Eve of Departure

 11-30-2010

Eve of departure.  A close friend, Ryan Beltz, just returned back from Alaska- Bless him for assisting me move my boat down to river side.

It is also good to talk over details with close friends who have experience.  I should mention at this time that I have only a few close friends that I feel compatible for adventure bagging.  Mr. Beltz is one of those friends.  We have been on a few ventures here and there and I know we have only just begun.  He has experienced a great deal

more than his 27 years should allow.  He is the ultimate, "Renaissance Man".  A degree in Photo Journalism with a minor in Biology, and last year completed his Masters in Literature.  A comparative look at some of the great nature writers mixed with his own life experience and wilderness values.  He is an excellent carpenter, backcountry ranger, and a hell of a friend.  Thank you Ryan!

Things are finally feeling quiet, except for what sounds like a monsoon beating the old window panes.  It should be a quick ride tomorrow, plenty of water volume.  Just three months ago I was worried about having to drag my canoe the first 8 or so miles.  Now from what I hear outside the windows and hitting the roof I just need to hang on for the ride!

But I am very happy to finally be pulling out and getting underway tomorrow.  It has been a fantastic fall season and I feel very fortunate to be bringing it to a close with this journey.  Again I want to thank everyone for all there support!  All the kind words and thoughts are wonderful.  The shirt I am wearing on this eve is one of local Troop 104 with all their signatures, thank you so much for this very special gift!  I want to share another special attachment I was sent today.
 

Thank you so much Amy Haus!  Amy is one of the many very dedicated Hawk Mountain Volunteers and a friend.  With support like this nothing is going to stop me, not even this storm!

See ya on the River!
JOIN THE JOURNEY
Todd Bauman

Countdown to Launch

Launch Day Dawns Tomorrow
(By M. Linkevich)
The magic happens tomorrow morning, and everyone at Hawk Mountain is PROUD to gather in any amount of rain to cheer Todd on his journey!!

If you would like to join, meet at the Drehersville Bridge at 9 am. This is where Route 895 and Hawk Mountain Road meet. Bring signs, or just bring yourself! We suggest you definitely bring an umbrella and raincoat. Due to forecasted rain, I will take some pix and we're going to skip the mountaintop blog, but we'll update later in the morning. Stay tuned for pix of the departure!

Tomorrow's route will cover from Hawk Mountain to Leesport where Todd will stay at the historic Lockhouse. More on that in tomorrow' blog.

FUNDRAISING UPDATE:
$7,496 raised to date! We're getting so close!! If you'd still like to make a donation, click HERE to link to the Hawk Mountain page and make an online gift, or, call us during business hours to make a gift in any amount by credit card. Todd is hoping to reach $10,000 by the time he hits Cape May.

Gifts by Phone:
610-756-6961 between 9 am and 5 pm. Visa, MasterCard and Discover accepted.

Snail mail still works, too:
Mountain-to-Sea
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
1700 Hawk Mountain Road
Kempton, PA  19529

Of course, we're most happy to have your MORAL support, and appreciate all the positive notes we've received and comments on this blog. Keep it up! It will mean the most over the next 15 days.

History of the Canoe

I have been asked a few times now why a canoe?  Why not a kayak?  Kayaks are great boats.  I have paddled a variety of these closed boats numerous times, on rivers, lakes, and on the ocean.  They are very efficient in the water, handle wind and waves with ease, and are a joy to paddle.  So why a canoe?

I love that type of boat.  It is reminiscent of the time when I was a hiker/backpacker but then had the second child.  Well what now, that is way to much for two to carry on their backs, kids and all the essentials.  Everything  from child and then children (up to three), extra clothing/cloth diapers, extra toys and small paddles, camping gear and etc... and let us not forget the family dog or two.  You can take an enormous amount of stuff in a canoe.  The water version of the family station wagon.  So I got hooked on this type of craft and I am still hooked.  There is a certain nostalgia, or romance, while trekking in a canoe.  The simple stroke of the paddle, the quiet glide.  I always feel like I am transported back in time, maybe where I was supposed to be from the start?  The modern canoe, except for material, is essentially the same as the earliest described in written record.

Early water craft remains are very limited.  Why?  They were made from raw natural materials that when exposed to the elements quickly returned back to the earth looking much as they would have if not used to build a canoe in the first place.  The most efficient form of the oldest craft known was the bark canoes.  So the earliest reports from white explorers visiting North America lacked detail, but usually give accounts on how this designed impressed them, in both efficiency and speed.  The first reference of a bark canoe was that of a Frenchman named Jacques Cartier in 1535.  The first to describe these magical crafts was Champlain in 1603 where what is now Quebec.  He described them as being 8 to 9 paces long (20 plus feet) and 1 1/2 paces wide (40 plus inches).  They could carry a pipe of wine, that is to say a lot of wine (up to 1000 pounds!)(I will not quite being carrying that much.......just kidding)  What impressed the Europeans even more is that it only took one or two men to carry one of these large vessels, proving to be very easy to move from one water source to the next.

