As it ground its way along a snowmobile trail Monday night, the Tucker groomer felt like a combination carnival ride and bulldozer, its diesel engine straining against the 20-foot sledge behind us making pancakes out of moguls. Greg “Term” (for The Terminator) Caruso of East… Read More
As I wrestled to start a cranky snowblower in subzero temperatures Thursday morning, and a few minutes later with a really cranky Saturn that even defied jumper cables, I couldn’t help but wonder what the good folks in Tasmania were planning on doing when they got up for… Read More
A couple of weekends ago on my way back to Bangor from a swim in Eastport, I took a detour down Route 187 to Jonesport – willingly. Actually, I was headed for Great Wass Island, which lies two bridges to the south. But to get there you gotta… Read More
Even my mother thought I’d lost my marbles when I told her last Monday that I’d been for a dip in the ocean on Jan. 24 in Eastport. As I tried to explain it was for a good cause, her exclamations on the other end of the telephone… Read More
This may be the last time you have to put up with me. I say this now, because by the time you get to cast your eyes on these pages I’ll have faced the challenge of taking a dip in the frigid waters of Passamaquoddy Bay. The big… Read More
Last Sunday, while snowshoeing across Moosehead Lake under blue skies and gale-force winds, I let my mind drift along with the blowing snow and thought briefly about camping, warmer weather, and the upcoming camper and recreational vehicle show in Bangor (but more of that in a minute). Read More
Sometimes you have to go looking for trouble, others it just lands in your lap. I promise, I haven’t been out looking, so you know this candidate drifted in from the stratosphere. Let me set the stage by saying that last summer, even when temperatures… Read More
It’s been a month since I’ve been on the water. I’m still having paddling withdrawal tremors, but thanks to planning sessions for next spring’s Paddle Smart symposium in Bangor and the Maine Association of Sea Kayak Guides and Instructors meetings, I have regular fixes to keep me centered. Read More
I was reminded recently by my wife that I should get the annual Christmas shopping suggestion column in print earlier than past years so folks who shop prior to Dec. 24 might have the benefit of my browsing. It’s hard to get into the spirit… Read More
“A nation behaves well if the natural resources and assets which one generation turns over to the next are increased and not impaired in value.” – Teddy Roosevelt A week ago last Thursday, you and I were invited to attend a Public Island Stakeholders meeting… Read More
It’s probably way early to tell you about plans for the 16th Great Caribou Bog Wicked Winter Ski Tour and Race, but I’m going to anyway since we have snow on the ground. Who knows, with this crazy weather, when race date arrives on March 1 (rain date… Read More
“A nation behaves well if the natural resources and assets which one generation turns over to the next are increased and not impaired in value.” – Teddy Roosevelt There’s something really disruptive about a Monday holiday, especially if you work on Sunday. The calendar says… Read More
Think back a week to last Saturday for a second. If you happened to stick your nose outside, you’ll recall you nearly had it ripped from your face what with the gale force winds and freezing temperature that did little to melt the snow dusting we got the… Read More
AppalachianMore than a few of multitudes of you out there (29 or 30 now) have hinted to me in not-so-subtle tones that I’ve devoted way too much time to paddle sports. I think the gist of the comments can be boiled down to “Who gives a Rat’s Petootie… Read More
OK, raise your hands if you’ve seen an eider duck… a black guillemot… a murre… an Arctic tern… a razorbill… an Atlantic puffin… a Leach’s storm petrel. Chances are the number of hands still raised is a small one (particularly since there are only 27… Read More
The weather, my desk job, and a bad knee have conspired to keep me close to the office this week. So I’ll take this opportunity to tell you about two products I’ve been trying out for a few weeks. One’s a new lighter from the Zippo people and… Read More
After the remains of Hurricane Lili blew through last Saturday and things settled down, Sunday turned out to be a blue ribbon day – one to get out and enjoy. The skies were clear, the air crisp and cool, the foliage turning but not peak. It seemed right… Read More
I’ve got a serving of humble pie and a side order of crow to chew on this week thanks to what I wrote two weeks ago. You may recall (and if you don’t, there’s no need to go back and look) I wrote about a… Read More
I need to update you today on a couple of events of interest to those of us who share an affinity for our coast. First off is the completion of the Gulf of Maine Expedition. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]];… Read More
There’s something special about gathering a group of friends for an outing. In these busy times, it’s rare that you can find a time when six friends all have the same day free. (Me? I’m lucky to find five friends!) So it was a treat… Read More
Wow! What a spectacular weekend we had last Saturday and Sunday – cardboard boat races, kayak and sailboat races, Jet Ski rides, good camaraderie, lively discussions, a paddling excursion to Bermuda and fine weather. The icing of the cake was a spectacular display of aurora borealis over Penobscot… Read More
