Monday, December 27, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Homeless for the Holidays
Being homeless over the holidays opens up a lot of possibilities. It is definitely a major plus to have the opportunity to travel around and see family and friends without having to spend time at your home base. You also don't have to worry about wasting time decorating or cleaning up the mess after entertaining.... but there are a couple of potential downsides:
1. Picking & Choosing.
You can't be everywhere and you have no place that you need to be... so you might get several invitations that you aren't going to be able to take advantage of. This can cause stress (especially if your mom is on the "not gonna make it" list*). My solution? Move around... The holidays last at least from Xmas Eve to New Year's Eve.... you should be able to get to a to at least 3 or 4 spots during the week and hit as many people as possible. Those who live more remotely may have to be left out, but they'll probably understand.
Keep in mind that if you choose to go the Homeless by Choice route, you're friends and family will eventually get used to the idea and start expecting you to stay with them more often. That kinda defeats the purpose of living a life of travel.. ("couch-surfing-by-choice" is a different blog)... This is never more of an issue than it is at the holidays.
2. Cooking in a Borrowed Kitchen.
This can be a real challenge if you like to cook. One of the best trade-outs for some couch space and a place to stay that doesn't have a front desk is to cook for your host (unless you suck at cooking, in which case, you should take your hosts our to a nice restaurant). Putting together a great roast, side dishes and maybe some foie gras (if you feel like being fancy) is am excellent way to enjoy the holidays and feel like you're giving something back to the wonderful person/people who took you in off the streets during this festive time of the year. But, searching for spices that don't exist, cringing at the spices that do, wondering why there are only metal cooking utensils and non-stick pans and being unsure about where anything is can be a bit daunting. You might have to hit a Williams-Sonoma in order to do it right. This year, that brought a double bonus for me: First, I can gift the new stuff to my host at the end of the holiday cook-a-thon (except for the Shun limited edition Edo Chef's knife... that is MINE!). Second, they offered a $10 gift certificate for every $50 I spent in the store... which makes another great gift.
Not that into cooking and not wanting to invest much in someone else's kitchen set up? Got to Walmart and buy a Crockpot and $12 in spices & vegetables to go with that roast or duck... even if you don't cook much, it is hard to screw that up. AND, you can still leave the crock-pot behind as a gift!
Merry Xmas from the happiest homeless guy you know.
-RJP
( * I am going to see my mom over the holidays... of course!)
1. Picking & Choosing.
You can't be everywhere and you have no place that you need to be... so you might get several invitations that you aren't going to be able to take advantage of. This can cause stress (especially if your mom is on the "not gonna make it" list*). My solution? Move around... The holidays last at least from Xmas Eve to New Year's Eve.... you should be able to get to a to at least 3 or 4 spots during the week and hit as many people as possible. Those who live more remotely may have to be left out, but they'll probably understand.
Keep in mind that if you choose to go the Homeless by Choice route, you're friends and family will eventually get used to the idea and start expecting you to stay with them more often. That kinda defeats the purpose of living a life of travel.. ("couch-surfing-by-choice" is a different blog)... This is never more of an issue than it is at the holidays.
2. Cooking in a Borrowed Kitchen.
 |
| If you like to cook and are heading into a borrowed kitchen, stop at the store and get the spices/seasonings you'll want. |
Not that into cooking and not wanting to invest much in someone else's kitchen set up? Got to Walmart and buy a Crockpot and $12 in spices & vegetables to go with that roast or duck... even if you don't cook much, it is hard to screw that up. AND, you can still leave the crock-pot behind as a gift!
 |
| If you buy supplies for a borrowed kitchen during the holidays, said supplies could make a great gift for your host. Especially if your homeless... no one travels with a Crockpot. |
Merry Xmas from the happiest homeless guy you know.
-RJP
( * I am going to see my mom over the holidays... of course!)
Friday, December 17, 2010
Skiing isn't Casual*
There are some athletic recreational activities that just can't be done casually.
Want to go running? Put on some decent footwear and go.
Basketball? Basket, Ball: Done.
Frisbee? Find a friend and you're good.
Skiing? Not so much.
