St. Mary's trip -- Gear Review and Procedural Review ...

[andrewp]

St. Mary's Campers:

One of the parts of camping experience I love to hear about is when you take time to examine what went right/wrong with your gear and your camp procedures, or your camping experience.

I heard about dew getting stuff wet. Anything you could do or do differently?? What about the rain -- an issue or not??

What stoves were used -- zip stoves? How'd they work?

Saw the neat table -- what make/model? Was it helpful to have vs. the weight/space it takes up?


Well, I think you get the idea ..... any of you want to weigh in?

thanks in advance .....

 

[Anonymous]

Friend andrewp,

I already tole how I messed up when I figgered it wuz too warm in the sunshine state fer a sleepin' bag. Layin' out under the stars wuz worth it, but fer jest a few hours. The dew wuz heavy on my polartec blankets 'n cotton socks. I finally got in enuff clothes ta git warm (cept fer my feet) jest before them scoutin' boys woke up.....up on the Tradin' Hill.

I jest warnt used ta the dew. I hung a tarp over my cot from then on. It cut down on the dew, but the rain blew in the first nite on the river when it come a hoodoochie.....bout 2". Wet aint so bad if ya stay warm. It warnt cold that nite, so I wuz jest wet. I got some shut eye.

It wuz my first time campin'/paddlin' fer more than one nite so I took too much stuff 'n didnt know where my stuff wuz inside them bags. It wuz some $9.95 dry bags frum the Campmor folks that kept my clothes dry. I coulda done with one. 11"x21" [I know that seems kinda small, but it aint no need ta change clothes, cuz Van sez the bugs will git on ya if ya smell like clean clothes 'er soap.]

The main things I'd take with me on my next trip would be Harry & Ray, Van, the High Sheriff, Dave, Allen & Caleb, Dapper Al, somebody ta tote the garbage out 'n mebbe a dwarf in case ya have ta chunk a magic ring over in the dark mountain. If ya caint take 'em all, git az many az ya kin.....Caleb if ya wanna eat fish. :mrgreen:

regards,

bearridge

 

[oldsparkey]

One thing about camping and it would pay you to remember it..... What ever you have with you is not what your want ... you left it at home.

I was dry in the hammock but on the one night it was really cold and since I left my 20 degree bag at home and took my 40 degree bag, I will stop there.

That was my mistake listing to the weather people, but you learn from it....... anyway I did..... made for a rather cool night and not that comfortable ... yes, I was comfortable in the hammock ..... just not with the temperature outside unless you like cramps in your legs from 1:30 AM to daylight about 5 hours later.

The fun of being an ole fart and the best part was that I was not the only one in that shape or condition. That I found out later.

Best thing was a hot cup of tea in the morning and some good food then the sun came up and warmed everything up to a pleasant degree and it was beautiful again.

I would have been up at 1:30 to heat some water for tea ( and build a fire that smokey the bear could of seen from New York City) but did not want to wake the rest of the crew.... I thought they were sleeping not shivering and wishing for some heat.

No matter how well you plan anything something will always throw a monkey wrench into it, call it fate or mother nature, it is just a learning process that continues all of your life.

Can't do a darn thing about it .......but go with it and make the most from it..... survive thru it and then sit back and laugh with the rest of the folks that had the same thing happen to them, that is what makes a camping trip ... the good .... The bad and the ugly..... At the end of the trip they all are beautiful.

I have never been on a bad camping / paddling trip, just that .....some trips had more obstacles to get over then the rest, this trip only had a few .... Which made it more fun but it sure as he#@ beat a day at work. Anyway all of us were able to laugh about it and that is all that counts.....

I would do it again......and will.

The stoves worked really good , the Zip , coleman gas and coleman propaine along with a good fire. To be honest some of us were using swampys zip stove as a portable fire place and hand warmer. It does a good job.
Chuck.

 

[Anonymous]

Friend Ole Sparkey,

Yep. Ya caint bring all the rite stuff cuz it jest aint no way ta tell what all ya gwine ta need. Ya caint ever tell bout the weather less ya camp/paddle in July 'er January. I dont know nobody who likes ta camp when its real cold 'er real hot, so most folks pick the in-between times.....when it kin go either way.

It jest aint enuff room in a boat ta tote everthin'.

Them little Zip stoves wuz cute az a kitten, but I dont figger one would do fer cookin' fer a big group. We had four stoves runnin' a heap a the time.....mainly when the sunrize flung a java cravin' on us. Van's highly tecknikle push button stove wuz mitey impressive, but it wuz that big ole coffee pot Ray kept perkin' that I kept my eye on.

