YGingras^.net

I'm back in Hawaii for a few weeks. The weather is great, the water is hot, everyone smiles. If one manage to get away from the beach, there is an amazing world to discover around here. Last week I decided to head for some back country hiking on Kauai, the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands.

I was lucky that my post on the Hannah Stove got so much attention. Jim Thompson, a scout leader on Oahu, liked the instructions and he advised me on the best hikes to do around here. I'm on Oahu but hoping from one island to the other is like taking the inter city bus in Montréal. Outside rush hours, flights cost between 9$ and 39$ and bring you to destination in 45 minutes or less.

Kauai is five million years old, five times older than the Big Island. It had more time to be beaten into shape. Valleys have voluptuous curves, beaches are wider, the reefs more populated and colossal canyons intensify the landscape. Volcanic rocks have soft edge and there is a lot of the Hawaiian typical red clay.

• Full text (1059 words)
• Comments (3)

Back in the early days of New France, a coureur des bois would spend a little fortune for his ultra light birch bark canoe. Space era materials now abound in consumer products. The modern backpacker will also find many opportunities to trade a large amount of money for light gears. Every gram count. Tents have carbon fiber frames, fork and spoon are merged into titanium sporks, white leds provide dependable light sources, Gore-Tex and microfiber enable light, warm, waterproof cloths. The outdoorsman value light gears. It's part of his nature. It's enough work to carry oneself over rough portage; who would want to carry a hard wood boat?

The modern outdoorsman have it easy. His expeditions won't make him rich, but he will find all his gears at the local store. However, money won't buy him the ultimate stove. The ultimate stove cost only 20 cents of supplies but one have to make it himself.

• Full text (3054 words)
• Comments (127)