I took the 2009/2010 ski season completely off. I was busy. Really Busy. (and maybe my back was a little out-of-whack after the Baja 1000 debacle). This year, I have a couple of opportunities to ski on the agenda, so I thought I'd get the first day of the season in last week... but I really didn't put much effort or energy into the plan. I had my boots & clothes shipped out to Nevada and I figured: Free Day, rent some sticks and go ski! It was okay.... but it wasn't simple and it reminded me just how much goes into "going skiing" for most people.
You might have noticed the asterisk in the title? Well, a few years ago, I was living in the ski village of Telluride. I had put off the hobby for a couple of years while living in Colorado, but fell off the wagon at the end of the 2005 season. In '06/'07, I was on slopes (at least part of) 50 days and I had a permanent seat/office at Tracks Bar, right at the base of the main lift. That year, skiing became casual... send a few emails and make a few calls in the AM, head to the office and get some stuff done, get back to the village, jump into ski clothes, throw skis over shoulder and walk to the lift... get a couple of runs in and settle in at my other office for end of day emails. But, if you don't live in a ski village, skiing isn't casual. Here are the biggest Hurdles:
Location:
Getting there probably won't be easy.
You have to find a mountain. I've skied in just about every part of the country now, from the Southeast's "better than nothing" hills to the Mid-Atlantic's "Good if you don't know any better" (Growing up in Jersey, I first skied in the Poconos). I went to college in New England and my school had it's own ski hill (which I honestly spent more time running up in the non-snow months than I did skiing down for the couple of years that it was open... and (maybe) there was some drinking going on up there from time to time.). I did one of my honeymoon's at a ski resort in Vermont. I've even gotten some time on slopes in Switzerland and France. After last week, I can check off the Sierra's.... but nothing compares to the Rockies. Get there if you can. Telluride, Crested Butte, Vail and several lesser-known but very skiable resorts all around Colorado are my recommendation. Expect at least one connecting flight and if you aren't driving out of Denver or Salt Lake, you'll probably have at least one small plane involved (my daughter was scarred for life by a commuter flight over the Rockies...). If you do drive... expect snow & ice: Duh.
Clothing:
Don't try to fake it.
O'Niel makes a great pair of water repellant, insulated Ski-Jeans, the line is called "Freedom". Only one problem: they really LOOK just like regular jeans... so if you wear them on the hill look like someone from Texas or Alabama who never skis... unless you ski really well or know everyone in the town (I banked on the latter), don't wear any jeans on the mountain... even ski-jeans.
You'll need layers. You'll need purpose made ski clothes for your outer layer. You might get away with sunglasses, but you should have goggles. Get a helmet (if nothing else, they are seriously warm). You'll need good socks. Expect your clothing to cost you at least as much as your plane flight. Get good clothes to stay warm, be flexible and be able to enjoy the trip. Get new ski clothes (at least) every year if you want to keep up with the social scene Après ski.
Equipment:
Skis, Boots, Poles, etc, etc....
More than most 'recreational' activities (exception: SCUBA Diving), skiing requires equipment. Renting is an option, but expect it to be about half the cost of your lift ticket, at least. If you're going to ski more than 6 or 8 days a year, buying skis probably makes sense. If you plan ahead and buy your skis in the Spring or Summer from last year's line, it definitely makes sense... as long as you are okay with paying to have them as extra luggage. Seriously, skiing isn't casual or cheap.
Listen to what the shop guys tell you... especially at the rental counter. Just because your buddy who lives in the ski town uses Volkl 210's doesn't mean that you should.
Boots are the trick. If you don't buy your own and have them custom fit you'll be lucky if you don't spend at least part of your day wishing you hadn't spent so much time and effort and money to get to the slopes because you'd rather just take the damn boots off and sit by a fake fire in your hotel room.
Lift Tickets:
Skiing isn't free.
$88/day-ish... maybe a little less, maybe a little more. That's for 6-8 good runs if the lines are long and you don't know your way around a new hill. If you can hook up with someone who knows the hill (and your actual ability!) you'll probably make the most of your time until you learn the routes and lifts you like.