Swampy had some glue he used ta make hiz Zip stove crank rite up. Fer one 'er two fellas, I figger a Zip stove would do fine. Fer 10 'er more, that bottle gas wuz a big timesaver. [We never really done no "big pot" full meal cookin' fer everbody.]

The crapper chair wuz better'n Windows XP. That ole table Harry & Ray brung wuz like a sacred object....it kinda drawed everbody together....kinda like over ta the Stone Hinges. Van & Dapper Al both had fine, high tech foldin' tables that didnt weigh hardly nuthin'. They warnt sacred tho....jest impressive.

If I hadnt a been so groggy frum paddlin' my barge 'n missin' so much shut eye, I likely woulda seen a lot more gear 'n campin' toys. I had a dream we wuz all round the stick fire when Swampy pulled out a good book 'n went ta readin' how Mister Clifford Jacobs done it. A ring wench come down on a dark horse 'n smote him good fer that. At least I think that wuz a dream.

Me'n Allen bought them 7 gallon water holders frum Mister Sam Waltons. It warnt really no need fer that much water, but if it wuz gwine ta be any teeth brushin', dish washin' 'er fine sippin' whiskey dilutin' :cry: :cry: , we mite a needed it.

I like my hard plastic fold up chair better'n them canvas one cuz I kin git kinda down in the back. Thats why I wuz standin' up so much a the time when I wuz on my barge.

Only thing kinda surprized me wuz bandanas. I didnt see no one else wearin' one. I like 'em better'n sun screen cuz ya kin blow yer nose too. I hear cowboys kin make a sling fer a broke arm 'n bout a hunerd more things frum 'em. [Somebody else mite a had one....but like I tole ya, I got a mite groggy.]

Best way ta handle campin' truble iz ta go with good folks. A smile on a friend kin overcome a heap a hard times.

regards,

bearridge

 

[Swampy]

My big mistake was to re-pack at the outpost before heading out! I forgot , among other items, my foam pad. That really got noticed on the third night out that Chuck makes mention about. Without the foam pad the bottom of the hammock got cold durring the night. This forced me into a "cacoon" position inside the sleeping bag. My bag is good down to freezing but the wicking of body heat caused a chilling effect durring the night.
I also left a bunch of my dehydrated food packs in the camper. :x
Another bummer. I still had enough to eat, but main meals weren't tested. Well I recon one meal was used for the fist time. Those dinner plates that you get at the store and microwave them. I ate one and Dave had the other one. You simply boil them and then open em up and eat. I had the turkey and dressin and Dave had the salsberry steak. He enjoyed his and I thought mine wasn't up to par. I won't bother them again.
My new chair for the pirogue was outstanding! A turkey hunter's chair, it sits about 4 inches from the ground/floor. It has an angle that I used low side foreword for paddling. I had a lawn chair for camp. If you have room in the boat, I'd recomend carring one. Here is something special you don't hear nor see much of on the trail, but I ave found it to be a "have to" carry item.

Something that many wouldn't think of carring much less making for a canoe trip. But Harry thinks of everything! A mishap on the river this past March trip on the St.Mary River got Harry to repair two broken slats on the back portion. Back at home Harry got his thoughts together and here is his repair. Each night Harry positioned the "Commador's Chair" at a senic site outside of camp. What a wonderful idea and item to carry! The plastic can holds the "striking paper" and an entrenching tool makes a hole in the sand, and "flushes" the toilet after use. I see he also added a couple extra ideas along with the repair! Coffe cup holder and a newspaper rack! Thanks Harry for a great idea!


I tried to get as much as I could inside two bag/container. I succeeded a little bit in accomplishing that. Clothes,extra shoes,sleeping bag,survival pack,hammock and fly went into the dry bag. Food, cooking gear, Zip stove,pots/pans/Bakepacker in a Tupperware container. This packed nice with the dry bag over the container when packed into the pirogue. I also carried a 50 cal ammo box for camera and other gear that I didn't want to get wet. This box was tied to the thwart when traveling.
A new item that I used this time for the first time was a tube of fire starter. For $2 a tube, I say everyone should carry a tube on a week long trip. It did light fast the larger than normal kindling. There was only one time that it lingered when used. Wet wood and to large of wood to start a fire got Mac to put some white gas in for a start up. Warning! If Mac is coming at ya with a can of gas in his hands...haul ass! :wink:

I guess that's about it. Will go out camping before it gets to hot with my grandson and try something else new... he he that's part of camping :lol:
swampy

 

[oldyaker]

???

