blow-down at all, others we were wishing for a skidder or chainsaw at minimum

This is a Link to the Official Ontario Parks Storm Damage Blog. Here you can get the most up to date info on what progress they have made in the park.

I also wanted to say a big thank you to Jen who was the person that let me know about the Algonquin situation in the comments section. Also, if you Jen or any of you are reading this and have been to the Cedar / Burtroot Lake area since the storm , please contact me at jim@capsizedcanoe.ca , as I would love to here descriptions of the trail conditions and see any pictures you would be willing to share.

Thanks for you time!!

WAY to long since I last updated...

As usual, I post like a nut for a few weeks and then take what some have coined a "Jim-baticle" for the weeks to follow. I look at like this...I post here 'cause I enjoy it or get something out of it and if that drive is not there, I won't post. Would you really want to read about how I had a bad day at work and my back hurts? Back to the blog...

There are many things to update and so I will summarize it all:

• The F***ing Tent- After much bullshit, I am picking up the MSR Hubba Hubba tent from "Absent Andrew" this weekend (with fingers crossed).
• Jerky Issues -The dehydration thing was good... as an experiment, but bad to eat for the most part ...too dry. I have since corrected the errors and man, is dehydrated watermelon GOOD! (ask Gerry..LOL) Gerry and I are going to have Jerky, ( round 2 ) next week.
• Maps- Sent away for the 2006 version of the Algonquin Canoe Routes Map, Fishing Guide and the Backpacking Trails Map. They arrived and there was quite a few changes from previous versions.
• My Training - I am up to 16 km's running, in a time of 1 hour, 18 minutes....so I am on pace for a my goal of 1 hour 45 minutes for the half marathon. Weight training continues and it has now been almost 4 years since I starting lifting.
• Counting Down in Days- It is hard to believe that we leave 2 weeks from tomorrow! I am so pumped ....and worried I have not got everything organized. My plan is for Gerry and I to have our bags packed AT LEAST 24 hours before we leave and avoid any last minute running around.

Lastly, I want to say something about Gerry. I couple of weekends ago we took our kids camping and they had a great time at the beach and around the campfire. After my kids fell asleep I had a bit of a breakdown while talking to Gerry about some questions I have about myself as a parent. It was one of the rare moments in my life where I stopped pretending I had these doubts and just let everything out. It was a conversation that has greatly influenced many things about the way I parent and for that it was great, but in retrospect, days later I realized something else...Gerry is beyond friend to me....he is my brother and I consider myself lucky to have him as my buddy and unofficial member of my family. Thanks dude!!

14 Days 22 Hours 10 minutes

UPDATE: Dehydrating, Kids Camping, Cool Links

With the trip being counted down in days (29 days 8 hours and 18 minutes), Gerry and I have started to put together some of the things that can not be done in advance (TRANSLATION: "Holly crap we are running out of f***ing time"). With that in mind, last night we started the process of dehydrating some of our trip food and trying our hand at making beef jerky.

We are using a dehydrator Gerry got from his Mom. It is one of those ones that has the stackable rings and a base that blows warm air through the stack.

Our Dehydrated Fruit Experiment:

1. Watermellon: Yes, I said watermelon...stop laughing already! We did a quarter of a mellon and I was surprised how little fruit I got once the Rhine is removed.From what I have read, this should be one of the best fruits to dry. It is a fruit that is very sweet despite being diluted with all that water, so removing the water should result in a natural candy.
2. Grapefruit: Gerry and I both like this one fresh, so dry should not be too much of a stretch. The contrast of the sweet and bitter, combined with the coarse texture should be a real treat...thats the theory anyway.
3. banana: A backpacking staple...you can never go wrong with banana chips.

Beef Jerky Experiments:

1)Quick and Easy Recipe (Jim's):

1. INGREDIENTS:1 pound eye of round, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
2. DIRECTIONS: In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, ground black pepper and brown sugar to taste. Mix well and add the steak slices. Place entire mixture with meat into a sealed plastic container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Place in dehydrator for 24 hours (more time may be needed)

2)Dry Cure Southwest Jerky (Gerry's):

1. INGREDIENTS:1 ts Salt,1 ts Pepper1/2 ,ts Cayenne pepper,3 tb Chili powder,2 ts Cumin,2 Cloves garlic minced,2 lb Steak sliced thinly
2. DIRECTIONS:Combine ingredients and thoroughly mix together. This is a dry marinade so there is no liquid. Sprinkle the spice mixture on the meat slices and work into the grain with your fingers. Cover and marinate overnight. Place in dehydrator for 24 hours (more time may be needed)

We statred the fruit last night and it should be done tonight...just in time for our marinating beef to be thrown in for 24 hours, before it is made into mouth watering (we hope) beef jerky!

We will update with the results...

On a different note, this coming weekend Gerry and are are taking our kids (Gerry's 3 boys and my 2 boys, 1 girl...sorry Lauren) camping. Gerry and his crew will be spending Friday and Saturday night, we will be joining them for the last night. We are going to Sibbald Point Provincial Park and it is a close call as to who is more excited, the kids or the adults...but I am going to have to go with the kids. My guys have been wanting to go camping with me for a while, so this will give them a taste for what it is all about and for them, this will be quite an adventure.

Lastly, I have found some very cool links for stargazing. For this you need to input a city, so I used Mattawa, as it is the closest to Algonquin. This is part of the Weather Network site and allows you to input a date / location and print the moon cycles and how to view start and other celestial point of interest. Check it out HERE

UPDATE: Weekend, Wet Run, Trip Stuff

What a great weekend! For the most part the weather was great and we had a lot of family fun. Friday was the start of the Newcastle 150th celebrations and we attended the suprisingly large parade. The kids loved it and after the parade, we had just enough time to walk home, get the kids into pajamas and drive up to see the fireworks. A great night!
Saturday we spent in town at Laurens soccer tournament and Sunday we went to my parents for a day in the pool. The weekend was just about perfect, the only thing missing was Tanyia who had to work...as usual.

My running continues to go well. I pushed it too hard at the start by refusing to take "off days" and this resulted in some minor injuries. I have now been regularly taking the days off and have seen a big gain in my time and stamina...so much for my second guessing the experienced folks that designed my program. I ran 14 km yesterday and for the last 20 minutes was running in heavy rain and wind and of course both stop the second I turned on to my street. It turns out that there was an Immanent Tornado Warning for our area....so that's why the rain was sideways! Tanyia was talking to Gerry's wife Marie on the phone when she found out and when Marie asked if Tanyia had me insured, Tanyia dismissed it saying I would be fine 'cause "he has his ruby slippers on". Good to hear they weren't worried...I guess?

