New Goodies

Luke 11:9-10

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

Ok, so I now I’m taking this verse waaaay out of context, but I just wanted to post my latest new toy. I did ask ULA Equipment to build me an Ohm 2.0 in Digicam, and when I got home from vacation today I did seek out the package on my counter. And when I opened the box this is what I found:

ULA Equipment Ohm 2.0 in digicam fabric

ULA Equipment Ohm 2.0 in digicam fabric

I went for the digicam cordura because I wanted something low impact and different. One lousy little picture certainly won’t do the pack justice, but in a week and a half I’m going to give it a complete work out for four days in the Adirondacks. Judging by what I see so far, I’m sure I’ll have some great things to say.

Hang ‘Em High (Confessions of an ex ground pounder)

Genesis 3:17-19

“Cursed is the ground for your sake, In toil you shall eat of it,All the days of your life, Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat of the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken, For dust you are, and to dust you shall return.”

I, like most backpackers started out sleeping on the ground. No wonder it’s cursed, between the rocks and roots, cold and damp, and stiff body joints it produces. Recently I was reflecting back on my journey from traditional backpacker to where I am today. The single biggest change for me over the years has been my progression from heavyweight ground pounder to hammock hanger. I thought I’d share a little bit of that journey with you.

My first tent I originally bought was for car camping, back in 1988. It was a Eureka Timberline 4 with vestibule, and when I started backpacking I had little money to spare so I carried that 11+ pound nylon hotel in my equally gargantuan pack. It didn’t take me long to figure out this was just a wee bit crazy. I scraped up the money and bought a Northface two man tent that weighed 6+ pounds. Boy, that was livin’ ! Then in 2003 I discovered the greatest thing since sliced bread – the Henry Shires Tarptent Squall.

Henry Shires Tarptent Squall

Henry Shires Tarptent Squall

That was a huge step in becoming a lightweight backpacker (well that and getting rid of the  ax, bow saw, canned goods, etc). By then I had lightened up my pack and sleeping system, and my big three (pack, sleeping bag and shelter) was under 6 pounds – less than that Northface tent I used to lug around! The only downfall was the same problem every tent has – setup and breakdown in bad weather. I had played with nylon tarps as far back as the late 80’s with only mediocre results, Now with silnylon materials making tarps much lighter I decided to give tarp camping another try as an alternative in bad weather.

8x10 sil tarp with bivy

8×10 sil tarp with bivy

By 2005 I was a full time tarp camper. I enjoyed the fact that a tarp allowed for endless pitching options and drier setup and take down. I also enjoyed the freedom of a mostly unobstructed view. I never felt the need to be cocooned in nylon, and tarp camping allowed me to be more connected to the environment around me. With the modern materials available today, tarps can be had that weigh as little as four ounces, and bivies that are in the four to five ounce range. As with all things backpacking, the only limit is your budget.

I watched with some amusement and little interest as the hammock craze kicked into high gear. Something about all the bits and pieces needed to “make that thing swing” was so completely the opposite of the minimalist approach that had become ingrained in my gear choices. On top of that, I had a hard time with the idea of adding more weight to my by then highly refined gear kit. That all changed in 2012 when I had the chance to pick up a Hennessy Hammock fairly cheap. I thought why not? At least this way I could poo poo hammocks with authority. Here I am a year and a half later, and I have to say I’m hooked! No more stiffness, no more cold ground, no more looking for  a nice level spot.

Warbonnet Traveler, Hammock Gear Incubator Underquilt

Warbonnet Traveler, Hammock Gear Incubator Underquilt

I won’t say it’s all been roses. There is a slight learning curve to figure out how to hang your hammock correctly. Selecting items like suspension and underquilt has been a bit of a learning process also. My current setup is a Warbonnet Traveler 1.7 single hammockHammock Gear Incubator UnderquiltHammock Gear Cuben Fiber tarpWhoopie SlingsDutchware Dutch Clips, and 1″ tree hugger straps. The two greatest resources I have found are the Hammock Forums ( a great bunch of folks by the way), and also a book by Derek Hansen titled The Ultimate Hang (also a member of Hammock Forums).

