Si Louisiana Trail Blazer - The Louisiana Hiking Club

Louisiana Hiking Club
Si
Louisiana Trail Blazer
2010 Fourth Quarter
page 1
President’s
Message
page 2 - 4
Glacier
Nat’l Park
page 5
Black Creek
Trail
The President’s Message
Last year I did an outdoor cooking demo at the
Backpacker here in Baton Rouge on the same day Backpacker
Magazine was in town doing a Get Out More tour stop. I had
the pleasure of meeting Sheri and Randy Propster. Their bio
on the tour website reads:
“Sheri and Randy Propster embody passion when it comes
to getting out more… In 1999, Randy and Sheri took on the
challenge of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. The 222 days
they spent hiking from Georgia to Maine confirmed. . . their
passion for the outdoor lifestyle.
page 6 - 8
Rocky Mountain
Nat’l Park
page 9
Horn Island
page 10
Invitation from
Arkansas
Randy and Sheri’s love for backpacking eventually led
them away from the coast and into the Blue Ridge Mountains of
Virginia.
They
lived
within
walking
distance
of
the
Appalachian Trail where they trained for their next long
distance adventure. In early March of 2006, the couple
embarked on a thru-hike of the American Discovery Trail.
Their ocean to ocean adventure led them through thirteen
states and the Nation’s Capital as they backpacked for 253
days, enduring everything four seasons of living in the
outdoors has to offer.
page 11 - 12
Blackfork
Trail
Maintenance
page 13
Randy and Sheri have been exposed to a multitude of
wonderful adventures thanks to their outdoor-centered lives.
They take great pride in knowing that their passion to seek
out the next adventure will allow them to continue to Get Out
More.”
Birding Group
page 14
Gulf Coast
Rising
page 15 - 16
Preikestolen
page 17 - 18
Culinary Corner
page 19 – 20
Gear Guide
The Get Out More tour will be making another stop in
Louisiana in November and Sheri and Randy have personally
invited members of the Louisiana Hiking Club to attend. If
you have the chance to go, don’t miss it! Not only did I
learn about new gear (and skills), but I walked away with
(among other things) a new pair of hiking boots! Their
presentation is entertaining and informative, so if you are
interested in learning more – mark your calendars!
See You on the Trail…
Katherine Gividen
President
A Novice Hiker’s Impressions
of Glacier National Park
by Andrea Alexander
photos by Janie Doucet & Joe Self
I’m really glad I went hiking with LHC on its trip to Glacier National Park. Really. The beautiful
scenery was beyond words. The LHC folks
were welcoming and friendly and helpful.
Still, as Mark Twain once said, “I am glad I
did it, because it was well worth it, and
chiefly because I shall never have to do it
again.”
Of course that’s a joke on my part, but one
that would ring true if I dwelt too much on
certain inconvenient facts. Like, the fates
seemed to frown upon our traveling trio
(me, Caroline Leung, and Nancy Grush)
from day one. Case in point, the airline lost
our baggage. On my way home to
Louisiana, I missed my connecting flight in Denver. Even before the trip was underway, I was all
thumbs as I tried to set up the tent loaned to me by LHC. Couldn’t do it. So I copped out and
switched from staying at the campground to a cabin.
I had spent days, no, weeks, gathering a million and one oddities from Cabelas and The
Backpacker…things like little mini lanterns and a tiny headlamp (oh-so-ultralight) to brighten my
way at the campsite once I was there. I bought an expensive Eureka sleeping bag that never got
used (instead, I slept in Troy Crowder’s sleeping bag during my one night at the campground,
while he was on his backpacking trip). I packed dozens of water purifier tablets for drinking from
the cold mountain streams I imagined I would boldly stride across. Never mind that the tablets take
4 hours to work, and had a “DANGER” precaution in fine print that I hadn’t noticed: “Corrosive.
Causes irreversible eye damage and skin
burns. Harmful if absorbed through
skin. Harmful if swallowed. Wear
protective eyewear, protective clothing,
and rubber gloves when using. Wash
thoroughly with soap and water after
handling.” And so forth.
All red flags, you might say.
