Magazine
Hiking the
PCT
10
Tree Stand Tips
GO MAG FREE SUBSCRIPTION
July 2014
Magazine
Vol. 1- Issue 2 V.P. OF SALES
Jim Barnhill 205-733-1343 jim@goneoutdoorsmag.com
GROUP PUBLISHER
Brandon Greenhill 205-733-4343 brandon@goneoutdoorsmag.com
EDITOR/ DIGITAL DIRECTOR CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Danny Thompson danny@goneoutdoorsmag.com
Jacklyn Greenhill jacklyn@goneoutdoorsmag.com
ADMIN. COORDINATOR
Annie McGilvray annie@goneoutdoorsmag.com
LEAD COORDINATOR
Steven Hobson steven@goneoutdoorsmag.com
CEO
PRESIDENT
Christy Hobson
Glen Hobson
Executive and Advertising Offices 951 1st Ave. W. Alabaster, AL 35007 phone: 205-441-5591 fax: 205-624-3354 www.goneoutdoorsmag.com glen@goneoutdoorsmag.com
Gone Outdoors Magazine™ is published twelve times a year on a monthly basis by H&F Media Group, Inc., 951 1st Ave. W. Alabaster, AL 35007 USA. Gone Outdoors Magazine™ is distributed free to qualified subscribers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada and $84.00 per year for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. Postage paid at Birmingham, Alabama and additional mailing offices. Gone Outdoors Magazine™ is distributed to to qualified owners and managers in the industrial industry. Publisher is not liable for all content (including editorial and illustrations provided by advertisers) of advertisements published and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropriate releases on any item or individuals pictured in an advertisement. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to H&F Media Group, Inc., P.O. Box 1568 Pelham, Al 35124 PRINTED IN THE USA
2
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
The Escape
The Gam
P6
P12 The Perfect S Stream Fly Ro
Adventures in the West- Pacific Crest Trail Thru- Hike
P10 Pacific Crest Trail: Critter Problems
P18 Tree Stands-
We hope you e
Small od 10 Tips
The Rush
The Roar
The Usual
P22 How the River Kicked My Ass
P28 The 5 Golden Rules of Cross Country Trip Planning
P4
P24 Choosing the Right Kayak
P32 Off Road Tires- A Beginners Reference
P34 New Product Spotlight P36 Ad Index
The Escape
enjoy this issue of Gone Outdoors Magazine!
Premier Issue!
The Editors Post
Contents
me
The Game The Rush The Roar Ad Index
The Editor’s Post: It’s July. The height of summer. It’s a time when weather, work and school schedules converge to create the ideal moment for the traditional extended vacation (in theroy anyway). With each passing year, we (as a society and a species) seem to get busier and busier. Things like summer vacation are given less and less emphasis. But things like summer vacation are important. This is Summer... and that used to mean something. An extended time away from the day-to-grind do more than simply give you a break to recharge and regroup. It gives you a chance to remember who you are outside of the office or the store or the workshop or the classroom. In this issue, we’re focusing on a few topics that revolve around an extended trip, whether it’s a through-hike of the PCT, or taking a cross-country voyage-- not to a particular destination, but for the sake of the voyage. We’ll show you a few tips that will make things easier on you, and the result of assumptions and over-confidence so you don’t have to learn such lessons the hard way. In the end, though, I hope we inspire you to do more than just read about it. Adventure is out there just waiting to be found... if not by you, then by whom? If you can get away for a week or so, do it! If you can’t escape for that long, at least get out for a couple of days... a couple of hours. Find the time. Make the time, if you have to. This is summer. Let’s make it mean something again. It will do you a world of good. Need some ideas? Turn the page... Danny Thompson Editor
4
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
6
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
in the
By Vic Hanson
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike
Ad Index
I started my hike on April 28 at the Mexican border. I was trying to finish in four months and I had already purchased my return ticket to Peru based on that schedule. The first week went well, and then I started getting blisters. I was also hiker faster than most of the others so I was passing a lot of people but not spending much time with them, and wasn’t making any friendships with other hikers. After two weeks I had to take a few days off to let the blisters heal. I also realized that I needed to slow down and spend time with other hikers if I wanted to
The Roar
On many of the hikes in the Angeles National Forest, we would see signs for, and hike on part of the Pacific Crest Trail. When I found out that it went from Mexico to Canada I thought that would be something fun to do someday. In the years that followed, I joined an adventure racing club and the outdoor activities progressed to longer, harder and more frequent. In the summer of 2002 I went to Peru on a two-week hiking mission trip. That turned into a three-year stint the following year. In 2005, knowing that my term would be up in January of 2006, I started making plans to through-hike the PCT. The timing all came together, no job, no mortgage or other expenses, and some money in the bank from selling my house when I went to Peru.
The Rush
Why would anyone want to spend five months walking from Mexico to Canada? Most through-hikers get asked that question over and over. It’s like asking a mountain climber, why do you climb mountains. For me it started when I was active in the singles group of my church in Manhattan Beach, a suburb of Los Angeles. Jason, one of the class members, started leading monthly hikes for the group, usually in the Angeles National Forest in the San Gabriel Mountains, just north of Los Angeles. I was already mountain biking, roller blading, and rock climbing; and enjoyed the mountains and the other group activities, so became a regular on the hikes as well. This was the start of my love of hiking. Jason also organized a few camping trips and backpacking trips, including to the Grand Canyon. I had been brought up camping but had never done any backpacking before. One trip and I was hooked on that too.
The Game
How do you put a five-month hike into a trip report of a few pages? Most of my daily journal entries are about a page each. That is the main reason it has taken me so long to get around to writing this - it seemed like an overwhelming task. So I will mostly hit a few highlights and share some thoughts and feelings.
The Escape
West
Contents
dventures A
make friendships, which was one of my goals for the hike. After leaving Big Bear, CA, I did slow down and started hiking with four other people. Two of them were section hiking and one had to stop due to injury, but I hiked with go-Big, the other one, most of the way to the Oregon border.
The desert areas of Southern California were hard; I told myself then that I never wanted to hike them again. We had to constantly be aware of where our next water source would be, and many times carried three to four liters of water. And yet they had their own beauty, they didn’t last forever, and they provided bonding experiences. They were also broken up with the snowy mountains and beautiful trees. The town stops were frequent and gave us time to relax with other hikers as well. Just after we started the High Sierra, we met Swiss Miss and Pang. I hiked together with them the rest of the way to Canada. Along the way, I spend varying amounts of time with other hikers as well. A group of 12 of us left Yosemite together - The Dirty Dozen! Half of us were from the U.S. and half were from other countries, so it became a very international experience. Each of us had strengths and weakness, and we learned to work together as a team, and to help and depend on each other. My greatest fear before starting the hike was crossing the rapid flowing, icy cold rivers. They turned out to not be as terrible as I had expected. We had a few close calls and some struggles, but the teamwork was amazing and we did it together.
We entered the Sierra Nevada on June 11, in a very heavy snow year, so we spent about a month hiking through snow, sometimes only getting down below snow level in the evening to camp. I had very little experience hiking in deep snow, and no experience navigating when the trail was covered with snow most of the day. Mostly we did it with map and compass but we did use a GPS some to pinpoint the trail location, and to confirm which was the right pass a few times. I had crampons at the beginning of the Sierras but soon lost them off the back of my pack before I ever used them. One thing we didn’t have to worry about was water. We got spoiled by only having to carry a liter or two of water. We often drank directly from springs and the snow melt streams, without bothering to treat the water. We carried ice axes but after the first couple of passes, they were used mostly for digging cat holes. The sun cups were one of the biggest problems, along with post holing in the soft snow in the afternoons. Almost everyone used trail running shoes, except the Europeans who wore mountaineering boots. We had wet feet the whole way through the Sierras from the snow and river crossings, and much of Washington from the rain and new snow, but surprisingly it wasn’t much of a problem. We did get tired of the snow and needing to be constantly on the search for the trail. I would like to go back and hike the John Muir Trail (most of which is the same as the PCT) in the fall, when you can actually walk on the trail.
You realize how long California is when you hike the whole way, it took three months and one week to reach Oregon, but I never got tired of the continually changing and always beautiful scenery. From Mt. Shasta on we had numerous forest fires, causing hazy skies, beautiful sunsets, and closed trails and detours. For the last month we weren’t sure we would be able to finish the trail at Manning Park. We did have to skip a section in Oregon due to fires, but the final section before the Canadian border reopened just before we got there. Unlike some just ahead of us, we were able to finish at the official terminating point, and get our pictures at the border monument. That is the through-hiker’s “summit” moment, similar to when a mountaineer reaches the top of the mountain.
