We made the drive up to snowy Pennsylvania to share the holiday with family, and I was able to use the "I need to walk this off" excuse after enjoying a huge meal. I managed to spend about 5-hrs in the woods, exploring some trails in and around the Shaver's Creek Environmental Center, which is operated by Penn State University. Since the center was closed for the holiday and there was about an inch of snow on the ground, I had the trails pretty much to myself.Temps were just above freezing when I started in, and just below freezing when I returned to the car just after dark.
Yeah, I realize 5-hrs isn't much, but if you knew my schedule lately, you'd understand just how wonderful and how badly needed those mere 5-hrs were! Our plans didn't allow me to make it an overnighter, but I got to try out my new-to-me REI Flash-65 pack, which I had loaded with the equivalent of a few days supplies. It carried quite well, and I'm extremely happy with its design. About a mile in, I found a great hang spot overlooking Lake Perez (currently undergoing repairs to the breast of the dam, and due to be refilled this spring.)
So I set up camp, including my mystery-material winter sock and one of my prototype Tree Shelves. (When orders slow down, I'm gonna stash one of the new ones away in my pack!) Made a big cup-o-joe, and then settled in for a great nap in hammock cozy-bliss! Despite the outside air temp dropping into the freeze-zone, I was enjoying mid 60's inside the sock with my downy TQ and IX-UQ. That's a 30° gain from nothing more than well-contained body heat - Love it!
Anyhow, here's some pics of my cherished (although short) escape from the rat race of life ...
-Klauss
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