Swampus, Are you planning on portaging that thing thru Canada???

 

[Swampy]

LOL naw Oldyaker, to many rocks up thar. :lol:

Down here we have sand galor and it works in sand. The rocks and such of the north would present a problem. You'd have to "work it out yerself" up thar. :lol: :lol:

But for the wilderness where soft dirt/sand is, I'd carry it in a heart neat. A small skirt can be used if privacy is wanted/needed.

swampy

 

[oldyaker]

OK

Swampus, last time up to Algonquin, they had a place at each campsite to answer natures call. It was affectionately called the box. The view was great in all directions. But if came up on it when it was occupied by one of your paddl'n companions, well lets just say it's real hard to get that image out of your mind. Sometimes requires counseling! :cry:

 

[Swampy]

"The view was great in all directions. But if came up on it when it was occupied by one of your paddl'n companions, well lets just say it's real hard to get that image out of your mind. Sometimes requires counseling! :cry: "
Jim, that was when you were younger. Now a days an ol' fart iz an ol' fart.
Maybe worse? :shock:
I'd have a turkey screen that I use for camo that's about four foot high when set up. I could use a clear shower curtain too... it distorts the body and makes it look thinner. :mrgreen:
swampy

 

[Kayak Jack]

Wet Socks & Cold Feet

Br'r Bear,

I used to was of a mind that only natural fibers (cotton & wool) should go into socks for my feet. Then - I learned a thing or two from two trusted outdoors-type buddies.

Get yourself some pairs (LOTS of them) of poly-propylene sock liners, and wear them under wool socks. I wear them under dress socks for work, hiking socks for camp, etc. I wear them to bed to keep my precious little toesies warm. If it's REALLY cold, wear two pairs of the thin sock liners under your socks. Campmor, LL Bean, REI, etc. has these. I swear to God they are the best thing out there.

 

[aub77]

Those sock liners are great...my feet were always cold in the winter until I read an earlier post by KJack and started using them even to the office. Wicks away the moisture I think. I consider them almost manadory if wearing cotton socks.

 

[Anonymous]

Friends Wayne & Kayak Jack,

I'm a believer. I got myself capilene, poly-pro, polartec....in addition ta wool. I took some on that St. Mary trip 'n wuz purty dang sho I knew which bag they wuz in, but me'n cotton jest ole pardners. I didnt need nuthin' else in the daytime. It wuz too warm fer wool at nite.....til midnite.

It jest aint a eazy way ta deal with the nitetime hot/cold....fer az I kin see. Best ta go ta bed comfortable, but git yer cold clothes handy fer midnite....'n some more handy fer 4 a.m. I figger that oughta do it.

regards,

bearridge

 

[oldyaker]

"Jim, that was when you were younger. Now a days an ol' fart iz an ol' fart.
Maybe worse? :shock:
swampy

Actually Swampus, I can think of a use for your portable privy. Some years ago on a fishing trip with my brother-in-law, a fellow was there who had on his fish'n oufit, well lets just say he looked liked he stepped out of an Orvis or LL Bean catalog, 8) suspenders and all. Well, sometime during that fly fishing trip, nature called on him. He disapeared into the woods and after a few minutes we heard some very loud expletive delitives. :shock: He came out of the woods wiping down his fancy fishing shirt and suspenders with a handful of tissue. Seems he forgot about the suspenders hang'n down while answering natures call. Guess if he had Swampys portable privy, he would have saved himself from great burst of laughter :lol: from the other fisherman! Maybe you need to patent the thing and sell it in hunters and fisherman catalogs! As far as this fellow, I don't think anyone in this nick of the woods has seen him on a fishing trip again.

Swampus :!: Brainstorm :!: You portage that thing thru Canada, You put a slot in the coffee can to insert money. You charge a buck$ per use, 1 buck times 9 equals 9 bucks a day times 8 days equals 72 bucks minimum. If someone gets Montezumas revenge from drinking the water, your profit skyrockets :!: :roll:

 

[Swampy]

mmmmmmm and then we can make some "good" coffee and that would keep it busy!
Oldyaker your a think tank on stink tanks! :twisted:
Come to think on it, we'd wouldn't have to give Sparkey anything... he's so "full of it" anyways.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

swampy