8
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Oregon was only three weeks and Washington took four weeks, and then it was all over, except for the very emotional goodbyes. Unlike the mountaineer, who still has to get down the mountain after the summit, the hike ended on an emotional high, with nowhere to go, no descend time to unwind. We spent a couple of days there, not wanting to say goodbye and go home. It’s hard to describe the feeling of watching the mountain peak landmarks pass below on the flight back to L.A, five months going by in fast reverse in a couple of hours! And then came trying to go back to a “normal” life, when our main concerns for so long were just walking, eating and sleeping. Now we were home, at least our bodies were, but our minds keep wandering back to the trail. Many people have commented on it as being “The trip of a lifetime”. I understand what they mean but I have a problem with that. There is a common disease that affects many long distance through-hikers. I have the disease and there is no cure. It is only alleviated to some degree by going on another long hike. When and where I don’t know, but I’m sure it will happen. It’s been 11 months since I finished the hike and I can still spend hours looking through some of the thousands of photos, or watching someone’s slide show, and every time I do, I wish I could grab my backpack and head back to the trail. Just writing this and thinking about it causes me to get emotional and longing for the “simple” life on the trail. Of course like most difficult, but rewarding experiences, it’s easy to forget the hard times and only remember the good. From the Mexican border to Manning Park, British Columbia, Canada, took 151 days. It was an experience I will never forget. God showed me His faithfulness and provision every step of the way. The friendships made on the hike are very special, the shared experiences of the joys, hardships and dangers of the trail made for deep and lasting bonds. I could not have completed the hike without the help of many of those I spent a lot of time hiking with. Others added a rich dimension to the experience and made it a delight, even through the difficult times. I give thanks to God first, and then to each one that He provided to make the hike such a wonderful experience. If you would like to see a photo album of the hike, there is one available at Summit Post, please click on the following link: http://www.summitpost.org/album/288745/Pacific-Crest-Trail.html
Vic Hanson is the founder of Adventure Cotahuasi Tours, which offers pre-planned and custom adventure travel tours in Cotahuasi Canyon and other areas of Peru. If you are interested in your own adventure in Peru, check us out! [http://www. adventurecotahuasi.com]
PCT
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a must for serious hikers on the west coast and through much of the world. While it can be great, you need to keep an eye out for potential critter problems. Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail stretches from the Mexican border to Canada. It contains some of the most beautiful scenery you will see anywhere. The trail is set up in such a way that as much as 80 percent of it can be done with day hikes, which makes it a very attractive option for long weekends.
Since the Pacific Crest Trail is so easy to day hike, many hikers fail to take into account the animals that cross the trail on a daily basis. Of course, this can lead to small inconveniences or horrendous disasters you read about in the newspaper. Here’s a list of critters you should keep in mind.
1
Mosquitoes - Where there is water, there seems to be mosquitoes. The sections of the trail in Southern California aren’t too bad, but northern areas can be horrendous. As spring comes on, the snow
10
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Pacific Crest Trail: Critter Problems By Richard Chapo
in the mountains starts to melt and you get standing water. During these periods, there can be absolute clouds of mosquitoes in some areas. The area around Klamath should be avoided at all costs in June. Just don’t go.
2
Snakes - Most snakes are not confrontational. On the southern sections of the Pacific Crest Trail, you are definitely going to see rattlesnakes. When you do, just calmly walk away from them.
3
Mountain Lions - Mountain lions can be a bit troubling. They are much bigger than you think, weighing as much as a couple hundred pounds. They are also known to track humans on the trail, but attacks are extremely rare. If you do happen upon one, do not run away or start screaming. Mountain lions are predators, so don’t act like prey. Just stand there or calmly back away. Try to grab a stick or even a can of mace if you have one.
4
Bears - Black bears can be found in mountain areas, but are fairly harmless. Unlike what you see in movies, these bears
tend to eat plants and you don’t look appetizing. If you see cubs, absolutely leave the area as calmly, but quickly as possible. Mother bears are very aggressive if they think cubs are in trouble. You don’t want to face off with an angry bear.
5
Humans - As with all aspects of society, there are scumbags on trails. If you objectively feel you can handle yourself, don’t worry about it. If not, it is best to travel with another hiker you know well on the odd chance you run across a jerk.
In retrospect, that may all sound rather horrific. In truth, those hiking the Pacific Crest Trail rarely run into problems. Just make sure you keep in mind you are in the wild, not your local canyon. Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com - makers of hiking trail journals. Visit NomadJournalTrips.com to read more articles about hiking and the great outdoors.
Perfect
The Small Stream 12
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Fly Rod
By Steve Robbins
So now, what about the rod and stream factors? I will break things down by discussing each factor. As you study these bits of information, you should begin to develop a picture, in your mind, of what type of small stream fishing you’ll be doing and what rod you’ll be needing. You may find that, for you, one rod simply won’t get the job done. You may discover that you need two or more rods to satisfy your small stream desires. How bad could that be? You have now given yourself an excuse, and hopefully permission, to buy more rods.
Ad Index
Our rod selection factors include weight, length, action, material, sections, color and several stream characteristics. We must also spend a little time on fly lines because
The Roar
First things first... we probably need to identify exactly what constitutes a small stream. So, what type of water will you be fishing? Is it a small stream, a spring creek or a narrow river? Are all three of these really the same thing? All fly fishers are not on the same page here.
Back to the Rods
The Rush
What’s a Small Stream?
Let’s just say that a small stream is one that you can cast across easily just about anywhere on it, that you can wade, often cross in hip boots, that is way too small for boats, and has most of its structure exposed to view. Also, most importantly, we’ll assume it has trout in it.
The Game
Fly fishing for native trout on a small stream in the back county can lead to one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. Getting off the beaten path to find finicky fish in untouched waters is what the pioneers of the sport truly intended. On the other hand, some small streams are just off the roadway but are just as willing, or unwilling, to give up their inhabitants to the skilled angler. The proper clothing, flies and equipment can help you make the absolute most of your adventure. The fly rod may be the most important aspect of your small stream set up.
Most folks simply do not realize the factors involved in making a small stream rod selection. There are several things to carefully ponder before dropping the bucks for a new rod. That’s exactly what we’re going to do here. We’ll discuss several important rod and stream factors that govern a small stream rod selection. After arming yourself with the proper information, it is you who will end up making the ultimate decision as to which rod is best for you.
The Cimarron River in, New Mexico is no doubt a narrow river but don’t let the word “river” fool you. It consists mostly of small stream attributes. Most of the public water is lined with willows, cottonwoods and alders and provides anglers with undercut banks, riffles, runs, bend pools and pocket water. I fish this river as a small stream. The St. Vrain River in Colorado is another great example. There is no place on its banks where you can’t comfortably roll cast to the other side. When the water is clear, there is no place where you can’t see the bottom. On the other hand, Young’s Creek in Montana is about the same size and in some areas it is much wider than many stretches of the Cimarron and St. Vrain Rivers. I fish all three basically the same way.
The Escape
Be careful, there are many self proclaimed fly fishing experts that are all too eager to give their opinion on the ideal rod for the smaller streams. Don’t be too hasty to accept their remarks as gospel and run out and buy a rod simply base on their opinions. I wish I could give you a cut and dried, etched in stone, answer and identify the specific rod that would be perfect for any small stream you may encounter in your fly fishing lifetime... but I can’t do that. Neither can anyone else.
OK, look up “small stream” in the dictionary. What do you find? Nothing, right? There is no formal definition of this term. I know what I mean when I say “small stream”. But do you see in your mind the same thing that I see? Maybe, maybe not.
Contents
One question that I often hear is, “what is the perfect small stream fly rod”. Well, allow me to clear this up right now... there is no perfect small stream fly rod. There, now you have it. I should stop here and leave it at that, but you know that I won’t.
this may also impact our rod choice. Also, there is no need to get fancy with a small stream rod. Terms such as modulus, IM whatever, titanium, and other high-tech sounding terms frequently make their way into the fly rod shopping process. The good news is that these are things that should not worry you during you selection process. You don’t need the X15 Super Modulated Ballistic Fly Rod designed to cast a quarter mile on any small stream. Let’s just keep it simple.