Trip Notes:

• I have emailed our tent guy to arrange a pick-up date and he has not returned any of my messages. I am not exactly worried about it, but I would feel better if he at least let me know what is going on? Andrew if you are reading this...RESPOND!!!
• As I posted a while ago, we changed the arrival and departure dates a bit and I still have not received the confirmation from Parks Ontario ( Maybe Andrew works for them)
• After spending a day searching my entire house for my digital camera it was found with the unintentional help Gerry...next time I will remember to call you first!

I have included some more pics I found that just suck me in to the Algonquin feelings. Gerry and I will be making some new Algonquin memories in just:

30 days 3 hours and 29 minutes but who is counting?

UPDATE: All the gear, new tent (again), trial run

We did manage to go down to MEC and bought all the last few odds and ends (see list in previous post). It was fun to go down and surf through all the gear available. At one point, I turned to Gerry and suggested that our bigger purchase for next year should be a high quality tent...this comment was enough to get us both thinking (see below). We did well to keep to our list of "needs" and made it back home in time for Gerry to accompany Marie to an appointment.

That afternoon, Gerry and I decided to put the tents up in the back yard. We first put up my big 3 man dome tent, that weighs in at a booming 10 lbs and then the much lighter 2 man bivy. As we stood staring at both of these very different tents, we both saw a problem with each.

The Dome Tent: Too Big, Too heavy and more tent then we even need

The Bivy Tent: Tight fit for both of us, Water resistance questionable

So where does that leave us? Looking at getting a new tent this year of course. I give Gerry full marks for pointing out that we might be able to get away with using the Bivy, but once we starting looking at getting an MSR Hubba Hubba, he was quick to get on board. We ended up getting a brand new one from the Gear Swap on the MEC website for a good price and will be picking it up early next week.

On a different note Gerry and I fired up out MSR simmerlite stove last weekend and even tried our hand at baking using our Outback Oven. We made brownies and a pizza, both turned out pretty good...despite some errors on our part. I am glad we did this trial, as it will be good experience when we are on the trip. We took pictures and video that I will add to this when I can get it from Gerrys cam.

Uncivilized Behaviour - Sometimes you can't get far enough away

This is a great article written by Kevin Callan that I thought everyone should read:



True, proper wilderness preparation should plan for a range of eventualities, but I’m not feeling too badly about the reason we’re stranded on this beach.  The bush pilot scheduled to pick us up today was arrested yesterday for being involved in a pornography scandal. I’m not sure I could have seen that one coming.

Now our crew of six paddlers is waiting as patiently as the cold and wet will allow for another pick-up, which we were told could be two or three more days. Our food supply consists of half a bag of GORP, a package of instant potatoes, a dozen prunes and possibly, a trusting cottontail who’s hanging around our camp looking for companionship. The battery in our satellite phone is on its death bed because our of our group insisted on calling his wife twice a day throughout the trip for conversations that usually ended in heated marital discussions at four dollars a minute; another is green from trying to drown his sorrows with the majority of our spirits; and we were informed by the air service that the tires on both shuttle vehicles we left parked at the end of an 80-kilometer dirt road were slashed by some local militants who had a dislike for canoeists intruding on their secret fishing grounds.

It’s not a good day. The truth is, it’s not been a good week. We’ve been paddling upstream the entire trip, when there was enough water to actually paddle. Water levels were low enough that we left a trail of Royalex shavings on the river bed like Hansel and Gretel leaving  bread crumbs through the Black Forest. The only way out is to paddle six more days or wait for another float plane to arrive. I hope it’s flown by a law-abiding Baptist minister with a family filter on his we browser.

I spend a lot of time traveling the bush, and I spend my fair share of time worrying abut marauding bears, violent storms and becoming hopelessly lost. Never have I worried about being stranded in the wilderness with an overly communicative husband and a tapped-out drunk due to a pervert and some insecure fishermen.

I guess it just goes to show you that the ugliness you’re trying to escape back home can still reach you out here. I think I’ll stop worrying so much about bears, storms and getting lost.

How to fit your pack

Fitting a pack properly is one of the most important things you can do to make you trip as comfortable as possible. With that in mind I have put together this post to make the process a bit more easy to follow. Now it should be noted, there are many different instructions on "the right way" to fit a pack...this is simply the one I liked the best.


There are three landmarks used in fitting a pack:

1. The hip belt should be centered at the hip bone
2. The lift strap locator at the collar bone
3. The lift rising at an angle between 30 and 45 degrees from horizontal

The following steps will walk you through the process, so keep your landmarks in mind and the result will be a perfectly-fitted pack.:

1. Load the pack with 20-30 pounds of gear. Try to pack the weight as you would when actually carrying the pack–if it is one dense lump at the bottom of the pack, it will be difficult to fit the pack properly.
2. Remove the back pad (if possible) this will be replaced after fitting. Then, loosen all straps which include lift straps , shoulder straps , anti-sway straps , and reverse lift straps .
3. Pull the lift strap locators to their lowest position.
4. Ensure that the shoulder pads are spaced at an even distance from the wedge for your height. For small-framed people with thin shoulders, the pads should be touching the wedge; for average-sized people, allow about an inch of webbing between the wedge and the pad. For those with weight-lifter shoulders and barrel chests, start with at least two inches of webbing between the pad and the wedge. Micro adjustments of the shoulder compensator will be addressed later; however, before you proceed, it is essential that both shoulder pads have the same amount of webbing between the pad and the wedge.
   
5. Put the pack on and tighten the belt with the center seam on your hip bone . If you prefer the belt to ride a bit higher or lower, make sure the belt is at that position before you proceed. At this point, you are essentially wearing a 30-lb fanny pack; have a friend hold the pack in to your back, but do not tighten the shoulder straps.
6. Have your friend hold the lift strap locator at your collar bone. You should then pull webbing through the shoulder strap adjustment Tensionlock until all slack is out of the webbing and the bottom of the straps are touching your chest, a few inches below your underarm. If you are a smaller person, you may want to slide the lift strap locator up an inch or so.
7. Now have your friend push the wedge system down, until the shoulder pad wraps smoothly around your shoulder and the lift straps are rising at a 30- to 45-degree angle off horizontal when pulled snug. The wedge should end up approximately one inch below the top of your shoulder blades with the lift strap locator
   still at your collar bone. If you need to adjust the width of the shoulder pads in or out from your neck, slide a credit card under the diagonal strip at the top of the pad (15) to release the hook and loop.
8. When putting on the pack, loosen the lift, shoulder, and reverse lift straps . Put the pack on and tighten the belt at your hip bones. Pull the shoulder straps to a comfortable tension and adjust the lift straps to shift the weight to your shoulders or hips as desired. Then pull the reverse lift straps up tight. The anti-sway straps should only have moderate tension when in use mostly on rough terrain. Otherwise, the anti-sway straps should not be needed. As you hike, adjust the lift strap to shift the weight between the legs and shoulders as desired.

