I was thinking of an old saying..... "A ounce of prevention beats a pound of cure." Anything to help stop a flat tire is worth while. To me flat tires are the hemorrhoids of the vehicle world , real pains .......
Tales from the Log of the Ruptured Duck
- Thread starter Kayak Jack
- Start date
A LITTLE LAST HURRAH FOR SUMMER
The low last night was 53, a warm evening during our colorful Indian summer. Charlie and I met for lunch in Ovid, a small, Midwest farming town with a bike trail in its heart. We next loaded up the bikes and trailers, and headed out. About 2 1/2 miles W’ly, we planked down on a grassy spot on the edge of the trail near a small river/large creek.
Our ride out had been against a 12-15 headwind component, and slightly uphill. On the hard packed RR bed, we were cruising at 4-6mph, and down to 2-3mph in one stretch. We set up my 10’X10’ rain fly as a wind break, and got the tents up. Charlie started his 12” diameter charcoal grill. Later, he added our steaks to cook, and pre-baked potatoes to warm. The salad course timed in while the grill did its work.
After supper, I broke out our dessert - key lime cheese cake with maraschino cherries. When everything had been eaten, we put our plates down for Dewey, Charlie’s dog, to lick clean for us. After a couple of hours of campfire philosophizing, we hit the hay.
This morning, we had a cuppa instant coffee, broke camp, and rode back to town for breakfast. The ride back was a bit downhill and a lot downwind, 7-10 minutes quicker.
I have to say that getting out into the Cathedral Of The Great Outdoors does me a lot of good. Lots of good.
The low last night was 53, a warm evening during our colorful Indian summer. Charlie and I met for lunch in Ovid, a small, Midwest farming town with a bike trail in its heart. We next loaded up the bikes and trailers, and headed out. About 2 1/2 miles W’ly, we planked down on a grassy spot on the edge of the trail near a small river/large creek.
Our ride out had been against a 12-15 headwind component, and slightly uphill. On the hard packed RR bed, we were cruising at 4-6mph, and down to 2-3mph in one stretch. We set up my 10’X10’ rain fly as a wind break, and got the tents up. Charlie started his 12” diameter charcoal grill. Later, he added our steaks to cook, and pre-baked potatoes to warm. The salad course timed in while the grill did its work.
After supper, I broke out our dessert - key lime cheese cake with maraschino cherries. When everything had been eaten, we put our plates down for Dewey, Charlie’s dog, to lick clean for us. After a couple of hours of campfire philosophizing, we hit the hay.
This morning, we had a cuppa instant coffee, broke camp, and rode back to town for breakfast. The ride back was a bit downhill and a lot downwind, 7-10 minutes quicker.
I have to say that getting out into the Cathedral Of The Great Outdoors does me a lot of good. Lots of good.
Sounds like pedaling is a lot like paddling.
You have to drive a ways to get away from crowds and larger vehicles. Not always physically easy (up hill/current, headwind etc.). One difference, when I paddle there always seems to be a headwind when returning to the launch. It may have blown from the opposite direction all day but it will change when time to return. Wind speed seems to correlate to how tired you are and how far it is back to the vehicle.
Started to say another difference is paddling takes to the fish. Then I remembered how many miles, as a kid we paddled just to fish a pond or road side canal.
You have to drive a ways to get away from crowds and larger vehicles. Not always physically easy (up hill/current, headwind etc.). One difference, when I paddle there always seems to be a headwind when returning to the launch. It may have blown from the opposite direction all day but it will change when time to return. Wind speed seems to correlate to how tired you are and how far it is back to the vehicle.
Started to say another difference is paddling takes to the fish. Then I remembered how many miles, as a kid we paddled just to fish a pond or road side canal.
This was one of the few times when the wind direction held steady. Like you, JD, I’d come to figure that I had a couple of headwinds following me around - just waiting to pounce!
One day, on the Mississippi, Mike Fink and I were poling flatboats upstream, and no matter which way the river bends turned, we had headwinds. Wind changed 37 times in the morning. Anyway, that’s what the radio said. And, Davey Crockett sed so too.
