Jarbridge Underquilt

Posted on October 26, 2011 by Kudzu

Well, if you read my post at the end of August you know I purchased a Jarbridge underquilt from Arrowhead Equipment. Today was the first opportunity I had to actually put it up under the hammock and test it out for a bit. I prefer down to synthetic but I think this is a very nice UQ.

I need to spend a little more time tweaking and and getting it to cinch up properly. One of the things I noticed is that it wasn’t mating up with the top edge of the hammock. If my knee was bent and pressed against the material it would be exposed as the UQ wasn’t coming up high enough. I think I just need to take more slack out of the suspension lines and I’ll be ok.

The skeeters were bad and I didn’t feel like putting the netting down so I didn’t spend a lot of time fiddling. I will say that it quickly knocked off the coolness on my back that I felt laying in the hammock without it. I’m looking forward to the next cold night so I can get some more real exposure experience with it.

Jarbridge UQ Sorry for the blur. I only have a 10 sec timer and the hammock would swing when I got in it. I guess I didn’t dampen it enough before I ran out of time. 🙁

Bell Spring to Big Shoals

Posted on October 23, 2011 by Kudzu

Today we had another work hike for the Florida Trail Association. This was a pretty short out and back but it was very nice as most of the trail followed the Suwanee River. We had a good turnout and great weather. It started out very cool in the morning but warmed up nicely. Just thought I’d share a few pictures from the day.

Early Morning on the Suwanee River

Reflections on the Suwanee River

Afternoon on the Suwanee River

Suwanee River Rapids...believe it or not.

Some Cool Grass

Suwanee Waterfall

Kayak Mods: Front Deck

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Kudzu

Today I decided to make a minor mod to the Pelican to make it a bit more functional. There is no rigging in the front deck area and I while I don’t have a hatch there (yet) I do intend on using it for storage. Ultimately I plan on having bungee cord installed but for my present needs it’s unnecessary.

Front Deck

I picked up some kayak pad eyes from All Wet Sports yesterday and broke out the drill this afternoon. I also picked up some 3/16″ kayak rivets. A very quick turn of the drill with a 7/32″ bit and I was ready to mount the pads. Although the rivets are supposed to provide a watertight seal I decided to add a little clear silicone for some extra peace of mind.

Pad Prepped

The rivet tool worked its magic and soon both rivets were secure and I cleaned up the excess silicone. The next eye went just as quickly.

Pad Installed

Although I bought four pads I only decided to use two. I realized that they would extend into the hatch area and I don’t want to have to drill these out if I decide to put the front hatch in. I’m going to look for the same type of single rivet hooks I have on the rear deck. For now I think I’ll be ok.

Both Pads Installed

Using small carabiners I can now attach my Surf To Summit insulated fish bag to the new anchor points I added as well as the front handle area. I think (hope) that’ll be sufficient until I can add the last two anchor points.

Fish Bag - Side

This is a much nicer bag than I realized when I ordered it. The top has a zippered compartment for additional storage. The front flap also has a small waterproof area and two other small storage spaces. I thought it was going to be too small but now I think it’ll be just perfect.

Fish Bag - Front

All Packed And No Place To Go

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Kudzu

Life is funny sometimes. On Friday somebody else’s vacation cost ME money.

There I was sitting in my cube and minding my own business when I got an evil text message. It was from a friend and former co-worker. It was a picture of the sign at Neels Gap. I was being taunted from afar. While I was filling my lungs with likely-contaminated office building air she was enjoying the sweet smell of the outdoors and the changing of the leaves just steps from the AT.

Not one to let her have the last laugh I put her to work. I sent her in the store to spend the last of my birthday money. I’ve been wanting a new pack since the last hike. I love my Deuter, don’t get me wrong. However, I think I’m realizing that it doesn’t fit as well as I’d like. I think it’s a great weekend pack but on longer trips it starts to wear on me and not in a good way.

