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Chris and Meghan's Excellent Adventure! NFCT 2014

Started by celliott, April 07, 2014, 06:19:43 PM

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celliott

This summer, my girlfriend of four years, Meghan, and myself, will be paddling the Northern Forest Canoe trail. The trail is 740 miles long, starts in Old Forge NY and ends in Fort Kent Maine. It goes through New York, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine.
We expect the trip to take at least 6 weeks. I cannot wait to start. So much planning left to do...
We will (try) and keep up a blog along our trip. There will be stops in towns with internet access, but some posts may be delayed a bit. Everyone is invited to follow our progress on the blog if you would like  :) Link to the blog and first post is here-

http://chris-and-meghannfct2014.blogspot.com/

I am seriously excited to start this trip. It's something I've wanted to do since I first heard about the trail.

Here is a link to the Northern Forest Canoe trail website-  http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/
You can explore the website, find out more about the trail, plan day trips, etc. etc. Good website.

I made our first post on the blog, it is a bit more detailed than what I have posted here.

Some pictures from past canoe trips

Meghan and I at Holeb Falls, on the Moose river in Jackman Maine


The crew on Low's ridge, in the Adirondacks


Halfway through a long portage in the Whitney Wilderness area of the Adirondack Park

Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

thecfarm

Hope it all goes well. Have a great time and yes,please add to your blog.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

beenthere

Sounds like a great trip.


How can you afford to go on a vacation for 6 weeks?
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

celliott

Quote from: beenthere on April 07, 2014, 08:48:07 PM
Sounds like a great trip.


How can you afford to go on a vacation for 6 weeks?

That's why NOW is the time for us to do this. I'm working part time, flexible schedule. She's just graduating. We aren't tied down with any major commitments. If it's to be done before retirement age, it's probably got to be now.
My dad would love to go, but he can't take 6 weeks off from work....
We are in a fortunate situation to be able to do this trip. As well as a good location, in Vermont, we're about halfway between both ends of the trail.
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

Magicman

I wish you two the best with your adventure and your timing is correct.  I always wanted to hike the AT, but job, family and then knees always had other ideas.  Pat and I did hike part of it so at least we have been there.

I admire you for your adventuring spirit.   smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup 
Knothole Sawmill, LLC     '98 Wood-Mizer LT40SuperHydraulic   WM Million BF Club Member   WM Pro Sawyer Network

It's Weird being the Same Age as Old People

Never allow your "need" to make money to exceed your "desire" to provide quality service.....The Magicman

RynSmith

I've always wanted to canoe the Okefenokee - good for you for getting on it when you can!  Safe travels and I look forward to your updates.  :)

sandhills

Hope you both have a great and safe trip!  No time like the present  :)

justallan1

I hope you guys have a blast. Sounds like it's going to be a great summer.
I'll be looking for updates.

Allan

celliott

Thanks everyone!
We will try to be as safe as possible. While accidents can happen, there is alot to be said for prevention- Should we really run those rapids? It's pretty windy, maybe we shouldn't cross that big lake? (there's some big water on the trail, Lake Champlain, Moosehead lake...) Our past canoeing experience and common sense comes into play here. And we ALWAYS wear our PFD's  ;)

Magicman, while we have no intentions of hiking the AT, there is a trail here in Vermont called the Long trail, which traverses the spine of the Green Mountains, the length of the state. We would like to do that also, but we'll see what fall brings.

Why do we do these things? Because it's there  :) And we need no reason beyond that.
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

pine

Good luck and have fun.  An adventure you will not forget.

goose63

You guys are young now go for it be for you get to old have fun and a safe trip 8) 8)
goose
if you find your self in a deep hole stop digging
saw logs all day what do you get lots of lumber and a day older
thank you to all the vets

Gregg Huffman

You are right to go while you can, you'll never get another chance. Have fun!

Weekend_Sawyer

I am watching with interest.
Have a great trip!

Jon
Imagine, Me a Tree Farmer.
Jon, Appalachian American Wannabe.

Hilltop366

Sounds like fun!

Keep your hands off the gunwales and lean down stream.

Stay safe, I'll be following along.

