Maine's newest addition to the outdoor merchant scene is here, ready and waiting to open it's doors. Ching, ching!

Cabela's, the Nebraska-based retail giant, is celebrating the Grand Opening of its new store in Scarborough, just off Maine Turnpike Exit 42 on Thursday, May 15th starting at 5 PM.

You want quality hunting, fishing and outdoor gear? Cabela's has it. And plenty of it.

I wandered down that way this afternoon to get a good look-see around and maybe snap a few photos just for yucks. I was impressed with the only other Cabela's I'd visited, the behemoth of a store in Fort Worth, Texas, and was pretty curious to see what I could see. I never expected the doors to be open, however.

So naturally I sauntered in like I belonged there and milled around. (The store was open today by invite only, but hey, what the heck).

Cabela's new store in Scarborough officially opens Thursday, May 15th.
Carey Kish photo

Figuring I'd better go official before somebody tossed me out, I tracked down Peter Marshall, Cabela's Public Relations Manager, who was kind enough to give me a tour of the place.

It's a cavernous 125,000 square-foot superstore with an almost theme park feel to it. I mean c'mon, there's a diorama, an aquarium, a 2-story tall "Conservation Mountain," a fly shop, laser shooting gallery, world-class gun library and more.

Oh yeah, and the endless aisles and shelves chock full of outdoor stuff...

Cabela's is 125,000 square feet of outdoor shopping paradise.
Carey Kish photo

Marshall was busy as you might imagine, and admitted to being a little tired (he'd been up since 3 AM), but he was charged up and firing on all cylinders as the store crew worked tenaciously to ready things for the big celebration and the hoards of outdoor shoppers that would follow.

Peter Marshall, Cabela's Public Relations Manager, kindly gave me a tour of the huge new store.
Carey Kish photo

If you're planning to come Thursday at 5 PM, be prepared for big crowds, Marshall told me. But no matter, Cabela's has arranged for plenty of off-site parking just down the road a piece across from Beech Ridge Raceway. Shuttles will be running continuously to move store visitors conveniently back and forth from the store.

I had to check out the camping department, of course...
Carey Kish photo

Red Sox announcer Joe Castiglione and Governor Baldacci will kick things off. There will be giveaways and special prices on clothing and merchandise, plus drawings to win a multi-sport adventure, a $3,000 camping package, a lifetime fishing permit and a Cabela's Ultimate Outdoor Adventure package.

... and pick up a new hat!
Carey Kish photo

So, there you go folks. Dust off them credit cards. Carpool on down. And come and get it. Cabela's has come to town...

You going to be making a visit to the new Cabela's and dropping down some of your hard-earned cabbage on new outdoor goods??

The sign says it all...
Carey Kish photo

Gearheads will surely salivate over this one...

Philbrick's Sports is having its annual Bonus Bucks Sale!

What's the big deal you ask?

Well, dee-yah, you gets yourself across the border to Philbrick's down they-ah in Dover NH, spend $100 or more in good ole US cabbage, and you gets back a $100 gift card of equal value.

Nothing wrong with that a'tall, eh mistah-man?!

Yep. Downhill skis by Salomon, Head, Elan and more. Snowboards by Palmer, Flow and Nitro. And for those of you thinking ahead to spring and summer (not so fast my friends 'cause there's still plenty o' skiing left - two months worth in fact!), there's mountain and road bikes by Haro, Iron Horse, Raleigh and other solid quality brands.

So, spend $100 bucks, get $100 bucks. Spend more, get more. What a concept.

But you've gotta get there and make your buys by Friday, February 29th. And then spend your Bonus Bucks between March 1st and 7th.

You can do it. Anything for a good deal, right?!

T'anks to my gearhead pals AO and EW fer the tip.

Oh, and by the way, all that gear shopping will no doubt make you thirsty and hungry. The cure? A pit stop at The Barley Pub for a craft brew and good eats. Yum!

If you're a gear hound and you've got credit cards just a melting in your wallet then you've gotta get out and take advantage of the two big gear sales going on this weekend:

Maine Ski & Snowboard Expo

You wanna upgrade your skis? Try on some new boots? Check out the latest in snowboards? Talk to reps from the ski areas? Enter to win free ski lift tickets?

Then you've got to make it to the big sale at the Portland Expo! It's going on right now, noon today until 8 tonight. Then Saturday from 9-8 and Sunday from 10-5. Admission is free.

I was just over there at lunchtime and there's some great deals to be had and money to be saved (spent?).

Chuck from Joe Jones shows off a fine pair of K2 Apache XTRs, which just happen to come with Marker bindings for an awesome price. Yep, I bought 'em.
Carey Kish photo

EMS 20% Off Everything Sale

Stop into Eastern Mountain Sports this weekend and get 20% off everything in the store (with a few exceptions). Spend $100 or more and get a $25 Gear Bucks card good on a future purchase.

Not bad. So tromp on in and lay down that cabbage. Hey, you can't take it with you!

EMS has 2 Maine stores: Portland and Augusta.

You want it? You need it?

New backpack, hiking boots, stove, sleeping bag, fleece...?

Our friends at Eastern Mountain Sports have got it.

And all this weekend everything at EMS is 20% off (except kayaks which are 15% off).

A heckuva good deal for gear fanatics and normal outdoorsy types alike.

I was just over to the EMS store on Marginal Way in Portland to rummage around some and look over the loads o' good looking gear. Mighty fine stuff. (FYI: EMS also has a Maine store in Augusta, too.)

They've got a chiropractor there today until 5PM providing tips of foot care and foot wear. Tomorrow there'll be Leave No Trace clinics from 1-4 PM. Sunday EMS's Josh tells me they trying to line up a sea kayak rescue group to provide some safety demonstrations. Details TBA.

So, the sun is out, the snow is melting, and no doubt the cash for some new gear is just burning in your wallet.

Guess I'll see you at EMS then, eh? And then maybe we'll go right around the corner for a cold one at Bleacher's. Sounds like a plan to me!