Sure enough, now that I’ve been there and
done that, hindsight tells me I am qualified
to speak only on “how NOT to do Glacier”
rather than boast of exploits. Here’s a little
summary of what happened.
2
Joe Self and Larry Langlois were unofficially elected by the group to plan and lead our day hikes.
Joe got sick the first day and languished at camp for several days trying to recuperate. It was on
Larry’s hike to St. Mary and Virginia Falls and Sun Point that Nancy took a wrong turn and got
separated from the rest of the group, and lost. She missed her ride with me and Caroline and ended
up taking the shuttle back to the Visitor Center at St Mary, where we luckily found her – but not
before Larry got in his car and went looking for her.
That little mishap was nothing compared to “Horseshit From Hell Trail,”
which we all experienced the next day on our hike to Lake Grinnell. When
we stopped for lunch, Larry got the idea from Ann Ingram to return by a
different route, which turned out to be ankle-deep in stinking black mud
and horse crap for probably two miles. There was no turning back, we just
had to traipse through it and blame Larry for the whole affair. :)
That was the same day that John and his son Jay hiked to Iceberg Lake and
decided they were going to strip down to their johns and swim across it. I
didn’t see it, but supposedly they swam to an iceberg and were so cold they
almost didn’t swim back.
Meanwhile, back at the camp, Larry proclaimed that
LHC hikers needed to be more independent and
employ “free decision time”. After leading us on a
steep downhill hike the next day, he steered us back
toward Sun Point and Sunrift Gorge where we
waited two hours for the Going-To-The-Sun Road
shuttle, which was standing room only all the way to
Lake MacDonald Lodge at the other end of the park.
Some of us bailed out before getting to the Lodge.
Larry was trying to teach us a lesson of
independence that day by showing us how we’d
make out if we always tagged along with him!
Bob Ordineaux served as chauffeur for Janie Doucet and Sandra Mims – and sometimes, for me –
and took his two women to Canada one day to check out Waterton National Park. He was just
another example of the men on this trip taking custody -- maybe against their own better judgment
-- of a few of us needy LHC hikers. Although
I’m told that on the last day of the trip, Bob
stood by at a safe distance and feebly waved
a stick while Janie and Sandra faced off with
a mama bear about 20 feet in front of them
on their trail! No offense, Bob. 
Disaster followed me wherever I went as I
rode horseback into the mountains for several
hours one day. The guy in front of me had
his horse badly spooked by a backpacker,
who caused the horse to lunge down a hill
and my horse to start running. After our
group of riders crossed a creek, we
3
discovered that a guide had gone missing when
we saw his horse at the rear with no one in its
saddle! Come to find out he had fallen off the
horse and hit his head on a rock in the creek,
becoming unconscious.
The women from Pineville were real troopers
(Linda, Sharon, and Beverly). Along with Debbie
and GiGi, they hiked about 10 to 12 miles every
day, far outstripping the rest of us slackers. As for
me, after five days of hiking, I was “hiked-out,”
and spent the last two days of the trip lounging
around Many Glacier Lodge and the parking lot
of Logan Pass. Yep, while Janie and Sandra were fighting off a bear near Swift Current Trail, and
Nancy and Caroline were scaling Highline Trail, I was taking a nap in the car at Logan Pass.
Nancy and Caroline got back to the Logan Pass Visitor Center and couldn’t find me at first. So
Nancy put a note for me on the wrong vehicle, telling some
poor tourist to meet her back at the Visitor Center.
There was something pathetic about Nancy and me trying to
drive our Nissan SUV. Three different times, one of us had
taken off with the back hatch still open. Then the last night of
the trip, Nancy almost hit a bicyclist as she cruised into the
parking lot of Del’s Bar in Kalispell. While I was driving
Caroline to the airport Saturday morning, I drove about onequarter mile in the lane for oncoming traffic, unable to
understand Caroline’s broken English as she screamed for me to
get into the proper lane. That was about as stupid as my
mistaking Larry for a bear the one night I camped out at the
campsite.
So as a newbie hiker and camper, let me close my perceptions
of the Glacier trip with this tidbit from Walt Whitman, who said: “Now I see the secret of making
the best persons. It is to grow in the open air, and to
eat and sleep with the earth.” Walt, my verdict on that
is still out. Maybe Big Bend in February will be the
clincher, and I’ll come back to Louisiana new and
improved after sleeping in the frigid desert air for a
week, freezing my ass off.