It’s that time of year when folks who have been hiking the Appalachian Trail northward contemplate the completion a life challenge and look ahead for the next one. I caught up with Real Cyr, 52, of Millinocket and Florida, Wednesday by phone. He was at… Read More
Last weekend had to be the best one of the summer for anyone who enjoys being outside and just plain laid back. I joined 80,000 of my closest friends in Bangor for the 64th National Folk Festival to listen to some great music, watch some very interesting cultural… Read More
I’m able to get around on my own four wheels again. They aren’t new, by any means, but they go around. A few weeks after the accident in which the Jeep my wife was driving was rear-ended by a pickup truck, we found a used Jeep Cherokee to… Read More
Eastern Penobscot Bay seems still to be a popular yachting destination, at least that’s how it appeared last weekend. Sail and power boats were plying the placid waters east of Islesboro on a relatively calm Saturday morning as I got a chauffeured tour across the bay courtesy of… Read More
Sometimes it takes a different perspective to appreciate your surroundings. We get into our daily routines, driving the same route to work each day, seeing the same sights and never really seeing anything new at all. Then one day we sit down and plan an… Read More
Two weeks of summer vacation is not enough. It seems like it lasted only a couple of days now that it’s over. The good part about that feeling is that it hasn’t been too tough getting back into the work routine. The bad part is… Read More
The scene: Eastport, a beautiful, sunny day, the first day of summer. Puffy white clouds dot the sky. Winds are gusting to around 25 knots. The tide is ebbing. Six intrepid souls gather at the town dock, ready for a day on the water. Cue the theme to… Read More
Every so often something so simple yet practical comes along that makes you say to yourself, “I wish that I’d thought of that?” I know why I didn’t in the case of the Greatland Laser light that I’m about to tell you about – I… Read More
Lately I’ve come to feel like Kevin Costner in “Water World.” We’ve had so many rainy days, particularly when I’ve had the opportunity to get out, that webs have started to grow between my fingers and toes. So it was appropriate that on Wednesday when… Read More
As I walked the dog shortly after 5:30 Wednesday morning, a light rain was starting to fall from dark and dreary clouds. Rain was forecast, but it was one of those times when I hoped that the meteorologists were wrong. My disappointment with the precipitation… Read More
Whenever I get the chance to observe a “classroom” situation with elementary school youngsters, I renew my respect for teachers and confirm in my mind that I wasn’t cut out for their job. Teaching youngsters takes lots of patience and understanding. I was reminded of… Read More
Most weeks, I’m able to stay on task (as educators like to say nowadays) long enough to put together a column that revolves around a single, well-reasoned and witty argument or theme (as journalists like to tell themselves nowadays). Sometimes, it’s easy and everything flows. Read More
A big thanks to all of you, some 250-plus, who turned out last Friday night (May 10) at the YMCA in Bangor for the second Paddle Smart from the Start safety symposium. Those of us involved in planning and presenting came away with the impression the evening was… Read More
If I didn’t see you Friday night at the Paddle Smart from the Start safety symposium at the YMCA, I hope I’ll see you this morning at Gould’s Landing on Pushaw Lake where you’ll be able to try out some of the 20 new kayak models from Wilderness… Read More
Memo To: Mother Nature googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes… Read More
I’m ready for a nice warm day, one to spend paddling – one with only light breezes, temperatures in the 60s, a light overcast sky. Last Wednesday evening came close. I tagged along with a beginner kayak class at Gould’s Landing on Pushaw Lake taught… Read More
On Wednesday as the New England Patriots blew into town, I was staring into 25-30 mph winds and some nearly two-foot waves on Pushaw Lake trying to keep the bow of a borrowed kayak headed north and right-side up. I needed an adrenaline rush and a short break… Read More
Have you resurrected all your warmer-weather outdoor gear from its hiding places? Do you know where your backpack is? Your camping stove and lantern? The cook kit, water bottles, eating utensils? How about the sleeping pad and tent? Think back, did either of them leak… Read More
Sundays have been falling into a good weather pattern of late – OK, so the last two have been real swell. While this past one wasn’t a great one for getting out on the water, it proved to be an ideal one to take a… Read More
I officially began the 2002 paddling season last Sunday. I’d begged off on an invitation for the previous Sunday (actually I was a bit of a wuss about it, the wind being up and the temperatures being down around freezing). But last Sunday the sun… Read More
If spring fever hasn’t hit you yet check your pulse. Next Wednesday’s the day when the sun “crosses” the equator on its apparent trip northward. (Yes, I know it’s really the earth’s tipping that causes the northward “march.”) On Wednesday, the day of the Vernal Equinox, we’ll have… Read More
Recently, I wrote about a navigation game people play called geocaching. Here’s my next lesson in familiarizing myself with the world of GPS. Afterward I’ll tell you about a book that explains the origins of one of the components of navigation. First, chapter two in… Read More