Cabela's, the mega outdoor retailer, is set to plop down a huge store here in Maine at some point in the near future.

A 130,000 square foot store plus a variety of other retail and office space will complete the complex to be sited on Payne Road in Scarborough, not far from the Maine Turnpike.

I checked Cabela's online site, but couldn't find any new information on the proposed Maine location, but as far as I know, they're still coming.

I suspect that L.L. Bean and Kittery Trading Post might be a bit nervous, but hey, it's a free market economy. And I hope it proves strong enough to accomodate all comers, because competition helps keep everybody on the up-and-up, and prices down.

While I was visiting my Mom in Texas over the recent President's Day weekend I learned that a big Cabela's had opened a year or so ago on the outskirts of Fort Worth. So given Cabela's pending arrival on Maine soil, I thought we'd take a drive to the other side of Cowtown to check it out and give it a good look-see.

Well dee-yah, I've got to tell you, it was quite an impressive scene. Not just your ordinary retail sporting goods store. More of a shopping experience. Something along the lines of a mini-theme park.

Outside the Cabela's store in Fort Worth TX.
All photos by Carey Kish

I know that everything's bigger in Texas (or so Texans will tell you every time) but apparently the size of this store is Cabela's M-O. Sprawling indeed from the outside, cavernous on the inside.

Looking toward "Conservation Mountain" inside the cavernous Cabela's, Fort Worth TX.

We were immediately greeted by a smiley-happy employee (shades of Wal Mart?) who gave us a quick overview of the store, a map (yes, a map!), a full catalog, and a camping/backpacking specialty catalog (at my request). Then she sent us on our merry way to revel amongst the aisles.

The store is clearly geared to the sportsman (sportsperson?) with an abundance and assortment of hunting and fishing equipment that would make your head spin. Never mind the accessories and clothing, much of it blaze orange and camo.

Now mind you, I'm not hunter (nor do I play one on TV) and I don't fish anymore (although I would dearly love for someone to teach me fly fishing), But even I couldn't help poking deliciously through stuff I didn't need nor would I likely ever buy.

I did, however find a bargain (baaa-gan?) with a Cabela's brand leatherman, 2 for $9.99. Score! And 100' of much needed parachute cord. And Mom and I had a good measure of fun and a couple of belly laughs with the pop guns and big stuffed fish.

Mom takes aim at a deer with her pop gun.

Mom hooks the big one!

Conservation Mountain dominates the center of the store, with outdoor scenes and plenty of wildlife festooned on all sides of the mini-peak.

Upstairs I visited the camping department, a bit more to my liking, and found plenty of good quality, servicable equipment for the trail and campsite.

A swing through the food court (free samples of hot sausage), the footwear section and the museum and we were spent. So I paid for my goods and we breathlessly headed for the exit as if we'd been at an amusement park.

And happily hit the highway for home and a taste of Mom's pot roast...

Old time camping scene in Cabela's "museum."

So there you have it, a little something of what to expect when Cabela's comes to Maine...

Fresh off a fine snowshoe hike on the Messalonskee Stream Trail in Oakland Saturday, I arrived home to find the annual Backpacker magazine Gear Guide issue in my mailbox.

That meant, of course, that not a damn thing truly productive was going to get done that night.

And so it went. For hours and hours.

144 pages of pure heaven. A cornucopia of sheer delight for this gearhead and thousands of others, too, I'm sure.

The trend continues far down the lightweight to featherweight trail... Packs, sleeping bags, boots, tents, stoves. In fact, on the final page there's a great chart detailing how to save an easy 11 pounds of packweight through some doable upgrades in gear.

There's reviews, notes, tips. Information to be digested, pondered, calculated.

How much more gear do I need? How much can I spend? How soon can I retire? What trails and travels should be next?

Such were the thoughts rolling through my backpacker-head Saturday evening, magazine in one hand, glass of cold beer in the other.

So much gear, so little time...

It's getting on to be Christmas here pretty quick. Ten shopping days left in fact.

What's that, you say? Haven't bought a thing yet other than a six-pack of beer, and that was for you?

Better get a move on it then.

You don't want to be stuck last minute giving that special hiker in your life things like Spam and TP, now do you?

Oh I'm sorry dear friends. Didn't mean to offend those that have given me such thoughtful and useful, if a bit on the cheap side, Christmas gifts!

Nothing like the smell of Spam sizzling in the fry pan over the Whisperlite stove now, is there?

A four-pack of 2-ply would have been a bit more thoughtful given that you just know what freeze-dried food does to my system...

Just in case you're stumped for gift ideas, Backpacker's Gear Store has a whole host of 'em to sift through, from packs and sleeping bags to clothing and cookware.

After you're done browsing and making your gift list, try buying your stuff locally if you can, like at Kittery Trading Post, L.L. Bean, Eastern Mountain Sports or other outdoor shop near you.

Need an inexpensive gift idea that'll be wicked appreciated?

Try a subscription to my two favorite outdoor mags: Backpacker and National Geographic Adventure. Both are tremendous for an entire year of good reading, trip planning and all-around daydreaming.

So here's to the holidays, friends and loved ones, new gear under the tree, and snow in the mountains!

Cheers!

If you are, then perhaps you'll be interested in one of the old trail signs being auctioned off by the AMC.

Amongst the retirees are two favorite Maine trail signs: The Mahoosuc Trail and the Carlo Col Trail. There's also New Hampshire's Castle Trail, Davis Path, Kinsman Ridge and Mt. Jefferson Loop trail signs.

Opening bids for each start at $100.

AMCs trail sign auction began on November 20th and runs through noon on December 8th.

I don't find where the money raised from the old trail signs goes, but I trust it gets put to good use.

So if you're in the market for some funky outdoors decor for the house to go with your 'early American yard sale' motif, then maybe an old AMC trail sign is for you.

What do you bid?

A must-have for the ever-thirsty hiker: The hiking beer stein!