Ability:
You can't buy this, but it isn't free.
You can get seriously hurt skiing... and you can hurt other people. Great skiers die every year... and not just in some fresh powder-filled shoot beyond the boundary line past the "no hiking" signs... like on blue runs and after being run into by other skiers. Get lessons. I skied off and on for 20 years before I actually took a lesson (thank you Kim!) and it made a world of difference in my enjoyment of the activity. I wasn't skiing by sheer force of will anymore (despite rumors... most of the time... sorta).
Expect your legs to be sore and don't be surprised if your feet and back hurt if you've been out of practice or never done it before. Even if you are experienced, there's nothing wrong with some blue or (gasp) even a green run to get warmed up.
So, do I recommend skiing? Not if you want a casual weekend trip.
But, if you are looking for an awesome and challenging physical activity, have a fair amount of time and not-insignificant amount of money to spend on it, skiing can be a great sport. Great people, beautiful locations, towns built around hospitality, some fitness, cool gear and great bars & restaurants are what you can expect if you really get into it.... but, you have to commit.... skiing isn't causal.
-RJP
Want to go running? Put on some decent footwear and go.
Basketball? Basket, Ball: Done.
Frisbee? Find a friend and you're good.
Skiing? Not so much.
 |
| Crappy Weather might mean that any single planned day of skiing isn't exactly perfect. |
I took the 2009/2010 ski season completely off. I was busy. Really Busy. (and maybe my back was a little out-of-whack after the Baja 1000 debacle). This year, I have a couple of opportunities to ski on the agenda, so I thought I'd get the first day of the season in last week... but I really didn't put much effort or energy into the plan. I had my boots & clothes shipped out to Nevada and I figured: Free Day, rent some sticks and go ski! It was okay.... but it wasn't simple and it reminded me just how much goes into "going skiing" for most people.
You might have noticed the asterisk in the title? Well, a few years ago, I was living in the ski village of Telluride. I had put off the hobby for a couple of years while living in Colorado, but fell off the wagon at the end of the 2005 season. In '06/'07, I was on slopes (at least part of) 50 days and I had a permanent seat/office at Tracks Bar, right at the base of the main lift. That year, skiing became casual... send a few emails and make a few calls in the AM, head to the office and get some stuff done, get back to the village, jump into ski clothes, throw skis over shoulder and walk to the lift... get a couple of runs in and settle in at my other office for end of day emails. But, if you don't live in a ski village, skiing isn't casual. Here are the biggest Hurdles:
Location:
Getting there probably won't be easy.
You have to find a mountain. I've skied in just about every part of the country now, from the Southeast's "better than nothing" hills to the Mid-Atlantic's "Good if you don't know any better" (Growing up in Jersey, I first skied in the Poconos). I went to college in New England and my school had it's own ski hill (which I honestly spent more time running up in the non-snow months than I did skiing down for the couple of years that it was open... and (maybe) there was some drinking going on up there from time to time.). I did one of my honeymoon's at a ski resort in Vermont. I've even gotten some time on slopes in Switzerland and France. After last week, I can check off the Sierra's.... but nothing compares to the Rockies. Get there if you can. Telluride, Crested Butte, Vail and several lesser-known but very skiable resorts all around Colorado are my recommendation. Expect at least one connecting flight and if you aren't driving out of Denver or Salt Lake, you'll probably have at least one small plane involved (my daughter was scarred for life by a commuter flight over the Rockies...). If you do drive... expect snow & ice: Duh.
Clothing:
Don't try to fake it.
O'Niel makes a great pair of water repellant, insulated Ski-Jeans, the line is called "Freedom". Only one problem: they really LOOK just like regular jeans... so if you wear them on the hill look like someone from Texas or Alabama who never skis... unless you ski really well or know everyone in the town (I banked on the latter), don't wear any jeans on the mountain... even ski-jeans.
You'll need layers. You'll need purpose made ski clothes for your outer layer. You might get away with sunglasses, but you should have goggles. Get a helmet (if nothing else, they are seriously warm). You'll need good socks. Expect your clothing to cost you at least as much as your plane flight. Get good clothes to stay warm, be flexible and be able to enjoy the trip. Get new ski clothes (at least) every year if you want to keep up with the social scene Après ski.
