Category: Leisure

March 27, 2025 – New Year, New Gear, Part 7

March 27, 2025 / / 0 Comments

This week is all about water. I purchased an MSR, in-line filter. This is going to be my solution for water filtration and protection from water born pathogens. Not only is it more inexpensive than the pump filter but it is more compact as well. Don’t get me wrong, the filter itself was not cheap but at $50 it sure beats $300. It is supposed to be good for 1500 gallons, that should do for a while.

I decided to purchase the filter from a sporting goods, big box retailer. The price was a couple of dollars cheaper than Amazon or REI. More than price, I wanted to spend my money with an entity that holds the same values that I do. That would be primarily staunch second amendment support rather than wishy-washy at best. I will still patronize the others when they have what I need, but given the choice I want to spend my money where it matters.

I know, you probably do not care where I bought it or why I chose a particular retailer. The thing that kind of, sort of chaps my hide is that the filter came with a missing part. The female quick connect was not in the box. It appears if somebody opened the package, I can see that the paper is torn where there was a sticker holding the box together.

I can surely say that I don’t really know how to communicate this. I suppose that I could return it but the most important part is there, the filter. I can buy the missing component and move on. So that is what I am going to do. Time after time my experience with purchasing open packaging, this happens. Unfortunately, I bought it online and didn’t get to pick in the first place.

I have already mentioned this before but I do plan on purchasing a second filter as a back-up. In theory, I would get the component I am missing and I really only need one. But, I realized that there are cheaper in-line filters. The Sawyer brand is half the cost and is also a smaller form factor. I will most likely go in that direction rather than a direct replacement.

The plan is to splice the filter in between the reservoir outlet and the draw end, quick connection. This will be one compact, self contained package for the water that I need on the trail regardless of source. I think that this should work out nicely.

The other hydration bladder pictured is my backup that I will carry. This provides me with the confidence that should I have a problem with my primary one, I will have another. This is not just for backup however. The plan is that if I need to leave the trail for water, I can carry twice as much, eliminating the need to refill before the start of the day as well.

I specifically chose this hydration bladder for three reasons. It is 3 liters in size, it has a carry handle so that I can more easily carry it bare from the source and it fills from the bottom rather than a twist cap. My thoughts are that filling from the bottom allows for a more flexible way of collecting water if the source is shallow. I may have need to collect water in my secondary bladder so that I can transfer to my primary.

You know when the battle plan falls apart? On first contact with the enemy. My next purchase is going to be the tent. Once I have that, I am ready to switch from my training pack and start to do some overnights. I won’t have everything I want or am planning on buying but I will have everything I basically need for my trip. I need to get some familiarity with all of these things to make sure it is working as anticipated.

End Your Programming Routine: I have some backpacking experience so I am not going into this endeavor blind. That being said, a lot of my plan is theory or how I think it is going to work. I need to get to the testing phase as soon as possible so that I have time to maneuver if and when things don’t go as I am expecting. I will not be going far away from civilization and just for over night but it will be valuable insight that I need.

March 26, 2025 – Experimenting For Peace of Mind

March 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I am in the opening phases of meal planning. I am planning on using freeze dried meals for at least some of my meals, preferably both morning and evening. One of the things that I have no handle on whatsoever is how much fuel will I need for this. As with all containerized gas, even a fuel style gauge wouldn’t be terribly helpful other than giving something to worry about.

So, I set about running a test. How long does it take to heat up water to boiling and how long will a full cannister burn. From that information, I will be able to devise a usage calculation to tell me how much fuel will I need.

Technically speaking, I could probably do this on the trail during my practice runs. But I think an actual controlled experiment not only will give the information faster but also probably will be more accurate. Trying to keep track of stuff in the field is difficult unless you are extremely disciplined. I try to do this at the rifle range, even keeping notes and I still forget stuff all the time.

I performed this experiment using the 100 gram fuel cannister. It is the smallest and I would think the fastest to complete. I will extrapolate the results to a 230 gram cannister which is what I think I want to take with me but I don’t want to run the test for double the amount of time.