Rod Weight Anything from a 0wt to 5wt will work well depending on the situation. The ultimate choice of the rod weight has a lot to do with the size fish you’ll be after. Many small streams only support small trout. Some streams, of course, have larger fish. I’ve caught some healthy 16 inchers in streams, like Bear Creek in Southwest Colorado, which you can almost jump across. Generally though, you’re probably looking at catching fish from 6 to 10 inches. You’ll get an occasional 12 incher and several Jack Fish. Oh... what’s a Jack Fish you ask? These are the fish, generally called fry, that are so small that when you set the hook you jack them up out of the water and they sail back over your head.
So, the fight of a small fish feels better to the angler if they’re using a lightweight fly rod such as a 2 wt. The 16 inchers will feel great on a 2 wt rod also but there are some distinct disadvantages with this scenario. One is that by the time you get the big fish landed, it may be exhausted to the point of no return and may soon die after its release. If you’re going to eat it then that is really mute point. Secondly, you run the risk of breaking your rod from the strain. If you’re deep in the wilderness fishing a
14
GO Mag •
delightful little stream, the last thing you need is for your stick to break. Another thing to consider is hook set. The lighter weight flimsy fly rods offer you little help in setting the hook. I have a 1wt rod that is a joy to use. The problem is that I lose a good amount of fish within two seconds of the hook set (or lack there of). If you’re using this type of rod you had best make sure your fly hooks are debarbed and honed needle sharp. I can use my 2wt with little problems of getting the hook set properly.
I am a 2 and 3wt fan when it comes to small stream rods. I like the lightweight feel of these rods. I like to feel the fish fight. For me, there lighter weight rods allows me to present a fly more delicately. The play in the rods offers me some leader protection on days when I must use very fine tippets. Unfortunately, I don’t catch many behemoths on the small streams that I frequent, so over fighting the fish is usually not a problem.
Castibilty is another issue with rod weights. A 5wt rod is much easier to cast than a 1wt rod... period. So, for the beginner, I would not recommend and extremely light weight rod. Perhaps a 4wt would be a better choice at this stage of skill level. But then, on the other hand, many small streams are so small that you’re really not casting anyway. You’re only flipping and dapping with an occasional roll cast. If you look at it that way, first class casting skills are not overly important. It depends upon the size of the stream, brush, trees and even wind as to how much real casting you may or may not be doing. For example, a typical small meandering stream that snakes through a valley meadow will likely have no trees and minimum brush to contend with. However, the wind may create a problem when trying
Vol. 1- Issue 2
to cast a 2wt. You may actually need a 4 or 5 wt in order get the fly where you want it.
You can see that when it comes to the ideal rod weight for small streams opinions vary. One single rod weight is not going to be ideal for every small stream application. I will venture to say that most of the anglers that I know use a 3 or 4wt rod in this situation. These are good all-around rod weights that will handle a large variety of small stream applications.
Rod Length My very first small stream fly rod was a 2/3 wt, 7ft rod. I once took a fishing trip to the Cimarron River where I booked Doc Thompson of High Country Anglers. We fished the Cita which is a private stretch of the Cimarron just bellow the Cimarron Canyon State Park entrance. This section is a classic small stream just loaded with hungry Browns. I met Doc at the trail and started to assemble my gear. He patiently watched as I assemble my 7ft rod. He then calmly said, “Why don’t you leave that rod here, we’ll take my 9ft 4wt instead”. I was bit confused and my feelings were a little hurt. I was taught that you need a short rod for small streams and this is definitely a small stream. However, I figured he was the expert on this river so I’ll take his word for it. We were soon on the bank and Doc pointed out a nice pool to cast to. After I made a few drifts, he said, “Here, let me see your rod for a minute”. He then taught me how to properly high stick. I then saw the advantages of a long rod on a small stream. Doc had me to cast out with only about 1 or 2 feet of fly line hanging out of the end my rod. He then had me lift the rod high while keeping it parallel to the ground. I was trying to keep
all of the fly line and as much of the leader as I could off of the water. This was creating, of course, a perfectly drag free drift. Occasionally I was able to lift the entire leader from the water so that the only thing touching the water was my dry fly. This took a lot practice but I finally got the technique down pat and caught a lot of fish. I made very few overhead casts. I mostly flipped and rolled so the brush and trees were really not much of a problem. Rod length is a very important consideration and, in some situations, maybe even more important than rod weight. As you can see, there is more than one school of thought regarding the proper rod length for small streams. The short rod advocates are steadfast in their beliefs. The long rod proponents are equally convinced there technique is superior. I can see that both rods have their place. This is where the character of the stream itself will help you in determining the best length for you in a given situation.
Shorter rods, 5 to 7ft, may be ideal for the tightest and brushiest of creeks. Best of all, these short rods are so cute and so sweet. On the opposite side we may find the need for that long rod. An 8’6”, a 9ft, or perhaps even longer rod may be the best choice for the meadow stream that offers little casting impediments. Maybe you’ll be high sticking to finicky trout and you need that extra reach. The Global dorbeR Group in Flippin, Arkansas now produces a 10ft 1wt fly rod blank for this type of fishing.
Rod Action If your time is going to be spent chasing Brookies s on a smaller stream, then a fast action may not be the best choice. Medium and slow
action rods are better suited for small streams. They offer better control, more accuracy, more tippet protection and softer presentations. I know there are some fast action fanatics out there and that’s fine. If a fast action rod feels good to you, then by all means use it. Myself, I prefer a medium action rod. The medium action just feels good to me. They offer more forgiveness of my sometimes lazy casting stroke. They really do offer the accuracy and the delicate presentations that I often need on these small creeks. The medium action rod slightly out performs the slow action in the hook set, yet the slow action remains another great choice for fishing for small fish.
Material I suppose our basic choices here are bamboo, fiberglass and graphite. Most rods sold today are graphite. Overwhelmingly so. Graphite rods are lighter in weight, more sensitive, and have a faster response than a bamboo or fiberglass rod. More than likely you’ll end up with a graphite rod and your decision to do so will be sound and safe. It is important though to not overlook fiberglass and bamboo. With glass and bamboo, you have a solid structure consisting of fibers with varying densities. With graphite you have a hollow tube of uniformmaterial. The result is that glass and bamboo is smoother, closer to natural action and a little less tiring.
You may hear that bamboo rods are heavier. This is true, however, this relatively small increase in weight is also one of its advantages, for this additional weight gives these rods an inherent loading characteristic that makes them very smooth casting. Split bamboo rods are also a fly fishing work of art. They certainly have an aesthetic advantage over glass and graphite. One problem is that they’re usually quite expensive.
Glass rods may be a better alternative to bamboo. Doug Macnair, long time casting instructor and fly fishing writer, says “In the short rod format, fiberglass handles very much like bamboo and in my opinion beats graphite every time. I would suppose that my all time small stream favorite is the Little Betts fiberglass 6-footer from 1963.” You’ll probably not find many 1963 Little
16
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Betts around but you can still get good fiberglass rods today. Diamondback’s Diamondglass rods are a perfect example of modern fiberglass fly rods at their best.
Sections I have a 7pc 3wt fly rod that packs down into an 18” rod tube. I thought it would make a great small stream rod because it disassembled into such a concealed package. I could store it anywhere. The last time I used it I was with a friend who had a 2pc rod. We drove up to only a few yards from the creek. We started rigging up for the fish. In a matter of what seemed like seconds, my friend was catching fish while I was still assembling my fly rod.
So, how many sections should your new small stream rod break into? It is a matter of preference as well as functionality. A 2pc rod is so convenient. You only have two sections to worry about. Aligning the guides during assembly is so simple. A 7 or 8pc rod is also convenient in its own way. Their tubes are very short which makes for a great travel or pack rod. If you are hiking or backpacking any significant distance to the back country stream then these rods are ideal. It just takes a little longer to assemble them in a manner so that the guides are all lined up. It’s probably safe to say that the largest selling rods come in 4 sections. It’s a good idea to consider how you will usually be traveling to you fly fishing destination. Will you fly or drive? If you fly, well, that opens up a whole other can of worms. We’re not talking San Juan worms either. This can get pretty nasty sometimes. Generally there is no problem flying with a four piece rod, without reel, as carry on. But like a lot of carry on rules today, a lot depends on who is working the security check point at the time you pass through. Trying to carry on a reel is a big no-no today. Airline officials have said there is enough fly line and backing to tie up a whole flight crew. The thing to remember is that the enforcement and interpretation of these rules are very inconsistent. One very good solution is to purchase one of the new rolling duffels that have a dedicated space in the bottom to hold several four piece rod tubes and check
it as luggage. Fishpond, Orvis and Cabela’s have luggage with this feature. Just check the luggage and hope for the best. It should arrive safely. On the other hand, if you try to carry it on and get stopped at the terminal and are requested to check your fly rod tube, the chances of never seeing your rod again have just increased One other solution is to FedEx or UPS your equipment to the lodge or hotel ahead of your arrival and arrange for a prepaid pick up after you leave. This also offers better insurance coverage than hassling with an airline if something is lost.