Maybe one will end up in my wool-poly blend X-mas stocking if I'm a good boy.

Please Santa, please.

Hmmm, now. Wonder if they have a Nalgene plastic version. You know, lightweight and all, for fastpacking?

Of course, they'll need to perfect freeze-dried beer for it to be truly useful...

Uh oh.

I can feel the rumbling coming up the Turnpike.

Looks like Cabela's is on its way...

That's right. Maine's next big outdoor retailer is clearing a wide swath with plans to settle in on a big plot of land in Scarborough.

Nebraska-based Cabela's has given up its fight against Maine sales tax on its in-state catalog and Internet sales and looks to be ready to move forward with a new store here.

Hmmm. Wonder what's happening around the water cooler at the Kittery Trading Post and L.L. Bean this morning?

Actually, I think it's a good thing. Competition is healthy. Keeps 'em all honest and helps us outdoor shoppers with prices and selection.

And I know I'll need something from Cabela's when it opens...

GEAR HERE!!!

Just a reminder if you didn't already know...

It's 20% off everything in the store at Eastern Mountain Sports this weekend, October 21-22!

So between your outdoor and social plans be sure to stop in for a good look-see.

Must be something you need! I'm sure I can think of a few things.

Ching, ching...

It's Friday, what can I say?!

I have weekend on the brain. Or maybe a weak brain.

In any case the silly gene is dominant this morning.

Given that, a bit of goofing around on the net produced yet another cool, new outdoor gear item: the Carbonated Backpack.

Yes, you too can now carry enough of the 'nectar of the gods' into the woods for an entire weekend of delicious and refreshing camping pleasure!

Let the others in your group carry your gear while you tote in the important stuff: the beer!

Trail-ho!

Your plans for the weekend my dear Trail Head friends?

I'm thumbing through the Wall Street Journal (the actual paper version) last evening, catching up as I like to do on business news, world affairs and the like, when I ran across an article that made me do a neck-snapping doubletake.

Entitled "A Backpacker Buys Shoes," the brief column detailed how newly famous long distance backpacker Andy Skurka makes his big hikes with trail runners--sneakers essentially--on his feet.

That's right.

Skurka wears the light, synthetic and mesh shoes rather than the heavier tradtional leather boots and swears by it. He retires each pair of trail runners after 500 miles. That means he had to have used about 16 pairs of them to get him across North America last year on his 7,800 mile Sea-to-Sea trek.

No Andy Skurka here, but I too have switched to a light hiker shoe, using them for a trek across Wales last fall and down the GR20 in Corsica a month ago. And they performed well. No complaints from the dogs.

I'm still a bit shocked, though, to find such a nugget of outdoor information tucked into the WSJ, amid stock prices, technology talk, corporate downsizing and the war in the Mideast.

Guess you never know...

My good old Leki Super Makalu trekking poles.

Honestly, I don't know how I'd hike without them.

I'd probably fall over a lot more. And have even worse knees.

And where would I hang my dirty socks in camp without one of my poles extended between two trees?

Trekking poles rock. And Leki makes them best in my opinion.

But after 10 years and several thousand miles of very hard use, I finally broke the carbide tips off both poles while traversing the GR20 in Corsica last month.

Yep, they've gone the length of the John Muir Trail, the Tonto Trail, Tahoe-Yosemite Trail, England Coast-to-Coast, Haute Route, West Highland Way, Wonderland Trail, Offa's Dyke Path. And many more tough trail miles right here in Maine and New England.

But the GR20 finally did them in. (And almost did me in, too!)

Or so I thought.

Until I called the nice folks at Leki and discovered that my poles were covered by a lifetime warranty.

Woo-hoo!

And so what arrived in the mail the other day?

New lower pole sections with carbide tips to replace my broken ones!

I immediately zapped them together and they're now ready to tackle the next big trek.

Thanks Leki, for both the excellent trekking poles you produce and the fine customer service.

Do you use trekking poles when you hike? What brand?

Now, you digital camera techno-heads out there probably already know this, but us regular Joe-schmoe users (like me!) are just finding out: The new Energizer e2 Lithium batteries are unbelievable!

A single pair of these power-packed AAs in my Nikon Coolpix 5600 lasted through my entire 14-day hike overseas, churning out energy enough for 1,125 5-megapixel hi-res digital images and a handful of movies.

In fact, they only gave up the ghost yesterday, just as I finished uploading the last of the hike photos onto my laptop.

That's pretty amazing performance, wouldn't you say?! Significantly better than the NiMH rechargables and miles ahead of regular alkalines.

And to think I packed along an 8-pack (about $16) of them not knowing I wouldn't need but a single set.

Wow!

At this rate I'm figuring the remaining six lithium batteries I have will last through an entire summer of outdoor fun and adventures. I'm gonna give it a go and let you know.

You go bunny!

When it comes to navigation, be it on the trail or on the road, I'm a map and compass and DeLorme Maine Atlas & Gazetteer type.

I learned to read a topographic map and use a lensatic compass way back at Bangor High School while with the JROTC Rangers. Topo maps have gotten better (most are 7.5 minute quads now) and I've long since upgraded my compass to a trusty Silva Ranger. I can use both with little or no thought, important when the s--t hits the fan on a winter climb or a nasty bushwhack.

But this week a reader posed the idea that I might start adding GPS, or Global Positioning System, coordinates to trailhead and backcountry locations that I mention here, since he says most people use a GPS now.

Do they really?

Hmmm.

Well, I must admit that I'm not much for high tech gadgetry in the backcountry. And please don't get me going on cell phones out there!

I've always preferred to employ good common sense, years of experience, and a few rudimentary and reliable tools to get where I'm going and back again safely.

But I have to say that a GPS unit and an altimeter watch could possibly make life a little easier on the trail sometimes (until the batteries die, of course).

After a good experience on a remote canyon backpack in southern Utah in 2000, where my buddy used his hand held GPS to guide us through some of the wildest country either of us had ever been in, I went out and bought one of my own.

