Camping with Canines: A How to guide.

      It is a rewarding experience to be able to bring your dog camping with you.  After all, nothing beats having your favorite sidekick sitting with you in the warm glow of the camp fire or gracefully blazing the trail with you.  But there are some considerations and preparations that help make this experience a natural, harmonious endeavour.

      First, consider who your dog is.  Think about how he interacts with people, such as meeting strangers on the trail and walking by groups of people.  Give consideration to health problems or limitations that your dog may have.  For example, older dogs may have hip problems or smaller dogs may have difficulties in keeping your pace.  If you are going to be strapping a pack onto your dog, do not overload and provide ample water to drink. For example, my dog carries a bottle of water, small plastic bag of food, a few treats that are high in fat and protein, and a portable water/food bowl. For toys, he finds sticks to play with along the way.

      Dogs are constantly being bombarded by smells and sounds that could attract them, so do not let them out of your sight.  There's nothing worse than having your best friend return to camp smelling of dead opossum.  Make sure that your dog does not ingest anything it is not supposed to.  Mushrooms are the first thing that comes to mind, but food scraps are probably more common as a means to making your dog sick.  When your dog has to make a waste deposit be watchful and clean up the mess.  Nothing worse than stepping in a smelly mess on the trail.  Apart of keeping watch over your dog is making sure they are leashed where required.

       Leashing your dog ensures his safety and you a level of control over his actions.  Some people may not want to be greeted with two muddy paws.  Leashing also ensures the safety of others in the area.  Horses are usually an uncommon site that sends most dogs into frenzies.  If your dog spooks the horse and it reciprocates by throwing its rider, you're in a bad spot.  Leashing keeps you and your dog in a good range for communication.  It is nice to be able to give commands when needed, but also casual conversation will more likely occur.

      Double check your resources and itinerary to make sure accommodations are made for your dog.  Decide before heading out, whether your dog will sleep in the tent, what to do if it rains, and how to accommodate him being with you at all times..  Nobody wants to hear a dog left at the campsite barking, crying all day; it creates stress for everyone and is not fair for the dog.

        Having your dog at camp is real treat for both you, him, and others you may pass.  Follow the above guidelines and you can't go wrong with camping out with canines.





                                          



Horace Kephart: The Original Carolina Adventurer

 
 Photo Credit:  http://barkriverknives.com/albums/album369/Horace_Kephart.jpg
    
      Horace Kephart was not only a master outdoorsman and accomplished writer, but more importantly he was an advocate for environmental policy.  Kephart utilized his literary background and love of the mountains to persuade leaders of the early 1900s to create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Kephart's obsession with mountain places, people, and wildlife culminated in his writing, and gave a voice to all who lived in the Great Smoky Mountains.  It was a combination of Kephart's writing and his friend George Masa's photography that helped create the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
      Horace Kephart serves as a example of what passion and drive can accomplish.  Before moving to the mountains of North Carolina, Kephart demonstrated a high level of ambition through his work as a librarian.  He was appointed of head librarian at the St. Louis Mercantile Library, after gaining experience in library work at Cornell and Yale.  Looking for a new start on life, Kephart left his library position and headed for the mountains.  He now lived in an area that he was passionate about and had ample subject matter to write about, so he supported himself through writing for outdoor magazines.  Kephart's love for the mountains continued to grow as he now began writing letters and brochures expressing the need to preserve such a beautiful place.  He described the Great Smoky Mountains as "one of the finest primeval forests in the world".
             There exists an innate goodness that nature possesses and Horace Kephart saw this.  During the early 1900s, forests existed for the sole purpose to be cut down; forests were viewed by amount of timber they would produce.  This form of destruction Kephart viewed as wasteful and envisioned better way to use the land.  He brought his vision before others and with the help of his friend George Masa, put forth a very compelling reason for the forest.  This ultimately saved the land and created the Great Smokies National Park.
      Horace Kephart was a visionary outdoorsman that preserved a gem for future generations.  He was a very intelligent, educated man that felt passionately about the outdoors.  My wish is that, like Horace Kephart, we use the power of one to move mountains.