UPDATES: Going Co-op, Topic of the week, Countdown Continues...

Well the much anticipated trip to MEC is scheduled to happen Thursday and unless there are any major problems, we will have all of the remaining gear for the trip. In case you are unaware, we are going down to get certain items, but as is usually the case with Gerry and I, we leave room for a few last minute "must haves" as well.

I must say, I am always pumped to do anything related to the trip, but this trip has a bigger meaning. At times, neither Gerry or I were sure if the trip would be able to happens this year and so going to get the final items on the list mean that it is actually going to happen! Very cool!!!

The things on our official "Algonquin 2006 Shopping List" are:

1. MEC Wave Waist Pack
2. backpackers Pantry Cinnamon Coffee Cake (3)
3. Nalgene1L Wide-Mouth Lexan Water Bottle
4. Source C-2 Hydration System 3 Liter
5. Outback Oven 10"
6. backpackers Pantry Wicked Good Brownies (4)
7. backpackers Pantry Supreme Pizza (4)
8. MEC Large Tent Gear Loft #(4014-227)


As many have already noted, I will be posting a weekly article (or more if I feel like it) on topics relating to backpacking and canoe trips. They will be a compilation of all the info. I have gathered on a given subject and then put down the way I interprets it. It will be a healthy mixture of opinion and fact. As usual all input is welcome...

Lastly, the countdown continues and we are now so close I can almost hear the waves washing against the shore. The picture above gave me that "Algonquin feeling" the second I saw it and for those that have experienced a sunset in the park, you know how it has a way of imprinting itself on you and the only way to experience that feeling again, is to return.

51 days 4 hours and 47 minutes and counting...

Making Camp in Adverse Conditions

Know your tent so well that you can pitch it even when you're too tired to think. For greatest weather resistance and strength, pitch your tent very taut and tighten guylines until, you can play a tune on them. This also minimizes flapping and noise. In some areas and at certain times, setting up camp is not so easy.Making camp on rocky terrain, in snow, in high winds, in the rain.
In rocky terrain where stakes won't go in you may have to attach loops to the staking points and tie them and the guylines to rocks to hold down the tent.

In Wind:

If it's windy, stake out the end of the inner or outer, whichever pitches first, that will face into the wind, then thread or clip the poles into position before raising the tent off the ground. In a strong wind, you may have to lay on the tent while you do this. Once the basic shape is established, the rest of the staking can be done in a more relaxed manner.
If the site allows, rectangular or tapered tents should be pitched with the tail or end into the wind; keeping the door in the lee of the wind is a good idea for cooking, too.

In extreme cold/rain:

When striking camp, pack the tent last so that it can air out and any condensation can dry. Remember that shock cord-linked poles must be pushed out of their sleeves. If you pull them, they're likely to come apart.
In rain, pack everything under cover. In very heavy rain, you can collapse the inner tent, leaving the fly sheet staked out, withdraw the poles, and then stuff the inner into its bag from under the fly sheet so that it stays dry.
In very cold conditions, pole sections may freeze together - don't try to force them apart, and they may break. Instead, rub the joints with your hands until the ice melts. If the poles are frozen together, the chances are that any condensation will have frozen to the fly sheet. If the fly sheet is coated with ice on the inside and frost on the outside, shake as much of it off as you can before you pack it. If the day is sunny and you have time, you could wait for it to thaw and evaporate.

Gerry and Jim going to Mt. Everest ?

I will never forget the first time I saw a picture of Mt. Everest.

It was as a kid (maybe 7 years old), while looking through a stack of old National Geographic magazines in the basement of our home just outside of Montreal. I picked up a copy and opened to pictures of men at the Everest Base camp preparing to assault the summit. As I continued to flip pages, still in awe of the the incredible photographs, a map slipped out and fell to the floor. I remember so clearly, opening that map of the Napal and wanting to be there....and now it may actually happen.

I will be turning 40 in 5 years and to celebrate I want to go on an exhibition to the historic Everest Base camp. This would be the trip of a lifetime for me and not to sound girlie, but I get goosebumps just thinking about it. It is a 3 week trip and is not cheap, but is a once in a life time trip that I have always wanted to do. I have talked to Tanyia about it and she was fine with it, as long as: a) She does not have to come b) We go to Hawaii for our 10 year anniversary. For me, this confirms two things about her: a) Tanyia really want to go to Hawaii b) I have the coolest wife in the world!

I briefly pitched the idea to Gerry the other day and my hope is that he will want to go. This trip is the kind of thing best shared with a friend and since this is not Tanyia's idea of a vacation, there is no one I would rather go with then Gerry...but no pressure buddy!

Backpack:Packing your Pack

Strategically loading the items in your internal-frame pack can dramatically influence your speed, endurance, and enjoyment of an outing. With that in mind, I have compiled information from many sources to help anyone pack a their pack better.

Generally, concentrate the load on your hips and avoid loading your back and shoulders. For on-trail travel, keep the heaviest items high and close to your back. Off-trail, for better balance, pack heavy items lower down.

• On trails, carry the load high and fairly close to the back, as this will allow your hips to take the majority of the weight. To implement this strategy, load your lightest, fluffiest articles (sleeping bag, extra clothing) in the bottom; l place the densest items (water, food, stove fuel, rope) up top, near the shoulder blades.
• For more difficult terrain, revise your trail-packing strategy. Pack the heavy items slightly lower and ensure they are as close to the back as possible. This will force more of the load onto your back and shoulders but will lower your center of gravity and allow you to more easily keep your balance.

Quick list to packing your internal frame pack:

1. Loosen all comression straps.
2. Fill bottom compartment with sleeping bag and clothes.
3. Fill main compartment with rest of gear, keeping the heaviest items high and close to your back.
4. Put frequently used items in top compartment or top pockets.
5. Tighten all compression straps to compress the load and keep it from shifting while you hike.

Easy access to frequently used items.