But on a traverse of the Presidentials shortly thereafter I fiddled and farted around with the thing for a couple of days, finally giving up on it, muttering something nasty about technology.

And that was the end of it.

Until now.

Because I'm actually considering jumping into the trail technology fray again.

So...

Since apparently everybody out there owns these GPS gadgets, tell me: What are your recommendations? What GPS unit do you use, and why? And how about altimeters? Which one and why?

Yes, that's right. This crusty map & compass guy wants your advice on purchasing a lightweight, hand-held GPS unit. And an altimeter watch.

I'll never part with my map & compass. But maybe you can get me to tinkering with some of this digital-satellite-LCD readout stuff. I might even enjoy it.

Maybe.

There's plenty of insect repellent sprays, drops, and lotions out there for human hikers. Even some fancy-shmancy clothing impregnated with bug repellent chemicals.

But what about a little help for Fido, one reader asked me.

Dunno, I said.

But dammit if today I didn't come across some bug dope made specially for dogs. Yep, found it on the Net during an idle moment in my work day. I just love Google.

Anyway, the stuff is called Flys Off. Comes in a spray can and costs a paltry $7.95. Repels flies, gnats and mosquitoes. And it's completely safe for your pooch, so it says.

So give Rover a break and get him some bug dope of his own to help fend off those buzzing and biting nasties on the trail. You might even get him his own dog pack to carry it in. Of course then maybe you can sneak a couple of cans of beer in there when he isn't looking...

Hang around in the underworld of the outdoors long enough and you're likely to run across some pretty strange characters in some pretty odd places, hear some wild and far-fetched tales, and, if you happen to be in the pseudo-outdoors writing business like I am, get some interesting, if not a bit off-the-wall requests.

Like this one from a reader in Oklahoma City:

Hello:

I camp all summer in a large tent on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. For the past three years I have been searching for a collapsible or lighter weight portable bathtub for my camp site. I have a Zodi hot water heater that can be used to heat the water, but would prefer another way (propane) to heat the volume of water needed to fill a tub without using a regular hot water heater. Perhaps something on the order of a stock tank heater?

Any products you know of or advice you have would be appreciated.

Now, I had to scratch my head and read that one a couple of times. I don't normally see large tent, campsite, hot water heater and stock tank all in the same paragraph.

But then I thought, hey, lucky you that gets to spend the summer in a tent somewhere in the wilds of Ontario.

And given that the the water's likely to be pretty damn cold up there, and that you're likely to get downright stinky without a good hot bath every now and again, I got to sympathizing.

And got to researching the problem for my new unwashed Oklahoma camper friend.

Come to find out there's not much to be had in the way of portable camping bathtubs. I'll bet in years past you could've ordered a slick one from the Sears & Roebuck or Montgomery Ward catalog, but those days are long gone.

Today there's just not much of a demand for such items. Important as they might be to a person camped out all summer with plenty of serious stink sticking to 'em and clouding around them, but no access to a bathtub for a good cleansing.

Ever a dog with a bone, I dug further.

And finally found a solution. Yes folks, a truly portable bathtub. Just zip yourself in, attach a hose, stopper the drain and scrub away. When done just pull the plug and voila! Clean as a whistle. And the plastic envelope doesn't require a large volume of water.

What will they think of next??!!

I happened upon another cool new item for you gear hounds out there: the RotoGlo flashlight.

Just crank the handle for 60 seconds and voila! You've got an hours worth of bright light.

There's no batteries or bulb to the thing, so it can't go dead on you. Well it can, but then you just give it a crank and the LEDs will light right up.

The RotoGlo is hand-sized and looks like a very packable item for the backpack. I was disappointed, though, that the product website didn't mention its weight.

Whatever. The idea is good and the price even better: 2 for $19.99. A heckuva deal.

Ching, ching...

I got a kick out of today's Heloise' Household Hint (yes, I can be domestic sometimes, but not domesticated) column in the Portland Press Herald.

E.H. from Kermit, Texas writes in that "on a camping/hunting trip, I discovered several uses for duct tape. After unexpectedly sitting on a prickly pear, I used duct tape to remove the small stickers. I wrapped a long piece around my hand (sticky side up) and patted the stickers a few times. I also found it very effective as an instant patch when my jeans were torn. I'll never go camping without duct tape now."

Well, neither will we E.H. And oh, sorry about that prickly pear. Ouch!

I tells ya, will the wonders of duct tape ever cease?

Dr. Duct Tape, any comment?

Just back from a week of traveling out west and, with a group ski weekend at the Loaf down the toilet, I figured a day at home would do just fine-- to kick back, unpack and revel in some unplanned activities.

Like reading the new issue of Backpacker magazine that my postman kindly just left for me.

Not just any issue of Backpacker, mind you.

This is the annual Gear Guide.

Whoa. Make way. Clear the decks!

152 glorious pages of tents, sleeping bags, packs, stoves, boots and oh so much more.

Right here in my trembling finger tips.

And seeing as how it's past noon I think I'll crack a cold one and settle in.

Care to join me?

Yep. It's read and dream and scheme today. Hike tomorrow... Promise.

Whoa.

No more stretching a string between two tomato cans to communicate and place an order with the venerable Kittery Trading Post.

No way mistah-man.

The Kittery Trading Post, the ever-reliable purveyor of outdoor hard goods for a good half century, is going high-tech.

Ayuh.

Soon enough, probably by next fall by the sounds of it, you'll be able to order your favorite hunting, fishing and camping goods (and a whole lot else) on that newfangled World Wide Web thingy.

Yep.

You won't have to fire up the old Chevy and take Ma and the kids down the road apiece to damn near into that foreign country of New Hamshah no more.

Nope.

Provided you've upgraded some from your Commodore 64 or IBM XT, you'll be able to order up right there at your own computer desktop.

Next thing ya know the UPS guy will be right there at your door with your duck calls and ammo and camo clothing and backpack and canoe paddle and fishing rod and reel.