My Restlessness

      As Spring draws closer my restlessness becomes incessant and heightened.  I enjoy the winter up through the New Year and then I feel the urgency to get outside.  January and February are the most uncomfortable for me.  These are the two months that are generally cold and spent planning for warmer weather.
      All the romantic notions associated with camping, I find myself daydreaming of during these months.  I think about camping in vibrant neon green forests, life renewed, refreshed after the long cold winter.  I see myself siting by a camp fire in a field where at dusk, fireflies began to waft gently towards the lumbering leaf clusters above.  Embers glowing hot and red like tiny suns sublimely settled in a bed of gray.  I hear the laughter of the children in the tent and glance towards the stars.  I am reminded of how all of God's creations are wonderful and unending.  I am lying in the tent listening to the complex chorus of night.  My body feels heavy, I smell the sweet aroma of the camp fire dying down just as my mind does the same.
       My restlessness still builds through March but at least with warmer days I can assuage it with short adventures locally.  March is spent visiting local parks where the children play and the sun gently tests warmer rays.  I often search out rivers and lakes.  I have increased interest in water.  I cast gently out into the river bend.  A large fish silhouette approaches the site where my bait dangles.  A quick nibble and then my pole is bent.  I wrestle with the 2 pound cat fish like I'm reeling in a man-eating Alligator Gar.
    By the time April arrives the worst is over.  The restlessness breaks way as warmer temperatures become the norm.  I go hiking through the forest with neon green in full show.  The creeks and rivers look inviting with the chill of winter now in the past.  I find the perfect campsite, off the trail, beside a small stream.  The ground is still moist from a rain the previous night.  Perhaps I will be lucky enough to be lulled asleep by a gentle nocturnal rain shower.  The campfire provides a beautiful glow and billows the new leaves in the warm night air.
        May brings the relief I have been looking for. Warmer days have become the norm and the forbidden pleasure of swimming is no longer taboo.  I walk down the sidewalk littered with pollen from the pine trees.  Today the pool has opened  and swimming is on the menu.  The restlessness is now an entire season away.  My body feels more alive and I feel carefree.

Good Trail Eats on the Cheap

      When it comes to camp food, I have noticed lighter foods are more expensive and heavier foods can be had more cheaply.  For example, a Backparcker's freeze dried entree is usually priced around $8, while a hefty can of generic pork and beans is priced at $1.50.  I have found some great dehydrated soups that are priced around $3.  The soups are priced cheaply and they taste great as well.

       The soups are made by Bear Creek Country Kitchens.  There are various potato, chicken, and bean recipes that cook up in about 10-15 min.  I recently tried the chicken noodle and it was de-li-cious.
       My idea is the next time I go camping buy a pack and transfer what I need to a zip lock bag and save the rest for later.  A simple way to do this is add the contents to a bowl and mix first (all the noodles, potatoes, etc tend to settle in the bottom of the packaging).  Next, measure a dry serving size (usually 1/4-1/3 cup) into a zip lock bag.  When on the trail simply add this to one cup of boiling water, simmer, and viola, hot trail eats on the cheap.  This method will make 8 single servings per three dollar pack of soup.

North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

There are so many cool exhibits at the Natural Sciences Museum, below are just a few to showcase.  The museum is located in downtown Raleigh, NC.

If I were a Troll Hunter, What Would I Drive?

                                                                                                                                                                                               I recently watched the movie Troll Hunter and have become obsessed with designing my ultimate troll hunting rig.  If you haven't seen the movie, it's a subtitled Norwegian film that is available on Netflix.  The movie is shot as a documentary filmed by four college students who follow a guy that hunts real live trolls.  The troll hunter drives a Land Rover Defender that is out rigged with all the necessary troll hunting equipment.                                                                         Some men have fantasy football, while I have dreams about troll hunting and driving a cool rig like the troll hunter in the movie.  The question is what type of rig would I drive and how would I have it set up.  There are many choices that come to mind, Land Rover being one of them, but not my final decision.  Lets assume I'm an American troll hunter.
     Being an American troll hunter makes me envision a huge lifted Ford or Chevy equipped with an external roll cage that has metal spikes welded to it as troll deterrent.  It might not be very practical to expect a F-250 to weave about while being trailed by a temperamental troll.  Get up and go or pedal to the metal response would make me feel a little safer.
      You would want the capacity to carry 3 passengers in the event you meet a film crew that is willing to offer a large sum of money for some troll hunting footage(the bigger the fantasy, the better).  I would vote on a quad cab truck.  The Bed would hold mountable/dis-mountable UV lights and other equipment.
      A truck will have a lower center of gravity as opposed to an SUV with roof mounted equipment.  Trolls probably are not gold medalists in distance running, but they look quick and fast over short distances.  With this in mind, I would choose a V-8 engine with lots of horsepower over one that is a fuel miser.  And of course I would outfit the Truck with a 6 inch lift and include large mud tires such as Swamper TSLs.  I'm not sure I would attach an external roll cage, unless needed for a particular job.  The roll cage seems like adding a handle with a sign that says: "Troll grab here and totally trash my truck".
       Up to this point in the blog I haven't eluded to, other than it's a truck, what type of troll hunter truck I would drive.  Drum roll please.  I believe I would go with a base model Toyota Tundra.  I know its not anything grand, but I believe it would be the most plausible troll hunting rig.  What type of troll hunting rig would you drive?                                            
                                              