Along with arranging items in your pack for optimum weight distribution, organize them for quick access. Articles like gloves, hats, sunglasses, maps, and insect repellent, which are sometimes needed at a moment's notice, are ideally carried in side and top pockets. Such gear can also be kept handy in jacket pockets or in a fanny pack that is worn on the abdomen in combination with the main pack.Keep your contents dry.

Determine a strategy to keep your pack contents dry in rainy weather, because even packs constructed from waterproof materials are not necessarily waterproof. Water can leak through seams, zippers, pockets, the top opening, and places where the coating has worn off. Individual plastic bags or good stuff sacks can help protect pack contents, especially when you have to set up or break camp in the rain. Most pack manufacturers offer waterproof pack covers as accessories. You may also choose to simply use a large plastic trash bag as a waterproof liner inside your pack.

Backpacking Food:Too many carbs and not enough protein

As I continue to read about what a typical backpackers diet is, the more I see a real problem with how most people eat while packing. In 99% of the books and articles I have read they place too much emphasizes on eating carbohydrates as the main source of energy. I have a problem with this for couple of reasons:

• There are different types of carbs and each effect your blood sugar/energy level differently. For example: The sugar in a chocolate bar will break quickly, giving you an initial boost, but that boost does not last long and as that sugar is burnt off, your blood sugars will crash and so will your overall energy level and mood. On the other hand, dried fruit is a far more complex form of sugar and will take longer to break down, therefore giving smaller amounts of sugar over a much longer period of time and avoiding the severe ups and downs of refined sugars.
• My other issue is how badly protein is overlooked. Protein is the building blocks of all muscle, as most people are aware. Less known however, is how protein aids in stabilizing blood sugar levels. By adding small protein servings with your carbohydrates, you will sustain energy for long periods of time ( 3-4 hours between snacks/meals)

The next question you may be asking is " How much food do I need and what should I bring?". A general rule is 1 1/2 pounds of dry food per person per day. Most people find they eat less than at home for the first few days on the trail, but begin to get very hungry after 5 to 7 days. So by the end of a week-long trip you might be eating 2 pounds a day.

Pay no attention to the statement on any food label about how many people the contents serve. Try a dish at home to find out how many people it serves. Or else get an accurate little scale, and weigh things. If you plan by weight, you will have enough food overall, even if you have too many Backcountry Oven pizzas and brownies....as we will!

Strive for a diet of wholesome, natural foods. While every backpacker has his/her favorite items, the things that keep you going are protein, carbohydrate and fat.

• Protein, carbs and fat: I recommend a hiking diet of about 40-50% carbos, 30-35% protein, 25-30% fat. Eat some protein at every meal - meat, powdered eggs, cheese, soy or bring low carb protein powder. It is especially important to have protein and fat for breakfast on a hiking day, as they give off their stored energy gradually, rather than quickly, as carbohydrates do. Eat some carbohydrates before you hike, even if it is just a few crackers or a bagel, to make sure that your glycogen reserves are stocked up and ready to fuel your body during the hike.
• Fruits and veggies: You should have your vitamins, minerals and bulk in fruits and vegetables, but the weight problem won't allow you to carry much fresh produce, if any. Freeze-dried fruits are good but expensive. Ordinary dried fruits can be eaten plain or stewed. You can get your vegetables in dehydrated soups and stews, or you can buy dehydrated or freeze-dried vegetables unmixed with anything.
• Snacks: Snacks are important to keep a hiker hiking, both by providing quick energy and, sometimes, comfort. There is room in every pack for a few sugary treats like candy bars, but remember that dried fruits, nuts and energy bars give more staying power than candy. Gum and small, wrapped candies are better left at home. They provide zero nutritional value their wrappers too often end up on the ground as litter.
• Water: Backpackers need to drink lots of water. Hiking greatly increases a person's need for fluids to prevent dehydration, particularly at higher elevations and when exposed to direct sun ( canoeing for example). Drinking lots of water can offset the effects of this, as well as contribute to your well-being. Plan on drinking at least 1 liter of water every 2 hours and drink before you a thirsty, 'cause by the time you are thirsty your hydration is already compromised. Hot drinks with breakfast and dinner are helpful too replenish electolytes (Sodium, Potassium ect). Take a multi-vitamin daily.

By keeping a balance throughout the day, you can avoid the low energy times that can take some of the fun out of your trip.

Everything is looking brighter!

For the past week or even two, I have been in a bit of a funk. I am not sick or anything, just have not felt like myself. As strange as this started, it all ended on the drive to work this morning and yet, nothing has really changed. Allow me to explain...

This morning as I was getting off the highway and turned east towards work, I looked up and saw one of the most beautiful sunrises ever. The sun was shrouded in a milky fog that made the entire sky appear to on fire. I pulled the car over to the side of the rode and just soaked it all in. I must have been there for 5 minutes just staring at first and just before I about to pull away I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I was smiling without even realizing it and it felt incredible. That feeling has stuck with me the rest of the day....funny how even now, that funk I was in seems so distant.

As for the trip, it is officially back on! We have had to move our arrival and departure times forward one day, to accomidate an important appointment Marie has...but we are going and this too has me feeling a little happier today. I called Ontario parks today and changed the dates with them. They wanted to charge me $9 to bump everything forward one day. It took some effort, but I talked the girl into waiving the fee....don't ask how. In case you were wondering, I have adjusted the count down clock for the new departure date...yes I am anal! ( stop laughing G)

We will be going down to MEC to get the remaining needs next Tuesday and again this has me pumped. I love going to that store and I love getting new gear..this will be fun!

I continue to train for the marathon and despite the incredible heat yesterday, still pulled off a personal best of 51:10 for my 10K hill course. I am still not loving the running...in fact my favorite part about running is when I stop running...but I have to admit, it is getting less of a struggle and my goal of doing the marathon in 1:45 is looking very realistic these days.

Have to get back to work, but have to mention our new website www.capsizedcanoe.ca is up and running. This will be the new home to our Algonquin adventure and this blog...eventualy. Feel free to let us know what you think...

An Overdue Update

I could not tell you how many times I have tried to update the blog over the last week and despite these attempts, this is the first time I have managed to get even this far. The past week or so has been busy at times and something had to give, but for now anyway, this week is looking calm and relatively easy. So I will use this time to give a much overdue update...