I’ve always read and heard good things about the packs from Ultralight Equipment. In my extremely quick stop at Walasi-Yi following my Memorial Day hike I had the chance to finally try on the Catalyst. While incredibly comfortable it seemed way too huge. I seriously think I could take the kitchen sink in it. I really don’t want to carry a 4600 cu in pack. My Deuter is right around 3900 plus a little extra with the collar. The smaller Circuit at 4200 cu in seemed to be the perfect pack.

I’d planned on waiting for November to see if ULA held a Veteran’s Day sale but opted instead to take advantage of personal delivery and had her buy it for me. I picked it up on the way home and it’s a lovely, lovely pack! I’ve only put a little weight in it so I still need to see how it is with my normal load but I’m feeling confident. I do love the numerous pockets and storage areas on the Deuter. For example, I love having a bottom section where I currently store my sleeping gear separate from everything else. I’m not sure how much I’ll like having to unpack just to get my hammock out if I want to take a break.

Like any new piece of gear I’m sure it’ll just take a little re-thinking. I’m excited about the opportunity and can’t wait to get it on the trail. Stay tuned for a forthcoming review and pics!

I also have a nice LS shirt now for hiking in cooler weather. It reads, “Hike faster! I hear banjo music!” 😀

Have Rod, Reel Travel!

Posted on October 12, 2011 by Kudzu

For once I had a wonderful turn of luck. I swear, this never happens to me. As I mentioned yesterday I was planning on stopping by Black Fly to pick up an Okuma SLV 89 reel to go with my new fly rod. When I got to work I checked out the forums and lo and behold someone in Jax was selling a TFO rod with <drum roll> an Okuma SLV 89 reel!

Someone had already expressed interest but I said I’d be interested if it fell through. I tried (I swear I did!) to get the other guy to buy it. This is a rig very close to what I was quoted about $300 for listed for $110. The other guy wasn’t sure and I couldn’t pass up the deal so I bought the reel for $45 (retail $80). So now I have a complete rig and I’m ready to learn how to use it. Wish me luck!

Okuma SLV89

Gots Me a New Fly Rod!

Posted on October 11, 2011 by Kudzu

I’m one step closer to actually fly fishing instead of just tying flies. Today I got a package in the mail from a guy off the Florida Sportsman forum. I’m now the proud owner of a Scott SAS 908/3 fly rod. I can’t find a whole lot of info on this particular model but here’s what I did find:

Water type:	Bass lakes, salmon and steelhead rivers, saltwater flats and mangroves
Optimum range:	30-90 feet
Wind rating:	8
Techniques:	Aggressive casting and fishing with large flies, both sinking and floating lines
Fish species:	Largemouth Bass, Steelhead, Atlantic Salmon, Pacific Salmon, Striped Bass, Bonefish, Redfish, Seatrout, Snook, Jacks

Looks pretty much like it’ll fit the bill for what I want. Seems to be a nice, all-around rod. It didn’t come with the sock but it did include a Cortland 444 Lazer 8wt. floating fly line and two leaders so I won’t be complaining. I’m very happy! I hope to have time tomorrow to swing by Black Fly Outfitters to pick up an Okuma SLV large arbor reel. If everything works out I’ll be able to start learning how to use it all this weekend!

A Great Day Outdoors

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Kudzu

Yesterday was crazy busy. It started off with an early soccer game that we almost won. The kids played their hearts out and what started out to look like a landslide victory for the other team ended up with just a 1-point loss. The team did a great job of closing the gap. I even heard one of the kids on the opposing team saying how he thought they’d be easy to beat but he was wrong. 🙂

For the past couple of weeks my son and I have been looking forward to the Hook Kids on Fishing event sponsored by Anglers for Conservation. As we were leaving the game and rushing to make the event my son started feeling sick and thought he’d puke. We tried sitting it out on the side of the road but he insisted on going home. Mom picked him up and I decided to stick to the schedule. The first 100 registered kids would receive a rod/reel and tackle box and I hoped I’d be able to pick his up even if he couldn’t make it. Well, they agreed…but then they snared me. Before I knew it I was teaching kids how to cast. They didn’t waste any time putting me to work. 😀

We had a great time and sent a number of groups through each of five training stations. The kids learned knot tying, rod safety, catch and release principles, and casting technique. Everyone had a great time and then the call came. My son felt better and wanted to come fish! So he made it after all and joined the rest of the kids on the dock. Unfortunately I think the huge storm the night before kept the fish at bay and nobody was getting any bites. We were the last to leave but Joshua did finally land a whopper of a 4″ bluegill. He had a great time and it was awesome father-son time.

