A look at the equipment list and more

Thought you might all want a quick look at the equipment list as it is evolving...with a current weight of about 47 pounds, without the kayak itself and food and water.  Minimizing weight is critical, especially during portages.  Someone asked this week how many portages there are and I count 16 in my planning spreadsheet, of which 6 are short carries around dams.  The other ten range in length from 1 to 5.3 miles, with the most difficult being the 1.8-mile Mud Pond Carry to enter the Allagash Wilderness Waterway.  On that carry, my wonderful new kayak cart will simply be another 8 pounds of weight to haul, as the trail is actually worn down to a deep, muddy slog that is definitely not wheelable.  There is also a good possibility that I will walk around the section of the Dead River from the Kennebago Road bridge to Stratton, as Sherry and Ardie did, adding perhaps 10 miles to the portage distance.

Sherry and Ardie...known as Team Black Cat...have just finished the NFCT and are now on their way back south to Georgia on the Appalachian Trail.  Their blog is great and can be found under Paddler Blogs on the NFCT website and there is also a hilarious tribute to both their canoe and their speedy journey on the Northern Door Inn's website at http://northerndoorinn.com/canoeing.html. 

Anyway, I digress from the equipment list and should return to my topic.  

• Kayak (48 lbs) - not counted in weight total in above paragraph
• Kayak seat (7 lbs)
• 2 spray skirts, kayak cart, 2 ropes, 2 tiedown straps for cart, paddle, PFD (14 lbs)
• Large backpack dry bag with tent and footprint, sleeping bag and pad, tevas, dry socks and fleece (14 lbs)
• I will be wearing or have handy: my bathing suit, shorts, t-shirt, fleece, rain jacket, river shoes, wool socks, river hat, headnet, knife, nalgene bottle of water, and a nifty combination whistle and compass with matches inside
• Small dry bag with map and trip descriptions, SPOT, GPS, camera, binoculars, TP, space blanket, first aid kit, extra glasses, tiny AAA flashlight, sunscreen, insect repellent, chapstick, inhaler, epipen (3 lbs) - this bag will also carry snacks and my jacket/fleece if it is warm and dry
• Small dry bag with cooking gear:  cookset with stove in bag, fuel can, and lighter inside; aluminum plate; mug; dish towel; zip bag with folded paper towels, foil sheets, matches, folding knife, and utensils; zip bag with camp soap and dish cloth; water filter; folding saw (4 lbs)
• Small dry bag with personal gear: pack towel; book; quart zip bag with journal, pencils, tissues, watch, flashlight, AA lithium batteries, extra memory card and camera battery, extra maps, and matches; net bag with toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss, mirror, TP, Benadryl, vitamins, antibiotics, chapstick, bandaids, nail clippers, money (2 lbs)
• Small dry bag with clothing: underwear, wool socks, rain pants, warm hat, hiking pants, thermal tights, long sleeve top, t-shirt (3 lbs)

Added to this will be one more medium heavy duty dry bag to carry the food and an extra nalgene water bottle.  I would guess this bag might weigh 5 pounds, but that is a project for the weeks ahead.  Still unresolved or undone are the questions of whether to carry an extra paddle and what to bail with, and the addition of copies of trip descriptions and fire permit numbers.  Right now all of this is packed and will go along on tomorrow's trip, with the exception of the kayak cart, which will stay at home.  It will be educational to see how my paddling speed changes with the addition of 40 pounds of gear to the boat.  Back to the blog after Long Lake...have a great Memorial Day!

This evening I said goodbye to Webber Pond with a bit of sadness, after many fun days exploring its coves and islands and enjoying its plentiful wildlife. Thanks are due to friends Steve and Jo Laurich, who allowed us to conveniently store our kayaks down by the shore. As I waited for Dad to arrive, the fog began to creep over the water and a perky pair of chickadees kept me company. We loaded up the kayaks, tying them securely to the roof rack, in preparation for our paddling and camping trip at Long Lake on Monday and Tuesday.

My SPOT team is in place and has begun reporting in, after receiving the first "all is well" message, sent from Webber Pond today. The SPOT sends each of the six people on the list an email with a link to my position on Google Maps, which is shown by a symbol. Click on the symbol and a box pops up with the exact latitude and longitude and the time that the message was sent. The consensus is that my new friend SPOT is pretty cool. I know that I feel a bit like an explorer setting off on an adventure in the rainforest, especially when I look at that little symbol on the map.

Earlier today my house was filled with a whirl of Mary Kay...as my friend Deb Walder made my daughter and her friends more beautiful than ever, as part of her Face Race fundraiser in support of Paddle for Hope. Add in some gardening and buying my fishing license and you have a very satisfying day!

Warm welcome at Maine Children's Cancer Program

Yesterday I visited MCCP and discovered not only a bright, cheerful, caring environment, but an amazing group of people who work so hard to save the lives of children with cancer.  Lianna Doane, Development Coordinator, has been the one enthusiastically helping me plan Paddle for Hope, setting up the webpage, helping with news releases, and processing and acknowledging donations.  Walking through the clinic with Lianna, I was deeply touched by the photos of the children that adorn the walls, many of whom stay in touch for years after treatment. 

