Waterproof IPad Cases?
Published May 28, 2010 | 
There’s a way to live that’s right for us
Like Mayans in Manhattan and Los Angeles
I’m scaling up, I’m breaking down
– warren zevon
Well, it’s no surprise that the new IPad from Apple offers a wide variety of GPS navigation, mapping and weather tools. Many have been ported over from the IPhone, while some apps have been re-worked to truly take advantage of the larger screen size. The other day I had this strange thought that my IPad might be a fantastic replacement for the old Garmin on the deck of my kayak! Can you imagine!? Mounting it wouldn’t be too much of an issue, but how would you keep it dry? Continue reading
Check in
Published May 27, 2010 | 
I’d love to get a letter / Like to know what’s what
Hope the weather’s good / And it’s not too hot
For you
Everyone says hi – bowie
Just a moment to check in with everyone that’s been following along here at KayakQuixotica.com for some years now. Yeah, I’m still alive! How about you?? LOL! For my part, I’ve been paddling daily again for a while now. I just keep the silly kayak on the Jeep at all times so I can quickly jump in the water over lunch or right after I drop my son off to school. I recently did a wilderness first aid course and am spending Memorial weekend in Milwaukee doing an ACA ICE with my friend JB. It looks like great weather for a paddle and s**t weather for L4 certification.
Regarding paddling Scotland.. Oh man. Yeah, I want to and have the trip forefront in my mind. However some family heath issues have really forced me to stay close to home for more than a few days at a time over the last year or so. No sense in detailing it, but if I can reasonably find a way to escape for a few weeks without having to fret .. I’d take it. I’d give anything for a bit of ‘me’ time at the moment… Continue reading
I hate navigation
Published May 27, 2010 | 
Man means nothing he means less to me
Than the lowliest cactus flower
Or the humblest Yucca tree
He chases round this desert
‘Cause he thinks that’s where I’ll be
That’s why I love mankind
– randy newman
Let’s just get this right out of the way. I HATE navigation. I mean, I LOVE maps and charts. As a teenager I used to stare at maps for hours. Even now I enjoy examining them and imagining how to get from point A to point B by car or kayak. What I hate is academic navigation. The bit where we toss a bunch of labels on common sense ideas, get all worked up measuring this and adding that to come up with some magical, algebraical solution to paddling across a bay in conditions where most of us should never leave the beach. Continue reading
52 Seconds
Published May 25, 2010 | Here is a video of absolutely nothing; Rain, lots of bird calls, more rain.. a kayak… wind and thunder picked up by a cheap Pentax Optio mic.. But nothing else. Just 42 seconds of a rainy Tuesday morning at Devil’s Lake State Park, 3 miles from home.
Refurbishment
Published May 25, 2010 | 
Now, as much as I love my Rockpool Alaw Bach, it’s not a kayak I would use for a smash & crash weekend. So with my ACA coaching re-certification coming up this weekend, I’ve been spending time bringing my old warhorse back to life. Yeah, the old NDK Explorer has more gel coat cracks than I’d ever reasonably get out, and the white hull will never again be truly white, but it’s still the only kayak I’ve ever had that I don’t fear dragging another fully loaded kayak across or crash landing on a break wall. (I have as a matter of fact) Continue reading
And out in the valley warm and clean
The little ones sit by their TV screens
No thoughts to think
No tears to cry
All sucked dry
Down to the very last breath
– waters
Logorrhea is a disorder that results in incoherent talkativeness. “Word Salad” is the use of randomly chosen words that are arranged in such a way as to seem to make sense but actually mean nothing. I like word salad. I love word pasta salad even more. That’s where thoughtfully chosen words are arranged in such a way as to seem to make no sense at all, but once sampled, actually do make sense. That’s much harder. Just ask Noam Chomsky. Continue reading →