Fly Line Now that I have enlightened you on some factors and characteristics to strongly consider when purchasing your new fly rod I am finished, right? Well, in all good conscience, I can’t just turn you loose right now without at least mentioning fly line and how it will affect your small stream rod. First of all, let me make this perfectly clear, I usually advocate staying with the manufacturer’s suggested line recommendations or, in the case of the heavier weights 6-9, underlining by one weight depending on the circumstances. Wait a minute... did I say underline? Yes I did. Macnair opened my eyes to this concept. You see, it’s in the amount of line you aerialize in making the cast. Consider for a moment that while you and I now know the weight in grains for the first 30-feet of our line, we don›t know the weight of the remainder that typically includes the rest of the head, its rear taper, and the running line ... An interesting thought? It should be, because for every ten to fifteen feet we add to the initial 30 hanging in the air, we effectively add another line weight to the load carried by the rod. Said another way: a 5-weight line becomes the equivalent of a 6-weight when 40-feet of line are aerialized, a 7-weight with 60 to 65-feet in the air, etc. At some point, of course, our 5-weight rod will overload resulting in either a collapsed cast or worse, a broken rod. Then, as Doug would say, the Ancient Fishing Gods will be laughing. OK, so what does this concept of underling a 7wt fly rod have with a
small stream rod? Plenty... the same concept applies but in reverse. Let’s say you’re using a 3wt rod with a 3wt line on a small stream. Most of your casts are going to be less than 15 or 20 feet. Take away the leader and you only have about 10 feet or so of fly line aerialized. Well that’s not enough line weight to allow the rod to perform as designed. So, in this case, its makes perfect since to overline your rod. Ten feet of a 4wt line might give you enough aerialized weight to allow the rod to perform better and thus improve your casting. So think about it. You may want to overline your new rod depending on how far you think you’ll be casting.
Conclusion OK... there you have it. Now, have I covered every possible aspect of selecting the ideal creek rod? Probably not... but you know have enough information to assist you in selecting the best stick for your specific applications. I think you now realize that no single rod will do.
This article is courtesy of Steve Robbins. Steve is the owner and administrator of the North American Fly Fishing Forum athttp://www.theflyfishingforum.com
10
TIPS
For Tree Stand Success For Trophy Whitetail Deer Hunting By Todd Jensen
No other technique for bowhunting whitetail deer can enhance your efforts to evade a deer’s incredible sense of sight, smell and hearing than hunting from a tree stand. With everything being equal, a well placed tree stand will out perform a well placed ground blind any day of the week. The following are 10 tree stand success tips that will help you take your trophy whitetail deer hunting to the next level:
18
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Contents The Escape
The Game The Rush
The Roar
Ad Index
#1
Find the Best Location First, and Then Make That Location Work
I have often said that bowhunting whitetail deer is a game of inches, not feet or yards. Even one inch can sometimes make the difference between success and failure. With this in mind, always search for the absolute best location that will allow you a chance at that trophy buck. Then find a tree that works best with that location. If you have two trees that are five feet apart and one is in the ideal location but maybe not as nice to hunt out of as the other tree… pick the one in the ideal location (as long as it is safe) to place your stand.
#2
Have Enough Tree Stands to Cover Wind Direction
Many hunters make the huge mistake of not worrying about wind direction when they climb into their tree stand. That stand may have been successful for them or another hunter in the past and they hunt it almost exclusively no matter what the conditions are. A stand is only in the ideal location when the wind direction for that location is ideal. The jig is up, possibly forever; if that trophy buck you are after catches your scent and sees you in your favorite tree stand.
#3
Don’t Place the Tree Stand Too High or Too Low
Take all the variables of your hunting stand location into consideration when choosing your stand height. In a nutshell, don’t hunt so low that they will either see or smell you and don’t hunt so high that you have limited your target location because of the very steep shooting angle. An example of a variable to consider is always keep in mind the location of where the buck will be coming from. You may be 15 feet off the ground in your tree but if he will be coming over a hill close to your location, 15 feet may not be high enough.
#4
Clear All Your Shooting Lanes
Each and every year make sure you prune your shooting lanes. As mentioned above, bowhunting is a game of inches and this is an example where the inches part comes into play. One inch higher and your arrow will find its target, one inch lower and it hits that wayward branch you didn’t prune and you miss the animal entirely or, worse yet, wound the animal.
#5
Do Not Get Discovered Entering or Leaving Your Tree Stand
Take extra precautions to make sure you are not discovered entering or leaving your tree stand. This was one of the first things I had to teach my boys when they started hunting whitetails with me. They would walk in and walk out like a herd of elephants. They slammed the car door, clomped their feet when they walked, and chit chatted way too much. Obviously, they were young and just starting to hunt (these habits were easily corrected) but I have seen many adults make the same mistakes as well.
#6
Don’t Hunt Someone Else’s Tree Stand Without Permission
This one should be a no brainer but it has happened to me so many times that it is worth mentioning. Nothing is more infuriating when the conditions are absolutely ideal for the tree stand you want to hunt and you have done everything right to get to your stand location and some idiot is already sitting up there. Not only is it rude and obnoxious but it could cost you permission to hunt in that area.
#7
Make Sure Your Tree Stand is Safe
In construction, it is an OSHA rule that you must be tied off if you are six or more feet about the ground. I would recommend you follow this same rule when hunting from a tree stand. Make sure you are tied off with an approved hunting safety harness system and in a tree strong enough to support your weight. If you hunt from a
20
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
permanent stand, make sure you inspect it each year to see that materials have not rotted or that its connections to the tree are still secure.
#8
Pre-determine Your Shooting Distances
There are some extremely good range finders available on the market today. Some even measure your shooting angle from your tree stand. Do not make the mistake of waiting until that trophy buck you are after comes into view to determine the correct shooting yardage. It is hard enough getting your bow ready without messing around with that. If you have a range finder, use it to find locations of various objects in the areas that will be shooting locations. If you don’t, then utilize a tape measure to do the same when placing your stand. Use natural objects to mark these locations in lieu of highly visible marking tape that may spook deer. Place a small log on the ground or push a stick into the ground to mark these locations.
#9
Utilize Funnels to Find Ideal Locations to Place Your Tree Stand
A funnel is any naturally occurring topographical feature that naturally funnels deer through a certain area. It can be in the form of saddles, bottlenecks, ridges, gullies, benches, etc. It is critical that you identify these features in your hunting area as these locations will provide more predictable areas of deer movement to establish your shooting lanes.
#10
Utilize Natural Cover to Keep Yourself Concealed
If at all possible try to find a tree stand location that has natural cover behind your location from the deer’s viewpoint. A single tree with you sticking out the side of it is not an ideal situation. They definitely will know something is not right. If at all possible, make yourself blend in with the natural cover behind you. On one hand, hunting from a tree stand can be quite challenging and time consuming to perform properly. On the other, the advantages it provides over hunting from the ground make it all worth it.
Todd Jensen holds the current non-typical whitetail P&Y Record for the State of Montana. Get his free Special Report “17 Killer Whitetail Hunting Tips Every Bowhunter Should Know!” These tips will help you take that dream buck of a lifetime. http://www.whitetailbowhunter.com/techniques.html
How the River K Way back when in February 2005, I went to the Outdoor Adventure Show and I twisted my friend Leslie’s arm to go on a learn-how-to-kayak weekend with me. We booked 2 days including meals, kayaking lessons and camping accommodation with a company called Equinox Adventures that has a rafting and kayaking camp located on Calumet Island in the Ottawa River. So Friday we got ready, I picked Leslie up from work and we headed off on Highway 401 east of Toronto. We got stuck in rush hour traffic for a solid hour and half until I decided to go north of the highway to take a country road. We stopped in for a nice little dinner in Belleville, and after driving through the beautiful countryside in Eastern Ontario and after getting lost on the winding roads near our destination, we finally set up our tent at about 11 pm, illuminated by the headlights of my car. The Equinox river camp is very basic, located around an old farmhouse are 3 different campgrounds (for noisy, seminoisy and quiet campers..), an outbuilding with extremely basic men’s and women’s bathrooms that have 2 toilet stalls as well as 4 functioning shower stalls in a co-ed shower and an outdoor eating area covered by tarps that are draped over metal railings. Luxury accommodation this is definitely not.