Daisy the therapy dog provides love and comfort to clinic patients...she's a Labradoodle.

Here I am in the counseling room, with a mobile created from a myriad of colorful paper cranes, representing the hopes and dreams of the children and families who meet within these walls.  Our contributions will go to three areas:  research funding, new equipment, and psychosocial services for children and their families.  I often think how siblings, as well as patients, must benefit from being supported through these programs.



Lianna in one of the colorful treatment rooms...this popular room includes a play kitchen to add fun to the day!

There weren't any children at the clinic this late in the afternoon, but all of the staff spent time sharing information about their jobs and answering my questions and also enthusiastically asking many of their own about the details of my trip.  And, as I paddle this summer, I know that the support and good wishes of the MCCP staff will go with me on my journey.

Bzzzzzzzzz!

A hint of the sun reflected in Webber Pond

Ah, the blackflies.  I haven't mentioned them, not being one to dwell on the negative, but they were out in full force last evening as I paddled the perimeter of the pond.  Perfect bug conditions, warm and calm, with even a hint of the sun through the clouds.  My combination of insect repellent and head net left much to be desired and the back of my neck is covered with bites.  I have a bug jacket still in its package, which I need to unpack (and quickly).  For those of you "from away" who are interested in a detailed bug report, we saw our first blackflies on April 30 and, as June progresses, they will gradually disappear.  No mosquitoes yet.

The residents of the two beaver lodges on the southern end of the pond kept me entertained and alert with one startling tail slap after another.  The powerful crashes resounded across the water, even when I was quite distant and paddling away.  Also saw red-winged blackbirds, a great blue heron, and my friends the loons.  Megan wondered Sunday how I could get excited anew at every loon, but I just do.

Our fundraising thermometer took a satisfying jump yesterday and now stands officially at $2,614, heading up toward our goal of $10,000.  And I have a bunch of money to take tomorrow on my visit to MCCP.  Please help us keep climbing!

Rollin' along

A roller coaster is often used to describe the ups and downs of life, but the image of a roller coaster for me right now is that moment when the car starts to climb that first immense hill...you look up and up and realize that there is no stopping until the ride is over.  Then, of course, you scream and laugh and have the time of your life!

My "roller coaster" of a life for Monday and early Tuesday included more packing and repacking of gear...attempting to make everything as compact as possible for portaging.  I am retiring my 10-year-old backpacking stove and yesterday tried out my new Optimus Crux Lite stove, which fits in its little cookset along with a 3.53 oz. can of the isobutane/propane mix fuel it uses.  Very cute and yet it blasts the flame when turned all the way up.  I will definitely make some coffee with it on our camping trip to Long Lake in Naples next week and give you the full field testing report.  Here are the contents of my cooking equipment bag...the to-do list still includes buying a tiny lighter and replacing the water filter cartridge with the brand-new one donated by my friends Steve and Kathy Maclachlan.

The photo below arrived just in time for submission to our local weekly paper, the Lincoln County News and I sent it off a little while ago, as we are trying to have something in the paper every week now.

Laurie Chandler (left), Youth and Family Minister at Second Congregational Church U.C.C. in Newcastle, recently shared her plans for Paddle for Hope with the church's Women's Fellowship at their May meeting.  The following Sunday, president Judy Jones (right) presented her with a $300 contribution from the group in support of her upcoming kayak trip across Maine to benefit the Maine Children's Cancer Program.  To date, Paddle for Hope fundraising totals $2,700 toward the goal of $10,000, all of which will be used for research, new equipment, and services at the Scarborough facility.

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Technology and a new paddling partner

Safety concerns are a worry and I am trying to address as many as possible.  One major goal for the trip is to paddle/portage solo across Maine without help, except for resupplies of food and clean clothes.  To provide peace of mind and also allow for communication of my position on the remote sections, I will be using a SPOT Satellite Personal Tracker, which arrived this week and was activated yesterday.

Mine is a first generation model that weighs just over 7 ounces, floats in water, and runs on two AA lithium batteries.  There are several actions that SPOT can do for the basic subscription service I purchased, which costs $99 per year.  Most critically, it has a 911 button that can be used in an emergency to notify the GEOS International Emergency Response Center.  Once activated, appropriate emergency responders will be notified and, even on the move, your updated position will be broadcast every 5 minutes.  SPOT can also send your GPS coordinates as part of an "I am fine" message to your desired list of friends and family.  These waypoints are saved as a record of your journey.  The third feature is a call for help from family and friends only and would let them know that you have a non-critical need.  Here's a picture of my new friend.

On Memorial Day, my parents and I will leave for a short camping trip where they will use their new camper and I'll paddle of course and try out some of my new equipment.  So...this week I need to create my SPOTteam!  These are the family and friends who will receive messages during Paddle for Hope. 