After a quick post-fishing trip to Gander Mountain it was back home for a Superman change into hiking clothes. I hopped back in the truck and headed south to Keystone Heights and Gold Head Branch State Park. The Gold Head Associates was sponsoring their annual Haunted Hike and I agreed to their request to be a hike leader. It was a shorter, 1-mile hike as opposed to the 3-mile hike last year. The rain was blinding on the way down and ultimately cut the numbers back but it turned out to be a nice night.

The hike leaders took a hike along the route to get familiar with it and I and another leader decided to do it again for safe measure. I’ll still say that things sure look different in the dark. Especially hiking without a light.

At 8pm the line was getting larger and we started the hikes. We ran groups of 20-30 and everyone had a great time. The screams filled the park as the haunters did an excellent job of terrifying young and old alike. I managed to not lose anyone in the woods so I consider that a plus. 🙂

Haunted Hike

I managed the take three groups through the hike before we called it a night. The total count was somewhere in the neighborhood of 600. That was down from over 1000 last year but I think it’s safe to say the weather kept people home. Unfortunately a large section was unhaunted because a Boy Scout troop backed out.

Overall it was a long day but very rewarding. I’ve already committed to both organizations to help with future events. It’s hard to beat helping kids fish and getting all ages to enjoy some outdoor time with friends and family.

I’ll Never Get Lost!

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Kudzu

Well, one can hope anyway. Since I’ve been looking for a kayak I’ve been contemplating what to do for a GPS solution. I have an awesome Garmin 60CSx which works great and has served me well. However, it’s not real fun trying to using it on the trail in its waterproof bag and really didn’t want to mess with it on the yak.

I was at West Marine last week and happened to see that the Garmin 76Cx was on sale $100. Figuring I didn’t need another mapping GPS I decided against it. Unfortunately I kept thinking about it. Two of the greatest benefits to the 76 are that it floats and is waterproof. It’s reassuring to think that if it gets knocked overboard it’ll float on top. I went back to get it today and the sale was over.

This is where the story gets good. The whole store was in disarray as they’re re-arranging everything. There were some guys taking a break and they asked if I’d found everything. Normally in this situation I would’ve just said “Yes” and been done with it. For some reason, though, I said I’d just found that I’d missed the sale. They asked what I was after and they said the sale ended less than 10 days ago. Here’s a tip: West Marine will honor the sale price within 10 days!! So now I have a new GPS for the yak!

This is really a pretty big deal. Since I’m new to marine navigation and I’ll be sitting pretty much at water level where it’s harder to see navigational elements the GPS should play a big role in keeping me on track. Likewise, if I find that the tide is turning and I’m not quite sure how to escape before I’m stranded it should help me find the quickest route back. There’s also another aspect to consider. I now have the ability to save waypoints of where I caught particular fish along with specific details about the catch: lure/fly, weather conditions, water temp, etc. All of these things can help me make better decisions of where to go and what gear to bring on future trips.

I haven’t loaded the MapSource software yet but when I do I think I’ll be feeding it with the Florida Topo map from GPSFileDepot. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. At this point I don’t think I can justify the expense of Garmin’s BlueChart software and the GFD file is supposed to have marine featers. Free is much better than, well, not. 🙂

So that’s my story. Watch out fish, I’m comin’ for ya!

Bushwackin’

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Kudzu

Yesterday the North Florida Trailblazers finished up the weekend’s work hike. We spent the day clearing the trail from Ocean Pond to Osceola Shelter and from the shelter on to the Turkey Run Trailhead. The trail was in worse shape than what we faced on Saturday with some portions needing a couple of passes with the mower to clear it out enough.

