A look back

This was one of the last posts I made on my Inside Passage trip. It is fun to look back as I begin a new year of adventure travel and a path of simple living. Enjoy!

I have been off the water now for about a week. The first several days of my exit were spent in the suburbs of Seattle. Warm, friendly, woods, water, fall, winds, chill, water, all things that come to mind when I think of those few days. They were nice and slow, giving me an opportunity to begin some level of readjustment from life on the water, alone with nature for 147 days. See, even the suburbs of Seattle carried a sense of warmth that permeates that entire area. A certain level of slowness and peacefulness with nature. People willing to help a perfect stranger get done what was needed.

I left Seattle 3 days ago via air for the busy city of Chicago, wow, what an adjustment. People, cars, noise, more people, TSA, lines, waiting for things versus waiting for nothing, new friends, anxiety, anticipation, all sending the senses into overload. Re-uniting with family is beautiful but bound by small mine fields. Expectations flowing both ways; change occurring both ways; a constant dance all amidst an environment not conducive to peace. Breathing is interpreted as sighs; Silence for issues; The list goes on... It is all good but perhaps requires a 24K topo map of it's own

People are busy, rushing by. Cars go fast, coffee shops are loud. Dog parks replace the wild. Trees are in concrete boxes, flowers in pots. Cement replaces sand and trains replace the shrieks of the Ravens. Where are the birds and the otters and the seals and the whales and the gulls and the .....

Challenging to say the least, finding center is difficult. The wild allows you to sit, it encourages your silence. You are rewarded for being one with the moment in the bliss that surrounds you. I do believe that these things can exist in the city, but it requires work and effort. In the wild, it just arrives if you are open to it. The simplicity of the paddle, the serenity of the water, the stillness of the air and the ebb of tides. All serve to reinforce the openness and one-ness that exists amongst all of us.

There are those that say it still arrives in the city if you are just open to it. I believe this, but the challenge is great. You spend so much time in the wild and you come back to the chaos and you can see why people are so stressed, you can breath in the negative energy. Why smiles on the street are returned with down turned heads or an ever so slight recognition.

Beautiful time with my amazing daughter. I am so proud of her and her accomplishments. She is an amazing woman, I am so proud of her it brings tears to my eyes. I will spend a few more days here, searching for center, relishing time with her, then on to other family and new challenges. Lake Michigan tomorrow with friends, and then on to warm southerly waters for a bit.

The water calls, I hear my paddles vibrating. My boat soon to arrive, I look forward to time on the water.

Peace & Love,

G-

The Extra Mile

The expression is self explanatory, the act is not.  As a solo long distance traveler, I rely heavily on whatever kit I take into the field.  Some of my kit is sponsored, but most of it is purchased with hard earned dollars.  I expect it to work, and when it doesn't I expect gear companies to stand behind their product and go the extra mile.  ​

I write this post because of a story that unfolded this past week.  Some of you may know of Andrew Badenoch, aka 77zero.org, Fatbikerafting the Arctic.  Andrew ran a very successful Kickstarter program, then had a few set backs, but eventually set off into the field for the adventure of a life time.  If you have been following his updates, then you already know that Andrew has suffered  serious setbacks from logistics, weather, and his body.

I tuned in last week to hear Andrew talking about his shoulder and hands and how he was losing all feeling in his digits.  In everyday life this is a problem, in the middle of British Columbia this is a huge issue. I followed the conversation for a day or two and then suggested that if Andrew needed a new pack, I would gift one to him.  I have become an Ambassador for Hyperlite Mountain Gear and I immediately thought that one of Mike's packs would be a perfect fit for Andrews needs.  I also knew that since it was a small shop, the probability of Mike being able to tailor a pack to fit Andrews specific needs was very high and something that could be done very quickly.​

Even though I am an Ambassador, I had no intention of asking Mike to donate a pack.  My goal was to get Mike involved so that I could purchase a pack for Andrew and get him sorted out.  Well as you can guess by the title of the post, Mike was adamant that he would sort this out.  Mike fully understood the situation that Andrew was in and he wanted to help a fellow Adventure Traveler.  He was willing to go the extra mile, do a great deed, simply because it was the right thing to do.  I can honestly say, I am proud to be using and representing HMG not only because of the quality of their products, but because of their commitment to doing the right thing.​

HMG is not alone in this ethic.  Three years ago, in the middle of Alaska my tent poles became jammed to the point that I had to strap them to the sides of my kayak.  They simply would not come undone.  North Face, overnighted me a new set of poles at no charge.  They earned my respect and my business.  Two years ago my pole issues struck again, this time with my Bibler Bivy.  Once again, Black Diamond stepped up, no charge, overnighted me poles.  Later my Tripod bivy developed problems and they replaced it.  In neither of these cases was I sponsored by Black Diamond or North Face, they just did the right thing.​