Saturday morning we got started early, we actually got woken up by the mooing of cows in the farmers field next door at about 6 am. Other campers reported that some of the cows took a walk right through the camp ground and actually left some sizeable paddies behind. It was fabulous to be in a tent again after not having gone camping for about 8 years.... We got a simple breakfast, some pancakes and pre-packaged muffins (some of them a little furry) and we started picking our kayak gear and headed off with our knowledgeable guide Christine and her helper Krista in a van to the Ottawa River. We got suited up with our life jackets, helmets and sprayskirs, and then put our kayaks in the water. I had a devil of a time getting my sprayskirt over the kayak’s opening because it was so tight. We started with simple paddling exercises in the calm waters of the Rocher Fendu dam and first learned how to do a “wet exit”: after you tip the kayak and are underneath the vessel (panic time for most people) we were taught to rip the sprayskirt off and swim
22
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
our way out of the kayak.
Paddling was quite difficult since the angle of the blades of the paddle is offset, so while your right hand is supposed to stay still, the left hand is supposed to tilt a little so the left blade of the paddle goes into the water at the proper angle. I had a bit of a problem with that since my right arm is way stronger than my left arm (from playing tennis) and I couldn’t get the entry angle of the left side of the paddle right, so many times I ended up going in a circle off to the left, having to paddle 3 or 4 times on the left side just to straighten myself out again. The kayaks are perfectly flat on the bottom, so there is no hull to help you out with the tracking on the water. Paddling got a little more difficult when we went up the Ottawa River and my own personal faulty technique caused me to veer off to the left all the time, causing me to get caught in the current of the river, drifting downstream, against the direction of where we were trying to go. I then realized a few things: that the currents on a river as big as the Ottawa River are extremely strong and that my upper body strength was waning pretty quickly. I really developed some major respect for the river and for the skills involved in kayaking.
To be honest, I never quite got the hang of it. We were taught skills like “ferrying”, i.e. getting across a current at an angle, or the “T-rescue”, where a second kayak comes up to you after you have tipped your kayak and are trapped underneath the boat in the water. You are then supposed to tap on your own kayak 3 times to make noise to alert other paddlers that you have capsized. Then you have to reach along the side of the boat to locate the second kayak, and then you put both hands on the other kayak and twist yourself out from underneath your own vessel with a flick of the hips. I have to admit, I am a pretty athletic person, and I love speedy sports like downhill skiing and mountain biking, and I am actually pretty good at them. But some things about whitewater kayaking gave me the chills, just the idea of getting entrapped upside down underneath the kayak, possibly snagged by a rock underneath the water, and not being able to get back up freaked me out.
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions(http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.
Ad Index
My brother-in-law Roger, a consummate graphic designer and visual artist, had recently taught me how to do close-up shots of plants and other objects, so I started experimenting taking close-range shots of plants and flowers right next to the Ottawa River. This was the first time I experimented with this photo technique and I have to say I was reasonably pleased with the outcome once I came home last night and downloaded the images.
At about 4:30 we headed back out on the road and did a nice 5 hour highly scenic drive through towns like Eganville and Bancroft that are surrounded by rolling hills, lush green forests and ancient rock faces, before we headed into the serene lake district of the Kawartha Highlands. It was a perfect weekend - a combination of adventure and relaxation under crystal blue skies, and it just taught me how beautiful the back roads of Ontario can be.
The Roar
So Sunday morning, after my interview with Krista, she was kind enough to lend me her mountain bike and I grabbed my camera and started my discovery of Calumet Island, a large island in the Ottawa River wedged between Ontario and Quebec. I cycled through forests, rolling hills, grazing pastures and past a few extremely well-kept country properties. I spent about an hour cycling on dirt roads to the edge of the Ottawa River where I started to experiment with my camera a little bit.
After my 2 hour mountain biking excursion I spent the rest of Sunday exploring the island in my car and drove through rolling hills and farm land. Upon my return to the camp ground I spread out a blanket under a tree and did some open-air reading. All the other campers were gone to either river raft or kayak, and the campground was totally quiet, all you could hear were the crickets and an occasional moo from a cow. It was serenity at its best. The other rafters and kayakers came back in the afternoon and they all reported that they had had a fabulous time at their respective water sports.
The Rush
Saturday evening we actually watched a safety video for whitewater kayaking and in the video I realized that advanced whitewater kayaking is a pretty dangerous sport and the risk of drowning or hurting yourself by getting entrapped in rocks or “strainers” (fallen tree branches that stick out of the water) is substantial and must be avoided at all cost. We also learned that working as a team and rescuing one’s team mates are critical life-saving skills. By this time I had already decided that I would trade my second day of kayaking lessons in for some mountain biking on Sunday, combined with a little photo safari of Calumet Island.
On my way back from the river I had an interesting encounter: I drove by a barn and saw 2 horses grazing in the distance. They looked up and noticed me, and as if on cue, two other horses came out of the barn as well. They started approaching me, as I was standing on the side of the road, behind a wire fence. All four horses came trotting towards me. About half way from me they stopped in unison, checked me out, then looked at each other, figured they had seen all they needed to see, and trotted off in perfect coordination again. It was a really comical cross-species encounter and I ended up chuckling to myself when the horses disappeared again into the barn.
The Game
So I decided that in the future I would try calmer water sports such as canoeing or sea kayaking on a calm lake, instead of facing mortal danger on the rapids. To reassure all of you readers though: all the other kayaking students did fine, they went upriver, and came down through some mild rapids and had a great time paddling themselves around on the Ottawa River on Saturday and Sunday. And Christine, our guide, was very helpful, and there was always another kayaking student around to help you if you were in trouble, so assistance to safety was never far away.
The Escape
By Susanne Pacher
Contents
Kicked My Ass...
igid, R , e l ortab latable P t h ig Inf the R lding or Fo elii tor L
By Vic
It’s tough choosing a kayak especially your first kayak and there are a lot of questions that need to be explored and answered like: What is the right style or design for you? Pricing out what you can really afford? What type of kayaking are you going to be doing most of the time? The intent of this article is to help you make a good choice based on your research while you are shopping for your kayak. Here are a few guide lines and tips to follow, so let’s get started....
to damage, but can also be easier to repair (can be expensive) compare to the plastic version.
Composite types such as Kevlar, graphite and carbon fiber kayaks will be even more expensive and lighter still and more costly to repair once damaged then the other two mentioned already. Wooden kayaks are the original and hand-made quality model. A smooth, warm wood kayak can be a beautiful thing. The prices on wood boats vary considerably. They are easy to repair but do require lots of routine maintenance like an ordinary boat would. Need to be stored properly and the quality can vary as well depending on the craftsmanship. Folding kayaks offer the advantage of easy portability and storage. A folding kayak is a collapsible - made of fabric stretched over usually an aluminum frame - but that can vary. Their price is on the expensive side when comparing kayak prices, but they tend to last longer than a typical hard-shell and their resale price usually remains reasonable (depends on the care it received over the years).
First you need to know all the basic construction categories you will run into. There are basically three types of kayak structural classifications:
They are tough, flexible, stable and seaworthy, but the general consensus is that they lack a bit of the speed and performance vs. a hard-shell. Like wooden kayaks, folding kayaks bring a sense of the past North American native culture to them.
A fiberglass Kayak will be a much more expensive model than a plastic model, but is significantly lighter. Fiberglass can be easier
They can be the least expensive kayaking option - especially when you consider all the options like storage, portability and maintainability. Thousands of people have been using inflatable kayaks for years and have grown to appreciate how easy they are to get them into the water and back out. After it dries off,
The rigid (hard shell) kayak is what most people think of when they hear the word kayak. Of the various Hard Shell models, a plastic kayak is usually the least expensive but also can be the heaviest. They are usually tough and can take the abuse, but if they get damaged, they are very difficult to repair if at all.