The other potential variable of the test is that I am burning a Jet Boil brand cannister. The larger size (more locally available) is the Kovea brand. I am going to assume that the fuel weights are as advertised and that both brands are the same fuel mixture generating the same BTUs.

Here are some variables that I cannot test here. The first one is elevation. Because air pressure is lower at higher elevation, water will boil at a lower temperature. This effect becomes prominent at elevations greater than 3000′. Assuming complete combustion (full BTU conversion), in theory elevation should add runtime to the stove.

Another is temperature. The outside temperature will presumably be lower in the morning and warmer in the evening. I performed my test at ambient basement temperature which was 62 degrees F. Those effects will possibly cancel each other out taking more time in the morning and less in the afternoon.

A larger temperature component would be the starting point of the water. I started with tap water which is probably around 40 degrees F. If my water is straight out of a mountain stream, it could be 33 degF. It could also come from my pack which may be 90 degF (I really hope not). So, that may range from no effect to longer run time.

The final variable I could test is how much water do I need to heat up? I ran two measurements 1L time and 1/2L time. For freeze dried meals, I will likely only need 1/2L but for breakfast, I very will want some coffee or tea. I think it is always better to heat up more than you need for cleaning purposes as well. I guess what I am saying is it seems like 1L is probably the realistic measurement.

To my surprise, the 100g cannister ran for two hours. I found that 1L took 9:20 to boil and 1/2L took 5:40. If I round up, I should get 12, 1L boils or 20, 1/2L boils. This tells me that one 230 gram cannister should be more than adequate for my meals for a week. That would be a 4.6 hour (276mins) run time with 27, 1L or 55, 1/2L boils.

One critical thing my test did show me is a result of the fact that I didn’t run it straight through. I found that the igniter only worked the first couple of times. I do see it sparking but I cannot say if that is a gas issue or an igniter issue. As a result, I will need to have a secondary ignition source. I already have a lighter in my pack so that should be good to go. More testing on this is definitely warranted.

End Your Programming Routine: I now have peace of mind. The only other consideration I may make is redundancy. If I choose to only bring one cannister and a leak develops or some other issue, I may be stuck. I could choose two 100g or one spare 100g or none at all. I have not yet decided if I want to bring a back-up. That is to be determined.

March 13, 2025 – A New Year, New Gear Part 6

March 13, 2025 / / 0 Comments

What you see below is my new stove. Did I need a new stove? Technically no. I have an old 1980s era stove and my son also has a Jet-Boil (this stove is very similar). I thought about just borrowing my son’s stove and I also thought about taking my old stove as well.

First and foremost, the stove I already have. It works. My younger son uses it on camping trips. I have no qualms about the function. The main disadvantage is that it is heavy. I would guess that it weighs around five pounds. I like the fact that it uses liquid fuel as I am not a fan of disposable cylinders. I have an aluminum bottle that I use but again, that is more weight and bulk.

Using my son’s Jet-Boil was the backup plan. At one point, he said that he wanted to go. I am hoping that he is actually working by the time that I am hiking. I figure worse case scenario, I can trade out this new stove with the old one that my younger son is using. While I am enjoying this process, I will only be doing it so many times and I can put the old stove into backup duty rather than primary duty.

Why FireMaple and not Jet-Boil? The best reason is that it is cheaper by about 50%. I heard about this on the Explore Oregon podcast a few months ago. It was a show about getting into backpacking and this is the brand the expert recommended. I have to say, looking at the two side by side, they seem comparable quality and function.

In addition to the stove, This ‘kit’ comes with a 1L cup, a fuel can stabilizer and a pan adapter. Each of these pieces can be purchased individually because you can buy a stripped down option that is just the stove and pot. There are a few other things that you can add like a pressure pot (for high elevation cooking) and a French Press screen for coffee or tea. I am definitely not looking to add more weight to my trip but I am not opposed to using this stove on more trips.