A hundred years or so pass and Europeans adopt this craft from the Native Americans and it is the backbone of North American exploration and the first cargo transport industry, the fur trade.  Thus, the Voyageurs are born.  The first intercontinental passageway is founded utilizing all the lakes and rivers of Canada and northern United States.  If you would look at a map of this Northern Territory and see how much water is there, that is a lot of highways.  This type of craft was in such demand that the world's first canoe factory was built at Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, around 1750.  Mine, built in Old Town, Maine, about 1990.

Since I spoke of why I first got into using a canoe for my wildland experiences.  It only makes sense to include some photos of those why's, my children.  These are a few photos I just found around the house tonight.  They should at least give you an idea of what precious cargo was on board when this particular voyageur, me, was in route.

This is about the age that they would all get loaded up for a trip.

They captained their vessel at a young age, West Branch of the Penobscot River in Maine.

A group shot at one of my favorite places, South Lookout,
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary.  I want to thank Cody, West, and Logan Bauman for bringing me the joys of exploration through the timeless travels by paddle and young hearts.

It comes down to this, I love canoes and how I feel when I am paddling one.  I am in the market for lighter boats as I am growing older (the boats must be getting heavier).  But you will always find me with a canoe stowed somewhere, and sometimes I just like to drive around with one on my roof, just in case!

"What sets a canoeing expedition apart is that it purifies you more rapidly and inescapably than any other."  Pierre Trudeau (1919 - 2000), Canadian Prime Minister

JOIN THE JOURNEY!
Todd Bauman
(One of the best resources, "Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America" first published in 1868)
  

About the Spot Locator and some other details...

About Spot Locator
Today Denise Peters and I tested the Spot Locator that Todd will use to share with us his location....a great way to virtually track his route. He presses a button and it shows a google map of his exact location---so cool! Below this post is today's test, check it out to see how it works. (obviously, this is the visitor Center). The Spot Locator will allow Todd to upload the link directly to the Mountain-to-Sea blog.

When you see a post like this, click the link and you'll be connected to his "Spot Adventure" page, which will show a line connecting each 'spot' and eventually his entire route. Denise dressed up the page with some photos--go Denise!!

A HUGE thanks to Denise for taking the time to figure all of this out. We had hoped to be able to post the map directly to this blog, but the site won't allow it. Too bad! But we decided this works fine to track his progress... we're flexible folks.

Details of Launch Day: Wed, Dec 1
I also received a few calls about "Launch Day," and here's the scoop:
Todd will leave North Lookout Wednesday morning at 8 am after posting a blog, so I will be there to take some pix, and everyone is welcome to join. (Please note that due to deer hunting and for visitor safety, only the North Lookout Trail is open.)

Next, Todd will hike to the river, while I take off back to my car and drive down to the Drehersville Bridge. He plans to ship off from our neighbor's property slightly up river while we wait to cheer him as he passes beneath the bridge, which is where Hawk Mountain Road meets Route 895. There is a nice parking lot by the church in Drehersville that is an easy walk, or find a safe place to park along the road.

The Final Landing: Mon, Dec 15
Of course a group of us plan to be there when Todd finishes at Cape May Point and we hope to see friends. If you are within driving distance, PLEASE JOIN US!! He will finish at the hawkwatch site/Lighthouse at NOON on December 15.

As always, thanks for your support. Everyone at Hawk Mountain is VERY proud of Todd and appreciate all the good wishes....THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Tomorrow: the latest on funds raised by Mountain-to-Sea. Stay tuned

Todd_Mountain2Sea - Kayaking/Canoeing - Spot

Todd_Mountain2Sea - Kayaking/Canoeing - Spot

Equipment Ready!

As folks would imagine a trek of this caliber takes some gear.  Most was already in my arsenal of equipment.  But there are several pieces I needed to pick up for the journey.  Everybody has seen my Mac in other photos.  Many would think taking a computer along on a multi-day winter paddle is not the most sound idea.  I thought that as well, so I purchased what I was told would offer the best protection.  A Pelican Case.

Now, I wanted to be sure it was a wise purchase and would truly offer the protection I wanted.  So with the help of my lovely assistant, daughter Cody, I tested the case.   It was a live test by dropping it off of the bridge into the Little Schuylkill River.  

Well, you may want to know how that all turned out.

I am still BLOGGING!