Ain't that sumpthin'?

Good luck on the new WWW adventure guys. We love you down there. And, at least for me, I may order from you online, but I'm still gonna come down every now and then like usual to poke around the store and feel the goods, if you will.

See you soon...

Spray on mud.

Huh?

Sure, why not.

It's just the thing for that busy outdoors person who wants to impress friends and co-workers!

Spray it on your vehicle, your hiking boots, your backpack. No one will ever know that you didn't even set foot anywhere near the woods last weekend.

Why go outdoors when you can simply look like you've gone outdoors!

Brrr! I'm-a cold!

Think I want one of these for Christmas!

And maybe one of these too.

And definitely one of these!

To go with this from last year...

Ho ho ho!

I just came across a new twist in hiking journals: A "fill in the blank" style from Nomad Adventure Journals.

Fill in the blank?

Yeah, you heard me.

Nomad claims "the journal is a fantastic accessory for any serious hiker or backpacker."

Yeah. If you've had a lobotomy.

Jeez, how lazy can you be!

Soon we'll have no motor skills at all. Our brains will atrophy. It's the demise of the species I tell you!

I can see it now...

Billy Bob's Trail Journal

Date: Dunno.

Today we hiked to Mt. Numb-as-a-hake.

The trail was very muddy.

It was a 3 mile hike.

We are headed for Can't Think Lake.

My pack weighs a lot.

Our GPS coordinates are huh?.

The weather is lousy.

Yikes!

Better idea: Grab a pen from the desk drawer. But a 69 cent spiral notebook from Hannaford. Go out and hike. And then--brace yourself--think some pithy, original thoughts and write them down.

Voila, a real trail journal. Easy. Even if you're less than a literary giant, but have the desire to get outside, observe the world around you and how it makes you feel, and write it down.

Leave the fill-in-the-blanks stuff for the crossword.

And speaking of journals, check out the online journals of hikers and their treks on trails long and short, near and far at Trail Journals. It's tremendous reading and will easily get you jazzed to do some big walks.

L.L. Bean, Kittery Trading Post, and...

Cabela's?

Could happen.

Cabela's, the Nebraska-based outdoor retail giant and one of LL's primary competitors, is sniffing around southern Maine looking for another place to call home.

Cabela's specializes in hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, pretty much in that order. And that might step on the toes of KTP more than Bean's, which is oriented more towards outdoor apparel, followed by outdoor gear lines in camping, boating, fishing, hunting and the like.

And Cabela's doesn't just throw up a small store and open the doors. Apparently (I've never visited one of their stores, but have purchased items through their online catalog), they build "destination retail stores."

Whoa.

Now that sounds like L.L. Bean-Freeport concept, for sure. These mammoth Cabela's stores "feature wildlife displays, large aquariums, indoor mountains, archery ranges and restaurants that specialize in game meals."

Indoor mountains?

This could be interesting.

Hey, competition keeps everybody honest. And on their toes.

And we outdoorsy folks holding the cash might even come up with some better deals out of the whole thing.

By the way, Cabela's bills themselves as the the "world's foremost outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear."

Oh yeah?

Them's likely fightin' words to the folks at L.L. Bean.

Guess we'll see what happens.

My Campmor gear catalog for Fall 2005 arrived the other day. All 240 pages of it!

It's printed in black and white on what feels like cheap newspaper, so it isn't fancy.

But if you need it, it's in there. And if you didn't need it, well, you will now.

So I cracked a cold one and sat down to enjoy. And thumb.

Page after glorious page.

Backpacks. Tents. Sleeping bags. Ditty bags. Candle lanterns. Carabiners.

I dog-eared pages. I made notes. I dreamed of bigger and better and newer stuff.

Ahhh.

Exhibiting tremendous restraint, I settled on ordering some new synthetic underwear for the winter and a pair of Yaktrax, a traction device for hiking on icy trails.

For now.

But I'll be back to my trusty Campmor catalog soon enough, no doubt.

In the meantime, I'll just wait patiently and happily for the UPS guy to show up at my door.

I just love that!

My good friends Kelly and Todd, of Maine Mountain Works fame (we miss your Marginal Way store and all the cool gear and cool people, but we understand), have put out the word of some changes going on at their Commercial St. store in Portland.

First, they've changed the name of the store to Nomads.

Makes sense. That's what a lot of your customers are anyway.

Secondly, although they won't be carrying the usual paddling, climbing or consignment gear at the Commercial St. store, they are adding Adventure Travel products to their outdoor gear mix.

I'll be down to check that stuff out for sure.

Finally, come on down tonight at 6PM for a free introductory lesson in "Nordic walking" (it's fitness walking with poles or like cross-country skiing without the skis) with certified Nordic Walking Trainer, Kristel Hayes.

Should be fun!

I was poking around North Conway NH a week or so ago and, per usual, a tractor beam grabbed hold of me, and the next thing I know I'm inside International Mountain Equipment spending gobs of money.

I just can't figure it out. One minute I have money, the next I don't. But I have gear that minutes earlier I didn't know I needed.

Hmmm.

Does this happen to you?

Anyway, while I was at IME I checked out their consignment shop downstairs which is chock full of good stuff. And it occurred to me that, since Maine Mountain Works in Portland has closed, there isn't any place close by to get rid of your unwanted outdoor gear.

I suggest taking your stuff up to the nice folks at IME who will be happy to sell it for you. And IME will pay you 80% if you take store credit, 60% if you want cash. A good deal.

So gather up your goods, make the short drive across the New Hampshire frontier to IME, and maybe get in a hike somewhere nearby too.

OK gearheads, just in case you've been hiding under a rock somewhere instead of hiking on top of them...

Maine Mountain Works on Marginal Way in Portland will be closing its doors soon. And right now everything in the store is 40% off.

Wow. Cool.

So come check things out and you'll surely discover some gear you need that you didn't think you did.

And starting Monday, September 19th, anything left in the store will be as much as 50% off.