One day, on the Mississippi, Mike Fink and I were poling flatboats upstream, and no matter which way the river bends turned, we had headwinds. Wind changed 37 times in the morning. Anyway, that’s what the radio said. And, Davey Crockett sed so too.
The weather’s gotten cold and windy. It’s November; strong winds, As Gordon Lightfoot sang, “When the witches of November came stealing!” Bike riding has faded from my menu.
BUT, next spring will be riding and paddling weather again. So, Charlie and I have started planning trips of pedaling and paddling. This is going to involve several pots of coffee.
And, maybe some ice cream?
BUT, next spring will be riding and paddling weather again. So, Charlie and I have started planning trips of pedaling and paddling. This is going to involve several pots of coffee.
And, maybe some ice cream?
Finally nice down here , 56 outside this morning The place is open and fresh air all around. Going to warm up to 74 this afternoon. Blue Bird weather , blue skies with white puffy clouds drifting overhead and warm sunshine. Went for a walk this morning , Shorts and T shirt. The shadows were cool but the sun was warm , nice tempertire difference while walking. Beats being hot all the time.
Thanks Jack. Only got 1 weekend trip with my sons and a few close friends (only way Joy would consent to my going). Physically, I'm in better shape than I have been in for 4 years but she still frets and worries. Next summer (if I can find another foolish old geezer to go along) I want to do the Allegheny from the Kinzua dam to Interstate 80 (+/- 90river miles). Should be able to do it in 5-6 days but I will be outfitted for 10, just in case...
Covid just took a bad turn here in WNY and if it doesn't improve, the ski areas may not be allowed to open. Guess I might have to upgrade my cold weather camping gear - new top quilt and under quilt for the new hammock or a 4 season tent. Sons and I had hoped to build an ADK lean to down at the farm this summer but that didn't materialize. I have about half the required materials accumulated. This gettin' old crap is not for the faint of heart.
A good thing about getting old is, I don’t have to forgive my enemies. I outlived’em!
AND THEN - IT WAS SPRING!
.....At least, here in my heart and imagination it is. Earlier, I’d mentioned preplanning some trips for the advent of spring. I must be getting old, because one of them involves .... (sorry, this chokes me up a bit) ... fishing! I must have gotten around some of you guys a bit too much? Something rubbed off on me? I hope this isn’t serious. Or, terminal?
Near the town of Coldwater MI, is a string of lakes. Actually, there are two strings of lakes there - both running NNE’ly-SSW’ly - one adjacent to the W'ly edge of town, and another just a few miles E’ly of there, near Quincy. They are gifts of one of the many glaciers that passed through the Great Lakes areas.I think we can camp on Craig Lake, the northern of the lakes alongside the W’ly edge of Coldwater. The lakes have panfish.
There are bike trails, restaurants, an air field (OEB), and ice cream too. So, this would count as both a pedaling AND a paddling trip. I’ll let Charlie have all (any?) of the fish that are caught. In all the years he and I have camped together, and all the live bait that he has drowned, and fake bait that he has dragged along behind his canoe, I have never - repeat, never - seen a fish that he caught. Once, I even brought along a cast iron pan for him to fry his catch in. It was only 3” across. And, as that trip turned out, it was still 3” too big!
I offered some of my canned sardines to him, and he said naughty words.
.....At least, here in my heart and imagination it is. Earlier, I’d mentioned preplanning some trips for the advent of spring. I must be getting old, because one of them involves .... (sorry, this chokes me up a bit) ... fishing! I must have gotten around some of you guys a bit too much? Something rubbed off on me? I hope this isn’t serious. Or, terminal?
Near the town of Coldwater MI, is a string of lakes. Actually, there are two strings of lakes there - both running NNE’ly-SSW’ly - one adjacent to the W'ly edge of town, and another just a few miles E’ly of there, near Quincy. They are gifts of one of the many glaciers that passed through the Great Lakes areas.I think we can camp on Craig Lake, the northern of the lakes alongside the W’ly edge of Coldwater. The lakes have panfish.
