Backpacking photos

Joe, From one Scouter to another, my lantern is burning bright for you.  Congratulations on being able to seek out and enjoy new adventures in life.  I’d like to make the Philmont trip myself someday.  I build wood and canvas canoes for a hobby but for the past several years I’ve been too fat to use them for more than a short Sunday afternoon cruise.  I now have more energy than I’ve had in years and this summer my canoe will float a lot higher in the water.  I plan on hitting the water a lot more, but I also need to build my upper body strength so my arms don’t give out before the end of the day.   Maybe we’ll meet on the portage trail.  I’ll be the guy with the red Coleman lantern.

 

Hey Paul,  Don't joke about the portages, bud! I'm going to be canoeing in Boundary Waters in late June. Our troop's high adventure trek is through Canadian Border Outfitters. We arrive there Sun., 6/24 and come off the water on Fri., 6/29.  The last time I did any long-haul canoeing was when I was a Scout...shall we say more than 10 years ago? (OK, OK, more than 30 years!) So I, too, need to work on my upper-body strength. As Boner would say, I've got a pair of twigs up there.  I didn't know you were a Scouter, either. Perhaps you could tell me a lot more about the area, weather conditions in late June, what to pack (like mosquito headgear?), etc. If you'd like to correspond outside the forum, I could use your advice, so just email me at [email protected].  Yours in Scouting, Joe

Joe, You have mail. I bet there are a lot of other Scouters here too.

very cool Joe. gail and i used to hike the high sierras all the time. you got me thinking again about that. i really miss it. we have great equipment so maybe it's time once one of our dogs heals up. so ask Dave for one of his upper body routines if you want to bulk up on top. he has some good basics for that. otherwise i think you look great the way you are. what a drop in weight and so fast too. keep up the good work.......Carbonblob

CB,  Living in CA, you're so lucky to have the Sierra, the ocean, the desert, etc., all within driving distance. Weekend trips that don't cost a fortune are a reality. Flat-landers like me just read about the Sierra in backpacking magazines and dream of having the time and money to make trips out there. Unfortunately, those pesky things called bills and a job and not enough vacation time just keep getting in the way! Joe