That’s very cool! How long have you been playing?
To understand how the length of time I boil wort can go back in time and have an effect on the amount of sugar that was actually extracted from the mash vs. available sugar, thus altering the efficency.
I’ve been playing for about 20 yrs now, maybe a bit more. I havent owned a kit in quite some time do to space contraints but once i move into a new house its a priority to get a small kit, after the home brewery is setup of course!
i got one, if the price is right you can own it.
i guess one thing i want to do before i die is to go to germany and belguim, and norway, that is where my granddad is from.
I’ll be hiking the Wonderland Trail this September. Can’t wait!! Just have to stop drinking so much homebrew… ;)
Tom, any pointers/lessons learned from your trip?
For me… touring Scotland to see where my family originally came from, African safari (would be my 7th continent), and Machu Picchu. I’d also have to agree with punatic about seeing the earth from space. That would be stunning.
I’ve seen Earth from space… from Earth. ;D Denny knows what I’m talkin’ about. 8)
I highly suggest looking into “Automolous Stem Cell PRP injections” to restore your cartiledge and avoid that surgery
and all that goes with surgery…the above is relatively a new deal…check into it…google is your friend…
Edit: I want to go offshore and reel in a Sailfish and pat it on da head take some pix etc…If it is a smaller one,
I may bring it home and make wall art out if the carcus.
Sorry this is so long, feel free to ask questions. I might not have the answers, but I can try. 
If you are an experienced backpacker there is nothing you really need to know. Just get the book “Exploring the Wonders of the Wonderland Trail”. There is typically plenty of water, the trail is well marked and plenty wide for one person, and you probably won’t hike more than a five or six hours without seeing some people.
But since I have no idea how much experience you have with this kind of trip, first some general backpacking stuff. Pack light, but don’t skimp on the necessities. Bring some kind of insulated underwear, and raingear is a must. First aid kit, knife, fire starter, the usual emergency gear. You’re not allowed to light fires, but an emergency is an emergency. Bring line to hang your food, don’t keep it in your tent! There are bear-proof poles at all of the campgrounds. Bring your own TP. A warm poly sleeping bag, not down unless it will keep you warm when it is wet. Comfortable shoes to wear around camp. Broken-in boots. Spare clothes in a dry bag. Plan on everything getting wet. It is generally very safe, but be smart, at times you will be a couple of days from help. Bring garbage bags for your trash, you can drop stuff at the ranger’s stations.
Figure out how much food you’re going to need. I planned on 3500 calories a day and found I just couldn’t eat that much so I had way more food than I needed. By the time I figured that out I was several days from a ranger station where I could dump food. Which brings up the next point . . .
Decide if you want to carry all of your food, or mail caches to the ranger station. I carried mine, but some hikers I met made the point that you need to mail it well ahead of time to make sure it will be there when you need it.
Figure out how much fuel you’ll need, add a fudge factor, and just take that. I way overestimated (probably because I couldn’t eat as much as planned) so I was carrying more than I needed. But a hot breakfast cannot be overrated.
Don’t stop to cook lunch or you might end up hiking in the dark. Bring a headlamp and spare batteries.
Know your water needs. Bring a good filter and a camelbak, mine was 3 liters which was enough except for one time. Usually I would pass more than one water source before my water ran out during the hike I also brought a 5 liter collapsible container to hold water at camp, I found it very useful. I could filter enough for cooking and to fill up the camelbak the next morning. There is a lot of water along the trail so it is generally not a problem.
Expect to hike in the rain. It was beautiful the whole time I was there with the exception of the last day (Sep 22nd I think), but it’s not always like that. I’ve heard of people who hiked it when it rained every day.
There are a couple of days when gators were a really big help - they’re light enough I think it’s worth bringing them. On another hike when I didn’t have them and walked through a similar area (wet leafy plants overhanging the trail) my socks got super wet and my heels blistered and tore, but I didn’t feel it until later and then it really hurt to put my boots back on the next day.
Long pants with zip off legs to make shorts are great - for me it was often chilly in the morning and hot later in the day, and taking boots off to change into shorts would have been a real pain.
Get current trail maps and pay attention. The trail is very well marked and not especially precarious. If it seems iffy, backtrack a bit and look around, you may have missed where they rerouted it.
Don’t sweat the glacier crossing after Summerland, follow the footprints and it’ll be fine. Use the toilet at Indian Bar, the view is amazing.
Like I said, it is generally very safe so there isn’t much to worry about if you take the usual precautions. Relax and have fun. And bring a camera, it’s beautiful! ;D
As always, take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints.
Never really did too much hiking (more of a water person) but exploring the appalachians in NJ was always fun. The most memorable time was hiking at the Delaware Water Gap during the winter and finding a totally frozen waterfall. It was like looking at a photo, I’ve never seen anything like it. We climbed to the top and sat on the ice and ate our lunch looking out over the small river below, it was a fantastic moment, something i’ll never forget.
Thanks Tom!! I’m pretty experienced, but have never done anything this long (mostly up to 7-8 days), or in that rainy of an environment. Your tips and suggestions are all greatly appreciated!!
[quote=“fatdogale, post:21, topic:6517, username:fatdogale”]
Check with beersk he is the pro drummer, I’m sure he has some tips!
Part of my problem is I don’t want to learn to play, I want to play like I’ve been playing for 20 years (picturing the look on my wifes face (and my two teenaged daughters faces) as I haul a kit into the basement and announce that I’m teaching myself to play - priceless)! I turned 50 this year…as a present to myself I should prolly look into a drum school to see if it’s something I really want to pursue.
My wife and I are going to Maine for 2 weeks, something we’ve always wanted to do but never took the time. We always spend our vacations with either hers or mine family, but for our 30th anniversary it’s all about us this time.
Enjoy!!! Maine is awesome. Portland is a good beer city too.
Happy Anniversary. That’s a long time for anything!
Not too far away is Porstmouth, N.H., also a good beer town.
Try to get to Ebenezers http://www.ebenezerspub.net/ way out in the country if you can. Call first, though, because it was closed when we finally got there last Fall.
Maybe some time with Mr. Nate with some girl friends and a powdery white substance on their backsides. With plenty of liquids. You don’t want to be dehydrated, do ya!
No fighting dickcycles involved.
Reading the boards late at night can be pretty entertaining. :o
Living in the last time zone has its advantages…