Or not.
In spite of all the crazy, one thing’s for sure. Glacier
National Park is God’s country, and I’m sure glad I
did it.
4
Second Saturday Hike
Black Creek Trail near Brooklyn, Mississippi
by Janie Doucet
Seventeen of us hiked the Black Creek Trail near Brooklyn, Ms. Sooo hot...some of us bailed out
at 3 miles and went for a dip in the creek; others continued the march for the entire 7 miles.
Thanks to Carol and Paul for the swim & pizza party.
5
Rocky Mountain National Park
by Igor “Gary” Kamalov
I took a short trip to Rocky Mountain National Park from August 22 to
August 27, 2010. Base camp was in Glacier Basin Campground. This campground
(most of the loops) don’t have any trees now, so when it is windy… it is WINDY! I
had to jump up once at night to use all of my extra pegs and ropes to secure the tent.
A few of the hikes I did while there are:
Nymph Lake
Dream Lake
6
Emerald Lake
Sprague Lake
7
Alberta Falls
Andrews Glacier
8
Horn Island
by John Engelsman
The 2010 adventure trip of Capt. Mickey McKann and his medicare machomen was
to Horn Island off the Mississippi coast last week. Horn Island is a beautiful barrier island
7 miles off the Mississippi mainland between Ocean Springs and Pascagoula. It is part of
the Gulf Islands National Seashore. In past years, we've paddled kayaks, or sailed, but this
year we hired Horn Island Charters to shuttle us and it worked out great. Mickey selected
an area of the island called Arcturus Flats to camp. It is located on the eastern 1/3rd of the
island and we camped on the sound side. There is an ongoing cleanup effort, primarily on
the gulf side, of the BP oil spill. We saw some tarballs on the sound side, but it otherwise
looked good. We camped near a fine, old live oak tree which had doubtless endured many
hurricanes and had assisted in the building of several high sand dunes in its immediate
vicinity. The only amenities on Horn Island are provided by Mother Nature so it is
necessary to bring everything you need including potable water. We had bought block ice
in Gulfport and it was a good buy as it lasted from Tuesday until the following Sunday.
We stayed on the island for 3 days. We had a good sea breeze most of the time and very
little problem with biting insects. Biting flies can ruin a camping experience, but we
lucked out and they weren't around. Our daily activities were varied. We hiked along the
seashore every day and Jim Miller and I usually fished as we went. The surf was full of
stingrays and an occasional horseshoe crab. Those ancient creatures have been around for
millions of years. I caught a few speckled trout, but nothing to write home about. Our
campsite was near a large, brackish body of water called Waters' Pond. I was wade fishing
along the edge of the pond one day and looked up to see a 5 foot alligator staring at me
intently from 15 feet away. We had a brief staredown, then the gator exploded in
retreating. Thank goodness he went the other way. Another memorable wildlife encounter
occurred while we hiked to the eastern end of the island. The water along the shore was so
clear it was like an aquarium. I cast my mirrolure out and saw a flash as I began to retrieve
it. A 4 foot shark was after my bait. I hurried my retrieve in panic, but the shark was much
faster. Fortunately, he just bumped my lure and didn't get hooked. If he had, I would have
lost my lure and half my line. With 12 pd. test line, no metal leader and light tackle, he
was way more than I could handle.
Despite frequent hurricanes, there is an abundance of wildlife on Horn Island. You
can tell by the multitude of different tracks in the sand. We saw many raccoon tracks and
even what looked like coyote tracks. There is evidence of a large rabbit population and we
saw several in broad daylight. Several sets of tracks puzzled us. The creatures were
dragging a tail but not a wide, flat tail like a beaver. I thought it might be otters. Others
thought small alligators.
For the most part, we had good weather. We did have a few squalls and had our
tarp blown down a time or two. The plant life on Horn Island is varied and interesting.
Parts of the island resemble desert habitat including cactus. A full moon added to the
beauty of our nighttime experience. Horn Island makes a great camping venue and it is not
that far from Baton Rouge. I recommend it heartily.