Equipment:
Skis, Boots, Poles, etc, etc....
More than most 'recreational' activities (exception: SCUBA Diving), skiing requires equipment. Renting is an option, but expect it to be about half the cost of your lift ticket, at least. If you're going to ski more than 6 or 8 days a year, buying skis probably makes sense. If you plan ahead and buy your skis in the Spring or Summer from last year's line, it definitely makes sense... as long as you are okay with paying to have them as extra luggage. Seriously, skiing isn't casual or cheap.
Listen to what the shop guys tell you... especially at the rental counter. Just because your buddy who lives in the ski town uses Volkl 210's doesn't mean that you should.
Boots are the trick. If you don't buy your own and have them custom fit you'll be lucky if you don't spend at least part of your day wishing you hadn't spent so much time and effort and money to get to the slopes because you'd rather just take the damn boots off and sit by a fake fire in your hotel room.
Lift Tickets:
Skiing isn't free.
$88/day-ish... maybe a little less, maybe a little more. That's for 6-8 good runs if the lines are long and you don't know your way around a new hill. If you can hook up with someone who knows the hill (and your actual ability!) you'll probably make the most of your time until you learn the routes and lifts you like.
Ability:
You can't buy this, but it isn't free.
You can get seriously hurt skiing... and you can hurt other people. Great skiers die every year... and not just in some fresh powder-filled shoot beyond the boundary line past the "no hiking" signs... like on blue runs and after being run into by other skiers. Get lessons. I skied off and on for 20 years before I actually took a lesson (thank you Kim!) and it made a world of difference in my enjoyment of the activity. I wasn't skiing by sheer force of will anymore (despite rumors... most of the time... sorta).
Expect your legs to be sore and don't be surprised if your feet and back hurt if you've been out of practice or never done it before. Even if you are experienced, there's nothing wrong with some blue or (gasp) even a green run to get warmed up.
 |
| With my daughter in Telluride, circa 2006. |
So, do I recommend skiing? Not if you want a casual weekend trip.
But, if you are looking for an awesome and challenging physical activity, have a fair amount of time and not-insignificant amount of money to spend on it, skiing can be a great sport. Great people, beautiful locations, towns built around hospitality, some fitness, cool gear and great bars & restaurants are what you can expect if you really get into it.... but, you have to commit.... skiing isn't causal.
 |
| After a shaky start and a fair amount of investment, the day in Tahoe last week turned out pretty good! |
-RJP
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Travel by Private Plane.
Whether you are in a Cessna 152 or a Citation X, when you travel by private plane, you gain a lot of advantages. Of course, someone has to pay for all those advantages and it rarely makes sense for most people to spend the kind of money that gets you from one place to another so ridiculously simply and with so little hassle. Personally, I take advantage of the generosity of pilot friends and deep pocketed clients whenever I can.
Earlier this week, I was about a 4 hr drive or a 45 minute flight from a friend who recently bought a new plane... we hadn't hung out in awhile, had some business to discuss.... and most importantly to this blog, he wanted to pick me up in the new plane (okay, he wanted to show off his amazing new plane). I parked the rental at a small regional airport and, for the first time in several months, got the chance to fly without the painful process of commercial travel.
For your contemplation here, I thought it would be simplest to list some of the best things about General Aviation travel when compared to the standard process of flying:
1. No Gov't Security Process.
Now, don't take this as an indictment of the TSA or the security procedures at the commercial airport. We need them and I am perfectly happy to put up with them if they keep some whack with $199 and a Travelocity account from turning a crowded and possibly miserable 757 flight from Atlanta to LA into a cruise missile. I am usually the guy who can kick off the shoes, take off the belt and remove my laptop from my backpack within 5 sideways steps and make it look like a choreographed dance (I've certainly rehearsed it enough), so its not actually going through security that bothers me. I hate the line.ask anyone who travels with me... the only thing worse than a line is getting a table at a restaurant for an odd number of people). My biggest complaint about the security process lately? It is definitely people complaining about the security process. Shut up or Drive. Complaint Number Two (the complaint formerly known as complaint #1)? People who can't seem to get with the program... have your ID out, No Liquids, Laptop Out, Shoes Off... just do it.