This past weekend was Victoria Day weekend in Canada (affectionately called May 2-4 weekend). This is the first long weekend of the season and for most, it announces that winter is over and that summer is upon us. This is a great thought, but for anyone who like me was trapped here in southern Ontario this weekend, that thought was as close as we would get to nice weather. After three days of rain, sleet and cold I am happy to see this crappy long w/e gone and hopefully that we have gotten the bad weather over with early. The next long weekend is July first Canada Day and then the August Civic Holiday that is our Canoe trip! It is so close I can almost hear the crackling fire and haunting call of the loons...(and yes by that I mean Gerry and I)

I woke Saturday morning feeling sick. I almost never get sick and since Tanyia works every weekend, I did what I could to keep the kids happy, all the while wanting to go back to bed. Since that was not going to happen, we had a movie day with popcorn, treats and a big warm blanket on the couch. The weather was bad, I was worse , but the kids were suprisingly great and shortly after lunch time , I felt much better. I always make an effort to spend time with the kids, but this was even more special the usual and I won't forget how a bad day for me , turned into a great day for our family.

I did not make it to the gym on Saturday and this was the first time in over a year that I have missed a day! It felt weird not going, I almost felt guilty about not being able to go. Tanyia said later that day "if you didn't go to the gym you must have been sick" and this made me feel better about it. She always knows what to say. On Sunday I was back at my routine, but while running I still felt sluggish. Any of the hangover from my mystery illness was gone by Monday as I again felt strong and sailed through the running and lower body routine.


Trip Notes:

• As Gerry noted in one of his recent updates, I found a great deal on a piece of gear at a garage sale last weekend. As I was taking a look through the dozens of tables of the usual crap, I found and later purchased an almost brand new Coleman Lantern for the brain price of $5.00. The funny thing was, the night before Gerry was talking about how it would be great to have one...now that is Karma! On Gerrys advice I purchased the hard case to protect the lantern, but it does not fit my model. I may return it in favor of the soft case, but will give Gerry the chance to "McGiever up" the hard case first

• The compass and watch I ordered off of eBay arrived from Japan last week and both are better then advertised. That makes 3 things ordered from the far east without a problem

• Gerry and I still have to arrange a time to go to MEC to purchase our remaining items mentioned in my last post, but neither of us is in a hurry

• Just over 2 months before we leave!!!

I will post again soon...no really I will!

New compass and Trip Map

I have been reading and re-reading the chapter in the Backpackers handbook on Map and compass work. This is another area of the trip that I find myself surprisingly interested in. After getting a good handle on orientering basics, I started to focus on working with the map and compass to take bearings. To do this you need an orienteering compass and I have a (so I thought) a very good one from when I was in the Air Cadets as a kid...yes I was and Air Cadet...I am a geek remember. (see profile)

Anyway, I go down to the basement to find my compass only to find the kids have broken it in half! After giving them the usual speech, I go to eBay and find a new compass and pick up this one from a guy in Japan. For a long time I avoided all eBay sellers from the far east for fear of being screwed, but if they have a high feedback score then the risk is no different then a North American seller. There are some great deals to be had, even after you factor in the shipping...this compass for example cost me $2.00.

Inspired by all of my recent map and compass work , I decided to redo the map of our trip. As you can see, it is now complete with a legend, clearer map and colour coded for the days of travel.

On a personal note, Gerry and Marie had there consultation with the neurologist and walked away feeling much better about her situation. As a bystander to all that has been happening to them over the past week, it is incredible to see the difference in both of them now the that the fear of the unknown has been removed. This is not to say that there are not problems, but they now seem more manageable and they both are happier as a result.

Just a great day...what a difference a week can make...

Reminder that Family comes first...

Last Thursday Gerry's wife Marie had an unexplained seizure while attending a function at their kids school. Marie had no history of seizures and after an MRI of her brain she was diagnosed with a Brain Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM). She spent 4 days in hospital and is now at home and doing well, as she begeins to deal with the limitations and uncertanties assosiated with this diagnosis.

I was not going to write about this at all, but now that my best bud Gerry has in his recent post, I feel more comfortable doing so. Gerry's personal account of what they are going through is a frank and honest description and I encourage all to read it. It has me looking at my life and health in a far more appreciative way and I hope it may have the same effect on some of you.

As for our trip, we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility the trip may not happen this year. There are far too many unknowns at this point and although the likelyhood of the trip being cancelled is small, it is a possibility. In the event that the trip has to be cancelled, I will wait for next year to do the trip with Gerry as we planned. For me this trip has always been less about the challenges the back country have to offer, then it is hanging out with my buddy for 5 days and I would never do it without him. We thought of this together and we will do it together, this year or next...it makes little difference to me. So we continue to plan the trip and will deal with any problems if they happen.

Now back to the trip planning! For obvious reasons we have not been able to make it down to MEC to buy the last few odds and ends for our trip. Here is a list of the items on my MEC Wish List:

1. Outback Oven
2. Source C-2 Hydration System
3. Nalgene Bottle, 1 L, wide mouth
4. Backpacker's Pantry Supreme Pizza
5. Backpacker's Pantry Wicked Good Brownies
6. Backpacker's Pantry Cinnamon Coffee Cake
7. Backpacker's Pantry Sweet and Sour Chicken

I have updated the meal plan to add more variety and to add "a touch of gourmet" to our backcountry meals. (as requested/ complained about by Gerry)

I have also include a breakdown of our trip in terms of distances over the various days.

Free Map of Algonquin Park Canoe Routes

UPDATE July 31, 2009: Since I made this post a new map has been made available. It is the most accurate and detailed Algonquin map ever made and best of all....it is also FREE! The original PDF map is still around, but really should only be used as a reference, as it is fraught with errors (for example, many campsites are missing or not where they are indicated and lake shapes are misleading or in some cases have bays that don't even exist!). PLEASE do not use this map to navigate the park, it is out of date and will only bring you problems. Use it at your own risk.

HERE is a link to the new map and be sure to let it's creator, Jeffrey McMurtrie, know if you like it and that you heard about it here.


As I was looking for a new Algonquin pic to use on my desktop, I stumbled upon something I have been trying to find for a LONG time....the elusive PDF version of the Algonquin Park Canoe Routes Map.

The group Friends of Algonquin Park publish a printed version of the map annually and I have been told that once upon a time, the PDF version was available for download directly from them. I guess they realized that with the quality of printers available today, almost anyone could print off a high quality map and forgo the $20 cost of the paper version, so the free map was removed. Until now, every link I have found referenced back to the original (now dead) link...until now. It is still being made available for free download from the University of Toronto's server.

I should note, I do own a paper copy of the map and I do not agree with screwing the good people at Friends of Algonquin Park. They do excellent work and deserve the $20 for the map. I just want to be able to print off sections of the map or use it to post my canoe route and now...we all can!