Two years ago, Nigel Dennis heard of my issues with my beloved NDK explorer.  He met me, shook my hand and said "well, lets get you a new Kayak".  At the time Nigel and I had never met, but he understood what I was trying to accomplish, 3300 miles solo up the Atlantic, and he did the right thing.  On the same trip, my much used dry suit from Kokatat had become badly damaged and they went the extra mile to sort me out, insuring that I could safely paddle the cold waters of the north east.  Lastly, just this past year, my Surly BB was on the fritz.  A series of emails and phone calls and Surly overnighted parts to a TX bike shop and covered the repair costs.  I was not sponsored by them they just did the right thing.​

So when you go to make a choice on what gear you are going to buy keep these things in mind.  Cheap gear generally leads down a painful path.  Gear made by companies that are dedicated to their product, the industry, and the craft, are more likely to support you or your fellow traveler when and if the unthinkable happens. This is especially true of cottage shops where you can actually build a one on one relationship with the people making your gear.  Getting to know them makes it a personal affair.  

I am forever indebted to the kindness and generosity of the companies and individuals that have helped me along my journey. ​

Lets all keep paying it forward​

P&L, -G​

Playing in the cold Canadian Maritimes

Yesterday was a nice sunny day, temps in the low 60's, water temps in the mid 40's and a stiff wind from the South.  Playing in the chilly waters of the Flood I was able to work on my rolling and bracing with my skinny stick.  While I spend a good deal of my time paddling with a traditional Euro blade, there is just something so organic and so natural about using a Greenland paddle.  I don't know why, but I feel much more connected to the water when I use this blade than anything else. 

I don't mean connected in the technical sense, but more of a spiritual connection to the water.  The smooth surface of the carbon fiber paddle just feels so good in the hands and it works its way through the water in an effortless fashion.  Hi angle, low angle, ... it doesn't matter, it just works.  Using the blade for rolling means I can really focus on my body technique, working the roll with my legs and my hips and not the paddle.  The extra extension allows me a few more seconds to use technique over power. The same is true with bracing; the long paddle allows you to use the floatation of your PFD to take the impact, then using hips and legs to drive the boat back up saving much wear and tear on your shoulders.

I paddle with both types of blades and I love both types of blades, but there is definitely something very special about the Greenland style of kayaking.​

View fullsize

A perfect roll with my Northern Light blade.  Oops, I left my glasses on.​

Updated Spare Seat Gallery

Expedition Breakfast

After much sorting and selecting, I have been able to update my gallery of images captured during the Spare Seat Expedition.  As a team, we shot over 9,000 images from start to finish.  It will still take time to finish my sorts and don't even get me started on the edits, but here is a representative sample of images that cover our journey down these amazing waterways.​

The Eerie Canal, steeped in rich history, and the Hudson River, teeming with wildlife on par with anyplace else in the country, created a rich and diverse pallette upon which to focus my lens.  The people, the sights, the food, all come together to form one of the most amazing trips I have ever been on.​

Enjoy the journey at my photoshelter gallery.​

NDK Paddling in Anglesey

Just back from a few days paddling in Wales with my good friend Phil and new friends Justine and Barry, this was one of my favorite images that I captured.  The coastline is rugged and full of rock gardens to dance with and caves to explore.  The area is somewhat akin to a white water river in the middle of the ocean; large, challenging, and able to quickly humble your ego.

2012 - The Year of the Micro-Adventure

2011 is rapidly coming to a close and it has been a fantastic year at that.  I was able to pedal my Salsa Fargo more than 7,000 miles around the US this year.  Not quite as far as I had hoped, but all in all, pretty darn good.  This was the 3rd year in my quest to travel more than 50,000 miles all by human power.  So far I have kayaked to Alaska; kayaked up the Atlantic Coast; and bicycled around most of the US.  Combine those three trips and some of my smaller adventures and I have now crossed the 12,000 mile mark for human power travel.

To date all of these trips have been long and solo, with all three of my major trips taking more than 6 months at a time.  I would be lying if I did not say that as much as I love my alone time, it is time to mix things up and perhaps join some fellow travellers in pursuit of some epic trips.  With that out of the way, I am dubbing 2012 as the year of the Micro-Adventure.  For those of you not familiar with the term, it has really come into its own over the last year or two when describing trips ranging from days to weeks.  I really love the term in that I think everyone can do their own Micro-Adventure right from their back yard.