9
An Invitation
from the managers of
Dogwood Springs Campground Resort
Jasper, Arkansas
Hello! We are new managers of Dogwood Springs Campground Resort in Jasper,
AR. We would like to offer our campground as a place to stay for members of your
group, the Louisiana Hiking Club. We have cabins with kitchenettes, bathrooms &
showers, RV sites, and a pavilion. You can see pictures and rates at
www.jasperdogwoodcabinsandrv.com We just lowered our rates for the fall/winter
season. We would also be willing to provide your group a meal at cost as a special
service, perhaps a steak dinner or something like that. Please let us know if you
would be interested. We would love to accommodate you!
Thank you! We hope you will come and visit the area.
Jacob and Rebekah Ketchens
Dogwood Springs Campground Resort
870-446-2163
10
Blackfork Trail Maintenance
by Joe Self
On Saturday, Sept 25, five hiking club members cleaned the trail blazes on the
Blackfork Trail in Cat Island NWR. The blazes had been submerged under
Mississippi River water for about six months and were barely distinguishable from
the trees to which they are attached. After cleaning, the white diamond blazes now
stand out clearly. So, go check it out and hike the 2.8 mile trail along the Blackfork
Bayou and thru the cypress forest.
11
12
The Birding Group
by Mike VanEtten and Ken McMillan
Some members of The Louisiana Hiking Club have formed a birding group. The leader of the
group is Ken McMillan. We normally do a birding field trip on the third Saturday of each month.
Anyone from the hiking club is welcome to join. Our trips are usually around the Baton
Rouge/Lafayette areas since that is where most members live.
Past trips have included the Sherborne WMA, the State Capital grounds, and Blackwater
Conservation Area in Baton Rouge.
Because Ken will be out of town, our next field trip will be on October 30th at the Wadill Nature
Preserve in Baton Rouge. We are looking at possible future trips at Fausse Pointe and
Cameron/Vermillion Parishes (probably an over-nighter and perhaps do some birding from
canoes). Anyone who is interested can call Ken at 225-273-3279, or email him at
[email protected].
For the September 2010 birding trip, the club traveled to the Indian Bayou area on Saturday,
September 18th. This was north of I-10, north of the Butte LaRose exit in the Atchafalaya Basin.
Approximately 6 or 7 members had a nice leisurely walk.
Although it was a birding trip, we saw at least 4 deer that were feeding along the edge of the trail
as we walked.
Notable birds we saw:
a flock of Roseate Spoonbills
a Downy Woodpecker
There are several different trails there that can be selected to walk on.
The club may wish to consider having a 2nd Saturday hike at Indian Bayou area, but not during
hunting season (Nov/Dec/Jan).
The birding group tries to go to different locations to help keep it interesting and would like to
invite other members of the Louisiana Hiking Club to join in on the monthly birding field trips.
Ken says… “Binoculars and a birding book are essentials. I have several birding books people can
borrow and an extra pair of binoculars in case they do not have these items. I also recommend
bringing snacks, sandwiches, a soda, water, a hat and insect repellent during the summer. In other
words, the preparation required for a day hike plus the binoculars and birding book.”
13
A Day of Solidarity, Beauty,
Healing, and Yes, Even Joy for the
Gulf of Mexico and Its People
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill, Grand Isle, LA
PhotoCredit: Matthew D. White
On Saturday, October 30, from Houma, Louisiana to Pensacola Florida, all along
the waterways affected by the oil spill of April 20, 2010, people will gather together
in a spirit of appreciation for their beautiful, damaged home and their own
determination to thrive.
On that day school students, church groups, birdwatchers and fishermen, artists and
musicians, families and friends will get together to talk about how the oil spill has
affected their lives, and who and what has given them strength. They will sing,
reflect, play music, read poems, eat good food, drum or whatever feels right. Each
group will create a simple picture out of ordinary materials-a bird, a shrimp, a
human figure or anything else that represents the vitality of life in the Gulf-and take
a photograph of themselves with their image. Groups that create a picture fifty feet
long or larger will be considered for inclusion in a special, limited number of aerial
photos to be taken that day by the award winning New Orleans photographer,
Matthew D. White, http://www.matthewwhitestudio.com. The photographs will be
combined and every group will receive a presentation of the images on digital disc.
