That which does not kill us makes us stronger

Frozen pond off the Long Trail

One of my New Year's resolutions was to get outside more during the off season, both to scout and to get some exercise.  The last couple of weekends I've headed out snowshoeing up to Vermont's Long Trail on Mount Mansfield.

Yesterday I snowshoed up the Nebraska Notch trail to its intersection with the Long Trail, then took the Long Trail south.  It was mid-twenties with wind gusts up to almost 5 mph (thanks to WeatherHawk for the WindMate 350).

One or two snowshoers had gone up the Nebraska Notch trail before me, but I was the first snowshoer to head south on the Long Trail.  My destination was Taylor Lodge.

View from Taylor Lodge

It is just over two miles up to Taylor Lodge.  As you'd expect, most of the climb is up.  Lots of up. However, there are many relatively flat areas and some descents as well.  Total ascents for the round-trip hike are over 7,800 feet.

I took a short break upon reaching the lodge, after doing a brief "Rocky" dance.  I was packing up to head back when a group of three middle-aged ladies arrived.  (If they read this, I just assume they were middle-aged based on their wit and maturity.  They all look much younger.)  The ladies thanked me for breaking trail for them - which I thought was kind.  If nothing else, I am a superb trail-breaker.  I have fairly large snowshoes and that snow ends up pretty well packed down.

Another view from Taylor Lodge

On my way back from the lodge I met quite a few snowshoers heading up the mountain and one back-country skier.  Almost everyone I met on the  trail was accompanied by a dog or two.  Whenever I couldn't find a blue or white blaze I could always locate a yellow "blaze" left by a four-legged hiker.

It was great to get outside and it was great to get such good exercise.  Snowshoeing up a mountain is pretty exhausting and is difficult enough that you don't need to be carrying extra weight.  I'll add this to my growing list of arguments to lose some pounds.  Good thing I gave up donuts for Lent.  Maybe I'll get a lighter pack.

Porch of Taylor Lodge

Now that I'm inserting photos in this post it has dawned on me that perhaps I should have taken a picture as I approached the lodge.  I'll have to go back and do that, but not today!

Call me Bushnell

Back in the mists of time, the ancients would sometimes change their names following some momentous event - Anakin Skywalker to Darth Vader, "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away."  In the bible, God would occasionally change a person's name (and who'd argue) - Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter.  This custom continues in modern times.  For example, it is still customary for those elected to the Papacy to take a name, other than their birth name, to signify their reign as Supreme Pontiff.  Following receipt of a Bushnell® HD 8MP Trophy Cam from the Public Relations Manager at Bushnell, I briefly considered changing my name to Bushnell.  In the end, while receiving the trail camera was a momentous event, I thought changing my name would be confusing - to friends, to family, to me...to Cabela's®.

One of the more enjoyable aspects of writing for the Mountain Gazette and my blog is that I occasionally am able to try products from various manufacturers.  This past week I received a new Bushnell®  HD 8MP Trophy Cam to run through its paces for 2013.  I'm looking forward to testing its features and being able to add many pictures I otherwise wouldn't be able to capture to my blog.

The only downside I see is that the Bushnell®  HD Trail Cam may reveal that there really are a ton of big bucks all around me...under my nose!  I'm willing to take the chance.

rarely seen wife in kitchen

I hope to get the camera set up and mounted this weekend.  It would have come in handy when the girls were back in high school and my wife and I were out of town for the weekend.  I did once tell the girls that I had mounted several game cameras focused on the house right before Karen and I left for the weekend.  How do you spell PARANOID?  (It was not a real question, but if my mom uses "paranoid" in "Words with Friends" any time soon, I'll suspect she read this post.)

As you can see from the picture, I've progressed to setting up the camera.  It has more features than I'd normally ever use.  However, in the interest of being a good reviewer, I'll go through all the features in the upcoming months.  (I'm glad I have the Bushnell®  HD Trophy Cam for a year...it may take that long.)

A hunter's prophylactic

I can just see my daughters cringe at this post.  Yes, I am going to discuss a hunter's use of condoms.  "Don't say that word!"