Dad and Megan putting in

My daughter Megan arrived home from college and joined me for an evening paddle around Webber Pond.  I'm still exploring this pond, whose 220 acres include sections of undeveloped shoreline and a wild atmosphere, in part due to the limited (or nonexistent?) public access.  In researching the pond's size, I came across the interesting fact that sea-run alewives ascend Muscongus Brook to spawn in Webber Pond, providing a good food source for smallmouth bass.  Here are a few shots of the launching of Megan's rather basic kayak.  She plans to join me for a day or two of my journey, perhaps in the Jackman area.
 

First paddle of the summer (and I use the word summer very optimistically)

 

Looking closely in the fog

 

Rhodora! If the sages ask thee why
this charm is wasted on the earth and sky,
tell them, dear, that if eyes were made for seeing,
Then Beauty is its own excuse for being:
Why thou wert there, O rival of the rose!
I never thought to ask, I never knew:
But, in my simple ignorance, suppose
the self-same Power that brought me there brought you.

(from Rhodora, Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1834

The mood on the water this morning was tranquil, as fog softerned shapes and colors and the still waters created a mirror of reflections.  Fish rose gently to the surface and a trio of loons appeared near a misty island.  The lavender rhodora blooms punctuated the greens and grays of the wooded shore.  The atmosphere encouraged pauses to look deeply and appreciate nature.  Hope I remember to do that this summer.

My morning paddle started before eight and now I'm home, where the bright sun is a welcome sight.  The fundraising thermometer took a jump on Thursday and now stands at $1,989, almost a fifth of the way to the goal.  My friend Deb Walder has created an innovative "Face Race" with her Mary Kay business, to collect pledges toward Paddle for Hope, based on how many "faces" she does through the end of June.  How grateful I am for the support of my family and friends!  Well, the rest of the day beckons...with time for additional trip planning...and a trip to the Lincoln Theater to see the play, On Golden Pond.  Enjoy the sun!

Wildlife on the quiet waters

The sun did actually shine one day almost two weeks ago as I paddled by this family of Canada geese on the Pemaquid River.  I am so blessed to have so much water within a few miles of my home...Little Pond, Paradise (Muddy) Pond, Biscay Pond, Pemaquid Pond, McCurdy Pond, Webber Pond, and the Pemaquid River.  My kayak and I have been out and about on several of them over the last couple of weeks.  Not much company out there this time of year, particularly on the damp, cold days and the wildlife abounds...beaver, osprey, ducks, and loons, as well as the very common pairs of geese honking their displeasure at my approach near their nests or young families.  Hope to get out three or four times over the next few days and am hoping for the promised sun and warmer temps.

Having fun shopping

The weather remains gray and damp...what better day for shopping?  My project for the early morning was to order some business cards for PFH.  Got 500 from Vistaprint for around $12 including shipping, which hopefully will get them here before I leave.  The cards are a pretty blue and include the PFH logo.

And speaking of the logo, thanks go out to Timm Gormley and Bill and Mary Bausch for creating it for me.  Timm did the original artwork and the Bausches teamed up to turn it into a logo.  Just one example of the many, many folks who are making this trip happen.  One who comes to mind is the friendly man who generously allowed me to take my kayak out of nearby McCurdy Pond, right across his newly-reseeded boat ramp.  They speak of "trail angels" on the AT and I am sure I will meet many a trail angel this summer.

My other purchase this morning was a lightweight copy of Thoreau's The Maine Woods, which will go along with me this summer. 

Look for another short article in this week's Lincoln County News, with this photo captured by Bill Bausch last Saturday as I was portaging past my neighbors' sheep.  Notice the head net which is surely one of the more valuable additions to the equipment list here in Maine.  The empty kayak moves along quite easily on the paved roads and smooth gravel shoulders on the downhill trip to Biscay Pond, less than a mile from my house.  There's even a short paved side road where it rolls along beside me with just a hand on the bow.  Oh, for such easy portaging on all 25 miles this summer!

Paddle for Hope has a blog!

Welcome to Paddle for Hope's brand-new blog where you can follow the preparations for my adventure kayaking across Maine to raise $10,000 for the Maine Children's Cancer Program (MCCP) in Scarborough, Maine. 

This dream began to take shape last fall, when I knew that I wanted to do something big to fight children's cancer.  My goal is not only to raise money, but also awareness, and to send the message that we care to families battling cancer.  MCCP is an outpatient facility where an average of 200 children per year receive treatments such as chemotherapy, in a caring and close-to-home setting.  When those children need hospitalization, they go to the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital.  Both are part of the Maine Medical Center.

The money we raise will go to fund research, buy new equipment, and provide psychosocial services to children and families.  As part of the Children's Oncology Group, MCCP takes part in the same innovative clinical trials as many of the large research hospitals.  Since the 1950's, clinical trials have helped increase the cure rate for children with cancer from 10% to nearly 80% today!

If you check out the PFH webpage on the tab above, you will see the fundraising thermometer is climbing and now stands at $1,299.  It is only updated periodically, but includes donations by cash and check, as well as online donations. 

Enough background for now.  Here is a picture of me in my 12-foot Native Watercraft hybrid kayak, paddling on Pemaquid Pond about a week ago.  I'm out now on the roads and ponds, as well as walking and doing weight training.  There's lots more to tell you, some I hope you will become a faithful follower as I blog on!