The fuel cannisters come in three sizes 100g, 230g or 450g. The nice thing about the design is that both the 100g and 230g cannisters nest in the pot. Unfortunately, the 230g cannister is large enough that the lid will not lock on but it still fits. I don’t have a 450g can but that is what I am planning on taking with me. I need to do some duration testing but I am planning on only taking one cannister with me. The less the weight and bulk the better.

The stove does have a built-in igniter. I think that I will pack a secondary ignition source as well. I haven’t decided if it will be matches or a lighter. I like matches better but they limit your attempts. The old, strike anywhere matches I could light off of a zipper or rock but the the new matches are just not the same. If you wear out, lose or get your OEM striker, you matches are toast. So, it will probably be a lighter.

No doubt that this is a highly desired luxury. A water system failure can have deadly consequences. Dehydration and parasites are no joke. A stove is technically not required. In fact a friend suggested that I could eat cold freeze dried meal if I was looking to keep weight and cost down. No, not really but if I run out of fuel, it is not the end of the trip. From the other perspective, I suppose I could technically boil water so it is just another option in the toolbox.

End Your Programming Routine: Believe it or not, I am starting to get all of the necessities collected and moving onto the luxuries. The next purchase is going to be a water filter, definitely a necessity. I have plans of getting my tent at the beginning of next month. I am looking forward to that because then I can start doing some overnights. I will also switch over to my new pack on my weekend hikes carrying all the gear I will have with me.

March 6, 2025 – Do You See Me?

March 6, 2025 / / 0 Comments

Early last week, I caught the crud. As a result, I took the whole week off. Trust me, I needed to because I could not breathe anyway. The photo below was taken the weekend before, when I was on my long hike. It was the first time I saw a game animal in the area that I have been hiking.

As I have been exploring the area, I see all of these great places that seem like ideal hunting spots. This is a research forest belonging to Oregon State University. As such, hunting is severely limited. I keep thinking that there should be an elk heard right there and I know that there are several in the area. Regardless, it makes me happy to see game. I just hope that I don’t have an unexpected cougar encounter.

I didn’t have a solid plan other than I wanted to go as far as I could before the weather started to change. Downpours were predicted to start around noon and unfortunately, I couldn’t leave until after 11AM because my wife wanted me to stop at the post office before I left. They keep extremely limited hours on Saturday only being open 11AM-1PM.

You might think, knowing all of that then maybe I should have targeted getting out of the house earlier. True, that might have been a better plan but by the time I got going and had breakfast it was 9AM. I really didn’t want to rush my training just so that I could make it to the Post Office in time. And my sickness aside, I need to have the mindset that I am going no matter the weather or other environmental factors.

True to forecast, it started drizzling at about 12:30pm. After about a half an hour, I stopped and re-arranged my pack to put my poncho on top. I told myself that if it gets much worse than this, I am going to put my poncho on. It never really got worse than intermittent drizzle until I was ten minutes from the car when it started actually raining. I figured I would suck it up and just get out of there which is what I did.

The final numbers on my hike was right at 10 miles in four hours. What I noticed is that each week I challenge myself, it gets slightly easier. From that I am gleaning, what I am doing is working. Was it hard? Absolutely it was. Did I feel like I wasn’t going to survive like on week one? No. I had to stop and catch my breath at times, my shoulders ached at points and my joints were ready to be done at mile eight, but I did it.

As I stated at the beginning, I didn’t have a real plan. The only real thought I had was to continue to explore this trail system that I have been working through. I wanted to take new routes and get familiar with all of the nuances. I had a rough idea that I was going to go to a new trail via a different route. My idea was to get to this new trail and go half a mile up the trail and turn around. By the time I got half a mile in, I wasn’t completely sure that I was on the trail that I thought I was on.

I looked at the map and I told myself that I should be meeting another trail within a couple of tenths of a mile. If not, I would backtrack the way I came all the way back to the car. As it turns out, I met the intersecting trail right where I expected it to be and so I carried on. The point I am making is that it is that desire to push a little bit farther, and then a little bit farther that is the mindset to get do more each week.