CLICK HERE to download the PDF version of the Algonquin Park Canoe Routes Map

We Leave 3 Months from Today! Sort of...

I say sort of, because technically it is 3 months from yesterday, but saying "We Leave 3 Months from yesterday" sounds retarded.

Spoke to Gerry about the Outback Oven and we both agree that we will get one too use for our evening meals. We will even be going as far as buying a few of the pre-packaged meals and desserts that are designed specifically for the Outback Oven. This will make dinner the tasty/ nutritional meal it should be, instead of the nurtitionly sound, but somewhat bland diet I had planned previously.

Gerry and I have been disagreement on what would be best to use for holding our purified water. Gerry was in favor of each of us using a hydration system that can connect directly to our water filer for filling and can then be zipped in our packs. There is a flexible straw that you attach to the front of you so you can have a drink at any time. At first I hated the idea, as I find sipping through a straw to be annoying when I am really thirsty and I had already planned on using a pair of Nalgene bottles. But when after talking to Gerry and reading about what the pro's use, I now agree with Gerry. I still plan to bring a Nalgene bottle to mix drink crystals, but will use the hydration system for all of my water needs.

We will be making a trip down to the Mountain Equipment Co-of in Toronto, Ontario to buy what will most likely be our last gear needs for the trip. The plan is to go down next Tuesday. I will meet Gerry at his work and we will go over together, then grab some dinner in the city. Just a small outing, but when he has anything to do with the trip, it is always a blast.

Fresh Baked Brownie or Pizza in the Backcountry?

After I posted the "Meal Plan" Gerry was quick to suggest that we add a touch of gourmet to the meals. Inspired by this , I searched for a product first mentioned in the Backpackers Handbook called the Outback Oven.

Here is an overview of the product:

Outback Oven 10"-Weight: 450.0 g

A civilized solution to the problem of mushy one-pot meals. A heat-dispersing burner plate, a non-stick frypan, a lid with a built-in thermometer, all covered with a heat-reflecting fabric “tent” to form a stovetop oven, letting you produce fresh-baked pizzas, breads, biscuits, and rolls on the trail. Convenient mixes made especially for the Outback Oven are available, or you can use supermarket mixes and your own recipes. Works with most single-burner campstoves (not for use with stoves where the burner sits directly over the fuel tank or fuel cartridge, due to the danger of overheating).

Still not convinced? Read this article about the experienceses of these guys using this oven and you will be lucky not to drool all over your keyboard.

Here is a list of Outback Oven Recipes I stumbled over.

I want to talk to Gerry about this before I make a final decision, but this could be the difference between a good meal and a gourmet meal!

Confirmation and Reservation...

What a great weekend! The weather is just incredible and I had the kids outside for most of Saturday and Sunday. It was so warm that there was even a hint of summer in the air…yes the trip is getting that much closer.

On Friday I received our “Backcounty Camping Confirmation” in the mail from the Ontario Parks Department. Ever since I opened that envelope I have not been able to stop thinking about Algonquin. I can not express how excited I am about this trip and it is still over 3 months away! Fortunately, Gerry is into all things Algonquin as much (if not more) then me, so neither of us has to bother anyone else.

I booked our canoe with Algonquin Outfitters today. It is a 16 foot Expedition Grade Kevlar canoe that weights in at a very slender 52 pounds! Kevlar® is a patented super strong, super light, heat resistant material. Made by Dupont, kevlar has a strength to weight ratio over 5 times that of steel and loses no strength due to U/V exposure. It is no surprise that this is the material that is universally used in bullet proof vests…and me and Gerry’s canoe!
Features:

• Highly Stable


• Above average load Capacity


• Good tracking and speed


• Versatile Hull design

I have included some pics that are similar to this canoe.

Meal Plan For Our 5 day Canoe Trip

This is a screen capture of our meal plan. It is basic and I am sure it will be changed/added too as time goes on, but here it is.

A Few Notes:

• Breakfast on day one will be at the restaurant in Deux Riviers after we sleep in the car( See "Slight Change of Plans")
• Lunch on our last day will be at the Dixie Lee in Mattawa ( something we did last year and will now do annualy). I will never forget how good that chicken tasted last year

Doing my first Marathon...Man have come a long way

I have decided to run my first marathon. This will be the first time I have run more then the 10 km Terry Fox run and 4 years ago this would have been unthinkable. Here is a summmery of how I started working out and why...

MY BACKGROUND:.Woke up one day about 3 and a half years ago and discovered that I was fat( SEE BEFORE PIC FOR PROOF)! I looked awfull and worse...I felt as bad as I looked. Sick of being tired, out of breath and lazy, I made the decission to do something about it and started to a low Carb diet and managed to lose 95 pounds in just under 4 months. I was very proud of doing so, but wanted a way to keep it off and so I looked to exercise.

I started by lifting 3 days and cardio 3 days and heavy abs rountine 3 days , every week . I HATED it for the first 2 months, but kept with it..even though I wanted to quit daily. After some time, it became less of a pain in the ass and turned into my personal daily Challenge. I look forward to each work out and have made some great gains.

STATS:

• 35 years old
• 6'2, 206 lb.
• 10% Body Fat

FITNESS GOALS:

• Continue to build lean, tight muscle
• Noticable size and definition
• Remain healthy
• Be a healthy role model for my kids
• Run a marathon

I have completed all of my fitness goals except the last one and the time has come.

I will be doing the Port Perry Half Marathon. In case you may not know (as I didn't) , a half marathon is 21 km (13 miles) and a marathon is 42 km (26 miles). I had originally thought of doing the Toronto Marathon, but settled on the half marathon. The half should prove as good a test of my fitness test and by the end I will know if the full marathon is for me.

I will have to modify my training routines in order to be ready for the September 9th marathon. My weight training and abs workouts will continue untouched throughout, but the same can not be said of my cardio training.

I presently do 30 minutes of cardio, 7 days a week and keep my target heart rate of 145 bpm (beats per minute). I alternate between running, stationary bike and the stair master.
This is my marathon training program and it will start June 3rd, 2006 and continue right up to the day of the race Sept 9th, 2006. You will see that there are 2 off days on the running schedule and on those days I will do my normal cardio.

The thought of failing to reach this goal scares me a bit. When it comes to health/fitness I am very dedicated and proud of what I have accomplished. . I am not sure if I can do this and scared of what effect this may have on my training if I fail. Mostly, I fear that any failure here could derail all of my efforts.
You see, in many other parts of my life I have failed or just given up before I failed, but I can honestly say that for 4 years I never have when it came to working out or nutrition....Never.

