Drinking Coffee is for the Birds!

I came across something interesting that you may want to think about the next time you pull in for that double shot half caff super grande mocchassippi. I picked up a brochure from an organization called shadecoffee.org. They promote awareness for shade-grown coffee and how it benefits migratory bird species. Here are a couple of highlights:

Shade Grown Coffee:
Grows on forest like foarms that provide viable habitat for an estimated 150 species of migratory birds.
Needs fewer chemical fertilizers.
Grows among several layers of diverse trees, flowers, and plants that provide additional income and a healthy environment for farmers and local communities.
Tastes delicious! Bean mature slowly, creating a robust, full and pleasing flavor.

Sun coffee plantations:
Involve clear cutting the forest.
Cause a dramatic reduction in biodiversity
Expose the landscape to open sun, increasing the intensity of land management through regular chemical fertilization and erosion control.

So - I thought some of you might like looking into the issue of shade grown coffee. Since as Americans, most of us drink lots of coffee, we can have an impact by making choices and letting our stores and coffee shops know that we want shade grown coffee. As consumers, we vote with our choices. Let's take this one small step for migratory birds by requesting shade grown coffee!

Kayak Fishing Paradise

"Those Florida guys come over here and fish a tournament and they'll tell you 'we got the pretty water, but ya'll got the fish'". No sooner had those words come out the mouth of our guide Danny Wray than a big redfish hit Becky's line. The reel whined with that high pitch sound of line being stripped by a big strong fish. Becky pulled up on her rod and I watched with (just a little) jealousy as it bent almost double. Her screams of delight were so fun to watch. Danny said mid-fight "you gotta quit smilin' so much!". That wasn't going to happen.

We were a couple of hours in to a guided kayak fishing trip with Danny Wray of Calmwater charters in Grand Isle. This was our first official "Pack & Paddle Staff Trip". Almost everyone was in attendance: Amy, Loren, Matt, Johnny (who had helped in our construction), Becky and I were there. All others were sitting miserably at home wishing they were there.

We had arrived at the Grand Isle camp of Danny and Kristin Wray the night before. Danny had the barbeque pit going with some huge slabs of fish on the grill. Kristin was upstairs preparing the rest of the feast for us. After supper, we headed to bed to get ready for an early start. In the morning after a great breakfast we headed for the put-in. Sworn to secrecy by Danny himself, I can't divulge the spot - but we were soon in the marsh.

After about 20 minutes, I realized I hadn't seen a motorboat (or any other boat) out here. The reason is simple. You can't drive a motorboat in the shallow waters of this marsh - leaving it all as a paradise for kayak fishermen. There was literally nobody out there but us (and a lot of reds). The day started with a good omen when I caught a flounder on my first cast. When I got it in the boat, I didn't know what to do with it. Kristin was off with Amy across the marsh. I turned back and forth with the fish, put it in the rear cargo area, then thought that wasn't a good idea. I picked it up again, turned left, then right trying to decide what to do with it and with a flip of it's tail, it was swimming free back in the waters of the Louisiana marsh - a little older and wiser.

We fished the edges of the marsh grass in the coves and pockets that the irregular surface creates. I was popping my cork, distracted by some birds flitting in the marsh grass when a redfish slammed my line and took it on an abrupt path out towards the middle of the channel - the reel screaming as the fish steamed away from my kayak. I was shocked that I was actually catching a fish. Especially a fish bigger than a bream. I am famous in my family for catching small fish. I've actually caught fish that were not a whole lot bigger than the minnow we were using for bait today! But this time, I was on the other end of the line from a the biggest fish I've ever caught in my life. I have to tell you - it was so fun. Wow.

The group came back together at a confluence of channels, then spread out again - this time Becky and I were with Danny. We fished some spots where channels came into other channels. One of these spots was where Becky caught her big fish. Then it was time to start heading back to the take-out. On the way, I spotted a school of reds swarming along the bank with their black backs out of the water. Danny and I paddled hard to get in front of them as they came up the bank. Danny said "Throw 10 yards in front of them. Whatever you do, don't throw it into the group - keep it in front" as we paddled to get ahead. I knew I would only get one throw - and my casting is not what you'll see on those fishing shows - so I hoped I wouldn't blow it. We got ahead and both casted. Danny's was perfect (of course) and mine was maybe 5 feet in front. Good enough. Both of our reels were screaming at once as the redfish dragged our kayaks around the channel. This time it was Becky who was jealous.

As we drove home, we were commenting about how people from Louisiana will travel to Colorado to hike or ski. If you want to kayak fish for reds, South Louisiana is where people come - from all over the country. We live in a paradise for kayak fishing and the possibilities are endless. Miles and miles of marsh accessible only to kayaks that are literally teeming with redfish and speckled trout compliment tons of options for bream and bass in the fresh water. Maybe the best part is getting there under your own power and being in places you can't get in a motorboat. Letting your mind drift while watching that bird in the marsh grass - until wheeeeeeee - your line is screaming and it's time to get to work.