It is not like you are completely alone out there. As I was having doubts about my route a trail runner came by. If it came down to it, I would ask somebody as they seem to come around every thirty minutes or so. The area has hikers, bikers and horse riders. I have seen all three.

End Your Programming Routine: I keep telling myself that I have to embrace the suck. I distinctly remember shortchanging my half marathon training because I wanted and excuse to not do it. I literally wanted to not be fit enough to race. What actually motivated me to run was signing up. Once I had a date, I knew that I had to be ready. I probably will never be as ready as I like for this hike but I am making strides.

February 27, 2025 – A New Year, New Gear Part 5

February 27, 2025 /

Despite the fact that I listen to podcasts all day long, I have made a habit of not having anything in my ears while I do my long Saturday hikes. It is me and my thoughts with the idea that this is how it is going to be on my actual PCT hike as well as I need some time to engage with the brain. One of the things that I have come to the realization is that there are only six paydays between now and when I was thinking of doing my hike.

Paydays are how I advance my agenda. I try to plan and spend $50-75 each time and I have all of my gear wants listed out. Clearly, there are some things that are more than that like my tent, so that is excluded but this trip is coming up fast. But when I do buy my tent, I will not be spending the $50-75 that I would spend on a normal pay period. There are four items that fit that bill remaining. Today is not one of them.

After my experiment with the generic water reservoir, I have decided that concept is going to work for me. I purchased the Gregory 3L reservoir for a particular reason. Because my pack is also a Gregory, I figured that a complimentary water reservoir would have some advantages. As you can see there is a specific hook to hang it in my pack.

Is the upgrade over generic worth the money? Well, lets talk about some of the features that are different with the Gregory over the generic. The first one I already mentioned. Second, the tubing disconnect is placed in a position that you can leave the feed tube threaded through the pack and still take the reservoir out to refill. One of my future purchases is going to be an in-line filter that I will ultimately splice between the outlet and the tube connector. This will be my plan to have safe drinking water on this trip.

When the reservoir is out, there is a carry handle that the generic does not have. At the outlet point, there is a hook so that it can be hung upside down for cleaning and drying purposes. At the dispensing point, there is another on/off valve. This is nice because I have experienced some leakage with my generic model. A pinch on the supply nipple will cause this. Finally, the Gregory has a rare earth magnet connection that I am using as an extra securing point. But it could also be used to retrofit packs that don’t have the tubing loop on the shoulder strap.

Is the $35 reservoir better than the $20 reservoir? I would say in every way and this is particularly true when matching the Gregory reservoir and pack. I haven’t fully investigated this and there is nothing wrong with a Camel Back or other premium brands. I suspect that some of the benefits are negated when mixing brands of packs and reservoirs.

I don’t plan to throw out my generic reservoir. It will have a place in my gear as a utility item or backup because I have more than one pack. Ideally, I would like to have one drying while I use one. I simply plan to use the one with the best features on my hike.

I am going to have to make critical decisions when it comes to what I pack. I am seriously considering packing two bladders for the reason that at some points, water will not be on the trail. It will be an extra mile or two to water off the trail. My thoughts are after hiking fifteen miles, I am going to want as much water in one trip rather than making one at the end of the night and then in the morning.

The second reservoir would be for the purposes of carrying water for cooking cleaning rather than making two trips. I would plan to hike with it empty. In addition to that, what if the one I am carrying malfunctions? The trip is over. I cannot realistically carry backups for every item but the ones that are critical survival cannot be overlooked.

The other little package are some clips for straps. I plan on trying to address my pack constantly loosening with these. Unfortunately, I purchased the wrong size and I have the right size coming. They were not expensive but I do not know if they will work. More on this to come in the future.

End Your Programming Routine: As I alluded to at the beginning, this thing is coming fast. I need to be thinking of stringing multiple days together and not just procuring the necessary gear to get started. Picking and choosing gear in the right order is critical to enabling training as I go along. I am targeting my tent by Spring Break time so that I can start unlocking the next level of training.