Will I ever go back to being a “ground pounder”? Maybe in a moment of weakness when challenged to a lightest pack contest – naaaa, hang ’em high I say!

Under a tarp, but never on the ground.

Under a tarp, but never on the ground.

Putting Away My Winter Toys

Ecclesiastes 3:1

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”

For backpackers that includes putting away the toys of winter. I spent the last few weeks tweeking my wood stove design and I am finally happy with the results:

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The only mod I made from the above picture is adding a combination cleanout and draft door where the bottom holes are:

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It burns about as hot as I could hope and I’ve gotten almost 5 hours from one load of wood.

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Unfortunately my window for a winter snow shoeing/pulk sled trip closed last weekend. Temperatures are too warm and the snow is melting with every passing day. No worries – spring is here and in a few weeks I’ll be on the AT in Maryland for three days of hiking and hanging in my hammock. Time to break out the 3 season toys, yeah!!!

On The Road To Emmaus

Luke 24:13-35

“13That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened.

Just two plain old ordinary followers of Jesus, just like you and me.

15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Isn’t it interesting how our situations or problems blind us and keep us from seeing what is most important?

17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

Sometimes we let our situations so overwhelm us that we don’t even realize Jesus is still there, walking with us.

19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

Even though Jesus knows our very heart, he still wants to have a relationship with us, a dialog with us, and looks forward to hearing our concerns.

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus knows what’s best for us, even if that means correction. His desire is for us to know him, not just know of him.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them.

The Lord will never force himself on you – He waits for your invitation.

30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

Jesus left their sight, but not their hearts.

33 And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”

Resurrection Day (Easter)for me is a day of great joy. My Jesus lives! He defeated sin and He defeated the grave. In 2 Timothy 2:11-13   Paul writes, “It is a faithful saying: For if we are dead  with him, we shall also live with him, if we suffer, we shall also reign with him, if we deny him, he also  will deny us, if we do not believe, he stays faithful, he cannot deny himself.”  and in Deuteronomy 31:8, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

If you are on the road to Emmaus today I pray you will remember that we worship a King who is risen, who desires you to open your eyes and heart to Him. Happy Resurrection Day!

 

The End of the Trail For End2End Trail Supply

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End2End Trail Supply Gram Weenie PRO

Some of you may know that I am the founder/owner of End2End Trail Supply.  I just wanted to pass on the news that I finally decided that the trail has finally come to an end for that entity. For those of you who did not know, you are most likely confused to be here. Welcome to my (somewhat) new home. No more stove sales, just the amblings and ramblings of a Christian backpacker. While closing was not an easy decision, I’m somewhat relieved and excited at the prospect of a little more free time to do the things that are most important in my life. I look forward to more family time. I look forward to more amblings (and ramblings). I have become involved in a chaplaincy program that I am especially excited about. While the drive to continue selling outdoors gear may have faded, I am especially grateful to my customers, some of whom I can honestly call my friends. To all who came to visit End2End Trail Supply, thank you. That path was good, but I’ve decided to take the path less taken, so, welcome to Walking With The Son!

To Know Him Is To Love Him

1 John 4:7 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.”

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From the Websters Online Dictionary definition of love:

a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others.

 b : a person’s adoration of God

Whenever I am asked to describe God, the first thing that comes to mind is the word love. Love describes every aspect of what God is, but not just love – perfect love. Because God is love he created mankind. A perfect God cannot be absorbed with self love, so God needed a place to manifest His love, and we are the lucky recipients. But what is perfect love you may ask. Perfect love is the love that loves the sinner and the saint equally, fully understanding that both are capable of sin and redemption, separating the sin from the sinner. What parent does not love their children when they make mistakes – you might dislike the thing they did, but you still love them. That’s the Father’s love for us. That’s how we are commanded to live this christian life.

 

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is oft quoted at weddings and on Valentines Day, but if you replace the word love with God it’s easy to see the picture of the Father in those verses.

 

I’ll leave you with John 3:16, “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” How much does He love you? To quote my daughter when she was about 5 years old, ” a whole lot and much, much, much”.