What if you could pack lightly – say just the clothing you’d need -and hit the trail in any season and see 180 or so miles of Maine’s scenic mountain district from Newry to Rockwood? If you like the idea of multi-day adventures involving mountain… Read More
You know by now, all 12 of you who read about my ramblings (or is it rantings), that I’m not wild about mechanical explorations. My so-called adventures usually are the result of foot or paddle power. It’s not that I’m opposed to machines. They can… Read More
Keep warm in synthetic down, Cool in high tech fabrics One of these days I’m going to be walking around in my underwear. No, not because I’ve passed the double nickels mark (although that could be a major factor, but to date that’s only meant… Read More
I gotta tell you, I went south for the holidays. Except for the lack of snow, I don’t see what all the fuss is about. The temperatures in Boston were just about the same as they were in Bangor! googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot… Read More
And the fun never ends! Most folks celebrate their birthday once a year. Then there are those who make it a monthlong celebration – any excuse for a party! Of course in this busy era it’s sometimes tough to coordinate the schedules of several families… Read More
Remember the last time I talked about snowshoes? Good, neither do I! So it must be time again. I know one of the last great snowshoe adventures I did was exactly a year ago, because it was the occasion of a certain friend’s birthday, and… Read More
Here’s some good news for those of you contemplating buying a sea kayak in the coming year. If all goes according to plan, when you make your purchase you’ll get a comprehensive brochure that will be a handy resource for information about the sport. The… Read More
You would think that after all these eons of life on earth that dressing for the outdoors in winter would be something we’d be able to do pretty much automatically. After all, humans seem to have survived up until now. We have, for sure, but… Read More
A couple of weeks ago I was invited by friends in the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club to tag along on a day’s outing at Donnell Pond, where we would hike one of the numerous trails. We lucked out weather-wise. It was cool, bordering on cold, the skies were… Read More
Never one to rush right out and jump into things, I’m constantly taking a ribbing from friends and family for waiting until the last minute. True to my modus operandi, I’m probably too late (again) for you shopping hounds who insist on getting Christmas over and done with… Read More
Along about the middle of November, I began to convince myself that paddling on open water was pretty much over for the season (not counting the ocean). Temperatures for a while started dropping, skim ice was beginning to form, and my thoughts started drifting to snowbanks and snowshoes… Read More
Nahmakanta. Just its name conjures up something exotic, something primitive. As a Maine Public Reserved Land unit, the largest one administered by the Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks and Recreation, it encompasses some 43,000 acres in the backcountry southwest of Baxter State Park and… Read More
For some folks, last Sunday morning’s Leonid meteor shower was a washout. (See Brad Viles’ contribution below.) Passing clouds discouraged many who awoke around 3 a.m., looked skyward and then decided to crawl back in bed to finish the rest of a good night’s sleep. Read More
All right, it’s getting colder and water outings may not be your first priority any more. What’s a nonhunter to do these days while waiting for snow sports to begin? Plenty, especially if you’re a gearhead. So grab a pencil and notepad and start making… Read More
Indulge me for a moment while I pull Steve Spencer’s chain. Due to an outbreak of sun and wind last Tuesday we didn’t go on our exploratory hike of Nahmakanta Public Reserve. Apparently we’re waiting for inclement weather…. To back up for a second, several… Read More
Yellow leaves drifted down like big puffy snowflakes last Monday morning as I walked Cocoa, my daughter Elizabeth’s chocolate Lab lookalike. Overnight the temperatures had dropped into the 20s and the early morning sun was beginning to thaw a light coating of frost. It was cool and crisp… Read More
A flash of white a half-mile away told me I’d seen an eagle. It alighted atop a spruce tree near the far eastern shore of Silver Lake in Bucksport last Saturday afternoon. Autumn’s muted reds and golds were highlighted by the sun’s low angle. The air temperature was… Read More
Last year, Maine Island Trail Association stakeholders wrestled with questions of overuse and conflicting uses on public islands, problems that have evolved as more and more people sought the “island experience.” Last fall, discussions led to a consensus among MITA members and the state Bureau… Read More
The best thing about going downhill is you don’t have to pedal. The worst thing is you have to climb a lot to get to the top. And the reward, coasting down, is so short lived compared to the eternity of the climb. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
I hate to rub it in, but I had the most marvelous weekend. I spent two days visiting a slew of islands on the Maine Island Trail last weekend in the Stonington area. The weather was the best (cool and clear, sunny and breezy), the company (Maine Island… Read More
Kennebec Valley Trails Inc. of Skowhegan has recently published a spiffy guide for “paddlers and friends” of the Kennebec River. The 222-page loose-leaf book is printed on 4-by-11-inch stock and held together with a plastic binding comb so it lays flat when you open it, perfect for photocopying… Read More