(Please-Do Not Try This At Home)

Another item was something to protect me from the  elements, especially if something bad happened.  I picked up a NRS drysuit.  This is a special garment that completely seals your body from getting wet, even if you decide to go for a half hour swim outside your home.

It is great to live right at expedition headquarters.

The last piece of special equipment was the spray deck cover.  It is complete and canoe is ready!  The Hawk Mountain interns stopped by for final inspection.

IT PASSED!!!!  A few even got in and gave it the real test, the couch ride.

All systems are a go.  Only four days away.  I did most of my food preparation today.  All that is left to do is shove off!

JOIN THE JOURNEY

Preparation for the Voyage

Here I sit in the pit at North Lookout with my friend and coworker Jeremy Scheivert.  He is right now describing a high flying sub-adult golden eagle as it heads its way south, Great way to start the day!!!
I am one week away from departure.  Most is ready.   A few details to still work out.

Technology is still my greatest challenge.  Applying this in the field is not easy.  Cold hands,  wet conditions, glare on screens, and low light conditions.  It all makes working with these items more difficult.  It is very possible I will be out of connection off and on during the journey.  I will be doing the best I can to keep everyone updated.  I want to thank Mary Linkevich for all her work to date and during this expedition.  She will be the primary land base team member.

 
 Jeremy says, "It is a great day, this is the time of year where quality vs quantity."  As he makes this statement an adult bald eagle soars past northbound, not counted, but magnificent. I look up and take it in, I can make out all the characteristics naked eye, how the Native Americans would have experienced this magical mountain.  AWESOME!

JOIN THE JOURNEY!

Excitement is Building!

Big thanks to everyone who's helping either build excitement for Mountain to Sea or who made a financial contribution in honor of the trip (or both!), which in turn will support Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. We are so grateful for your support!!!!

Shout-out to Kathy Lauer-Williams who wrote a great article in The Morning Call with photos by Kevin Mingora (Fri, Nov 19), thank you both! The piece helped generate even more exposure, and hopefully will help us meet the $10,000 goal before December 1st departure. 

To read this article click here now, and check out the great pix Kevin took of my practice run at Mauch Chunk Lake (photo, left). Kevin, your photo really caught people's attention!

Another thanks to our partners at the Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, the same folks who bring you the Schuylkill River Sojourn. Now they are helping to support the Mountain-to-Sea journey and are sharing the news with their Schuylkill River Heritage Area network.

Their book Along the Schuylkill River was written by their own Laura Catalano and Kurt Zwikl, and is our official go-to guide on the historic places we'll pass during the journey. For more information on the book, click here or visit http://www.schuylkillriver.org/. We're excited to blog about the cultural history along the river, and this book is an incredible resource.

Looking forward to sharing more information on the trip's ITINERARY and our other partners, friends and supporters in the days leading up the trip.

Until then, thank you again for JOINING THE JOURNEY!!!

More Preparation for the Voyage

I was invited back in October on a prep paddle by Sally O'Byrne.  Sally is a Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Board Member, an educator for Delaware Nature Society, and more important to me, a friend.   We departed on our mini expedition on the morn of October 12th.  Our primary objective, to circumnavigate Pea Patch Island, we shoved off from Delaware City.  Our secondary objective, to storm Fort Delaware.   

Sally looking very much in her element

Check out the geese flying towards the ship

We came ashore and started our approach.

We approached the Fort from the South with the stealth of Ninjas

The moat scared me, but not Sally.

Searching for an entry point

We located our entry, so with the speed of a falcon, we swooped in.

Our point of entry

We moved in and very quickly were apprehended.  Despite all our charm and wit, and believe me we tried it all with a double team approach, we were escorted out.  And I do mean escorted all the way back to our vessel and advised, politely, but none the less advised, to leave immediately.  

Despite the unsuccessful overtaking of the Fort, it was an incredible day of discovery!  The weather was perfect, the company exceptional, and the paddle, awesome!  I want to thank Sally and her husband Terry for opening up their home to me for two days.  Sally, aside from the exploration of Pea Patch Island, also spent a whole afternoon showing me around Wilmington and several of the Delaware Nature Society (DNS) holdings.  DNS is a very diverse organization offering many programs, from a hawk watch to an organic farm, and everything in between.  I also want to thank them both for their wonderful generosity and support of this trek.

JOIN THE JOURNEY

Todd Bauman

Schaumboch's Tavern

I realized that in the last post I identified Schaumboch's Tavern as the workshop site.  Well it is.  It has also been my home for the past 13 years.  It is a place surrounded by rich folklore.