Ding, ding, ding... Come and get it!

OK, so maybe the lightweight gear kick has finally gotten to me.

A couple of weeks ago I picked up a pair of lightweight hikers. Low cut, Gore-Tex, sticky soles. Nice. I like 'em.

Then last week while I was in Maine Mountain Works I couldn't resist a new mini Trangia alcohol stove and cookset.

My cool new mini Trangia alcohol stove set.

Despite my outward skepticism of any stove that doesn't require priming and pumping, doesn't roar loudly, doesn't emit smelly gas fumes and doesn't burn my food to the bottom of the pan (must be a Tim Allen thing, I guess), I'd always wanted to try one, so what the heck.

Turns out the damn thing works pretty good. It's simple to use, lightweight and cooks a weekend of meals on just a few ounces of denatured alcohol (available at any hardware store).

It does take a little longer than my trusty Whisperlite, so I do need a larger measure of patience, something that can be in short supply in my neck of the woods, especially at the end of the hiking day when I really want my soup.

Om Mani Padme Hum. I shall have patience and all shall be good. And I shall like my new alcohol stove...

Waiting patiently for my soup!

I arrived home from a weekend backpack trip to find my new Platypus hydration system had arrived in the mail.

Woo-hoo! (Mail order gear makes me wicked happy!)

Searching about locally last week for a replacement bladder for my tired and leaky Platypus wasn't easy.

But finally I came across a great deal online at Campmor: A Platypus 2.0 liter bladder, cordura nylon protective cover, lapel clip, drinking tube and bite valve... all for an astounding $4.97!

My new Platypus hydration system fresh out of the box.

Campmor, you rock!

I've been all over the Portland area looking for one.

Eastern Mountain Sports, Maine Mountain Works, L.L. Bean.

No luck.

Seems nobody carries the Platypus hydration system anymore.

Plenty of Camelback stuff, but no Platypus.

What gives?

I've used a Platypus for hiking and backpacking for about eight years now and love it. It's simple, inexpensive, and, until now, the bladders were easily replaced. I can usually patch the occasional pinhole, but my current Platypus has developed a leak at the seam between the screw cap top and the bladder, so it's time to go.

I'd like to buy a new one locally, as opposed to online. Anybody know where I can get one?

The good folks at Maine Mountain Works in Portland--that would be Todd, Kelly, Erica, Matt, Eric, David and Lovely Lindsey--have just put the word out that everything in the store (excluding consignment stuff) is 15-50% off from Thursday thru Sunday.

Jeez, that's like throwing raw meat to a dog. Or, more appropriately at this time of year, like throwing a sweaty hiker into a thick cloud of black flies.

Hmmm. I must need something.

Wonder which credit card I haven't maxed out yet...

I picked up some lightweight hiking shoes last week at the Sportshoe Center in Scarborough. A pair of Adidas Kumasi Low Gore-Tex.

My old Salomon's have long since given up the ghost, so the purchase was overdue, but I couldn't quite find want I wanted. Until now.

I gave the new shoes a good workout last weekend in Baxter Park on a couple of day hikes. A 10-mile circuit one day that took in 5 ponds and 3 waterfalls with awesome views of Doubletop Mtn. and Mt. OJI and Katahdin. And the next day, a stiff 10-mile round-trip climb of Doubletop, in my opinion, the most strikingly beautiful mountain in Maine.

The skinny?

The shoes held up very well over a variety of terrain. Comfy over a long day, good support, a reasonable grip on slippery rocks and roots, and excellent waterproof-ness.

Can't complain at all. I'm pleased. So much so that I think I might wear them on a planned hut-to-hut trek in Europe later this year.

They're certainly a nice alternative to my heavier leather boots (which I love too) when carrying a day pack or a light weekend load on the back.

My new Adidas lightweight hiking shoes.

Katahdin from Grassy Pond, Baxter Park.

Doubletop Mtn. from Deer Pond, Baxter Park.

Post-hike, my feet in Waldies, in a canoe on Kidney Pond, Baxter Park. Hey, how did that beer get in the picture?

Duct tape. The quintessential emergency item.

No self-respecting outdoors person would venture into the woods or onto the water without it.

No doubt you've used it to prevent blisters, wrap a sprained ankle, mend a ripped tent wall, tape a boot sole back on, silence the snoring of your tent mate...

But I ask you, intrepid wilderness veterans, have you ever thought to use duct tape as a belly remover, Preparation DT, a defibrillator (yes!), to prevent frostbite, as dental floss, for colostomy repair, budget dog repair and a hundred and one other creative uses.

As Kristen of N.Y. says, "Duct tape is the cure-all. Viva la duct tape!"

Indeed.

Forget work today and amuse yourself for the next few hours with The Duct Tape Guys.

Duct tape and teef. Two of the best inventions ever!

What ingenious things have you used duct tape for? (Keep it clean!)

Thanks Nancy for sharing the link!

A week ago my digital camera died for no particularly good reason. The little green light lit up when I turned it on, but that was all the action I was able to get out of it.

Ever hopeful, I took it into a camera shop. The guy behind the counter grinned as I handed it over. He looked it over pretty good, played around with it, and muttered a couple of "hmmm's" and "now let's see's." Then handed it back to me.

"So what do you think?"

"It's toast."

Now, I could send the thing back to Nikon to be repaired (and I probably will at some point), but then I'd be without a camera for a lengthy period. No can do.

I bought another camera.

Cha-ching. $$$$$. Ouch!

But I was OK with it. It just died and that happens. I least I didn't do anything stupid to cause it's demise.

Unlike last night.

I unloaded the car from last weekend, sorted through gear, did laundry, and started to re-pack with gear for the upcoming multi-sport weekend (hiking in Acadia, kayaking and mountain biking in and around Branch Pond near Ellsworth).

It's a near-continuous process week after week throughout the year that leaves my car, my house and my body in a constant state of semi-disrepair, but I love it and wouldn't have it any other way. "Sleep when you die" a good friend continues to tell me. She's right.