Radical Joy For Hard Times, the organization sponsoring the event, is calling for
Gulf Coast citizens, groups and organizations to support the effort by either
organizing or participating in an event. Groups can sign up for an event via the
website at http://www.radicaljoyforhardtimes.org. It is not necessary for groups to
have their plans finalized at the time of sign up as the information can be selfupdated at any time.
Radical Joy for Hard Times, is a non-profit 501c3 organization whose mission is to
find and make beauty in wounded places. On June 19, for their Global
Earth Exchange, people on all the seven continents of the Earth went to clear-cut
forests, polluted rivers, damaged beaches, the sites of coal and gas mining, and other
places to gather, tell their stories, and make simple acts of beauty. The Gulf Coast
Rising Project is the latest venture in the organization’s effort to introduce a new,
more intimate environmentalism for all citizens of the Earth.
14
Priest Pulpit
by John Collins
On a business trip to Europe
this summer, my fellow
traveler, Mike Brent, and I
decided to undertake a
climb to one of the reported
best views of a Norwegian
Fiord and its surroundings.
The Preikestolen or Priest
Pulpit: A nearly 2,000 foot
high huge rock outcrop that
extends over the Lysefjord
by over 40 meters. The
image of the grand overlook
of a glacier carved valley
and the first hiking trip I The Preikestolen in good weather
ever took in Europe made the hike even more exciting. But to get to this goal we
would have to travel 3.8 kilometers one way and climb over 600 meters! A
challenging hike no matter where you are.
Mike and I left our hotel in Sola, Norway, close to Stavanger, and drove over the
Scandinavian country leaving the sea shore and quickly entering the mountains
forming the spine of the country. It reminded me a lot of the coats of California,
except much more green and lush. The narrow roads, small cars, and numerous
roundabouts made the travel definitely un-American. And timeliness was a keep in
this adventure and our Norwegian friends helped. As soon as we boarded the only
ferry on our route, they immediately took off almost before we stopped our vehicle.
We soon reached the trailhead along with a large number of local tourists located on
a large glacier carved lake, creatively called the “Reservoir”.
The trail was rocky, very rocky. It was like walking on the rocks on the
Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania or north Georgia. The initial ½ kilometer was a
switch backing up that only for a short time leveled out with views of the Reservoir
before continuing another up that led to a green mountain meadow similar to those
in the Sierras at about 1 km. Was I lost and went back to another continent? The
language of the people sharing the trail with us made it obvious we weren’t in
Kansas or California, or on the AT anymore. And the day was wet and misting due
to the rain that Norway was experiencing during the past 2 days.
15
Past the meadow, the trail climbed very steeply and followed the path of a mountain
stream. It was boulder hopping as we struggled to get from rock to rock continuing
ever upwards. After about a 250 meter climb, the trail unsuccessfully tried to level
off after a sharp right turn. It dropped down to a couple of small lakes, really ponds,
where locals were camping in this paradise, and began crossing granite slabs as it
wound around the west side of the mountain that barred us from the fiord. In the
distance were more lakes and both bare and tree covered peaks. The wet rock and
narrow ledges made exposure and possible dangerous slips a real possibility. At one
point the trail split with one path continuing winding around the side of the
mountain and the other, the Hill Trail, continuing over the ridge in front of us. Mike
and I wisely chose the former.
As we reached the east side of the mountain, we entered a fog bank that was being
blown up from the fiord due to the sudden change in temperature on the past day’s
cold front. The mist made the trail even trickier as we had to maneuver a little more
carefully using our hands. I wished for the hundredth time that I had my hiking
poles to help me maneuver the last steps before our goal. We could now see it, at
least what one could with a visibility of only 50-60 meters. We made it; we did the
Preikestolen!
On the fog shrouded rocky outcrop were
about 60-80 people, who had completed
the trek before us. But the magical views
advertised by the Internet and tourist
flyers were not to be had. As one look
over the edge, very carefully, it looked
like you were staring down into a vast
cauldron steaming up with a cold mist; it
was The Bottomless Pit!