There are bike trails, restaurants, an air field (OEB), and ice cream too. So, this would count as both a pedaling AND a paddling trip. I’ll let Charlie have all (any?) of the fish that are caught. In all the years he and I have camped together, and all the live bait that he has drowned, and fake bait that he has dragged along behind his canoe, I have never - repeat, never - seen a fish that he caught. Once, I even brought along a cast iron pan for him to fry his catch in. It was only 3” across. And, as that trip turned out, it was still 3” too big!
I offered some of my canned sardines to him, and he said naughty words.
Darn , I saw Quincy and immediately wondered why you were going to Quincy , Florida. " Quincy is a city in Gadsden County, Florida, United States. The population was 7,972 at the 2010 census, up from 6,982 at the 2000 census. "
It's ( Gadsden county ) in the panhandle and bumps up against the southern western part of Georgia.
It's ( Gadsden county ) in the panhandle and bumps up against the southern western part of Georgia.
This Quincy is in south-central Michigan, about 12 miles north of the Michigan-Indiana border. Florida didn’t get visited by many glaciers, I’m guessing.
No , No glaciers , we left them for the folks up north. But Quincy , Fl .is just west of Scotland , Florida and Shady Rest Fl on county road 270. And east of Two Egg , Florida on county road 69.
I like some of the colorful names of towns. Two Egg is a new one to me. Not far from Coldwater MI, is the town of Colon, the self-proclaimed Magic Capitol of the World. Others are Climax, Paris, Hell, and Bad Axe.
I’ve been there . The really odd part of that is that, Intercourse isn’t the original name. They changed the name FROM the innocent sounding name of “Crossed Keys”, TO “Intercourse”.
And the potentially funnier part is, there’s a university in the town, named Intercourse University. Guess what the nickname of that university is?
And the potentially funnier part is, there’s a university in the town, named Intercourse University. Guess what the nickname of that university is?
RAIN?
Up until I was almost fifty, it never rained on any of my camps. I’d camped around Michigan, traveling across the USA, around Illinois, California’s Sierra Nevadas, all over the northern half of Okinawa, and probably a place or two I’m not recalling. No rain.
And then, I started camping with Kev. Ever since - rain has threatened, plagued, and in several cases driven me off the trail and headed for home. For years now, I’ve carried and used a rain fly. Recommendation follows: The best rainflys that I have ever found are made and sold by CookeCustomSewing.com. Dan Cooke and his son are both paddlers and campers, so they have a pretty good idea about what works and what doesn’t. You won’t see any polytarps, grommets, or catenary cut rain flys here. Select well, because they last for years.
After trying several methods of rigging a rainfly, I am now using Eureka aluminum nesting poles. I find them at Campmor.com. I carry three or four of these when camping on my bike, and only two when camping from a canoe or kayak. Paddles that are already along on the trip stand in as poles there.
I’ve tried the telescoping poles that slide up and down, and scrapped them. Made of steel, they’re heavy. They also, once in a while, produce little steel slivers. OUCH! I went right back to the Eureka poles.
Up until I was almost fifty, it never rained on any of my camps. I’d camped around Michigan, traveling across the USA, around Illinois, California’s Sierra Nevadas, all over the northern half of Okinawa, and probably a place or two I’m not recalling. No rain.
And then, I started camping with Kev. Ever since - rain has threatened, plagued, and in several cases driven me off the trail and headed for home. For years now, I’ve carried and used a rain fly. Recommendation follows: The best rainflys that I have ever found are made and sold by CookeCustomSewing.com. Dan Cooke and his son are both paddlers and campers, so they have a pretty good idea about what works and what doesn’t. You won’t see any polytarps, grommets, or catenary cut rain flys here. Select well, because they last for years.
After trying several methods of rigging a rainfly, I am now using Eureka aluminum nesting poles. I find them at Campmor.com. I carry three or four of these when camping on my bike, and only two when camping from a canoe or kayak. Paddles that are already along on the trip stand in as poles there.
I’ve tried the telescoping poles that slide up and down, and scrapped them. Made of steel, they’re heavy. They also, once in a while, produce little steel slivers. OUCH! I went right back to the Eureka poles.