But I digress...

I loaded up the bike gear. Threw in the camping gear. Came back out with the kayaking gear. And for some odd reason, set the duffle bag and paddle down at the back of the car. And left it there.

Blame it on a senior moment several decades earlier than normal. Blame it on the mild post-Jimmy Buffett concert fog still coursing through my head. Blame it on the fact that sometimes I just don't think.

Whatever.

I came out awhile later, jumped in the car to go out and see some friends, and started to back out. Yes, I did.

Right over my $249 Werner Camano fiberglass kayaking paddle.

Imagine my surprise when I saw it turn up in front of the car as I rolled down the driveway.

I couldn't help but laugh, though, as I got out to retrieve it and my gear duffle.

Yep, crushed real good. A very nice job if I do say so. "Toast" as they say.

As you might imagine, I didn't waste any time. I put a paddle on 'hold' at the L.L. Bean retail store.

Hey, what's another $249 for a new paddle on the heels of $350 for a new camera?

Cha-ching. $$$$$. Ouch!

I did a couple of nice hikes in the Weld area yesterday: Bald and Blueberry Mountains. And during the course of those hikes, I shot dozens of digital photos.

I took the big leap into the digital world last fall when my rather well-used and abused 35mm camera finally gave up the ghost. And there's been no turning back. It's been great fun.

In fact, I use my Nikon digital camera just about every day and have gotten pretty good at annoying most everybody around me with my mildly obnoxious obsession with the damn thing.

So this morning I get up, well rested and happy, and go to download yesterday's hike photos.

Houston, we have a problem.

The camera refused to work. Happiness quickly evaporated.

And since I'm about as handy with cameras as I am with fixing cars (put the key in, turn and go), there seemed little I was going to be able to do about it.

And I was right.

I popped the batteries out and back in again. The little green light came on but there was no movement of the lens, no clicking of the shutter. No happy little "bloop" noises like usual.

So ended my repair attempt. There was nothing more to do. My camera was dead.

I guess I could take a rubber mallet to it, but maybe I'll just take it back to Best Buy and see what they can do. I've only had it 8 months. They better give me good news...

DEET. Every hiker's best friend in the Maine woods at this time of year, right?

Maybe not.

According to the Extension Toxicology Network:

"Deet is the common name for N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, a multipurpose insect repellent registered for direct application to human skin, clothing, household pets, tents and bedrolls and screens. Deet is a unique pesticide, because it is applied directly to the human body for purposes of repelling insects. It was developed and patented by the U. S. Army in 1946 for use by military personnel in insect-infested areas. Because Deet was recognized as one of the few products effective against mosquitoes and biting flies, it was registered for use by the general public in the U. S. in 1957."

Emphasis on for use by military personnel in insect-infested areas. Brought to you by the makers of napalm and other fun war stuff. Better living through chemistry and all that.

Check out the possible side effects of DEET use by humans, as reported by the Extension Toxicology Network:

"skin irritation, large painful blisters and permanent scarring of skin"

"rashes, irritation of skin and mucous membranes, and numb or burning sensations of the lips"

"generalized seizures"

"insomnia, mood disturbances and impaired cognitive function"

But here's the real kicker...

"Deet is absorbed promptly from the skin and distributed to all organs including the brain."

Oh goody.

Hmmm. Now that I think of it, that may explain a lot!

I've used various brand names of DEET bug repellants over the years, like Ben's 100 and Deep Woods Off. But I never liked using them. You just knew they couldn't be good for you. But there's nothing else available on the market that's anywhere near as effective.

Not a good trade off. Fewer bug bites vs. a slow poisoning by toxic chemicals.

Occasional use may be okay, but it still can't be healthy. And prolonged use is asking for trouble.

Years ago when I worked up north as a forester for the Maine Forest Service, we used to apply the stuff like cheap aftershave to combat the clouds of killer bugs. So it was no wonder that after a couple of months of heavy use I was nauseous and weak by the end of every work day. And I thought it was just all the beer we drank in Rangeley every night at Mike's Pub and Grub! Not so I guess.

But I continued to use it. Sparingly. And I know many of you use it too. I tried a citronella-based product--Natrapel--over the last few years. But other than smell nice, it doesn't work for squat.

So what to do?

Enter "micro-encapsulated DEET," a new twist on the bug repellent scene.

According to information from the Nim Distribution Center AB, "Many people feel a kind of hesitation in applicating chemical substances directly on the skin due to the risk of absorption into the body."

Now there's an understatement.

But, the news gets better.

"With the help of modern microtechnology, we can now offer a new generation of repellents quite safer for humans... microencapsulated DEET. The microcapsules which measure only some microns in diameter, are invisible to the naked eye, and consist of a core with the active substance and an outer shell surrounding the core. The shell being porous, it permits a constant and controlled release of the insecticide which guarantees a long repellency period at the same time it hinders the insecticide to be absorbed by the skin. Our microencapsulated DEET reduces dermal absorption by at least 90% compared to conventional "liquid on skin" application methods."

Sounds equally effective as the old DEET, but since it isn't readily absorbed into the skin, considerably less toxic. Good deal. I'm going to try and find some locally and give it a test drive, er, hike. I'll let you know how well it works.

This new generation of bug juice is marketed as Ultrathon by 3M and Sawyer Controlled Release DEET Lotion. Maybe you've already found it and tried it out. What's your opinion on it?

Inn the mEantime, i wAnt to assur yu taht I am suffFering No ill efffeCtTs of DeeT UsE ovvErr the yeers. Reellie!! I'm FiiiiNe...

The rain is softening my brain. It must be.

Why else would I sit here, waterlogged and mildly dispirited, and google for ridiculous things like "the rain in Maine" and "rain suits".

It's grim. Very grim. But being damp and bored can yield some interesting information, however.

I discovered that the rain that falls on Maine today is anywhere from 10 to 100 times more acidic than it was a few years back.