You don't have to plan anything huge and epic, but you do need to get out there and Do It!  Micro-Adventures are all about getting out into nature and experiencing the joys of grass, dirt, mountains, oceans, rivers, creeks, roads, etc.  You get the point, it simply involves getting out there and really embracing adventure as part of your everyday life.

So, in 2012, instead of one large epic trip, I will be undertaking a number of smaller adventures, ranging from several days, to a week, to several weeks.  Some of the adventures will be small in nature, and one or two will be Epic!  I will do a number of my trips this year with my friend and fellow explorer Richard Harpham.  Richard and I first met 3 years ago in a chance crossing in the middle of no where along the Inside Passage in British Columbia.  We have stayed in touch over the years, followed each others exploits and talked long and hard about joining forces and doing some very cool trips. 

Richard is based out of the UK which obviously creates some issues for me since I am in the US. To solve this problem, I have been able to scratch together enough change to get myself over to the UK for the winter where Richard and I will travel by bike, kayak, and skis through central and northern Europe.  We will be working hard to share our stories, images, video and message to both our web followers and the younger kids of England. Richard has developed an amazing program called Inspired Life, where he uses the stories of adventurers and athletes to provide inspiring and uplifting messages to young children.  It is an amazing program and one that I look forward to becoming involved in.

From Europe, Richard and I will migrate back to North America, where we will undertake one of the most difficult and challenging trips that either of us has attempted.  Details will come soon, but it will involve two wheels, sub zero temperatures, and the Arctic Circle!! 

So, as 2011 comes to an end and 2012 rapidly approaches stay tuned for details.  As always, I will try and share my thoughts and emotions of life on the trail, coupled with a smattering of ever present gear and technique talk followed by lots of images and more video.  I hope that my travels and life simplification can inspire you to make a change, however small, in your own life.  We only go down this road once, so lets live it to the fullest.

Peace -

Glenn

October Gales - Rough Water Training

Day three of the Kayak Waveology Sea Kayak training event in Stonington CT, brought strong winds and rough waters as a big N'oreaster cleared through the eastern seabord of the US.  Here is just a brief 30 second clip of the event.

A simple micro adventure

Sunset on the bay - Camera captures a single imageIt was not a big effort, in fact if anything, it was a very simple paddle that I had in mind.  The sun was beginning to dip and I knew I had about an hour before sunset.  The winds had been strong from the south all day whipping up the bay in white capped frenzy.  Now, calm was setting in, with the wind still pushing, just not as forcefully as before.

I grabbed my drysuit, put on my thermals, grabbed my bag of gear and a single Northern Light Greenland paddle and headed out to catch the last of the light.  The NDK slipped effortlessly into the water, always one of my favorite parts of any paddle, the time when you slip the spray skirt on and embrace the beauty and elegance of a kayak floating on the water. 

The tide rips were still going off, creating a bit of beam side slop as I headed to the island and my favorite nest of bald eagles.  I approached and as always was greeted with their beautiful sounding voices.  Floating silently, I let the current pull me around the point, a place right on the water that always hosts one of the adults or juveniles. As I rounded the corner, there she was, taking flight at my approach, gracefully arcing up and around my drifting kayak.  Slowly she circled and came back, only to take up residence in the high safety of her nest.

Off to the other side of the bay now, heading into the slop, the wind still pushing the tide rip trying to force me in a different direction.  The sun was getting lower and the low clouds were creating a visual feast for my eyes.  I cleared the rip, and calm surrounded the boat.  Quick, now grab the camera and try and shoot a couple of images before I drift back into the slop. The shutter releases only to see the message that no space was left on my card.  Were it not for the rip, I would have floated and deleted some old images on the card, something I had been meaning to do for days, but obviously had not done.  Oh well, sometimes we don't get to shoot, instead we get to record the scene in silence using our finely tuned multi-mega pixel eyes and brain.

Dark is setting and now I get the ride from the rip but slop from the wind, nothing big, just enough to make it challenging.  I work my way back to the dock, less than an hour from when I left.  I feel rejuvenated from being on the water, being one with sport.  Micro adventures are just that, small forays out into the world of adventure.  Some are bigger than others, but all are easily done right in our own back yard. 

Tonight I was rewarded with a dance on the water, a beautiful sunset for my spirit, and the grace of Eagles flying over my head.

Northern Light 3 Piece Greenland Paddle

I have been testing out a Northern Light Paddles, 3 Piece paddle for the last couple of weeks and am almost ready to post my detailed review.  In the meantime, here is a small video clip shot on the water with some of my thoughts about this most excellent paddle.

Northern Light First Impression from Glenn Charles on Vimeo.

The Opposite of Ultralight

I was looking for an image today and I ran across this picture from the end of my Alaska expedition.  This is the epitomy of how to not travel LIGHT.