General Aviation? if you know the tail number of the plane when you pull up to the gate, most of the time, they buzz you in and you can drive right up to the plane, say "hi" to the pilot and get on. Done.
2. No Lugging the Luggage.
See that part in the last section about driving up to the plane? Sure, you might have to actually load your own luggage onto the plane (if the pilot isn't insisting on doing it for silly Weight & Balance reasons....), but you only have to move it 12 feet.
3. Pack what you want, carry what you want.
Liquids, Alcohol, Scissors, Glock 9mm... whatever. Big Boy & Girl Rules apply... AND, no one is likely to rifle through your bags seeing what you packed anyway. There also aren't extra charges for bags being "overweight" (Don't get me started about getting charge $90 for a bag that was 8 lbs overweight (total me + bag < 250 lbs) while a 300lb guy with a 40lb bag lumbers away from the check in counter without pulling his credit card out...).
4. Virtually No Extra Airport Time.
5 minutes early is a pretty good time to be at the airport when you fly private. The truth is that the pilot and everyone else there would probably just as soon not have you poking around and/or needing to be told what to do. When you land, go do whatever it was you flew to your destination to do. You'll have your luggage in less than 5 minutes (and not have to play Watch & Hope at the carousel).
5. Direct Routes.
As much as the Air Traffic Controllers will allow, every General Aviation Route is going to be pretty straight. With no ground crew, terminal help, hub or popularity-of-destination issues to worry about, Fuel Cost and Travel Time become the prime motivators (as they should be!)... you aren't likely to go Tulsa to Dallas via Atlanta on a private plane.
Okay, so those are the highlights of private plane travel as far as I am concerned. Of course there are downsides, including the cost, which I already covered. Significant. Really.
Other than that? It might be a little more cramped than coach on a big jet... depending on the plane. It will almost certainly be bumpier. Now, I have had a couple of opportunities to travel on some ridiculously comfortable and large (including several flights on a Jetstar II that was only fairly described as decadent.), but for the most part, your pal's prop plane and the typical corporate jet are both going to have low ceilings and feel the air a bit more than the big Boeing that gets you frequent flyer points. For some people, there is also an emotional discomfort that comes from flying in a little plane, especially one flown by a "normal" person and not a professional looking person with epaulets. I guess you have to pick your friend pilots a bit carefully.
At the end of the day, it may not even be fair to compare General Aviation to traveling coach... but even if I was spending the $$$ for better seats and service in First Class, just about all the hassles of commercial flight are still there. For me, I can't afford the luxury or convenience of private plane travel on my own, but I'll keep taking the option whenever it comes up.
-RJP
 |
| My buddy's Pilatus is an amazing plane... one of best on the market for a single pilot with multiple passengers. |
For your contemplation here, I thought it would be simplest to list some of the best things about General Aviation travel when compared to the standard process of flying:
1. No Gov't Security Process.
Now, don't take this as an indictment of the TSA or the security procedures at the commercial airport. We need them and I am perfectly happy to put up with them if they keep some whack with $199 and a Travelocity account from turning a crowded and possibly miserable 757 flight from Atlanta to LA into a cruise missile. I am usually the guy who can kick off the shoes, take off the belt and remove my laptop from my backpack within 5 sideways steps and make it look like a choreographed dance (I've certainly rehearsed it enough), so its not actually going through security that bothers me. I hate the line.ask anyone who travels with me... the only thing worse than a line is getting a table at a restaurant for an odd number of people). My biggest complaint about the security process lately? It is definitely people complaining about the security process. Shut up or Drive. Complaint Number Two (the complaint formerly known as complaint #1)? People who can't seem to get with the program... have your ID out, No Liquids, Laptop Out, Shoes Off... just do it.
General Aviation? if you know the tail number of the plane when you pull up to the gate, most of the time, they buzz you in and you can drive right up to the plane, say "hi" to the pilot and get on. Done.