February 25, 2025 – Who Doesn’t Want This?

February 25, 2025 /

Towards the end of last year, things were humming along on my techno junk front. Last year, I completed my surround sound project. I purchased a couple of scanners, I bought a home base radio. The next thing I was going to focus on was an antenna. All of a sudden I realized that I needed to refocus my resources on my hike or I was going to run out of time. Hence the New Year, New Gear series that I have been running.

Despite my focus on my hike, I still check Craigslist every couple of days just to see if there are any deals out there. My criteria for deals are not just cheap but also close. I will use eBay for used things. There is plenty of old, out of date or out of fashion or just plain used there.

Sometimes, I see inexpensive items on Craigslist. When I was looking for subwoofers, I probably looked for over a year. While I waffled whether I really wanted one or not, the thought of coordinating a meetup and driving over an hour was not really a deal for me. This was especially true when I could pay the same amount on eBay and have it shipped. After looking for a year, what is another week or two.

By that same token, I saw some speakers for sale locally. They were $30 and in town. I had been thinking that I would like to have an extra set of speakers so I wouldn’t have to tear my setup apart when my wife want’s to have a birthday party or karaoke. That is what I consider a deal. Technically, I didn’t need it. I didn’t necessarily want it either but it was hard to refuse. Incidentally, I haven’t used them at all in the three years since I bought them.

What I find on Craigslist is a lot of the same things for a long time. A lot of it is nearly useless items like old electronic vacuum tubes or things that I have no interest in like a 10 year old Kindle or something like that. Every once in a while I see something that I have see more of, that is today. What the heck is a paranormal kit?

When you read the description, the seller is now into baseball cards, not chasing ghosts… what? Clearly this is an individual that falls hard into their hobbies, but what niche ones they are. I grew up in the golden age of baseball cards. That would be the late 1980s. I learned recently that the exclusivity that Topps had, expired. As a result, new companies like Donruss and Upper Deck all of the sudden appeared. This caused the value of cards of all era cards to become very popular somewhat lucrative. Something like a Don Mattingly rookie card was worth $20 at the time. But, once the gold rush became industrial extraction, the market never saw the extreme highs of the time again.

Back to relevant business. I wouldn’t say that I don’t believe in ghosts but I am skeptical. I am open to the idea but I have also never felt or seen something to make me believe otherwise. Part of me would like to think it isn’t that much money to perform some experiments. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a device called “Ghost Detector”? Can you imagine the Halloween parties that you could throw?

The point being, sometimes I run across interesting things. When that happens, I look at the extra pictures and my mind starts to wander about who is this person? What would cause them to fall so deep in a rabbit hole? Would I allow myself to get in such position? Regardless of the thing that they are into, I find it fascinating.

End Your Programming Routine: My techno junk fascination will continue to march on at some point in the future. I was thinking back to this time last year and it was all about prepping to work away from home or at least my office. That was several months of my incidental spending money but it was also for the stage in my life. I was buying portable monitors and do dads for productivity. This too will pass and then it will be back to where I left off. Tell that to my shooting and reloading pantry as well.

February 20, 2025 – For Pain and Gain

February 20, 2025 /

If you look closely, you can see that I made it to the snow line this week. That is not because I went higher but because the weather got quite a bit colder. I took the same general route that I did the week before for the first part of my hike and my goal was to measure if there was any effect of my struggle the previous week. I am happy to report that I could see minor improvement.

This was a celebratory moment for me. It means that not only did I make measurable progress but that it was a sign that I was going to make it. Don’t get me wrong, I have a long, long way to go but this trip was a sense that what I am doing is working. Trust me, I don’t really embrace the suck but I know that it is necessary for my goals.

Before we get too carried away, I want to report on the bike. I got the basement cleaned up and the bike is setup but I have yet to seriously use it (at the time of this hike). So, I can’t claim that made any difference at this point. The week after the hike I used the bike a couple of times.