 

Son Light

John 8:12

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

I was reminded of this verse today, on Martin Luther King Day, because of one of the Reverend King’s quotes, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”. As human beings we cannot survive and be healthy living in darkness. We need light for our well being. Sunlight provides Vitamin D, an important vitamin that mediates an innate immunity to microbial infection and skin cancer. Sunlight also helps you feel energetic, motivated and helps alleviate the wintertime blues. The same can be said for “Son light”. What can lift you up and make your spirit soar quicker than the light that comes from God’s only Son, Jesus Christ? Crack open the bible when you are down, and tell me you can’t find hope and joy in God’s word. The bible is full of promises that are yours, if you’ll just make Christ the “light of your life”. His light can drive out the darkness in your life, His Love can wash that hate away.

Sunlight gives life here on earth, “Son light” gives life eternal.

 

Taming Old Man Winter

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Genesis 25:27

“And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.”

I’ve always been a four season hiker, but that’s easy to do in the mid-atlantic region of the country. Temperatures rarely dip below the teens, and mid twenty to mid thirty degree temperatures are the norm. I did most of my hiking for many years on the Appalachian Trail, and either a lean-to or tarp (and most recently a hammock) were plenty fine for most conditions. There was a time when I would hit the Presidential Range in New Hampshire for winter camping, but a serious fall a number of years ago dampened my sense of arctic adventure. Over the past few years I decided to once again embrace the “extreme season”, and the Adirondacks in New York state have been my destination of choice. Temperatures can be more severe there, with sub-zero temperatures a regular occurrence. A trip last February that saw morning temps of minus 13 degrees Fahrenheit convinced me that even though I had the proper gear and experience for the occasion, I wanted to rough it a little more comfortably. Even though I consider myself a “plain man, dwelling in tents”, as was Jacob, I decided a “hot tent” was just the ticket.

Golite Shangria-La 5 "hot tent"

Golite Shangria-La 5 “hot tent”

What is a “hot tent” you ask? Well, it’s a floorless shelter fitted with a fiberglass “stove jack”, so that a chimney from a wood burning stove can be inserted through the wall of the shelter. My first order of business was research. After deciding to attempt to build my own stove I ordered the materials from McMaster Carr. I have been playing with a prototype, and came up with this:

Prototype wood burning stove

Prototype wood burning stove

The firebox is made from two steam table trays, connected by stainless steel all thread legs. I purchased a titanium damper and spark arrester from Titanium Goat, and fashioned the 10′ chimney pipe from .005″ stainless shim stock. I’ve got about 15 hours of burn time on the stove and now that I have a better understanding I will be moving forward with my final design. I chose the Golite Shangria-La 5 for my shelter due to it’s low weight, spacious footprint, purported four season capability, and also due to the fact I got it on sale last spring from Golite. I shipped the shelter off to Seekoutside, where they expertly installed a stovejack.

The setup

The setup

As you can see from the pictures, I have room for at least 3 people and their gear in my heated haven of heavenly habitation (sorry, couldn’t help myself).

So, how well does it work you ask. I had the opportunity to sleep out a few days before Christmas, and I can honestly say that on a twenty degree night that little stove threw out some serious heat. With the damper wide open everything was glowing a bright cherry red, and there was plenty of heat. I had originally thought that I would be able to lighten up my winter gear with the addition of a stove, but my night out proved that my thinking was flawed. The stove only burned for about 1 1/2 hours before it needed to be stoked again-not conductive to a long nights sleep. If you lighten up you will will be waking up every couple of hours to stoke the stove. I will be making my next stove with a bigger firebox for longer burn times, but not so I can lighten up. After talking with some folks who use this type of setup I have rethought how I look at this rig. Instead of lighter winter gear, I will still bring my normal gear. I can get changed, read, cook, get out of the weather, relax, and get to sleep in comfort and warmth. Because I brought my usual gear, after the fire goes out I will still sleep through the night, and in the morning when I wake up way too early on those long winter nights, I will once again have the warmth of a fire to thaw my boots, get changed, eat breakfast, and otherwise pack up in comfort.

I look forward to getting out and using this rig in the field, and will be sure to get a trip report/gear review out asap.