We would like to personally thank Danny and Kristin Wray - our hosts in Grand Isle for the weekend. Their hospitality as much as their fishing expertise made our trip awesome. We ate great food, had fun hanging out with them and (of course) enjoyed our kayak fishing experience. Kristin and Danny run Calmwater Charters (www.calmwatercharters.net) - a kayak specific guiding service. Next time you're headed to Grand Isle, give them a call - and tell them the folks from Pack & Paddle sent you!

Glamping Anyone?

Becky found the following article in the November issue of Readers Digest. I'll allow ya'll to draw your own conclusions...

"Roughing It Goes Soft"
Here's a new term to get used to: glamorous camping, aka glamping. It's luxe leisure for those who want to get back to nature without leaving their creature comforts behind. At the Paws Up resort in Montana's Big Sky country for instance, guests pay $595 per night to sleep in a tent that comes with a butler who builds campfires and a maid who turns down the heated down comforter. Better pack the fine china along with the calamine lotion.

Well- As I said, I'll let ya'll draw your own conclusions about Glamping. Feel free to click and comment on this article!!!

Elephants, Yaks, Base Jumpers... Oh My!

I am blogging today from Banff, Canada where Becky and I are attending the 32nd Banff Mountain Book and Film Festival. We have spent the last few days listening to authors and watching films - all centered on Mountain Culture and activities. If you're a climber, hiker, kayaker or general outdoor enthusiast, this event should be on your life list. It is thought provoking and inspiring.

We saw John Harlin III do a live presentation on his book "The Eiger Obsession" in which he describes going back to climb the Eiger 40 years after his father died on the mountain. His emotional recounting of the events were worth the trip by itself. We then heard from several other authors over the next couple of days about their books. Lunches are a "Literary Lunch" with a reading from an outdoor author.

Yesterday the Film portion of the event began. My favorite film was a documentary on Base jumping called "20 Seconds of Joy". Also we enjoyed a documentary showing the plight of the Pygmy Elephants in Borneo as well as a documentary about Joe Simpson of "Touching the Void" fame talking about the thread of climbing in his life and how he feels about climbing several years removed from the accident. Another great film showed the annual migration of Yak herders in Nepal - showing how even though their culture is virtually untouched, the problems of cheap import of salt threatens their unique way of life. It is reminiscent of the Chinese Crawfish import problems of our area.

I hope this blog entry starts to whet your appetite for Mountain Culture style films at our Venue at Pack & Paddle. Our first "Movie Night at P&P is coming up less than 2 weeks from now on November 13th!!! Mark it on your calendar. This will be a great film and a wonderful happening for the Lafayette Outdoor community.

Blue Jeans in the Sky with Diamonds

I guess the first cool, crisp fall days in south Louisiana will do it to you. This week, the need to do something with at least a small dash of adventure was running high. I had recently written a list of things I like doing - one of which was watching the sun rise. One thing led to another and I somehow came up with the idea of riding my bike out to Lake Martin to see the sun come up.

The night before, I pumped up my tires, got out a water bottle, found my bike shoes and helmet and set the alarm clock. In the morning, I stumbled downstairs, ate a little breakfast, and headed out. As I rolled down Pinhook in the dark (I do have a flashing tail light and headlight), I realized how chilly it was. The air bit into my windshirt and froze my fingertips.

It took 30 minutes of riding before I started enjoying what was going on around me and quit indulging myself in the worry that was wallowing around in my head. I started to notice how white the light was that was coming from the stars set onto the nearly-black indigo sky made them look like clear white diamonds. The trees that line the road were black, with the texture of their shape morphing to a smooth line in the distance. As I rode, the orange to indigo fade on the horizon warmed to a hue of tangerine fading into the color of some well-faded jeans. About the time I started thinking that maybe I missed the turnoff to the lake, the bright green "Lake Martin - Bird Sanctuary" sign came into view.

I rode the gravel down to my favorite spot along the lake, threw the bike down and laid on the grass for a few minutes. Twenty minutes till sunrise. The birds were already busy - with everything from the "T-T-T-T" of the little birds to the squawking of the bigger birds. I thought (as I do on every trip) that I REALLY need to study and learn the sounds of birds. The cypress emerged from the black to take on their colors of green brown and grey. The sky had become a kaliedoscope of turquoise to orange to tinted blue to the steel blue of the old jeans.

I noticed that even in this serene setting, that I could hear the noise of Lafayette in the distance as we all participated in taking part in our American duty of creating "progress". I wondered how long it would be before this jewel was overtaken by the city.

