You may not be through hiking

If you hiked the Appalachian Trail, you have a lot to be proud of. You completed the journey of a lifetime. You attempted something many of us never will dream of doing. It was quite an adventure from Alabama to Mount Katahdin.

Oh. You started at Springer Mountain in Georgia? Didn't they tell you that there is an alternate start to the AT?

Nothing is official. But Alabama officials think the epic journey needs to be longer. Apparently it's too easy.

And take it easy on those e-mails. I'm just the messenger. Besides, you were looking for an excuse to do it again.

Today's coverage of the outdoors

It's paddling season

The sap may be flowing, but so are the rivers. It's whitewater season for those of you who have the gear and skills.

John Holyoke previews the canoe and kayak racing season in the Bangor Daily News. Cold-water paddlers get competitive Saturday:

March 29, St. George River Race, Searsmont, 11 a.m.
April 5, Passagassawakeag Stream Race, Waldo, 11 a.m.
April 12, Souadabscook Sprint and Souadabscook Stream Race, Hampden, 8 a.m. and 11 a.m.
April 13, Marsh Stream Sprint and Marsh Stream Race, Winterport, 9 a.m. and noon.
April 19, Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, Kenduskeag, 8 a.m.

I'm not a whitewater guy but some of my best friends are. I'm waiting for the ocean to warm up a few degrees. In the meantime, I have to make do with pool sessions and paddle shows. Jeff Strout gives the heads up on several shows in the BDN:

The Jersey Paddler's Paddlesports Show will be held March 28-30 at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset, N.J.
The Kittery Trading Post’s Paddle Sports Show at the University of New Hampshire in Durham is April 4-5.
The eighth annual Paddle Smart Safety Symposium at the Y on Second Street in Bangor is April 12.
The Sea Kayak Safety Symposium at Cape Elizabeth is April 19 (details to come)

The show in Durham is usually worth the trip. There's nothing like standing in the middle of a room full of kayaking gear. And I usually find someone who hasn't heard all my stories. Plus I usually hear a few good ones.

The pool demos are a mixed bag. Most are geared toward the absolute beginner. But I find a couple good tips out of the trip. It's good to see how other people play.

And for the rest of you

Ken Allen previews the State of Maine Sportsman's Show this weekend. If you love the outdoors and staying dry, you're bound to have fun.

While you were outdoors...

The weekend papers were chock full of stories and columns about adventure in Maine:

I hate spring

Maybe hate is kind of harsh. But this is my least favorite season. This surprises most people. The same people who can't understand the beauty and adventure of winter.

Yeah, I love winter. I love fresh snow. I love how my body feels after about a half hour of crosscountry skiing. I love being on top of a remote mountain in the winter.

The cold doesn't bother me much. I know how to dress for it. And once I get moving, I'm warm enough.

I don't know if I like summer any better. It's a tough decision. I love being on the ocean in my kayak. If things go well, I can be in my kayak three times a week.

I feel about the sea the same way I feel about the mountains. But the draw of the sea is enough to keep me on the water. I don't enjoy hiking much in the summer. I would rather use the time to paddle.

Then the fall comes. I do enjoy the crispness in the air when the temperatures start to drop. I enjoy putting on coats like some people enjoy reuniting with old friends. I can still paddle. And hiking is more comfortable.

Of course the foliage adds to the scenery.

Fall is a good transition time for me to get ready for winter.

Why don't I feel the same way about the transition from winter to summer? Because the snow sucks. It's full of water and makes for rough skiing. The snow on the hiking trails is horrible. All winter, hikers pack down a hard base. That base melts more slowly than the surrounding snow. So we have to work our way up this rail of ice hidden in the soft snow. If we veer off, we sink - harshly.

And the runoff fills the streams. That makes it hard to cross.

Speaking of water, it's still cold. Too cold. I can't hike, and I can't paddle. I might as well work.

Maybe I need to be less picky. Maybe I should enjoy the fact that I can hike in short sleeves without fighting insects. Maybe I should get cold-weather gear for kayaking. I should embrace the spring run off in a whitewater boat.

Or maybe I should finish up that flooring project in my house. The kitchen needs some work too. I think I can get it done by the time the ocean waters reach 50 degrees.

Gotta Roll

Excuse me while I brag a bit, but I got my roll last night. No, not kaiser. Nor jelly. But I got my extended paddle roll in my sea kayak last night. If you're fuzzy on the concept, check out these videos.

It's been years in the making. I made progress last year with a lower volume kayak. Then came a class in traditional paddle techniques. By the end of the summer, I got a few.

Deer prudence

Cool photo

Kennebec Journal photo by Andy Molloy

A Hooded Merganser emerges from Maranacook Lake. A pair of the small ducks were feeding on fish beneath a shelf of ice.

Welcome to my journal

There's a lot happening with Maine's outdoors. You can keep tabs on it by reading this journal. I'm going to navigate the state's papers and blogs to bring you news of what's happening. Wherever there's a story about adventure, I'm going to help you find it.

Some of those stories will be my own. In the winter, I hike and cross country ski. But now that spring is almost upon us, my adventuring will slow down. But once the water warms up, I will be on it with my kayak.

Hopefully we will learn a thing or two.