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  1. riverstrider

    NFCT

    I have that book and it is an excellent resource; probably the most useful book for through paddlers there is to date. I definitely recommend checking out the blogs available on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail web site...a lot of great info that you won't necessarily find in any guidebooks...
  2. riverstrider

    Bent wood pole

    If it is a bend in the grain and not due to a knot, I believe it is no more or less likely to break than any wooden pole. Under normal use you should be good. Push the limits of the pole or get it caught between a couple rocks, and look out! -rs
  3. riverstrider

    Bigelow Brook to the Natchaug

    That was the first time I've done that whole run from top to bottom...what a corker! A little too much water to be considered a poling run, but what the hell, most of us poled most of it anyways! I managed to bend a pole trying to make an eddy. I made the eddy...standing beside my boat, lol! A...
  4. riverstrider

    Won't be long now

    The annual Natchaug River Poling Clinic was supposed to be this past Saturday. Thursday, an e-mail went out from the coordinator cancelling it due to high water, ice shelves, and an icy road down to the parking lot. Then we got even more rain, a warm day, and a lot of ice melt, so seven fools...
  5. riverstrider

    How much do you portage?

    I got my introduction to portages (and carries, in the Adirondacks) while doing trips on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Early on, I invested in a sturdy canoe cart, and to my relief have found that most of the portages and carries I have done were traversable on wheels. Including some that...
  6. riverstrider

    First paddle of the season

    Well, we got about an inch of rain on Saturday that halved our snowpack, and warmer temperatures this week could start things flowing. Our annual club's traditional "Icebreaker" trip on the Branch River is this coming Saturday, but I bet there will still be some snow and ice to deal with. At...
  7. riverstrider

    The longest canoe trip....

    I have been following them. Fascinating idea, and kudos to them for taking on the Mississippi upstream!! I wish them luck. Winter isn't over where they are headed. -rs
  8. riverstrider

    6 weeks til Spring

    Only down to 5 this morning, and a high of about 23 today. Things looking better for next week. Hard to believe that in less than 2 months I'll be visiting the White River in Vermont for some fun with flowing water...assuming it is actually flowing by then. -rs
  9. riverstrider

    There's no good canoeing in North America: A Rant

    "Snow is predicted in all 50 US states for the first seven days in March, more in Texas than Winnepeg." Really? Hawaii too? Kidding aside, I'm ready for this endless winter to end. At this pint I could care less about crowds, mosquitos, highway noise, or what have you, I just want to get out...
  10. riverstrider

    ​RIP JSaults

    I am sorry to hear of the passing of Jim. I am lucky to have met him down at Raystown, and as others have pointed out, he could definitely carry a campfire story circle. A great guy who lived a good life. -Chuck
  11. riverstrider

    Saranac Lakes over Columbus Day Weekend

    Thank you, Snapper! I see yknpdlr noticed the same thing. I knew that, but I must have been on Autopilot or something. I'll edit that. And yes to yknpdlr, I was aware of the free camping, and that is usually what I do when up in the Adirondacks. In fact, the last time I was in the Saranac...
  12. riverstrider

    Saranac Lakes over Columbus Day Weekend

    iI've been going stir crazy with this February weather, and needed to something about it. So I wrote this trip report! I intended it to be rather brief, but for me the magic is in the details, so it kinda got away from me. Hopefully you don't mind. This past fall, I was invited by a friend to...
  13. riverstrider

    6 weeks til Spring

    The way the snow keeps accumulating and the Arctic blasts keep blowing through, I think that dang varmint's estimate may be optimistic. I call BS on the 6 weeks. Maybe 7?
  14. riverstrider

    Sport or Lifestyle?

    I'm not sure I can define my experiences as either a sport or a lifestyle. Maybe an infection? Or an affliction? I'd be more inclined to consider it an infection since I was never interested in canoeing and kayaking until I was exposed to it and consequently infected. I believe I have been...
  15. riverstrider

    Journaling on your trip.

    I like that idea about bringing along the 10 day forecast so it can be compared to actual experiences, Mike! I usually take just some basic notes on what the weather is like, but not too specific. More like "It rained like hell" instead of "Heavy precipitation, temperature 54 degrees". I do...
  16. riverstrider

    Big storm reported for you folks back East!!!

    About five years ago I had never even heard of a roof rake. That year it snowed, and snowed, and snowed, and then rained, and roofs started collapsing, ice dams and roof leaks were common, and I saw the term "roof rake" somewhere on the interweb. Hmm. So I looked it up maybe about an hour after...
  17. riverstrider

    Big storm reported for you folks back East!!!

    We ended up with about 22-24", with a lot of deeper drifts. Fortunately the snow was nice and powdery, so power outages were not widespread (although it was an entirely different story on the Cape and the Islands). A tree went down about a half mile from me and took out the electricity, but...
  18. riverstrider

    Thoughts on a pole

    Ash usually holds up pretty well, but I would probably go with the 1 5/8 inch option to reduce the chance of snapping it. I think they sell pole feet too. -rs
  19. riverstrider

    What do paddlers do when the water is frozen?

    I'd love to say that I cross-country ski or hike during the winter when the water is crunchy, but that is mostly the exception. It is not often one gets enough snow in RI to ski (and I hate travelling far to ski), but it IS often that there is enough snow to make hiking impracticable. I try to...
  20. riverstrider

    Favorite tripping tip or trick learned on-line?

    Yeah, those were the ones. I have a ton of them from a tent canopy, the sides of which I had to dispose of. Just lately they solved a problem on how to most easily secure (and then take down) some holiday lighting. Handy little buggers. -rs
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