I don’t really have a solid plan yet. Part of the reason for the bike is when I can’t get a walk in outside be it daylight or weather or whatever. Because I live on flat ground and limited distances I can go, I am thinking of using the bike in addition to walking. The goal is to bolster cardiovascular fitness with the bike.

Last weekend we were at the beach so I have not tested the bike work yet. I also do not plan on taking the same route every week. Remember my theory of goal setting, the joy is in the process and not the achievement of the goal. I want to get to know as much of the trail system as I possibly can which means different routes each week. It is the same reason why my daily walks vary every day. Otherwise it feels too much like walking on a track.

The good news is that at my stage of fitness, I don’t have to continue pushing boundaries like distance. Doing repetitive hikes and even shorter ones can yield benefit. I was looking at the data from my hike the week before and I saw that my heart rate went as high as 153. That is too much stress.

The conventional wisdom says that your maximum heart rate should be 180 – minus your age. That makes my max heart rate to be 130. For that reason, I made this hike shorter. I don’t know if I totally buy that but the reality is that I am out of shape and midlife, I probably should be mindful of my boundaries. There is also spotty cell phone coverage in this area. Getting medical help in timely fashion is an iffy proposition.

This is not a race, I am not timing myself and measuring improvement. I am measuring improvement by how I feel and my ability to keep on going. Putting one foot in front of the other will eventually accomplish the goal.

End Your Programming Routine: As I head out the door to these longer weekend hikes, I have dread. I hope to someday look forward to doing these and enjoying the experience but right now it is necessity. I can’t afford to skip many of these and expect to not pay for it on my PCT hike. As long as I can be confident in my fitness, I am looking forward to that hike but I have a ways to go.

February 6, 2025 – A New Year, New Gear Part 4

February 6, 2025 /

The beat goes on, the beat goes on. I got some new gear this week. It is a convoluted picture but one is a bike trainer and the other is a Maxpedition MOLLE utility pouch as seen on my pack. Neither is directly involved in my trip but both are necessary at this time for training purposes.

I am not a wimp by any means, but I am motivated by my comfort and safety. As a result, if I can’t get my daily practice walk in during the daylight hours it doesn’t happen. For this reason, I am adding the bike trainer. There is a second, good reason as well.

Last weekend I did my first trail hike. I would have liked to die based on my fitness level. I planned a 6.8 mile hike but little did I know that it took an extra mile to get to the trail head. Within the first 0.15 miles after climbing a large hill, I was already huffing and puffing. At two miles in I was thinking I wasn’t going to do the whole thing but I would see how far I could go. By mile three I was going from tree to tree to catch my breath. I made it on sheer will power but it proved to me that I have a long, long way to go.

Overall, I did 8 miles in four hours. The previous week I did 8.5 miles in 2 hours 40 minutes. Flat land walks after work are just not going to cut it. I need more, hence I ordered the bike trainer. I am hoping to add bike training as a cross training opportunity as well as a supplemental one when I can’t get out there.

I will admit that I just set it up and have done some test pedaling. Will it ultimately work? I guess we will have to see. I will be honest, this trainer has been something that I have wanted to get since I was in college when I dreamed of regularly mountain biking. I would like to do more bicycling and this seems like a way to stay in bicycling shape. Getting on a bike once a year is a good way to end up with sore contact points.

For those of you saying ‘that is fancy’ I would say maybe. But it was only $80 and you use the bike you already own. Not only that, the bike is not stuck on the trainer, it can be removed and ridden with one quick release connector. It also folds up and so you can ride you bike, bring it in and train. Certainly, you can pay a lot more money as this is no Peloton. While specialized equipment yield the best results, this is a low barrier of entry.

It is recommended that the back tire be changed to a slick tire. I figure, I will wear out the one that is on there before I do that because changing a rear tire is a hassle. I kind of don’t want to either because it is neutering my mountain bike. Who am I kidding, I haven’t mountain biked in thirty years, why start now. I have considered even buying a new bike and converting my current bike into a casual rider. That is if I actually start riding more.