Small sparrow-like birds flew overhead (I really DO need to learn my birds) in huge bunches. They swooped inches over the water collecting their insect breakfasts with their aerial maneuvers. As the sun began to finally make its entrance, I realized that the magic of it all was already gone. The transition to daylight had long since taken place when the sun came over the horizon like a shining silver platter.

As I got back on my bike for the long trek home, I tried to sort out my feelings from the morning. I had seen an amazing show of the world coming to life for the day. I felt glad for what I had witnessed. It connected me again with the feeling of wilderness and adventure - all within 15 miles of my house.

At the same time, I felt strangely disconnected - almost as if I were a spectator instead of a participant in it all. Maybe that's what city living does to you over time. Maybe this feeling is telling me that the months of re-construction at the shop has cost me that frequency it takes to feel "connected" when I am in the outdoors. At the same time, I felt so grateful that it's all out there, just waiting for me. I am so looking forward to fall and winter - my favorite time of year here in the south, and getting my frequency in the outdoors where I want it to be.....

Keep the faith folks. I'll see you out there!

Wow - What a Night!

In case you missed it, our opening night in the new room was fantastic. In this blog, I am going to let the pictures speak for the evening. I will narrate as I show you some shots of the building:

This is a photo of how the room looks in daylight with some random slides of trips we've taken, the construction process and some group shots of Pack & Paddle trips from this year. This was during the open house and folks were able to mill around and check out the new space.


These are some pictures of Becky and I with Matt and Amy. We had a wonderful time with family, staff and tons of friends that showed up to give our new space a great send off.


Around 7, I spoke about the things we've been through as a staff and a family in the construction of this new space. I talked about the shared journey that we have taken together and how it relates to the outdoor experience.



Here's a picture that is real special to me (right). It shows me speaking to the crowd with my parents (founders of Pack & Paddle) in the background.

Around 7:15, it was time for Nate to make his entrance. The crowd was very fired up and amazingly loud. It felt almost like a rock concert. This picture shows Nate walking out of the back room towards the stage. I can say that for me, this was a really exciting moment. We had visualized the idea of this venue months ago, and watching it come together in that moment was very satisfying.


This photo (right) shows a view of the room with some of the crowd. You can see Nate reflected in the windows. Everyone commented on the feeling and "vibe" of the room. In retrospect, after months of work, I can say that the feeling of the love that we put into the design and building of this space comes through.


The photo on the left is a great shot of Nate performing. He showed slides of his historic walk of the West Coast while inspiring us with his music on the guitar and banjo.

One of the things I loved about the night is how comfortable the room felt in terms of beauty and grace. Everything just fits together perfectly to create an intimate and cool feeling for an event like this.




Here's a picture of how everything looked from outside the shop. We love our window wall!!!

Well, the opening night has come and gone. It was more exciting and satisfying than I could have imagined. To see a dream become reality is a fantastic feeling. To be able to share it with friends, family and most importantly, all of our wonderful customers that have meant so much to us over the years. This venue has always felt like it would be a gift to our community. The special evening we had Saturday was only the first of many wonderful evenings to come. We so much enjoyed sharing our venue with you and look forward to many more great nights together in the future!

Special Thanks To:

The nearly 200 outdoor folks that came to experience our initial event. It was a blast!!!

All of our staff, friends and family that worked on this project with us. Your help was critical and appreciated.

Our lead carpenter - Pops a.k.a. Gerald Istre.

Catherine Schoeffler - for glazing all of our old windows.

Great Harvest Bakery for all the great breads and sweets.

Mountain Khakis, Patagonia and Chaco for their generous donations of product for us to give away.

Ed Boustany and his scout troop for coming out to help us with the parking.

I would like to say thanks to our friend Jason Cohen who took all these photos. He's a talented professional photographer. He does incredible work on weddings and other photography jobs. You can link to his site at http://www.jasoncohenphoto.com/

Food Drying

We had a really fun seminar last night. Karla Coriel came over from Baton Rouge to lead a workshop on food dehydrating. She showed everyone how to prepare their own dried foods at home. These foods are great not only for camping trips but also for hurricane foods.

Karla started off showing basic things like a 1 lb bag of broccoli dried into a small ziploc weighing less than 4 ounces. She did the same for spinach and several other vegetables. Karla then rehydrated a couple of types of cole slaw. She then moved into fruits, passing around dried apples, fruit leathers and other delicious goodies. Then Karla rehydrated several meals including red beans and rice, ham broccoli rice, and an amazing meal that used noodle ramen as a base and added in dehydrated ground beef, tomatoes, and several veggies. They were awesome!

Everyone loved the seminar and took tons of notes. We very much appreciate the trouble Karla went to in preparing for and doing this seminar. What a treat!

This seminar marks the last time we use our current small space for an event. Starting only a week and a half from now, we'll be moving our events into the very cool new space that we've been working on this summer. Looking forward to seeing ya'll at P&P soon!