Balsam Mountain, North Carolina

      I awoke to the light patter of rain on the tree leaves above, and the tent's rain fly.  I sat up and checked on the children to who the rain seemed to lull into an even deeper sleep.  As I lay back down and nestle back into my sleeping bag I think to myself how this is camping at its finest.

      The drive up to Balsam Mountain campground is deeply invigorating as you roll the windows down, and feel the rush of cool air.  You are surrounded by lush, almost tropical, foliage that creates an endless canopy of green.  The vistas you encounter are very picturesque with deep blue mountains forming different layers between the foreground and background.

     

Balsam Mountain Campground is located within the Great Smokies National Park boundaries.  I believe it to be the campground(other than Mile High-haven't visited this one yet) with the highest elevation within the park at 5,310 ft above sea level.  We have camped at this gem among campgrounds 3 times now.  The trip I shall write about was in July of 2009.

  








  Upon arriving at the campground, we first picked out a lovely site that had mixed shade and sun and paid for our campsite ($17 in an envelope dropped in a box with your site #).  We then set up camp and assumed a comfortable position all bunched up in our Eagle Nest Outfitter's  hammock.  Bug spray is a must at this campground, as the gnats were huge and voracious.  We took a stroll around the campground to gather our bearings and to find out about any trails close by.  We met the campground host as he was setting up his camper for the season.  He was genuinely a nice guy and offered all the information we needed about area trails.

      Later that afternoon we drove a short distance to Flat Creek Trail and hiked a short distance to a stream, where we let the kids splash and play.  The trails are limited, but that isn't why we visited Balsam Mountain.  Our visit was for the cooler temperatures; in July where it's 90 F in Asheville, Balsam Mountain hits the low 70s most days.

      Evening rolled around and we had our classic camp meal of vegetable soup and grilled cheese sandwiches.  It was necessary to replenish our bug spray coatings as dark was approaching.  We saw other campers quickly leaving and inquired.  One gentleman replied "They're off to see the evening's entertainment, the sunset".  We too, quickly loaded up and were off up the road a ways to a summit where the road turns to gravel.  We parked in this area and walked a short distance to a clearing that had a bench and settled in for a dazzling sunset.  It was slightly cloudy, but this only created a better sunset by creating beams of sunlight that burst forth through the clouds.  The sunset is worth visiting the site and is very beautiful.

    

    

      We returned to camp at dark and got a camp fire going.  This is the magic moment in camping, and atop Balsam Mountain it was most certainly extra special.  The sounds of crickets, a light breeze, and other campers lightly humming in the distance create the picture.  Me and my family huddled around the fire to get a little warmer and make smores, which is an excellent bedtime snack.  Each of the children settled into each parents arms and began the losing battle with the sandman.  My wife and I, found ourselves ready for bed as soon as the children drifted.  We carried the children to their sleeping bags and then laid down ourselves gently acknowledging how peaceful and cool it was.



     I have since visited Balsam Mountain campground several times.  This wonderful campground is small, peaceful, and well kept.  There are sinks with running water to wash dishes and there are toilets.  I advise anyone planning to visit to bring bug spray and have means to escape the gnats(they're large and love little children especially).  Be prepared for rain; you are in Smokies where substantial rainfall occurs.  Also, consider the temperatures are much cooler than what you would expect sometimes.  Balsam Mountain is one of my favorite campgrounds and I cherish all the memories.



A Winter's Day Spent Kite Flying

It seems like I always pick the coldest days to go fly my kite.  Today was no exception with the high being 40 degrees F plus a gusty 15-20 mph wind.  I am flying a 4 meter para foil made by RadSails.  The kite has a medium pull which makes it fun but not too dangerous in stronger winds. The kids also enjoyed the gusty day, playing with their kites!

The Ever Versatile Canvas Tarp Tent!

I love this video as it showcases the versatility of the tarp tent.  Add a bug net and some DEET and you've got a perfect night of sleep in front of the fire.  I often dream of the day I grab one of these and take to the woods.  Great video terrarosagear!