This is why if I am going to do this, I not only want to finish, but finish strong for no other reason then to prove to myself that I can...

I was born 35 years ago today...

Yes today I turn 35 years old and to celebrate I bought myself a couple of gifts for the trip with my birthday money…yes I said birthday money, but let me explain.
Ever since I was a kid I was given money on my birthday and despite the fact that I am married, have 3 kids, a home and both of us are gainfully employed…my parents and my parents-in-law give me money every year.

I actually look forward to it…why? Well it is easy to deny yourself something with your money when you could be paying a bill, contributing to RRSP’s or buying something the kids need, but you can’t do that with birthday money. That money has to be spent on me. It would be contrary to the the birthday gifting process to do otherwise and I am not about to screw up the system for everyone...Well that, I just like getting new stuff…

Enough of the explanations and on to the gifts:

• Casio PRG70T-7V Pathfinder ProTrek Titanium Watch:

Sports/Hiking watch, , Altimeter, Barometer, Thermometer, Alarm Chronograph, Compass, Stopwatch, Daily alarm, 1/100 stopwatch, Hourly time signal, 12/24 hr formats, Countdown timer, , Full auto electric luminescent backlight, Low temperature resistant, Large capacity solar power, , Brushed stainless steel bezel with light gray selector buttons, Stainless steel caseback, No battery replacement required, 50 meters/165 feet water resistant

• Merrell Chameleon Stretch Hiking Shoes:

The visually arresting, warp-speed expression of Chameleon versatility and adaptability stripped to the bone for lightness. Peripheral fingers with protective sub-surface bumpers function as hitching posts for stretchy, NetGain lacing system that molds the combination mesh/stretch upper to the foot like a second skin. In-Board molded EVA midsole cushions and supports, while exclusive Vibram Octogrip Sole provides multi-directional traction. Slip-Lasted Construction Nubuck Leather/Breathable Mesh Upper Breathable Mesh Lining Lycra/Neoprene 4-way Stretch Collar Adjustable Elastic Cord Lacing System Friction Cordlock 4.5mm Anatomical Footbed Nylon 6.6 Injection Molded Arch Shank In-board Compression Molded EVA Footframe Air Cushion Midsole Vibram Octogrip Sole/Trek Rubber



I have wanted both for some time, but could never justify spending the money. Birthday money is made for selfindugence, so this makes it almost guilt free. The watch I got off of eBay and it was a good deal at $106 and has all the bells and whistles I wanted.
The hiking shoes like the watch, were not a need, but are by far the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned and will but put to good use. I love these shoes and although I am not a “shoe guy” , these look very cool.

Tonight my wife is having a little kwasi-party and then we are going to get together with Gerry and his wife Marie. Even without the gifts…I love my life!!!

My favorite Dennis Leary quotes

• Racism isn't born, folks, it's taught. I have a two-year-old son. You know what he hates? Naps! End of list.

• The best pitch I ever heard about cocaine was back in the early eighties when a street dealer followed me down the sidewalk going: I got some great blow man. I got the stuff that killed Belushi.

• I would never do crack... I would never do a drug named after a part of my own ass, okay?

• Then there is the 1970’s…there we were in the middle of a sexual revolution wearing clothes that guaranteed we wouldn't get laid.

• Jerry Lewis has been married twenty times. He gets married on a Tuesday, they find his wife dead in a swimming pool on Thursday. Maybe if you married someone who's old enough to swim next time, OK Jerry?

• We live in a country where John Lennon takes eight bullets in the chest, Yoko Ono is walking right beside him and not one bullet. Explain that to me

Slight Change of Plans

First off, what a great Easter weekend! We spent the Friday with my parents at their place in Uxbridge. My sisters Jo and Kate were there as well with there family's. It is always great to get together with them, but for no particular reason this holiday meant more to me then usual. The rest of the weekend was spent at home with the kids. The weather was incredible and we took full advantage by going to the park and just playing outside without the need for coats for the first time this spring. Again ...a great weekend!

Gerry and I got together Friday night just to hang out, talk and play some xbox. When the conversation inevitably turned to Algonquin, we decided to finalize our travel plans. The original plan was for us to leave home at 5:00 am on Aug 3rd and we would arrive at Brent around noon. Keeping in mind our goal for day one is to make it from Brent to Burnroot Lake before sunset. Although this is not impossible, with us leaving Brent so late in the day, it would make having to go at 90% for about 6-7 hours a must. This is not to say we are not up to the challenge, but we would also like time to take pictures and appreciate the natural wonders.

This is when Gerry came up with a brilliant idea...leave the night before! So instead of driving up that morning, we will leave at 4:00 pm Wednesday Aug. 2nd and arrive at Brent around midnight. We will either sleep in the car or more likely on the ground for the night and in the morning we will grab some breakfast in Deux Riviers, before we pick up our canoe from the store at Brent. By doing this we can be on the water by 9:00 am (if not before) and be on Burntroot Lake by late afternoon. What a great idea!

This is a great example of how our styles compliment each other. I am a concrete thinker and I do my best when able to work in facts, research, organization and information. Gerry is an able bodied concrete thinking, but his real strength can be found in his ability to think in the abstract. I strongly believe that this is why we are such an effective team and it is these traits that will prove handy once we are put to the test this summer.

Directions to Algonquin...

I had a request for directions to the town of Brent in Algonquin Park, so I have attached a link to Mapquest. The directions will not take you directly to Brent, but to the logging road that leads from the main highway. You will have to edit the starting point...unless you live in Newcastle that is...

Driving Directions from Newcastle, ON to Deux river's, ON

I have also added them to the LINKS list in the sidebar.

I would also like to thank all the people that have shown interest in either joining our trip or having us go on a trip with them. To date, I have received 7 offers and they continue to trickle in daily.

Although this has given us both something to consider for future trips, for now neither of us are ready to add members to our trips.(despite your being knowledable and friendly)
Thanks again for your interest...

We have made the reservations

Today I called and booked our sites through Ontario Parks. I was a little surprised that they wanted to reserve where we were staying each night while in the interior. Not the exact site, but what lake we were going to be staying on. This seems strange….I mean what is to stop someone from staying an extra night on a site they particulary like? If that happens, does it not make the “Reservation” useless?

We hope to stick to plan reserved with Ontario Parks, but even the best plans were made to be broken.

