Sorry for the digression. It's a rabbit hole that we need not go down.
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Post Apocalypse Tripping World
- Thread starter Black_Fly
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I'm a little hopeful, a little forlorn. We as an intelligent species achieve so much from our successes and yet learn so little from our mistakes.
But I'm not interested in joining in with the lemming troops to march off to complain about this and turn it all into a political crapshow, I'd much rather share some sunny side of the street POV with anyone so inclined. Yesterday I "stayed home" and did some unnecessary landscaping beyond my property fence along the sidewalk, turning a 100' weedy strip into a flower bed. My needed tools were wheelbarrow, spade and chair. The sidewalk these days gets so populated by dog walkers, child minders, and pedestrian day trippers I might as well take my frequent social distance breaks sitting down, which I did happily. Nearly everyone else was sunny and cheerful too. Well, except for one middle aged father who did his level best to keep his eyes averted and greeting to a growl. His young cyclist daughter was charming however, her helmet was lovely and I told her so. She beamed, he glowered, and the world moved on.
We're not going to fix this, nor anything for that matter, merely by being happy, but we can learn from past mistakes and pass on what we've learned. I've learned that this is a nasty sneaky serious viral disease that spares no-one. I'm taking it deadly seriously. But we can either approach the future with glass half empty and eyes half shut, or we can see our glass half full of hope and eyes wide open to the positive possibilities. Daydreamer? Ya, that might be me.
But I'm not interested in joining in with the lemming troops to march off to complain about this and turn it all into a political crapshow, I'd much rather share some sunny side of the street POV with anyone so inclined. Yesterday I "stayed home" and did some unnecessary landscaping beyond my property fence along the sidewalk, turning a 100' weedy strip into a flower bed. My needed tools were wheelbarrow, spade and chair. The sidewalk these days gets so populated by dog walkers, child minders, and pedestrian day trippers I might as well take my frequent social distance breaks sitting down, which I did happily. Nearly everyone else was sunny and cheerful too. Well, except for one middle aged father who did his level best to keep his eyes averted and greeting to a growl. His young cyclist daughter was charming however, her helmet was lovely and I told her so. She beamed, he glowered, and the world moved on.
We're not going to fix this, nor anything for that matter, merely by being happy, but we can learn from past mistakes and pass on what we've learned. I've learned that this is a nasty sneaky serious viral disease that spares no-one. I'm taking it deadly seriously. But we can either approach the future with glass half empty and eyes half shut, or we can see our glass half full of hope and eyes wide open to the positive possibilities. Daydreamer? Ya, that might be me.
Well, the apocalypse won't be nearly as tragic if there are other worlds with the unique life sustaining characteristics, water, an atmosphere, wildlife. Just knowing humans aren't screwing up the only place in the universe capable of having blue skies and wildlife is reassuring. I don't really care about finding "intelligent" life in the universe as life itself.
Sorry for the rabbit hole. Needless to say tripping won't be likely after a real apocalypse, but on the bright side, there will be lots of great canoes and equipment lying about for the taking.
Sorry for the rabbit hole. Needless to say tripping won't be likely after a real apocalypse, but on the bright side, there will be lots of great canoes and equipment lying about for the taking.
Idaho might be doing the same. In fact, it's pretty clear that tourism is what ignited at least one of our hot spots. The state has prohibited any entry for recreational purposes. I don't know if it will be a lasting restriction, but it's tempting to hope it continues (like I selfishly hoped my local lake would keep its artificial "no-motor" status long past the normal winter restriction). But we've had such an influx of refugees from coastal states in the last few years, that half the current residents are essentially still tourists here, so.....meh.
We are (I am ) extremely fortunate though that we have so much wild public land and water that it isn't hard to find places to paddle or pole that are both open and uncrowded. And "normal" people are still ignoring many really great places. You know - the ones that take some effort to reach. If it sounds like I'm gloating a little - it's only fair, since I was barred from Alaska, the first time I finally attempted to go there.
Our governor last extended the stay home (with exceptions) order to May 1, and we have no real indication yet of what comes after that. But I think it's a pretty sure thing that outdoor recreation (at least for residents) will be pretty much back to normal - as long as it doesn't involve gatherings or climbing on playground equipment.
No, don't be sorry. The rabbit hole was my contribution.
The challenge I see so far (besides borders closing) is mainly transportation. Specifically, shuttles. Traveling to a destination with a canoe has become less expensive for many. But maintaining isolation while shuttling raises some difficulties that will have to be dealt with - or just avoided entirely. I'm looking at trips that either require no shuttle, or allow "shuttle by wife". If I run out of possibilities for those (doubtful, fortunately) I might add shuttle by bicycle. It's definitely limiting, and if I had been canoe tripping steadily since my childhood, I might even find it redundant. But I'm not going to run out of adventure in the eighteen months we presumably have to wait for some resolution. I have a lot of faith in our ability to use our creative thinking to adapt to the situation, and in my ability to find my personal enjoyment.
One person's rabbit hole is another's off topic wandering. No big deal.
I too am looking forward to the carefree highway of canoe tripping. We will see what the brave new world looks like once we get to the other side of this life. I can wait for the other. I'm willing to wait till next year for tripping if that means fewer crowds, emptier portages. There are so many things in life that are free besides tripping; free from worry, free from strife, free from pocketbook expense. Don't stop planning for it though. The wait will be worth it.
I too am looking forward to the carefree highway of canoe tripping. We will see what the brave new world looks like once we get to the other side of this life. I can wait for the other. I'm willing to wait till next year for tripping if that means fewer crowds, emptier portages. There are so many things in life that are free besides tripping; free from worry, free from strife, free from pocketbook expense. Don't stop planning for it though. The wait will be worth it.