The vines were worse and had monster thorns. Even with the cooler weather I was hot in my LS shirt so I took it off. I paid the price with scratched and bleeding arms. I’ve shed blood and sweat for this trail! What blood I didn’t lose to the vines was sucked dry by the skeeters. I swear these beasts were the size of Texas! Our dainty little skeeters here in Jax pale in comparison…and that’s a good thing!

We had another great group of people and shared a lot of laughs. At the end of the day I think we left the trail looking a thousand times better than when we arrived.

Just so you get an idea of what we were doing this is the view behind the mower (I realized I never captured any before shots).
Cleared Trail

And here’s my view from behind the mower. I took this as I was crossing the boardwalk to Osceola Shelter.
Mower View

This was certainly a great weekend for trail maintenance and I’m glad I was finally able to lend a hand and give back to the trail so that others can have a more enjoyable experience. There was one kind of sad moment. At the shelter I was excited to find my log entry from my first visit. The sad part is that I only had to flip back less than a dozen pages from the most recent entry to find it. The date was 10/24/08. So in almost three years only a handful of hikers had signed the book. I hate to think of the shelter going unused so I’m opting for thinking of them not realizing it’s there to sign. 🙂

So that’s a wrap on the weekend. Now get out there and hike!

A Stellar Day!

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Kudzu

I wasn’t sure how today was going to end up. I hadn’t prepared at all during the week and spent last night getting ready for the work hike in Osceola National Forest. Around midnight or 1 (it’s all a blur) the power went out in the neighborhood. I figure a transformer got hit or something since there weren’t any storms in the area. By the time everything came back on and I was finished packing it was after 2. I was up at 5:15 to be at the trailhead by 8.

The weather was absolutely gorgeous today and my tiredness faded as I enjoyed the day on the trail. It didn’t hurt that I got to run the DR mower for a while. That thing mows down almost everything in its path. OMG it was freakin’ awesome!

Since I was the medical guy I was a little disappointed that nobody got hurt. I keed! I keed! Our trail coordinator did manage to step on a pygmy rattlesnake but didn’t let it bite him. :-/ We finished much sooner than expected and I was home and taking a nap by 3. I’d planned on enjoying the colder night temp and camping out but with the day ending so early I decided to take care of some other things…

After my nap I touched base with a contact off a local kayak fishing forum. I hopped back in the truck and headed south to St. Augustine. I’m now the proud owner of my very first fishing kayak! It really was a deal too good to pass up. I’d been eyeing the Perception Pescador 12 at Academy. It gets great reviews and while West Marine sells it for $549 Academy dropped it to $469. My new-to-me Pelican Eclipse 116 was $200! And Academy (who had JUST DROPPED the price to what I mentioned) had jacked the price back up to $499. So much for their new “everyday” price.

Pelican Eclipse 116 In addition to the yak I got some other goodies. It came with a crate for fishing gear, padded seat, paddle, life jacket, bait bucket, and Scotty rod holder! I’m set to hit the water now!

Yak Goodies

I’m not sure that I like carrying it on my bed extender. The thing is way too wobbly and I had to tie each end to my bumper to help stabilize it. The yak is short enough (I think) to rest completely on the top of the cab. All in all, though, it rode well. I did have to twist the straps to eliminate the wind noise (OMG I would’ve been deaf otherwise!) and I had to tape the bow carry handle to the keel to keep it from bouncing on my roof. Making those two adjustments made for a quiet and easy ride home.

Loaded For Yak

I didn’t get the yak at Gander Mountain but it’s hard to make a trip south without stopping. 🙂

Needless to say I’m thrilled to finally have my own boat. The seller offered to go out with me to show me some good fishing spots. I can hardly wait! It’s going to be a looooooong week waiting for the weekend.

I really should be in bed now. Tomorrow is another early day as we’ll be finishing off the section of trail between Ocean Pond and Turkey Run. Check ya later!