We took
pictures with the tip of the Preikestolen in
On the edge of the Preikestolen as it was in the clouds
the white fog background as well over a
side chasm. Our local friends were making lunch against the backing rock wall and
were generally enjoying themselves in the cool fog laden afternoon.
If I knew that the mist would quickly blow away, I would have wanted to remain
longer. But, the car and lunch were waiting as well as an opportunity to experience
the USA-England World Cup soccer match in a local Norwegian pub. So we
returned back the way we came trying not to injure ourselves in the process. But I
didn’t finish the trek down without a couple of spills on the wet and very slick
granite. It was harder going down as it was coming up along with the numerous
other hikers making their way up. But, we made it after a side trip or two. And yes,
we made it back for the soccer match, an experience with people about as crazy as
the people who inhabit Tiger Stadium on a Saturday night in the fall.
16
Culinary Corner
by Katherine Gividen
I was asked to publish some menu ideas from my book, Think Inside the Box…
BARS: For many people, lunch on the trail consists of an energy bar. And while at one
time our options were limited to a PowerBar®, energy bars are now a multi-billion
dollar industry. Some of the brands out there are Balance®, Bear Valley®, Clif®,
Kashi®, Lärabar®, Odwalla®, and Zone Perfect®. Clif® created the Luna® line with
the nutritional needs of women in mind, as well as the Clif Kid Zbar for children.
Flavors have come a long way as well; although chocolate and peanut butter are still the
staples, you now have exotic choices like Black Cherry Almond, Chai Tea, and Cocoa
Môlé.
HUMMUS: I buy the Casbah® dehydrated hummus because it only requires water. But
there are other brands out there. Fantastic™ is one. I put ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of
the powder in a pint bag with a couple of pita halves. When I am ready for lunch, I
simply take out the bread, add ¾ cup of water to the bag and mash the ingredients until
I have a paste. Dip the bread in the hummus for a satisfying lunch.
INSTANT NOODLES & SOUP: Instant Noodles are another option. Of course there
are Top Ramen noodles in over a dozen flavors; they even have a Cajun Chicken flavor.
Hmmmm… Japanese noodles + Cajun flavor = Fusion cuisine! Thai Kitchen has a
line of instant rice noodles. Sushi Chef has a line that includes a Japanese Style White
Miso Soup with Shitake Mushrooms, Tofu & Chives. I guess they wanted to avoid an
ambiguous title. Country Garden’s Cuisine has a soup singles line. Flavors include
Green Chile Potato, and Tomato Basil. The tomato basil sounded really good, but the
packet listed the sodium content of one cup of soup at 1140 mg! Of course there is the
old standby of Lipton Cup-a-Soup, though I find it less than satisfying.
MIX AND MATCH: Be creative and your options are limitless. Use the pouch of cheese
from a Velveeta® Shells and Cheese dinner and a package of Fantastic World Foods™
Refried Beans to make Fiery Bean & Cheese Burritos. Rehydrate the beans by pouring
boiling water in a quart freezer bag that is resting securely in a small empty pot. Stir.
Seal bag, cover pot and let sit 5 minutes. Stir beans (KEEP THE BAG IN THE POT)
and spoon onto four 7" flour tortillas which have been warmed in a skillet. Cut corner
of Velveeta packet. Squeeze cheese evenly over the beans. Sprinkle Tabasco® sauce to
taste. Roll burritos and enjoy. Use shells for Chicken Pesto Pasta.
Club member Katherine Landry (pictured below with my book), came up with the idea
of making breakfast burritos using powdered eggs, powdered milk, garlic powder,
bacon bits, cheddar cheese (grated with mini grater) and Tabasco.
17
“Vacuum sealing the tortillas against the fleximat will help prevent them from
damage in your pack. I use the Black and Decker® freshGUARD™ vacuum
system. After eating the burrito, store the fleximat in your fry pan and use it for a
cutting board.”
CHICKEN PESTO PASTA
SERVES 2
3
cups bow tie pasta
3
½
1
teaspoons Knorr® Pesto sauce mix
teaspoon Wyler’s® chicken flavored granules
cube Knorr® garlic seasoning
2
tablespoons olive oil
2
1
½
tablespoons toasted pine nuts
teaspoon Butter Buds®
Pinch freshly ground pepper
ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano*
3
ounces (foil pouch) Sweet Sue® chicken breast
Katherine Landry making Chicken Pesto Pasta
At home: Write on Ziploc® quart bag, “Add 1¼ cups of water.” Place noodles in bag.