2. No Lugging the Luggage.
See that part in the last section about driving up to the plane? Sure, you might have to actually load your own luggage onto the plane (if the pilot isn't insisting on doing it for silly Weight & Balance reasons....), but you only have to move it 12 feet.
3. Pack what you want, carry what you want.
Liquids, Alcohol, Scissors, Glock 9mm... whatever. Big Boy & Girl Rules apply... AND, no one is likely to rifle through your bags seeing what you packed anyway. There also aren't extra charges for bags being "overweight" (Don't get me started about getting charge $90 for a bag that was 8 lbs overweight (total me + bag < 250 lbs) while a 300lb guy with a 40lb bag lumbers away from the check in counter without pulling his credit card out...).
4. Virtually No Extra Airport Time.
5 minutes early is a pretty good time to be at the airport when you fly private. The truth is that the pilot and everyone else there would probably just as soon not have you poking around and/or needing to be told what to do. When you land, go do whatever it was you flew to your destination to do. You'll have your luggage in less than 5 minutes (and not have to play Watch & Hope at the carousel).
5. Direct Routes.
As much as the Air Traffic Controllers will allow, every General Aviation Route is going to be pretty straight. With no ground crew, terminal help, hub or popularity-of-destination issues to worry about, Fuel Cost and Travel Time become the prime motivators (as they should be!)... you aren't likely to go Tulsa to Dallas via Atlanta on a private plane.
 |
| More comfy than coach and kids can't even reach your seat back... if they're allowed on board. |
Other than that? It might be a little more cramped than coach on a big jet... depending on the plane. It will almost certainly be bumpier. Now, I have had a couple of opportunities to travel on some ridiculously comfortable and large (including several flights on a Jetstar II that was only fairly described as decadent.), but for the most part, your pal's prop plane and the typical corporate jet are both going to have low ceilings and feel the air a bit more than the big Boeing that gets you frequent flyer points. For some people, there is also an emotional discomfort that comes from flying in a little plane, especially one flown by a "normal" person and not a professional looking person with epaulets. I guess you have to pick your friend pilots a bit carefully.
At the end of the day, it may not even be fair to compare General Aviation to traveling coach... but even if I was spending the $$$ for better seats and service in First Class, just about all the hassles of commercial flight are still there. For me, I can't afford the luxury or convenience of private plane travel on my own, but I'll keep taking the option whenever it comes up.
-RJP
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
The joys of General Aviation.
I usually don't even have to worry about the weight of my luggage!
A more complete report on private plane travel tomorrow!
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
Monday, December 6, 2010
Hunting Whitetail... As a social event.
Technically, I've been a hunter for over 25 years. Many of the years, the truth is that I haven't hunted at all. Some years I've spent over 30 days in the field and taken several animals. I'd say that I've probably made time to go hunting at least 75% of those years (and I think I've taken game almost every year that I've tried, though certainly not on very trip!)... But I'm not so passionate about it that I actually plan my calendar around the seasons in various states... For me, the best thing about hunting is the social event!
When I accept an invitation to hunt with someone (not in general, but really set a date), you can be sure that the schedule is going to be set. Hunting with friends and family is really one of the greatest ways to spend time with good people that I know of. It can combine cooperation, challenge, food, drink, wagering, hardship, celebration, disappointment, frustration and unique experiences all in one day and night.
I was thinking about the fact that I have hardly ever gone hunting alone and I think it is pretty significant. As a kid, I would wander around in the woods and shoot small game or occasionally be out with a 12 gauge saying that I was "Deer Hunting", but really having no idea what I was doing. The best I ever did was spend many hours following deer tracks one snowy day only to jump the deer from the spot it had bedded down and then miss it with a load of buckshot!
Hunting for me is definitely a social event and I really do look forward to that aspect of it as much as anything else.