The pouch is for the dog training remote. I don’t always take it but I should. Since I have started this effort in earnest, the dog starts going crazy when I put on my shoes and stalking cap after work. She is good and trainable, unlike me. I am working on not pulling like a sled dog on the leash and the training collar is the most effective tool for the job.

In the early fall I was training the heel command. She definitely seems to have that down. As a result I put the training collar down and incrementally she started pulling again. What I have discovered is that it is difficult to hold the leash and the remote at the same time. When I put it in my pocket, it is hard to access and is prone to errant triggering. That is definitely no bueno. So I thought I would try this.

As tacticoolly enamored as I am, I am drawn to all the gear and do-dads that company’s make to add to the MOLLE web system. This is no exception but it is my first. I am not even attaching it to a MOLLE web but that is OK. I just want a secure place to store my training remote that has easy access and won’t shock my dog carrying it.

End Your Programming Routine: Strictly speaking, the dog is not required for training and she is certainly not going on the hike. But, she loves it and there is no reason that if I am just walking around town I shouldn’t take her. If she is going, then so is the remote. The bike trainer is in lieu of joining a gym to extend my training hours and by proxy get as fit as I can before the hike. So, neither is needed for my trip but both are critical for my trip going well.

January 30, 2025 – Roads of Our Fathers

January 30, 2025 /

It is a hike of sorts, but it is mostly on paved roads. I have done this twice now and that is a perimeter walk around the defunct military base called Camp Adair. It was a World War II training facility used to gear up soldiers primarily for the European theater. It was a POW camp for a short period of time and it was a nuclear radar facility up until 1969.

The extent of the base is much larger than what today is the official portion of the wildlife area. As an example, in the picture below the closest hill in the picture is actually a garbage dump. This was originally an artillery range which was deemed too dangerous to reclaim as productive land. In the surrounding area, unexploded ordinance is still occasionally found.

What today is the wildlife area was originally the heart of the base. You can see from the picture that I am standing on a paved road. This is an actual road around that heart. I am amazed that something paved over eighty years ago still looks this good. As you walk around the property, most of what remains are foundations and footings. There are still some structures, those contain the active facilities of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. By and large it is whatever the earth has reclaimed since it’s former mission.

I have lived within five to ten miles from this facility most of my life. It sits in-between where I grew up and where I live now. As I have been walking this loop, I have encountered hunters running dogs, I assume rabbit hunting. While I have fished the stocked pond a number of times, it makes me feel like I have not taken advantage of the hunting opportunities throughout my life.

This is one of those places that gets tons of multipurpose use. The newish archery range has been packed since it was built ten years ago. Mostly what I have known was the fishing pond. It is one of the rare places that people fish all year long. The most consistent year around users are dog and people walkers, My parents have picked blackberries, I see many apple trees and who knows what else can be found. The flat, paved roads make a leisurely bike paths. So, while it is a designated sporting property, many other people use it as well.

If you are paying attention, then the title might sound vaguely familiar. Yes, I modified it from the Clint Eastwood film ‘Flags of Our Fathers’. This movie is a historical recreation of the invasion of Iwa Jima. I think the point of the film is to highlight the grit of the figures instrumental in raising the flag on that island. For that reason, it is not purely rah rah patriotisms but showing the fabric and foundation of what people went through to complete an assigned task.

My grandfather was at training here. He was drafted where he promptly dropped out of college playing football for Oregon State University. Then he went to basic training at Camp White and finally here at Camp Adair before shipping out to drive Jeeps around both Europe and the South Pacific. As I walk around the perimeter, I cant help but wonder Is this a road that he was on eighty years ago?

For me, it is a little more emotional question than average. What I mean is not the street or the location but the exact pavement that was there. The level of fear and uncertainty that was awaiting deployment must have been palpable. He arrived in France in 1944 as the war was inevitably winding down. But, during those training years of 42 and 43 the outcome was far from determined.