Measure pesto mix, chicken granules and garlic cube on a square of Glad Press’n Seal®
wrap, leaving 2" on all sides. Gather four corners of wrap together and twist to seal.
Package pine nuts, Butter Buds® and pepper in another square and seal. You can place
the olive oil in a small plastic bottle. Place all the ingredients (including the pouch of
chicken) in a Ziploc® gallon bag. (You can store the cheese in your cooking pot.)
On the trail: Empty pesto packet in small pan. Add 6 tablespoons of water and olive
oil. Bring to boil whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 3 - 5 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Toss in chicken breast and remove from heat. In large pan, bring pasta
and water to boil. Boil 8 minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK PASTA. Meanwhile grate
cheese. Drain pasta when done and toss with pesto, pine nut packet and cheese.
* I have been assured that as long as this cheese is tightly wrapped, it will stay fresh
without refrigeration. Grate it on the trail right before use.
18
Gear Guide
by Katherine Gividen
Nikon COOLPIX P6000
One piece of gear featured at the Get Out More tour stop was
the Nikon COOLPIX P6000. The camera received Backpacker
Magazine’s 2009 Editors’ Choice Award. It has the capability
to automatically geo-tag photos with the exact location of
where they were shot. I was in the market for a new camera, so
I went to Best Buy and ordered one. The CoolPix had a retail
price of $499.99. I have to admit - although I bought the camera
for the GPS feature - after I learned about the macro lens I was totally
in love with it. So much so that bugs became my obsession. My daughter would call me to come
over if she found some interesting arachnid or other insect in her backyard because she knew how
fascinated I was with this new world I had discovered! I would take a picture of a flower, only to
pull it up on my computer to find that it had ants crawling on it I hadn’t seen with my bare eyes. I
became an amateur entomologist. If I couldn’t figure out what my subject was I would send in a
picture to whatsthatbug.com for identification. I have gotten great action shots of egrets fishing
(see 2010 First Quarter newsletter), zoomed in on waterfalls at a distance, and taken other difficult
shots with clarity. (The photograph of American Falls was shot from Skylon Tower across the
border in Canada. The tower is 775 feet above Niagara Falls.) What I still haven’t done a year
later is use my GPS feature! Here are the specs for the camera, as well as some pictures I have
taken.
Specifications
Effective Pixels
13.5 million
Image Sensor
CCD
Sensor Size
1/1.7 in.
Total Pixels
13.93 million (approx.)
Lens Zoom
4x
Lens Specification
6.0-24.0mm (35mm [135] format picture angle: 28-112mm); f/2.7-5.9; 9 elements in 7 groups
Viewfinder
Optical and LCD
Monitor Size
2.7 in. diagonal
Monitor Type
Wide Viewing Angle TFT-LCD
Monitor Resolution
230000-dots
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Storage Media
SD memory card
SDHC memory card
Internal Memory
Approx. 48MB
Image Size (pixels)
4224 x 3168 (13M)
3264 x 2448 (8M)
2592 x 1944 (5M)
2048 x 1536 (3M)
1600 x 1200 (2M)
1280 x 960 (1M)
1024 x 768 (PC)
640 x 480 (TV)
4224 x 2816 (3:2)
4224 x 2376 (16:9)
3168 x 3168 (1:1)
Lowest ISO Sensitivity
64
Highest ISO Sensitivity
6400
Image Stabilization
Optical
Interface
Hi-speed USB
Battery
Rechargeable
Battery Life (shots per charge)
Nikon Rechargeable:
260 shots (CIPA)
Approx. Dimensions
Height: 2.6 in. (65.5mm)
Width: 4.2 in. (107mm)
Depth: 1.7 in. (42mm)
Approx. Weight
8.5 oz. (240g)
Supplied Accessories
Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL5
AC Adapter EH-66
USB Cable UC-E6
Audio Video Cable EG-CP14
Strap AN-CP18
Software Suite CD-ROM
*Supplied accessories may differ depending on country or area.
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