The Hunter

Here is my traveling partner getting some great shots of a bald eagle that was sitting on the edge of Portage Lake. Check out the set of pics that she got on her flikr photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbromley/6623047249/in/photostream/

they are great!

Happy Tuesday: Time to ride bikes.

-j

Day 1: Great Success

Hello all at home and abroad.

Sitting at the McDonald's in Lockport, NY, a little soggy but excited for the day ahead of us.

Yesterday brought us through Ohio, Pennsylvania and Niagra.

Days and trips that start out like this are the best! Look for new stuff from C. Bromley soon!

Ohio, oh how I do not miss things like this.

Pennsylvania, the bit that we went through was nothing to write home about, yet I still am...

Oh well,

We entered New York's Wine country, bypassing the toll road takes you through the vineyards and small towns. Very pretty, however it reminded me of the northern Michigan wine country of Traverse City and Leelanau.

We made it to Niagra, which is a very unique place. A very beautiful natural place, that is nearly ruined by the commercialism of both Canadians and Americans. Nevertheless, it was a very cool experience.

So far I do!

Reminds me of the Upper!

Tim, of the Hart motel out in the river at Niagra falls! See the mist? We are literally 200 ft from Horeshoe falls.

Loving me some Falls, Canadian powerhouse in the background. Horseshoe Falls are a happening where you see the mist!

Well there it is, Niagra in the foreground and Horseshoe in the back. Very pretty even at dusk.

Camping last night brought literal gale force winds and light rain. I slept in TNF Denali and let me tell you, I sweat my butt off!

Today we plan on hiking some of the Adirondacks!  Remember these are only travel blogs, so they are going to be short, expect a full trip recap upon our return!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves. Stay warm and safe!

-J

Tomorrow is the day

Faithful readers,

tomorrow I will be departing on the path to Maine. We have no itinerary, this should be a good time.

The cooler is full, the bikes are packed, kayak stuffed to the max. Items tied down, excitement level is very high.

Gone will be the familiarity of our beautiful mitten for adventure and exploring. We will be scaling walls, kayaking in the ocean, fishing, camping, hiking, biking, partying and finding treasures!

More to come later tonight. I have pics and an explanation of packing!

-J

So, packing packing packing, where to begin. I made a list a few weeks ago which was promptly lost. I made a valiant attempt to recreate that list, however I feel that that list was lacking, so I just began making piles of stuff and packing it into the bag.

I am pretty sure that I have everything packed. Watching a little Star Trek, enjoying some Leinie's Oktoberfest, and spending some quality time with C. Bromley before embarking tomorrow.

I fit all of those piles in my trekking bag.

Packed to the brim with all of the goodies that one could need for a multi-day trip.

Ready to go!

I will be using this trip to test out some of my newer jackets:

I am bringing a number of brands and weights, all with their own special features and claims. Hopefully they will provide favorable results.

Tim has allotted me space for my trekking bag, sleeping bag and a day bag.

For the day bag I selected the REI Traverse due to its ruggedness, waterproofing and capacity.

Since I am bringing the laptop and some camera equipment I plan on using my new Outdoor Products media backpack:

It will really help to keep things in order and safe from any unintentional impacts which will surely happen. So far this bag has been a good purchase, it holds everything in its own which is nice when you are traveling.

Well, it is time for bed, I leave you until probably Sunday morning. I hope you enjoy the weekend.

I leave you with a few pictures from my birthday trip home. Enjoy:

Taking some shots on the west fourty

This gnarled stump is a natural work of art.

A little grilled chicken at the Hart Motel, always a good time.

Chelsea picks out her first pumpkin at our new place, happy as ever.

I will talk to you all soon,

-J