When I was hunting with Jim and Paul during muzzleloader season this past year, I noticed that Paul put electrical tape over the end of his barrel...to keep his powder dry.  I had not done that before and was wondering whether it was necessary and whether it would impact shot ballistics.  (To impact shot ballistics a shot must be fired, so this is clearly outside my range of expertise.)

Fast forward a month.  I'm reading Outdoor Life magazine (December/January 2013) and I noticed a short write up on a muzzle condom.  The actual product, by Walhog Wilderness, is called the "gun-jimmy" and it is used to cover the barrel muzzle to keep moisture and debris from fouling the inside of the barrel.

After reading the advertisement in Outdoor Life, I Googled "gun condom." OK, so my search results weren't exactly on point, especially the site for "one big gun condom."  That can be a topic for someone else's blog post. I did learn that GIs used condoms during WW II (wait, there is more) on their rifles when storming beaches - to keep sea water and debris out of their rifle barrels.

One web site recommended using finger cots (think of a condom for your finger - pictured). A box of these averages about $0.04 per cot, versus about $1.50 per gun-jimmy. It appears that finger cots come in different colors, but I'm not sure if they come in black to match your gun barrel. If the color of your rifle prophylactic is important, then spend the extra $1.46 and get the gun-jimmy. You have to give Walhog Wilderness credit for marketing.

Picture for www.walhogwilderness.com

According to my not cited, but vast research, the air compression coming out of the barrel after a shot is fired will tear the gun condom or push it off the muzzle before the bullet arrives.  In case you were wondering, as it says on the packaging, the gun-jimmy is "not for medical use."  Besides, who wants to brag about having only a .30 cal...never mind.

While the Catholic Church has made its position against products such as the "one big gun condom" known, it is not clear whether or not the Catholic Church has taken an official position for or against the gun-jimmy gun condom. So go ahead and use one to keep your barrel clean. You can always go to confession later.

A great product for the outdoorsman or woman

You are away at hunting camp with your buddies. You shoot the biggest buck of your life and are dragging it back to camp when you take a bad fall and break your leg. Luckily one of your friends finds you, gets you out of the woods, and gets you to the local clinic. You are in quite a bit of pain can can't think straight - can't recall your wife's cell phone number; can't recall your medications or the dosages. This scenario isn't too far fetched. OK, maybe the biggest buck of your life is a bit out there.

It isn't often that I will rave about a product, but RoadID® is such a great idea that I have recommended it to several people and have given it as a gift to several others. RoadID® was originally developed for runners and cyclists, but I think RoadID® is perfect for anyone who spends any time in the outdoors, whether by themselves or not. RoadID® is an ID bracelet (dog tag, anklet, or shoe attachment) that provides first responders (or anyone else) with all of your critical information. The bracelet itself will usually have your name and other information such as a home phone number or town and state. The ID also has both a number to call as well as a web site and a personal identification number (PIN). Someone calling the number or going on the web site and entering the PIN has access to a host of information that you have entered previously, such as critical phone numbers for family members or other emergency contacts, your doctor's name and number, medical conditions, medications and dosages, allergies (to food, medicines, insects, and other things), and a host of other information that you can include.

RoadID® can save lives if someone is injured and can't communicate critical information. The beauty of the product is that it is interactive. You can go online and change any of your information as often as is necessary and you never have to get a new bracelet or other ID. It is perfect if you have a condition that requires medications that change over time.

The IDs range from $15.99 to about $24.99. I settled on the "wrist ID slim" which is about 1/2 inch wide and is $15.99. (See the picture to the right.)  The cost covers your first year of registration. Registration for subsequent years is only $9.99. A small price to pay for some peace of mind.

More information about RoadID® can be found on www.RoadID.com.  (I have contacted the company and they are considering offering readers of my blog a discount. As soon as I hear anything I'll include details as a standalone blog post.  They also said it might take them a while to decide on whether to offer a discount and what that discount would be, which is why I'm moving forward and publishing this post.)

Happy and safe days afield.