Two Great Ways to Cook in the Outdoors!

 I have cooked Ramen noodles over an open camp fire, on a large propane burner, and atop the larger dual burner propane stove many times, though often times not with ease and/or comfort.  The larger stoves definitely impede upon one's comfort when traveling afoot.  Two small and efficient stoves that I own and use regularly in my many jaunts, are the MSR Pocket Rocket and Innovatives New Pocket Cooker. 

      The pocket rocket weighs around 4 ounces and is quite compact in design.  It also has a rather durable feel and lacks many of the parts that bend or break on other stoves.  The fuel canister weighs around 8 ounces and is compact and serves as a solid base.  The stove fires right up and can be adjusted to a fairly hardy flame (useful if being used in windy environments).  This is a great stove if you can't build a small hot fire, but if you can that is when you use the Pocket Cooker.



       The Pocket Cooker weighs a little more than the pocket rocket. It comes in at 1 lb. 7 ounces.  The Pocket Cooker folds out like a miniture Transformer hobo stove.  It is very compact in its fold, and has a handy carrying pouch.  The obvious cool thing about this stove is that you can burn what materials you have on hand (the woods is filled with wood!;). The stove has a good firm feel to it and has adequate pan setting space. Of course, each stove has it's own very minor obstacles.

       

                                                                                                                                                                       The Pocket Rocket can make your pan feel a little "tipsy", so it requires a little attention and balancing skills.  I always worry about not being able to light the stove in cold temperatures.  Not that I plan on using it in the Arctic, I do imagine at 35 degrees F it should light right up and stay lit.  The Pocket Cooker is best used with a firestarter or ample supply of fine cut kindling.  It's not difficult to feed it once you've got a few coals or a good fire going.  The Pocket Cooker holds up well in the wind and has an adjustable draft. Both stoves are "classics" as far as outdoor equpment concerns me.  They are easy to use,maintain, and both  are affordable.

“Heat, Gators, and Beautiful Beaches.”

In June 2010, me and the family took a trip to Huntington Beach State Park in South Carolina. The first matter of the trip was how to overcome the heat in our 1972 Mercedes 240D. Though not frigid, a spray bottle and rolling all the windows down met our need for cooler air (remember: evaporation causes cooling). If you hadn’t already picked up, we’re not rich so this vacation was on a budget. A “tent” budget to be exact.

The temperature was already up to 92F at 10a.m as we drove down the road leaving behind our home in the much cooler mountains of Western North Carolina. We were stumped as to how we were going to keep the tent cool. Keeping cool was really a matter of safety as our children were 2 and 4 and the temps were supposed to be in the mid 90s. To answer this call, I voted buy an air conditioner window unit and set it up outside the tent blowing in. My wife laughed out loud and replied how absurd the idea was. I replied “I saw it on the internet“, more chuckles.

We arrived at Huntington state Park in the late afternoon and found our tent site. The campground was very nice and had a good air about it. After the first 10 minutes of setting up our tent (in the shade) we were drenched in sweat. Afterwards, while cooling down over dinner, my wife let me buy the air conditioning unit. It cost $100. We went back to the tent and installed our ac unit.

We have a large family tent that has a full cover rain fly with a roomy vestibule. The vestibule was wrapped around the front end of the ac leaving the rear exposed outside. We decided to set the ac unit on a milk crate used in packing stuff. Now, we slept in the comfortable 70’s instead of the mid 90s.

After accomplishing a place to escape the heat the rest of the trip was very enjoyable. While at HB state Park there are a number of activities and places to put down on the to do list. First up for us was the beach! The beaches were very nice and lacked all the beach homes and motels/hotels. There was also a good bit estuary to be explored by kayak or canoe. All the gators resided in a couple of large freshwater ponds that were built in the early history of the park. There were also resident Six Lined Ridge Runners, various Egrets and Herrings. Unfortunately no horned lizards were observed.Historically the park was a summer home called “Atalaya” for Archer Huntington and Anna Hyatt. The physical building called Atalaya was interesting and there was a guided tour. Also education programs were provided at the nature center and exhibits featuring marine and estuarine habitats. My children enjoyed the live stingray in the nature center and other live animals.

 

Overall it was a very good beach trip, that as I type this, look back fondly at it. As for the ac unit it kept us cool and then we didn’t have room to take it home, so we returned it, which helped fund our way home. Huntington beach was a very beautiful, relaxing place to visit.