I’m paddling every weekend, and the bike is the key. So far I’m doing max 15 mile bike shuttles. While I hate the bike part it’s been worth it to be paddling. Similar to Steve, my wife is up for helping me shuttle on some overnighters. So I got one or two in the works over the next four weeks or so.
i have rearranged my long trip plans from Canada to Bwca or ADK this fall and hopefully that will work out.
i don’t have any dire sense of things. I’ve come to realize this isolation deal isn’t really any different than before. No one trips with me except one weekend a year.
Chin’s Up!
cheers
Barry
i have rearranged my long trip plans from Canada to Bwca or ADK this fall and hopefully that will work out.
i don’t have any dire sense of things. I’ve come to realize this isolation deal isn’t really any different than before. No one trips with me except one weekend a year.
Chin’s Up!
cheers
Barry
Ohio is opening some businesses on 5/1, parks never really closed. Group activities are limited to 10 people. Today is primary Election Day, mail in ballots only, but by a mail in application was necessary to get a mail in ballot, so we were too late to receive one with mail delays. Can't possibly run the general election this way in November, although I think some would want to restrict turnout.
The Maine re-opening plan looks pretty inhospitable to out-of-staters wishing to go canoe tripping or do anything in Maine -- at least through August -- as we would need to self-quarantine for 14 days. https://www.maine.gov/covid19/restartingmaine Pretty hard for folks who are working to take off 3 weeks and self-quarantine for 2 of those weeks to get in a week long trip. That's also going to be really grim for all the summer vacation businesses, hotels, inns, restaurants that Maine is dependent on.
Who knows, maybe I'll still get in a September trip.
Yeah, we were heading that way in the fall. Wife likely won't get a vacation now. May just stay in the Midwest this year. Maine and VT will have to wait.
If I post my tripping plans you all will hate me.
It will be near home .. ish.. 3 hour drive. In state. In June. BF, autumn canoe trips are great in Maine but I get the limitations of job. That sucks
Black Fly season but that is OK.
FunTown Splash Town will not open in 2020.
Ooops wrong audience. !
Think we will put in at Lily Bay and paddle up Moosehead Lake camping at BPL primitive sites , do the Northeast Carry to the West Branch of the Penobscot and take out after descending Chesumcook Lake at Allagash Gateway campground. The self shuttle will take a day to set up but doable Probably do a lot of poking up toward Round Pond and Umbazooksus. The trip ought to take some 15-18 days.
The wildlife I note does not think of these times as apocalyptic. We did a five mile paddle on a local river and the loons mergansers and turtles herons and deer were out.. The deer were a little chuffy... who are these interlopers in the red thing?
There is hope .. The hammer was thrown but it may be eased
https://www.pressherald.com/2020/04...y-worries-quarantine-rule-will-cancel-summer/
It will be near home .. ish.. 3 hour drive. In state. In June. BF, autumn canoe trips are great in Maine but I get the limitations of job. That sucks
Black Fly season but that is OK.
FunTown Splash Town will not open in 2020.
Ooops wrong audience. !
Think we will put in at Lily Bay and paddle up Moosehead Lake camping at BPL primitive sites , do the Northeast Carry to the West Branch of the Penobscot and take out after descending Chesumcook Lake at Allagash Gateway campground. The self shuttle will take a day to set up but doable Probably do a lot of poking up toward Round Pond and Umbazooksus. The trip ought to take some 15-18 days.
The wildlife I note does not think of these times as apocalyptic. We did a five mile paddle on a local river and the loons mergansers and turtles herons and deer were out.. The deer were a little chuffy... who are these interlopers in the red thing?
There is hope .. The hammer was thrown but it may be eased
https://www.pressherald.com/2020/04...y-worries-quarantine-rule-will-cancel-summer/
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That sounds like a great trip. I've always wanted to do the "paddle home from Greenville", a la Thoreau 1857. Of course it's too late to start such a trip in style with a Skinny Dip Sandwich from the Black Frog Restaurant.
I've also been seeing more wildlife, but I'm not sure if that's because of a lighter human footprint or the fact that there are no canoe races so I'm paddling in different places. Caught this moose the other day, just north of the Old Town town line.
Ha! That should go in the humor thread! Seems like gender discrimination that the men were found guilty but the woman was not.
I will have to try the Black Frog.. Never have eaten there. Think June is a bad time to skinny dip thoujgh! Moosehead lake hasn't had ice out yet
Maybe if the BWCA stays closed the moose will return. Silver lining?
Indeed. There has to be a 14th Amendment / equal protection clause argument about that, but apparently the guys decided to pay the $200 and move on rather than appeal.
Seems like the game warden with binoculars could have just given them a stern lecture and saved everyone a lot of trouble.
YC, the place went out of business, which is a shame. It had character.
In the West, it is always possible to escape the crowds. Go during the week, go to the places that are not in guide books. Go to places with crummy put ins. If it is crowded, I am not interested.
It is here too. Especially this year with out of staters barred from just going on a trip without self quarantine until August. What is a crowd? We usually see a few moose and maybe two people in a week. And we are in the "crowded" East..
I would never be comfortable living in the West. Houses have walled yards. And gated commnuities. Unheard of here. Understand it is because of water supply. We do not have city water just a well as everyone else here does.
All this hate for out of staters. Makes it tough for those of us in toilet bowl states. Maybe we should stop sendng cars, tires and corn to states that discriminate against us!
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