The PlatyPod Ultralight Tripod
For better or worse, my DNA is full of engineer genes. This means, I’m constantly coming up with more crazy or fun ideas for new stuff than I could ever execute on. I love the MYOG (Make Your Own Gear)...
View ArticleEl Camino Del Rey
This ‘trail’ built between Chorro and Gaitanejo Falls was built in 1905. The walkway has now gone many years without maintenance, and is in a highly deteriorated and dangerous state. It is 3 feet wide,...
View ArticlePasayten Boundary Trail
We’re searching for a replacement hike for our Wonderland Trail trip. So far we have narrowed the search down to 3 candidates: A section of the PCT in Northern California (JMT maybe) Olympic Coast...
View ArticleSatellite Communications
Theresa is due in early August. As we leave on July 12th for our trip, there is a very small chance that she might go into labor early. It’s unlikely enough that we both feel comfortable about me going...
View ArticleWeight: 6lbs 14 oz
Sounds heavy – but this newest addition to my backpack is worth every ounce in carrying with me. Chester Morgan Marl was born last night weighing in at 6 lbs 14 oz. Theresa did an amazing job of...
View ArticlePasayten Photos Get Better
Tim had a busy weekend… he worked on the Pasayten Photos he took on our trip and make allsorts of tweaks and adjustments to the RAW format in Adobe Lightroom. The results are spectacular – and make the...
View ArticleMt. Rainier is crumbling into the sea?
Great article from backpacker.com on how climate change has impacted Mt. Rainier in recent years. Follow this link to read.
View ArticleNigel’s TGO Update
It’s been fun to watch Nigels Live TGO Status page over the last few days. You can see his intended route in RED and his actual route in BLUE. The actual route is being reported hourly by his SPOT...
View ArticleMention in Backpacker Magazine
Looks like my Pasayten hike got a mention in Backpacker Magazine this month. It is featured in Readers Hikes on page 23. Here’s a link to the map I uploaded on backpacker.com, and a link to the start...
View Article1977 Air Mattress
Q: How far have we come in backpacking technology in the last 30 yrs? A: Not as far as you might think… This ad comes from an old 1977 copy of Backpacker Magazine: Individually inflated components!...
View ArticleHow To Get Out in the Woods
Had a minor mention today’s New York Times article How To Get Out in the Woods.
View ArticleHappy Birthday Chester
Our little guy turns one year old today. We celebrated on Sunday while Theresa’s family were in town. Over the last year, he’s done a handful of hikes with us, (mostly asleep on Theresa’s chest) and we...
View ArticleAn abandoned Wonderland attempt
Amusing New York Times write-up of Eric Wilsons adventures on the Wonderland this summer. He got some awesome photos at least!
View ArticleBlog Action Day – Climate Change
Climate Change is undisputedly upon us, and while the exact future ramifications are uncertain – some of the predictions are scary. If they hold true – some amazing coastal hikes like the West Coast...
View ArticleWhat *is* GoLite Thinking?
A recent comment on my gear list page brought to my attention that the latest Jam (v3) Pack from GoLite is now a whopping 1 lbs 15oz. Erm… aren’t we going the wrong way? Let’s review the progression:...
View ArticleWest Coast Trail – New Record
Three years ago – I reported that Gary Robbins (arguably raving mad) ran the entire WCT in a single day – in 12.5 hrs. This year – he set the new record in just 10 hours and 8 minutes. Staggering....
View ArticleBaby Jack
Introducing the latest addition to our household – Jack Coyle Marl. Born Saturday August 14th at 1:30am, weighing in at 6 lbs 8oz. Theresa blew me away with another all natural birth. This one was a...
View ArticleFree Gear: Ultralight Bear Rope
My last freebie give away was almost two years ago. Time to spread the love again… This time it’s some very cool ultralight hanging cord. This stuff is awesome, it’s made of Spectra and so is very...
View ArticleNigel’s East Pasayten Trip
My friend Nigel clocks some mileage on the East Pasayten Loop. Great trip report here.
View ArticleAnd the lucky winner is…
Amazingly random.org picked “number one” as the lucky winner, which would translate into “Kevin Earls”. Congrats Kevin, I’ll send you an email to get delivery details. Look for Kevin on the trail –...
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More Pages to Explore .....