As I wrote about last week, I spent some time hunting over Thanksgiving and it was fun. Then I drove down to Eastern Ohio and stayed with a friend and his family at his home. The "cabin", an amazing log home was comfortable and situated right in the heart of some great hunting woods. I got into town late Sunday evening, we had a few drinks and got to sleep. Opening morning came and three of us walked from the house along three trails to some blinds situated around the hillside (mine was about 500 yards from the cabin, there was one close and one further). At around 9:30, a group of deer came into view moving quick and breathing hard. Two minutes later, the largest doe I think I've ever shot was lying on the ground. I have heard some great things about midwestern deer, and the day was definitely delivering. (of course, this is another reason that Hunting is a Social Event for me.. I'd beer deerless if my buddy hadn't put me the right place!).
Five hours later, a really nice 6.5 Point Buck (broken tine on the left side...) was dead on the ground 225 yards from my stand (after about a 100 yard run from where I shot him). Having friends with access to great hunting land and the willingness to share their wealth is a great thing. He even let me borrow a muzzled loader for the afternoon hunt! Probably so I didn't start gloating too much, he took a deer himself that afternoon as well. That night we gathered back at the cabin and were joined by several other friends and my Scott's family for a great meal.
But, the best thing about hunting as a social event is sharing the experiences with someone that is new to it. The second morning of the season our hunting party was joined by another friend and by the time the sun as fully visible over the horizon she had her first deer, a great spike buck, on the ground. The last member of our group to shoot also took his first deer of the season later that morning, making us five deer for four successful shooters in a day and half of hunting... not too shabby! And, to complete the experience, we dined on the freshest organic-est meat I've had in a long time... less than 12 hours from field to fork.
If you're a hunter, I hope you value the time with your friends in the field and around the campfire or dinner table as much as you like the quiet of the woods and the taking of game. If you are not a hunter, you should seriously consider tagging along on a hunting trip (if you can find a hunting friend who really likes to spend time with you) ... even if you never go out in the field or carry a weapon, you'll probably have a great vacation.
 |
| A hunting trip in '06 with Family and Friends in AL. |
I was thinking about the fact that I have hardly ever gone hunting alone and I think it is pretty significant. As a kid, I would wander around in the woods and shoot small game or occasionally be out with a 12 gauge saying that I was "Deer Hunting", but really having no idea what I was doing. The best I ever did was spend many hours following deer tracks one snowy day only to jump the deer from the spot it had bedded down and then miss it with a load of buckshot!
 |
| Turkey called in by a buddy in '09. |
As I wrote about last week, I spent some time hunting over Thanksgiving and it was fun. Then I drove down to Eastern Ohio and stayed with a friend and his family at his home. The "cabin", an amazing log home was comfortable and situated right in the heart of some great hunting woods. I got into town late Sunday evening, we had a few drinks and got to sleep. Opening morning came and three of us walked from the house along three trails to some blinds situated around the hillside (mine was about 500 yards from the cabin, there was one close and one further). At around 9:30, a group of deer came into view moving quick and breathing hard. Two minutes later, the largest doe I think I've ever shot was lying on the ground. I have heard some great things about midwestern deer, and the day was definitely delivering. (of course, this is another reason that Hunting is a Social Event for me.. I'd beer deerless if my buddy hadn't put me the right place!).
 |
| Midwestern Whitetails are a bit bigger than Jersey Deer... this doe will will yield about 100 lbs of venison! Thanks Much to Scott for hosting an excellent couple of days of hunting. |
If you're a hunter, I hope you value the time with your friends in the field and around the campfire or dinner table as much as you like the quiet of the woods and the taking of game. If you are not a hunter, you should seriously consider tagging along on a hunting trip (if you can find a hunting friend who really likes to spend time with you) ... even if you never go out in the field or carry a weapon, you'll probably have a great vacation.
 |
| Good Friends and a Great Hunt! |
-RJP
Lodging:
White's Pine Lodge
Food:
Fresh Venison Backstraps, harvested that day.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Update: Luggage Found!
The bag never did get scanned... but did show up on the 3rd flight after mine... glad to have it back, but I had time to think about some things I would've missed if the bag had gotten completely lost:
1. A log book with a list of courses that I have attended and training received over the past couple of years.2. My 2009 pair of Jean Shop Rockers.