With Europe in hand, they sent him to Okinawa to serve out his term. The Americans were heavily involved in rebuilding both theaters but Asia was almost exclusively American. Even today, Okinawa has the largest permanent military presence outside of the United States.

Was he a hero in the Iwa Jima sense? Probably not. He never talked about the war even when asked. The only story I ever heard from him was being offered wine in France. As the son of an violent alcoholic, he never drank. I had an assignment in US History to ask a Vet about their experience. I don’t think my teacher had much appreciation for the pain and trauma that war really had. I had three combat vets as immediate relatives and really don’t have a single story, just vague innuendo.

End Your Programming Routine: We have had a nice clear snap for the last several weeks. With the cold north wind blowing on me, I keep imagining this place filled with buildings, people and vehicles. I hear gunshots, not from rifles or artillery but a shotgun blast from a hopeful hunter. These are the roads of our fathers.

Log into YouTube to watch the whole movie “Flags of Our Fathers”. Link below.

January 23, 2025 – A New Year, New Gear Part 3

January 23, 2025 /

It is not as sexy as a new pack for sure. But one of my worries has been having enough water during the day. I have never been in love with the water bladder but it might be something I warm up to. The volume, form factor, weight and the fact that all packs are designed for it are starting to change my mind. The one I have pictured is what I am calling my practice setup.

The reason it is practice is two fold. The bladder pictured is smaller than I intend on carrying. It is also sized to carry in some of my smaller packs that will use for day hikes and less ambitious endeavors. The other is that it is inexpensive. I plan on primarily filling it with water and just carrying around for additional training weight. I would rather do that with a $10 item than a $50 item.

I have been thinking. I may in fact choose to carry two bladders. Here me out, if water is a mile away, then I don’t want to fill up at the end of the day and then cook, wash, etc only to have to go back another mile the next day before starting. That would give me the capacity to carry additional water to the camp site without making an extra trip.

It is also a known fact that I am preparedness minded. Water is primary to life, I can loose all my food to a bear or something but without water, that can be terminal. If for some reason my one reservoir breaks, doesn’t hold water or doesn’t work there are no other options. I was also trying to solve how to carry up to 6L of water, I think this is it.

My boys are users of water bladders for years. It is common for me to see them sitting on the dish drying rack for a month while I patiently wait for the boys to deal with them until I finally have had enough. For that reason, I invested in a cleaning kit that also includes a hanger or spreader. I take care of my stuff, even cheap stuff but I hope that they will too.

To the far right, is the worlds most expensive piece of aluminum. Of course the purpose is to dig holes. Reading the instructions, I was surprised to read that the initial digging was with the handle. Then you flip and pry with the spade side. We all know what the holes are for, but it would be useful for clearing tent sites and other things a shovel is for.

I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t appreciate water and sanitation. You might even say that I take it for granted because I have never really been effected by the lack thereof. That being said, I am a student of history and take any pre-modern event and look at the lack of sanitation. The Oregon Trail being a very famous one but more people died from disease than the battle field in Civil War.

It is not to say that pre-modern man dug holes before doing business but in a concentrated area like the PCT, nobody wants to see that. That is the real purpose, not that it is going to contaminate the earth. Another interesting factoid that I heard on the Outside podcast was that in the Grand Canyon, everything needs to be packed out, everything. Supposedly, the humidity is so low that waste never decomposes, so it is not allowed.

This is exactly the kind of thing that needs some practice and that is why I am working to get geared up in order to do that. Maybe I will find I don’t like the bladder, I haven’t used it but I have carried it. I chose the shovel because it was light. If it sucks digging holes, then it would be a lot better to know that now so I can start looking for and alternative.

End Your Programming Routine: Not every week am I going to be able to buy (and write about) new gear. Next week will be one of them. I am not sure exactly what is next on the gear list. Clearly, I have been on a buying frenzy since the beginning of the year. Christmas, my birthday and good fortune have aligned for that. No matter what I choose, I have a list of things and I will keep plugging at it until it is time to go. However you slice it, water and sanitation are not sexy but critical.