24
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Now Inflatable kayaks offer the best portability of all the models and ease of storage.
how easy it is to store them in your boat carry storage bag which then can be put in either the trunk of your car or once home in a storage closet. Inflatable Kayaks have come a long way and are very sturdy and safe to us. Both US Coast Guard and various rescue crews have used inflatable boats and kayaks for years.
But, as important as the structural makeup of the kayak is, kayaks are typically classified to the type of kayaking they’re designed to do. Kayaks built for touring are much different from those for whitewater paddling. There isn’t any single kayak that will excel in every type of paddling category. As you shop for your kayak, you need to anticipate your future paddling style and then select a kayak that should perform well in that primary kayak category but also keep in mind your skill level and price range as well. Now there are kayaks out there - especially in the inflatable kayak category that lends itself better to multiple styles/designs then their counter parts. So if you are not sure if you will be using your kayak in any one particular category, consider some high quality companies like Sea Eagle, Innova, Airis and Advance Elements to name a few who use a lot of cross over inflatable kayaks to fit multiple needs. But keep in mind that they will not excel in all categories, they still focus on one particular category but do well in other categories better then most. So focus still on a particular category. What kind of kayaking will you be doing?
You want to get a kayak that is well-suited for the type of kayaking you plan on doing most of the time. This is one of the most important factors you’ll need to consider; to determine what kind of paddling you will be doing and how often you will be doing it - White-Water (how advance), Touring, fishing, only ocean kayaking or just casual kayaking. There will be times you will try to do all three but just be cautious - especially if you start out with casual kayaking and then decide to go to Category IV Whitewater kayaking - make sure your kayak can handle Advance Whitewater kayaking. If you are a beginner or your skill level is not where you want it to be perhaps start out with a kayak that is geared to a more causal kayaking style/design with perhaps the rating to handle a mild to moderate whitewater level so as your skill levels improve you have a kayak that will get you to that level. When you get to the more seasoned pro level then trade it in for a kayak that can handle some serious white water rapids. Your experience as a kayaker Counts
An experienced kayaker when shopping for their kayak, will most likely look for different qualities in a boat than a beginner kayaker would. An experienced person will usually look for what they call a kayak with good final stability, while the beginner will more or less value good initial stability - less tipsiness. The tipsiness that is normal for all kayaks with low initial stability makes beginners uncomfortable and shy away, but it is this tipsiness that generally indicates a kayak has greater final stability, something advanced kayakers value when they’re handling bigger waves. [Further clarification on stability: Initial stability is the tendency of the kayak to lean or shift away from an upright position. Final stability is the tendency of the boat
26
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
to actually tip over. A boat with good final stability that seems tippy will be more forgiving by staying in a leaning position instead of tipping over. A boat can’t have both good initial stability and good final stability - it’s pretty much one or the other. The hull shape will determine what kind of stability the boat has. Another issue with stability is its comparison to speed. A highly stable kayak will usually not be the faster kayak on the water. Typically, the stable kayak will be wider and slower than the narrower faster kayak]. An experienced kayaker more or less prefer a tighter cockpit, while a beginner will usually prefer a larger one making it easier to get in and out of the kayak. Still other beginners may be concerned about either escaping from a tipped-over kayak or being forced to successfully perform what is referred to as an Eskimo roll in order to get back above the surface. If this is a concern, then perhaps a sit-on-top model with a recessed seat and foot-wells may be a great choice or perhaps going with an inflatable kayak which have multiple air chambers for redundancy which results in greater stability than rigid kayaks. With more stability, unlike rigid kayaks, inflatable kayaks are very easy to get into from the water and less tendency to capsize in difficult paddling conditions.
hanging in the back of a lonesome garage is not a pretty sight nor is constantly seeing your 2 person kayak carry bag taking up space in your car trunk. If you decide on a single (solo), make sure that it has enough storage capacity for whatever gear you are going to need and bring along. Space shouldn’t be much of an issue for just afternoon kayaking, but if you’re going to take long trips with your kayak (camping/fishing), adequate cargo capacity must be available.
Don’t forget about your seating needs you want it to be comfortable and supportive. Whitewater kayakers prefer a snug fit, while touring kayakers prefer something with more room, allowing room to stretch and change positions on longer trips. Check out kayaks that come with upgrade seating if you can afford it. Available Options
A spray skirt, deck fittings, flotation bags and a handy holder for your water bottle are all options to consider. Having the right options can make a difference in your kayaking enjoyment.
Need to consider - Storability, Portability and Weight
It’s a known fact that kayaks are going to be out of the water more than in the water, and so you will need to think about how to store your kayak, transport it, and how you are going to get it in and out of the water. If this is another big concern, then a portable and/or good-quality inflatable kayak would be the perfect option. Another option would be to purchase the lightest/ smallest hard shell you can afford. Need to decide: one person (solo) or two person, cargo capacity and/or comfort
There are one person kayaks and there are two person kayaks. They both have their advantages. A two person kayak can be perfect for couples and families. Kayakers of different skill levels and ages can pair up so that everyone can join and not be left behind. Here you can turn a kayak adventure into a fun family adventure. Two person kayaks are fast and stable, but will lack some of the maneuverability of a solo kayak. Also, purchasing risk come into play when buying double vs. solo kayak. Make sure that your kayaking partner is as enthused and motivated as you are with kayaking. Don’t find out afterward that you are the only real enthusiast because a neglected 2-person kayak
An important option to consider is a rudder. There are pros and cons about the necessity of having a rudder. A beginner would consider having one while the advance kayaker won’t. The argument is, if a rudder helps, then use it. Most would agree, that in certain conditions, such as when strong winds and waves are unrelenting, that a rudder should provide just the right amount of course correction necessary to allow the paddler to focus more on their stroke or the scenery instead of their tracking which is what the rudder or skeg improves upon. Price
Last but not least pricing - the other most important factors. After you have decided on what style of kayak to purchase, price will be the biggest factor in determining exactly which model to buy (what you can really afford). An entry-level plastic kayak can be as low as $350. Other plastic models can run as high as $1800. Fiberglass boats will cost from about $1000 to $3000. Other more exotic composite boats will cost as much or possibly even more. Inflatable boats can start at about $200 and go up to $2000. Folding boats will set you back $1250 for an entry-level boat and up to $4500 for a top-notch two-some. There are some really good inflatable kayak manufactures and some of the best are Sea Eagle, Innova Kayaks, and Advance Elements.
At RigidInflatableKayaks.com, we want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the joy of kayaking or boating, regardless your budget or lack of storage space. Join the thousands like us who enjoy their inflatable kayaks and inflatable boats every chance that we get. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro you’ll find high performance and affordable, inflatable or portable kayaks, inflatable boats, and more for touring, fishing, whitewater, motoring, or just for a weekend getaway. All our Kayaks and Boats are easy to use, setup, maintain, and store. [http://www.rigidinflatablekayaks.com]
5
Golden Rules
of Cross Country Road Trip Planning By Tara Waechter
A cross country road trip is like no other road trip! For most road trippers, it's the Holy Grail of trips. For you, it may just be a long desired vacation or chance to visit family. No matter what your reason, you'll need some tips in order to prepare that are very unique to a cross country road trip. These five Golden Rules of Cross Country Road Trip Planning will ensure that your trip is a success! Golden Rule #1
Recognize that this country is HUGE. Looking at a map may give you the illusion that you can cross it in a couple of weeks. There is no way you can do that, no matter what any mapping site says. Day after day spent entirely behind the wheel is a hell I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy, and you certainly don't want to suffer through it. A typical enjoyable cross-country road trip can last anywhere from a month to two months depending on whether it's round trip or not. •
•
Map It - Whether your cross country trip is round trip (from home and back) or one way (a rental or another car you can drop off and fly back), get on a mapping website that will estimate the number of hours it will take you to drive to your destination (and back if that applies). There are tons out there including Google Maps and MapQuest
Get Real - If you think you can drive for 8 hours a day, you've got another thing coming. For a fun (I hope this isn't some method of self-torture) road trip, you're going to want to spend no more than four hours behind the wheel a day. That will allow plenty of breaks and sightseeing along the way, and you'll need both on your vacation. To make your trip even more pleasant, plan a day "off" from driving occasionally during your vacation. Plan that day to be at a destination where there will be enough to see and do to entertain you for a full day.