That's nice.

So not only is there mold growing rather profusely between my toes, but I'm slowly being eaten alive by heavy-duty acid rain every time I step outside.

To combat this I found that I can buy industrial strength, heavyweight rainsuits in bulk for only $4.95 each if I buy 20 or more.

I think I'm in. You want one? Two?

Calling all gear heads!

Just in case you've been hiding under a rock on the trail somewhere and haven't heard, Eastern Mountain Sports in Portland is having their big 20% off everything in the store sale this weekend.

Time to part with some cabbage and buy some new stuff!

Don't need any new gear, you say? Impossible.

I say that all the time, but get me through the front door of the store and I'm a deadman. I can ALWAYS find something that I absolutely NEED. Never fails.

So give in to temptation, visit the nice folks at the new EMS store, and make yourself happy with some new stuff. At 20% off no less!

What do you plan on buying?

Late last winter I built a sled system for hauling gear on backcountry trips. It was a simple design made from about $25 worth of stuff; some purchased from the hardware store down the street, and the rest scrounged from my gear closet. The season got away from me, though, and beyond a short test in the woods behind my house, my new sled rig never got a real wilderness workout.

That all changed a week ago, when my friend Dick and I decided to head into his cabin on a remote lake in northern Maine for a four day retreat (I can't say just where under threat of serious injury!).

I packed a pretty healthy load of gear together, loaded it all onto the sled and bungied it down, and skied off into the wilderness. It was a four-mile trek across the lake to the cabin, and despite the heavy load (which included beer, wine, munchies and a frozen pizza!), the sled performed wonderfully.

Skiing into the wilderness last weekend with my sled in tow.

Sleds are ideal for hauling critical gear along on your winter adventures!

Other than having to take a small amount of slack out of the connecting ropes, I had no problems whatsoever. Since the sled is constructed of inexpensive materials, I'll no doubt have to pay attention to wear and tear (e.g. frayed ropes, cracks in the PVC pipe or the plastic sled) prior to setting out on big trips. But it should provide miles of good service for not a lot of money. And it sure beats carrying all your gear on your back!

Special thanks to reader Ed, from St. Cloud, Minnesota, for sending along information on his winter sled design called a "ski pulk". Ed has even written a book on ski pulks that you can download from his site. Check it out. You'll no doubt want to build a sled of your own!

Uh oh. This is not good.

Eastern Mountain Sports is moving their South Portland store to a location right across the street from where I work, on Marginal Way in Portland. In fact, I need only lean my chair back slightly and, yep, there it is. In big green letters. Just a stone's throw away.

Isn't there some kind of law that prevents this kind of thing? I mean, after all, I'm a certifiably addicted gear head, and here they've gone and located an outdoor store within a 1,000 feet of me! What will happen to me now? I'm doomed.

Oh yes, I'll probably avoid it for awhile. But then, one day I'll stop in "just to look around." I'll pick up some small item, batteries for my headlamp maybe. Then I'll be back for a stuffbag or two. Then a new ice ax. Then a new, lightweight tent that I just have to have. Then, then... my lunch hour will be over. For that day.

Oh, the humanity...

But it gets worse.

In just a few short months, Bleacher's Restaurant & Pub, my favorite watering hole for post-adventure recreation (hell, for any damn reason at all really), is also moving within sight of my office.

Uh oh. This is really not good.

Just stopped in to Roy's Shoe to pick up my mountaineering boots for this weekend's x-c ski and sled trip. Had them restitched here and there, and had several eyelets replaced. They're just like new again. Well, almost. Good enough for another few seasons in the snow and ice anyway.

My trusty old Asolo boots, good as new again...

Steve Lentz and his son Dan, the owners of Roy's Shoe, run a good shop. For years now, I've been bringing my used and abused footwear in to them for much needed care and fixin' up. From rock shoes to hiking boots to x-c ski boots, to tarps and wallets and belts, whatever. They seem to be able bring just about anything back from the brink with a few stitches and some TLC.

I like that. I like the thought of a cobbler nearby who cares as much as I do about making good, serviceable (never mind sentimental) gear last a little longer.

If you get a chance and you have some hiking boots that need some tending to, stop in and see Steve or Dan at Roy's Shoe, 500 Stevens Ave., Portland. 774-1612. They'll take good care of you.

With snow on the ground in the mountains and more on the way, I figured I'd better dig my new snowshoes out of the gear closet, er, gear room. I bought them on sale from Maine Mountain Works late last spring, so they've been stashed away all summer patiently waiting for snow. The wait should soon be over...

I guess I've never been real big on technology, especially when it comes to the outdoors. I don't own a GPS, an altimeter or an iPod, for example, all hot "must-haves" on the trail today. About the most advanced thing I ever carry into the woods is a camera. Even that's been just a simple point-and-shoot Olympus 35mm slide camera. After five years of abuse, though, it finally died on me last year while I was rafting, mountain biking and backpacking in Utah. And I've been bumping along with a cheapie ($39 at a Salt Lake City Walgreen's!) camera ever since. It was time for a new one, and--whoa! stand back!--a digital one at that.

Now, when I bought a cell phone earlier this year I thought for sure I was the last person in Maine to do so. The Madison Avenue marketing people would certainly not categorize me as an "early adopter," the term for those people who jump on new products. Nope, not me. I like to wait and see and wait and see...

Well, I have indeed gone hog wild with technology again (what's happening to me?). I actually went and bought a digital camera. Can you believe it? Am I again one of the last people around to get one! Seems so.

After doing plenty of research and waiting long enough for prices to drop, I went to Best Buy to take the plunge. I settled on a Nikon Coolpix 3200, a sweet little 3.2 megapixel camera. As far as I can tell, it seems pretty easy to use and it's lightweight--perfect for the trail. Just enough, but not too much.

I tried it out it this past weekend while mountain biking up north. No problems so far, but I'll keep you posted. And I'll work on getting some photos posted here for you to look at.