3. My SPOT GPS Tracker.
4. A razor that I bought in Venice.
5. A T-shirt that I got in South Africa.
6. Yet another lost Camera Battery Charger (x2)
7. A Belt Buckle that I bought in 1994 in Nashville.
8. My ultra-thin Arktis windbreaker
9 & 10: A couple of things that I didn't remember were in there that I probably would have missed eventually.
-RJP
Missing Luggage...
What IS unusual this time is that there is no scan of the bag after in arrived at my connection airport... I've had bags go to North Carolina instead of Nurnburg. I've had bags get held for 2 days at the Reno airport because they wouldn't drive them up to where I was staying in Oregon. I've had lots of bags show up on "the next flight".
But, now I might truly have LOST a bag. (Two more flights have already come in from that city.)
I'm sure that losing a bag is always bad, but when you are homeless is seems kinda worse...
-RJP
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
A Week in the Wilderness.
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| Partially frozen McKeever Lake in the Hiawatha National Forest... at dusk on day two of my Wilderness Thanksgiving Adventure |
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| The cabin was built almost 20 years ago and is in great shape. |
I recruited and adventurous friend and we were off. After the requisite family stops while passing through southern and central Michigan, the weather turned ugly... Freezing rain, snow (and at least two instances of "automatic skid control just kicked in!" on bridge surfaces that did freeze before the rest of the road), it became obvious that we wouldn't reach the cabin until the middle of the night... Like 2am.... So, rather than deal with that, a midnight stop in Mackinaw city at the Holiday Inn Express (extra Priority Club points never hurt) and a 4am wake up call for the next morning seemed to be a better idea. The next morning brought a slow, snow & ice filled drive through some very non-populated areas of the UP. Arrival at what we thought was the parking area for the cabin was around 8am there were a few inches of fresh heavy snow and the wet sloppy stuff was continuing to fall, with the temp just below freezing.
We threw on our packs and headed off down the trail... About 2 miles later we found the actual parking area for the cabin! We had been on a recreational cross country ski trail the whole time... Which, luckily, tied into the actual trail to the cabin. We made it there about a mile later with the first of two pack loads of supplies.
The cabin was as advertised, bunk beds and a couple of old small mattreses on the floor of a loft, a small wood stove and view of McKeever Lake from the porch. I wanted to test the well first thing... after what seemed like too many pumps, brown-ish water started splurting out... not opaque, but definitely tinted. The firewood was there, as was an outhouse....
Another hike to the truck and back (yes, I did move the truck to the proper parking area, making the 2nd hike much easier...) gave us the provisions and gear that we'd need for three days in the cabin... Minus any fresh food, but including one two and a half gallon jug of bottled water, as I wasn't enthused about the quality of the pump stuff for consumption. The plan was to supplement freeze dried camp stuff with fresh harvested game. As a 25+ year hunter, I was pretty comfortable with the idea of being to find something edible and slayable, so we stopped at a giant Cabela's on the way up and got both small and big game licenses. I should mention here that I specifically chose a National Forest site because of their generally gun and hunting friendly policies.
Overall, the 3 full days in the wilderness was a great break from my normal day. I never checked email or texts, didn't need to run out for extra supplies and really enjoyed the quiet time on the shore of the lake, walking through the woods and just sitting around the fire at the cabin. Highly Recommended for anyone who finds themselves connected 24/7.
Immediately after the UP Survival Mission was over, I headed to a friend's MUCH more refined log house "cabin" in Eastern Ohio for a couple of days of proper deer hunting... that story will be told sometime in the next few days.
Meanwhile, I'm in the Atlanta Airport on the way to Florida for several days of work and catching up with friends.
-RJP
Lodging:
McKeever Cabin, Hiawatha National Forest
Restaurant:
The same, with fresh harvested squirrels & pheasant.
Back in Civilization... Just in time for free in-flight Internet!
After a week of being in the woods, first in Michigan and then hunting in Eastern Ohio, I'm back.... And I'm a flight to Florida. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that Gogo is offering free WiFi on Delta Flights during the holidays... Pretty cool.
I'm working on the Wilderness Travel blog entry now, expect it tonight!
-RJP
I'm working on the Wilderness Travel blog entry now, expect it tonight!
-RJP
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