The plan I reserved with Ontario Parks was as follows:

• August 3, 2006-Day 1 - Put in at Brent and spend night on Burntroot Lake


• August 4, 2006-Day 2 - Day trips by day, second night on Burntroot Lake


• August 5 2006-Day 3 - Visit WW II P.O.W camp, night at top of High Falls


• August 6 2006-Day 4 - Continue E. on Nippising R., night near Rivers end


• August 7 2006-Day 5 – Break camp, back to Brent, travel home, plan 2007 trip

New features added

I added the "Algonquin 2006 Countdown" to the top of my sidebar over the weekend. This started as me thinking it would just take a minute or two and turned into an hour I can never get back. It was not as easy as I thought it would be, as most of the countdown timers require uploading to the host server and from what I could see on blogger, this would not be possible. So this one is not as elaborate as the timer I originally wanted, but it does the job. It is cool to see the time tick away and in case you were wondering...yes it is in real time! I just hope that I have not made the blog look junkie by adding some extras and I trust that someone will let me know if it does. (Yes Gerry, I am talking to you)

The weekend was quiet, but just what I needed. Gerry and I got together Friday night and we managed to have a few laughs, share some bottled water and talk about the trip. I could talk Algonquin 24/7 and fortunately for Gerry, this is one of many areas where he and I are so similar. In my world he is one of few people that have the same passion and thirst for information. It is very cool to know that my best bud and I can talk about all things Algonquin without getting the usual blank stares. ( See our wives for an excellent example)

I have to get back to it, but I would like some feedback on the countdown and if anyone has suggestions on better ones I would like to hear them...

Gear List for 5 day Canoe trip

Well the time has come for me to start my gear list. For those that know me, this will come as no surprise. I am completely obsessive compulsive when it comes to all aspects of organization and my need to make lists is a natural extension of that compulsion...The list will be a work in progress and I will constantly be updating this post as things are added or removed,

LAST UPDATED ON APRIL 10, 2006:Gear List for 5 Day Canoe Trip

Gear List for 5 Day Canoe Trip
Clothing: (Including Clothes worn):

1. 1 pair shorts


2. 1 pair convertible pants


3. 2 T-shirts


4. 1 light long sleeved shirt


5. Bathing Suit


6. Tilley hat


7. 1 pair merino wool socks


8. 2 pair tube socks


9. hiking boots


10. bandanna


11. hooded rain jacket and pants


12. lightweight sandals


13. 3  pair underwear


14. Fleece hoodie

Equipment and Personal Items:
Kitchen Equipment:

1. camp stove - check operation of stove


2. 2 tanks of fuel (small and large)


3. lexan fork, spoon and knife


4. spatula


5. 2 liter Teflon pot


6. frying pan


7. coffee filters ( in cup ones)


8. dish wash items (biodegradable soap, dish cloth, j-cloth)


9. fair share cup


10. coffee cup


11. 2 nalgene water bottles


12. butane lighter


13. wire whisk

General equipment:

1. 3 man tent (Jim packs tent,  Gerry poles) - check for leaks


2. nylon tarp (used for rain protection in camp) with set-up ropes attached.


3. sleeping bag


4. thermarest sleeping pad/chair


5. repair kit (duct tape, clothes mending kit & spare buttons, , multi-purpose tool, and a pad patch kit)


6. 50 to100 feet nylon 3/8 inch bear rope, light-weight cording and string


7. folding saw


8. first aid kit (mole skin, antibiotic, anti-diarrhea, small scissors, elastic bandage, pain relievers, sun burn lotion)


9. toilet paper (double bagged)


10. life vests


11. spare zip-lock plastic bags of various sizes


12. water filter and j-cloth for intake


13. maps and laminated info


14. 1 day pack (Gerry or me)


15. bungee cords to fasten fishing rods to gunwale


16. towel


17. chess set


18. garbage bags, 1 contractor + 1 regular


19. small rescue mirror


20. 1 bottle biodegradable soap


21. wind/water-proof matches


22. sharp hatchet


23. camp pillow

Hip/Camera pack:

1. butane lighter, paper, canoe tipper


2. compass


3. 2, two-ounce bottles bug repellant (at least 30% DEET content)


4. Map


5. chap stick


6. Swiss army knife


7. journal + pen


8. epinephrine , antihistamine, vitamins, Motrin


9. camera, film, memory cards, pod, solar charger, extra batteries


10. Sunglasses, rope


11. headlamp

Internal Frame Pack:

1. fishing rod,  basic tackle, fish batter, knife, license,


2. sunscreen


3. Stuff sack all items (packed inside the large personal pack)


4. toiletries :toothbrush, paste, safety pins, towel, , soap


5. small paperback book (optional but nice for camp-bound days)

Other Items and considerations:

1. OHIP, drivers license, bank card, visa, cash


2. Itinerary and phone numbers left with someone at home.


3. Hide key on or near vehicle to avoid carrying a key on the trip

These are kind of funny...

I was sent these this morning and although I am not fond of the hundreds of joke filled emails I get, these made me smile and for that are worth posting.

Let me know what you think...

We leave 4 months from today!!!

Here I am sitting at my desk this morning, when I look up and notice that the month on my calendar needs to be changed. So as I flip the page on my "Ontario Outdoor Adventure" calendar from the cross-country skiers of March, to the Point Pelee Marsh picture in April, I notice the date...

Today is April 3rd and we leave for our trip on August 3 rd! This means just 4 short months until Gerry and I leave for our trip. (...and I figured that out without the use of calculators, sliderules or an abacus...thank you Mr. Link and your patience in Grade 9 math class)

It may seem like a long time away, but we have been planning this trip since we returned from the last one and that 8 months ago. Wow...hard to believe that eight months has gone by that quickly, so the next 4 should just be blur.

On a different note, I had some of the pictures from last years trip enlarged to 8 X 10 to hang in my office ( I have included them in this post). I just bought a bunch of cheap dollar store frames and hung them all in a row. They look great and it may seem kind of corny, but just having them on the wall makes me happy. One of the unexpected things from last years trip was how much I enjoyed photography. I had never really had much of an interest, but I found that I loved finding that perfect shot and if I may say so, I think some of the pictures are rather good.
Last year Gerry and I shared a camera, but this year we each have our own. This year we will both have our own digi-cams, so this has the potential for some heated competition...as do many things with Gerry and I.
Example: "The who can throw the pinecone closest to the center of the dirt circle game" We invented/played last year and it is soon to be included in the Olympics.
Although Gerry claimed victory last year, I have reason to believe the French judge had been bribed.

I should get back to work, but it is great to know that the trip is just around the corner.