The historic tavern dates back to the late 1700's.  With the earliest recorded resident being a Jacob Gerhardt in 1793.  Gerhardt was the only survivor of an Indian attack which took place just down the road in Eckville ("the Eck") during the French and Indian war.  Moving up the timeline of its colorful past brings a resident by the name of Mathias Schaumbocher,  Mathias comes onto scene sometime during the mid 1870's.  This is where the origin lies of the name that identifies it on the National Register of Historic Places since 1978.  This inn keeper, as folklore goes, led travelers into the barn across the road, dispatched them with an axe, and dumped the bodies down a well.  That is, in a nutshell, the story. This story can be found in Charlie Adam's book,  Ghost Stories of Berks County, Book I.

The story I like is that of the sanctuary.  It was acquired by the sanctuary in 1938 and served as the headquarters and living quarters of Irma and Maurice Broun.  First keeper of the gate and warden of the once shooting grounds gone sanctuary.   Thus, the "School in the Clouds" is born.  This fantastic story of Hawk Mountain (including this dwelling) is best expressed in the conservation classic, Hawks Aloft.  Written by Broun in 1948.  This is a must read for all Hawk Mountain supporters and any one interested in a passionate success story.

Back to what makes the tavern very special to me, I have been very fortunate to call it home for many years.  The tales and memories I have forged here, on this mountain, in this structure, with all that have passed through its doors, has changed my life forever.  It is truly a "Crossroads of Naturalists".

A very recent photo in front of the tavern of myself with former intern and friend Vaclav Tikalsky  

      
I am very excited, I will get to spend the night in many historic structures as I make my way south along my water route.
More to come!
Todd Bauman

More Preparation for the Voyage

As mentioned prior there is a number of details before I shove off.  One that has been somewhat ironed out was the tech package.  Last post with Mary Linkevich was the result.  Another part of my tech package is the use of a SPOT locator.  This is a satellite messenger that will provide my location on a google map.  Because it works off of satellites it is a reliable tool for remote locations.  So, even when I cannot receive a cell phone signal for BLOGGING this will send out my whereabouts and post my movements.  I want to thank Educator Denise Peters for getting this up and operating!

This brings attention to all the folks assisting with this voyage.  I am far from doing this alone.  There are many who are a part of this trek.  I want to thank everyone for their support.  It is very inspirational and guarantees success!  Thank you all!!!

On to another part of the preparation.

Welome to the workshop, Schaumboch's Tavern

The drawing board

Another person that has been donating an enormous amount of time has been a very special friend, Judith Kohn.  I had identified a need for a spray deck cover for my canoe, especially on the larger water of the Delaware River and Bay.  Custom deck covers carry a significant expense.  So, Judith, as talented as she is beautiful, is constructing one from some old tents I have collected over the years.   This is absolutely amazing to me!  She just started one afternoon by throwing some material over the canoe, and poof, look at this progress.    

preliminary layout

first work space, backporch

then it moved into the living room

Well, the whole house is now expedition headquarters

During the creation of this serious piece of artistic perfection, I needed to test it out.

Rough seas ahead, it is not as easy as it looks, paddling while on top of a couch

More preparation to come!

JOIN THE JOURNEY!

Todd Bauman

Testing the technology

YES! Looks like the first test of technology is working. Out on the river with laptop, smart phone (to connect to Internet) and all the waterproof protective cases, and guess what, folks? I'm online and blogging!

Watch for photos of the test run, coming soon -- yes, we should have brought the cord to connect camera to computer, but we're not perfect. More later
Mary Linkevich (test-trip co-pilot)


This is Mary BLOGGING river side on test-trip after returning back, after trek for forgotten keys, and forgotten cord to connect camera.  With all that a very successful excursion on the Scenic Little Schuylkill River!
Todd Bauman (other test-trip pilot)

Preparation for the Voyage

Greetings Hawk Mountain Supporters!

It is really counting down now.  This is no longer a far off trip to start to think about sometime soon.  It is crunch time!  There is still a number of things to get ready.  This is quite different from other treks I have done.  It is not all some remote wilderness corridor, it travels through one of the most populated regions of any watershed.  Some of the preparation is typical of a significant winter paddle.  But, with this route, there are a number of folks that are involved and more needed.  It is this involvement, this cooperation, this connection that makes this journey important.

When asked why?  It is the kind of trek that demonstrates a connection we all have to something much bigger.  Mary Linkevich, Hawk Mountain's communication and grants manager, said it best, "A spirit of rugged adventure has always been central to Hawk Mountain's history, but more importantly, Todd's trip will demonstrate how interconnected we are, and the importance of safe passageways for migratory wildlife."  

More Preparing for the Voyage to come!

JOIN THE JOURNEY
Todd Bauman
 

ONLY ONE MONTH AWAY!