JohnM

Quote from: celliott on April 07, 2014, 11:06:19 PM
Why do we do these things? Because it's there  :) And we need no reason beyond that.
Darn skippy!  You only get one go round, 6 weeks or 6yrs it's your life, do what makes you happy!  ...cause you'll never please everybody. ;D ::)

Before we were married my wife and I planned to hike the last 270 miles of the AT ('95), just above Hot Springs, NC down to Springer Mtn, GA.  Neither of us had done any major trek like that but we did our homework and put together out drop/resupply boxes to be mailed out by my wife's sister.  The best laid plans...about a week before we started Hurricane Opal had blown through the area.  Long story hike short, we did the first 50mi (took twice as long going around all the blowdowns and whatnot) got to the Smokies and were told 'no go', trail was not hike-able.  We took a shuttle around to pick up and our supply box in Fontana Village and I decided I wasn't done hiking but my wife was. :D  I did a 5 day 25mi loop (low land/less storm damage) while she went to visit her mother in Atlanta.  Now the plan was to propose on top of Springer Mtn, but the "Fontana Hilton" shelter had to suffice.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  (And, yes, the 'ring' from Fontana Village really did turn her finger green! :-[)

Looking forward to following your adventure. :)  Oh and...no pressure on how it ends. ;) ;D
Lucas 830 w/ slabber; Kubota L3710; Wallenstein logging winch; Split-fire splitter; Stihl 036; Jonsered 2150

Tom L

I wish I did something like that, take a trip or a hike or canoe somewhere for a yr or two. (or even 6 weeks)

I just started to work every day, and have lost most of my life to just working with not too much fun in between.

good for you and I hope you have a great adventure!!

Ljohnsaw

Wow, quite a trek.  So, what is the rough percentage of water to portage?  Out here in California, you'd be walking at least 90% of the time if you wanted to travel down the state!  :D  Can't float south on the California Aqueduct from Sacramento. ;)    How about the ratio of lake travel to river? Not knowing the area at all, I'm assuming you will be heading down rivers, not up, right?
John Sawicky

Just North-East of Sacramento...

SkyTrak 9038, Ford 545D FEL, Davis Little Monster backhoe, Case 16+4 Trencher, Home Built 42" capacity/36" cut Bandmill up to 54' long - using it all to build a timber frame cabin.

celliott

Quote from: ljohnsaw on April 08, 2014, 03:32:52 PM
Wow, quite a trek.  So, what is the rough percentage of water to portage?  Out here in California, you'd be walking at least 90% of the time if you wanted to travel down the state!  :D  Can't float south on the California Aqueduct from Sacramento. ;)    How about the ratio of lake travel to river? Not knowing the area at all, I'm assuming you will be heading down rivers, not up, right?

55 miles of planned portages.
There are upstream sections, some of which simply cannot be paddled upstream, some will be poled, lined, or portaged around. We are unsure how many extra miles of portaging we will have to do because of low water, or unnavigable upstream conditions.

Here is a link to a trail overview, pretty informative.

http://www.northernforestcanoetrail.org/PlanaTrip-2/NFCT-Trail-Overview-35
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

WDH

Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

celliott

New short blog post

http://chris-and-meghannfct2014.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2014-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2015-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=2

Feel free to subscribe (I think there's an option somewhere there)
I won't necessarily be able to post to the FF while on the trip. I think I'll be lucky to make the time to update the blog more than a couple times.
But there will be pictures. Lots of pictures. Once we're done of course  ;)
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

Woodboogah

I wish you luck and have fun.  I planned to hike the AT when I got out of college.  Same deal no obligations, not tied down.  I planned for 6 months two weeks before I left I crushed my ankle and was out of commision for almost a year.  I will be following along.  I wish you well!
Keenan Logging & Tree Care, LLC

Ron Scott

~Ron

celliott

New blog post, this one by Meghan.

http://chris-and-meghannfct2014.blogspot.com/2014/05/meghans-first-post.html

We're getting down to about 2 weeks left before we leave, and we're both very ready to get on the water!
Very exciting stuff  8)
Chris Elliott

Clark 666C cable skidder
Husqvarna and Jonsered pro saws
265rx clearing saw
Professional maple tubing installer and maple sugaring worker, part time logger

WDH

Hopefully you will not get oatmealed out or freeze dried out before you get finished.  You just might just be eating the first snake that you come across after the first few weeks  ;D. 
Woodmizer LT40HDD35, John Deere 2155, Kubota M5-111, Kubota L2501, Nyle L53 Dehumidification Kiln, and a passion for all things with leafs, twigs, and bark.  hamsleyhardwood.com

JohnM

Quote from: celliott on May 28, 2014, 01:27:43 PM
New blog post, this one by Meghan.

http://chris-and-meghannfct2014.blogspot.com/2014/05/meghans-first-post.html

We're getting down to about 2 weeks left before we leave, and we're both very ready to get on the water!
Very exciting stuff  8)
All looks very familiar. :)  Wife and I did bunch of dehydrating of everything for our AT trip, those prepackaged meals were still pretty new back then and hit or miss on quality.  When (if?) near a town make sure to get some fresh fruits and veggies (and bacon cheeseburgers ;D), helps break up the monotony of that trail food. :)

Still looking forward to following along. :)
Lucas 830 w/ slabber; Kubota L3710; Wallenstein logging winch; Split-fire splitter; Stihl 036; Jonsered 2150

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