28
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
•
Consider Your Destination - Wherever you're going, it's probably somewhere you're very interested in, or you wouldn't be crossing the country, right? Plan at least a few days there to really soak it up before heading back home, no matter whether you're flying back home or driving back.
Golden Rule #2
Spend some time planning out the sights you'll see along the way as well as your time at your destination. Winging it with this can lead to some very boring breaks along your route. Most great things just aren't visible from the highway. Great resources for planning your stops/sightseeing are: •
Guidebooks on each state you'll pass through.
•
Websites that specialize in a state/area you'll be passing
•
Travel forums - especially ones that address specific areas/ states and cities.
Contents The Escape The Game The Rush
Golden Rule #3
One common question I get is whether to book all the hotels/campgrounds/other lodging and plan each day or just to "wing it" and hope for the best. The answer: you can do either, but there are rules specific to each. For the planner, it's easy - plan! Booking ahead will usually ensure cheaper lodging and will guarantee that you'll have a place to lay your head at the end of each day (winging it can be more dangerous, but there are tricks to make it less so).
Before You Go - Research areas along the way and at your destination that may - or may not - be places you'll want to stay. Make a list of 3-5 lodging choices for each and take down the address information and the phone number. Put it somewhere safe and accessible for your trip (I use a folder).
On the Road - Every morning, make the decision. Where do you want to go that day? Select your evening destination and make calls to your listed lodging choices. Don't put this off until later in the day if you want to guarantee a place for the night. What vacancies exist in the morning will probably be snapped up by the afternoon. Now you can follow your whims every day and still have the security of a reservation each evening.
Ad Index
If you want to "wing it", you'll still need to do some planning. At the very least, book your lodging in the areas you'll be visiting along the way that are popular destinations. Trying to get last minute reservations near a place like Yellowstone Park in the summer is insanity. It won't happen. Consider the time of year also - New York City in
the month of December is a crazy time. Plan accordingly. Otherwise, "wing it" people can either use their GPS and really fly by the seat of their pants, or they can protect themselves from trouble by doing the following.
The Roar
through or in road tripping attractions (like mine).
underwear, socks.
Golden Rule #4 You'll need to really baby your car before taking a cross-country road trip - more so than for any other road trip. You're about to push it to its limits! Here's a checklist of things to have addressed by your mechanic before you hit the road: • • •
•
Read your manual and have all maintenance that's due taken care of now. Timing belts, tune-ups, system flushes, etc. all fall into this category. Get an oil change unless it was literally just changed.
Have your mechanic check the following: hoses, spark plugs, belts, air filter, and all fluids. Also, if there's any problem/weird noise or smell that you've been noticing with your car, deal with it. Tires are vitally important. If they're old, they won't be able to handle heating up as they roll on the road and will probably blow. Replace them now if warranted. Get your tires rotated and alignment checked.
Be sure to pack a roadside emergency kit (jumper cables, flares, tire patching kit, jack, spare tire), make sure you renew or get a roadside service membership, and pack extra water, a blanket, a flashlight with fresh batteries, and some emergency snacks. Golden Rule #5
Packing for a cross-country road trip is all about streamlining. Unlike other vacations, this is not one where you'll want to pack an outfit for every day. The best plan is to have 5-7 pants/skirts/ jeans and 7-9 tops/shirts that coordinate well (as well as shoes,
30
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
Stick with neutrals (kaki, white, gray, black, navy, blue jeans) for easier mixing and matching. Add 3-4 sweaters and jackets (more layers if the weather will be colder) that also are in neutral colors. Bring a gentle detergent for hand-washing (or using a machine when your lodging offers it) to make these outfits last as many weeks as your trip lasts. Don't worry about your travel companions growing bored with your wardrobe - most people don't care about your clothes as much as you do!
When it comes to other items, be sure to bring enough of the things you can't easily get on the road (prescriptions for instance). For everything else (drugstore shampoos, soap, shaving cream, etc) just bring what's easy to pack and get more as needed on the road. You don't need to bring everything - you're not going into the wilderness! Conclusion
If you obey these five golden rules of cross country road trip planning, you'll be well-prepared to experience an outstanding road trip odyssey across the U.S.!
Tara Waechter owns http://www.planning-fun-road-trips.com - a website that covers every aspect of road trip planning including mapping tips, packing lists, road trip games and songs, trip ideas, recipes, tools, and in-depth articles. Tools offered include a road trip budget calculator and a printable checklist of to-do's to handle before you depart on your trip. Tara has traveled extensively in the United States as well as abroad, and has learned the knowledge she passes on in her website through the "School of Hard Knocks". She resides in Cary, North Carolina with her husband, Ash.
Off-Road Tires A Beginner’s Reference
By Billy Han
Choosing the Right Off-Road Tires Looking to buy some new off-road tires? Hold it right there. If you’re just looking to grab the biggest, most wicked-looking off-road tires available, there are a few things you should probably know before you go about doing so. The Truth about Off-Road Truck Tires
Whether you’re sand-racing, rock-crawling, mud-plowing, or whatever other offroad activities conceivable, it’s important to understand precisely why you need a set of off-road truck tires. A common misconception with regard to off road tires is that you need them for improved traction on rugged terrain, and naturally, the general consensus suggests that larger tires equate to more traction. While such an assumption makes sense, it is not entirely accurate. True, the right off-road tires can provide some additional traction in off-road conditions, but there are better, more efficient ways to improve traction than simply bulking up the rubber. If traction is your primary concern, trucks parts like a traction differential (locker) with stock off-road tires is more beneficial for your rig than just adding a set of taller, more aggressive off-road tires. Or for that matter, a winch is probably a smart idea before anything else. A locker or other 4x4-related truck parts could inspire excessive boldness, causing you to get caught in some real jams and then you’ll wish that you opted for the winch instead.
The point is larger off-road tires are meant first and foremost for the purpose of raising the height and ground clearance of your rig to enable steeper ascent and descent in off-road terrain. Simply put, when driving over boulders, slogging through mud, coasting across the desert, or even just making your way through the occasional forest trail, higher ground
32
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
clearance facilitates negotiating certain obstacles.
Not to downplay the traction aspect of off road tires, as a set of mud terrain bias off road tires will most definitely perform better in the mud than a set of all-season radials. Rather, improved traction is more of a secondary function that still bears importance, but should not the sole consideration when it comes to buying truck tires, as there are far better truck parts available for meeting that goal. Are you ready for taller off-road truck tires?
Buying a set of taller off-road tires for your 4x4 is like making a marriage work; it involves sometimes drastic changes, sacrifices, and commitment, along with constant care and maintenance. On the other hand, at least you won’t have to remember anniversaries.
The first thing to keep in mind is that upgrading to taller truck tires means upgrading a number of other truck parts in your vehicle as well. Additional inches of vehicle clearance are needed for the truck tires to fit without rubbing against the vehicle fenders. Truck parts like a suspension lift, body lift, or a combination of both can provide those additional inches. For off-road purposes, a suspension lift is preferable for the increase in wheel travel ability, whereas a body lift simply allows for the fitting of larger off road tires without any off road performance enhancements. Larger truck tires also mean that your vehicle will be working harder to tote additional weight, which can result in significant strain to your axles and shocks, and also alters the gear ratio set by the manufacturer. To compensate for these changes, new ring and pinion gears and performance shocks (many complete lift kits typically include shocks) are strongly recommended. To counteract the additional weight and loss in performance, custom intakes, exhausts, computer chips, or any other performance-enhanc-
ing truck parts are also advised.
Bias Truck Tires versus Radial Off-Road Tires Any driver will tell you that radial truck tires have innumerable advantages over bias ply truck tires. In fact, the tire industry has almost completely abandoned manufacturing bias truck tires, save for a few exceptions. Yet despite that bias truck tires come attached with a number of disadvantages, they still have their advantages when it comes to off road conditions. The Case for Bias Off-Road Tires
Bias off-road tires provide unmatched performance in extreme off-road situations, such as deep mud, jagged rocks, and rough trails. The tread is designed to self-clean and release mud or foreign objects much easier to assist in maintaining traction and the rubber compounds are softer to produce better grip on rough terrain. Additionally, the tire sidewalls are typically reinforced to prevent damage.
On the downside, however, the ride and wear characteristics of bias off road tires on pavement are rather poor. High speed street driving is an uncomfortable and noisy endeavor, and a set of bias ply truck tires won’t last much more than twenty to thirty thousand miles. Even for off-road situations, while low air pressure bias off road tires will deliver excellent performance, the center tread will still take a beating. The Case for Radial Off-Road Tires
Although Bias off-road tires are ideal for the extreme off-road enthusiast, this is not to suggest that radial off-road tires aren’t effective on harsh terrain. On the contrary, the latest radial truck tires perform quite well in off-road situations, and are designed with versatility in mind to produce better road handling characteristics, even at high speeds.
Contents
Choosing the Right Type of Tires
Versatility is the name of the game when it comes to all terrain off road tires, which typically makes them a jack of all trades but a master of none. As a result, a broad range of all-terrain truck tires are available, based on whether a tire’s focus is on or off road performance. Typically, all terrain truck tires are built with off-road standards in mind and then are modified in certain areas to improve street performance. The end result is truck tires that can handle everyday driving, as well as some light to moderate off-road conditions. For the most extreme off-road performance, all terrains won’t perform as well as specialized off-road tires, but on the road, they offer peerless longevity, even wear, and excellent durability. Extreme (Rock Crawling/Mud Terrain/ Sand/Deep Snow) Truck Tires Designed for extreme off-road condi-
Need More Help?
Getting new off-road tires can be a complicated process if you don’t know how to go about doing so. It is strongly recommended that you do some research and take advantage of the many available resources before making a purchase. Yet in the end, if you still have doubts, by far the best way to determine the right off-road tires and modifications for your vehicle is to consult an experienced and knowledgeable person who has a vehicle similar to yours, and has customized it in a similar manner to what you want to do. Not only can such a person suggest the correct products, but also likely has experience with installation and general drivability.
Billy Han lives in La Palma, CA and currently works as a Web Copywriter for TransAmerican Auto Parts. Transamerican Auto Parts is a leading retailer in offroad tires wheels, lift kits, suspension, and other truck parts and accessories, and has over 40 years of experience with off-road tires.
Ad Index
Before plunging headfirst into the sea of off road truck tires and coming out with the meanest, most intimidating monsters you can find, you have to at least know what type of monsters will best suit your off road needs. First and foremost, you need to ask yourself a few questions. What type of off-road activities will you be doing the most? How much on-road and off-road driving will you do? What qualities in particular are you most concerned with
All Terrain Off-Road Tires
The Roar
In terms of choosing the right lift kit, accessories, and knowing what modifications to make, factory service manuals, off-road magazines, internet message boards, manufacturer’s guides, and a number of other resources are available to assist you.
All season truck tires usually have no business going off-road, as their composition and tread designs are not built to handle beatings from off-road conditions. They do, however, provide long-lasting tread that excels on wet or dry paved roads and offers tremendous longevity. Most stock vehicles come equipped with all-season tires. For vehicle enthusiasts adding larger truck tires just for show, all-season truck tires are likely the most efficient way to go. Granted, you won’t get that aggressive look that’s quite popular as of late, but that may be a small price to pay for truck tires that will last you tens of thousands of miles longer than more aggressive truck tires.
The Rush
Tire sizing can be a tricky thing, mostly because the size of off road tires you have in mind is dependent upon a number of factors. The most obvious question is first whether your vehicle is capable of handling the size of off-road tires that you want, and if not, what modifications do you need to make in order for the off-road tires to fit? Unfortunately, there aren’t any universal, all-authoritative guides available to simplify the process, since customization and modification is vehicle-specific. Your best bet for getting a better idea of your vehicle’s specifications is to contact the manufacturer. This will give you a general sense for what your vehicle is capable of so that you don’t exceed its limits, or that you have the right parts installed in case you do.
All Season Tires
tions and little else, rock crawling and mud terrain truck tires employ aggressive tread designs that extend to the sidewalls, giant lugs with deep voids, and reinforced sidewall construction to create tires that will grip any surface and remain durable in the process. Extreme terrain off road tires typically carry many of the same features, and consequently many mud terrain tires make excellent rock crawling tires, and vice versa. Extreme terrain off road tires come in either radial or bias ply, but do their job best in a low air pressure bias ply, which allows the tread to conform to surfaces for increased traction. Yet despite that extreme terrain off road tires are composed of durable, cut and puncture resistant compounds, they usually do not produce very much mileage when driven on the street, particularly at high speeds. In addition, due to the wild tread designs and huge lugs, extreme terrain tires can cause a bumpy ride and are quite noisy on the road.
The Game
Sizing
-- durability, performance, traction, appearance, or ride quality? How much are you willing to spend? Taking some time to consider these important questions can help to narrow down what type of off-road tires are best for you.
The Escape
While radial off road tires may not provide the same traction or performance as a set of low air pressure bias off road tires, their longevity, handling, and smooth ride on paved roads makes up for it. Radials are perfect for the weekend off-road enthusiasts who see a lot of driving time on paved roads.
I have had to sleep on an air mattress several times throughout my life. Attending music festivals, camping outdoors with friends or not having enough bed space in a house, air mattresses have become the norm. Some air mattresses are comfortable and some air mattresses are not. I have slept on both types. Sleeping on a bad air mattress puts a damper on the whole next day. I remember a particularly bad experience on a cheap air mattress; I decided to get just to save money. I woke up the next day sore and irritable. Being the first football game of the season, my team spirit wasn’t up to par with what it should have been. I obtained the AirBedz Lite Truck Bed Air Mattress and was skeptical. Hearing the word air mattress makes me a bit nervous at first. I opened the box and to my surprise, an air pump was included in the package. It plugged into my cigarette lighter so no electric outlet was needed to blow it up. It took maybe two minutes to inflate. The air mattress was lightweight so storing and moving it around would not be a problem. It fit the truck bed perfectly. As impressive as this was so far, the big test still lay ahead of me. I climbed into the back of the truck and settled on the mattress. “Wow, this is actually comfortable,” I thought. I tossed and turned to test out how well the air held up in the bed and again was amazed that none of the air escaped. The mattress also seemed sturdy and tough. Unlike many air mattresses where I would be afraid of it being punctured within the first five minutes, I could tell the mattress would be durable on an extended camping trip. Another great bonus to this air bed was that it came with two inserts that I could stick on either side of the mattress if I needed to sleep on the ground. I give this product my stamp of approval. When camping, I would much rather sleep in the truck bed on a cozy air mattress than on the ground where I am more susceptible to bugs or any other critter that would startled me awake when trying to get a good night’s rest. -Annie McGilvray
Top: Air Bedz Lite with wheel well inserts, carrying bag and pump. Top Right: Air Bedz ready for use. Right: Our publisher demostrating the handy carrying bag.
34
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Contents The Escape
Pg.
Crew Bed
9
Dee Zee
BC
www.deezee.com
Freedom Hunters
5
www.freedomhunters.org
Golight
1
www.golight.com
www.crewbed.com
17
www.hallmarkcutlery.com
Hooker Deer Drag
21
www.hookerdeerdrag.com
Kahr Firearms
IBC
www.kahr.com
Larson Electronics
25
www.larsonelectronics.com
Ram Mount
31
www.ram-mount.com
Safety Seal
11
www.safetyseal.com
Truck Air Bedz
36
www.truckairbedz.com
World Deer Expo
19
www.worlddeerexpo.com
The Roar
Ad Index
Website
Hallmark Cutlery
The Rush
The Game
Company
36
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 2
®
2014 New Models from Kahr and Magnum Research, Inc. ®
KAHR VALUE SERIES
NEW!!
CT45
MSRP: $449.00
Model: CT4543 Caliber: .45 ACP Barrel: 4.04” Capacity: 7+1
Height: 5.25” Slide Width: 1.01” Length O/A: 6.57” Weight: 23.7 oz
NEW!!
CT40
MSRP: $449.00
Model: CT4043 Caliber: .40 S&W Barrel: 4.0” Capacity: 7+1
Height: 5.13” Slide Width: .94” Length O/A: 6.5” Weight: 21.8 oz
NEW!!
DE1911U Model: DE1911U Caliber: .45 ACP Barrel: 3.0” Capacity: 6+1
MSRP: $946.00
Height: 5.0” Slide Width: 1.28” Length O/A: 6.85” Weight: 25.8 oz
www.kahr.com | www.tommygun.com | www.auto-ordnance.com | www.magnumresearch.com
38
GO Mag •
Vol. 1- Issue 1