Two ideas I came up with on my own (doesn't mean no one else hasn't had the same ideas). With very little breakage I now store eggs in paper tubes I can burn when empty rather than in those yellow plastic camping containers I used to use and had to carry home. The tubes are 1 1/2" inside diameter and 3/16" thick. I don't know where I got them; perhaps rugs or fabric were rolled on them. With a cross cut saw, I cut off a length of tube long enough for 4 to 6 eggs and tape the ends, using small wads of newspaper as padding between the eggs.

The clothesline is about 40' of 3/16 nylon rope tied between two trees. I loop the rope around a tree about 6' off the ground and backstep until the two halves of the rope can be twisted around each other for about 14' of their doubled length. Then I put the last few feet on both sides of another tree, pull as tight as I can, and tie a bow. If the twists are close enough together and the rope tight enough, each twist serves as a clothespin when pulled apart.

Any other trip tested inventions out there?

I invented "Fly Kwon Do" the martial art to defeat flying nasties of all kinds.

John:

When it comes to eggs, in the beginning of my tripping years, I
liked to have them fried. But once in the frying pan, they usually end
up scrambled as they are always sticking to the pan.

Therefore, I premake them scrambled at home in a small tupperware container.
Eggs, milk, and a few spices, and presto, really great tasting scrambled
eggs. I can even freeze them if I want to.

As for your clothesline and clothespins, I just bring my own plastic
clothespins that I bought at Canadian Tire.


Bo

I bow before the master, Zeb. Someday I, too, may be able to surrender my 100% DEET and fly swatter. As for the scrambled eggs, Bo, thank you. Great idea. In 1961 I took a long canoe in northern Ontario with another teenager and college classmate who was a Maine junior guide. If I remember correctly, he brought along one or two dozen eggs broken into a glass jar. How long will opened eggs stay edible? My twisted clothesline allows me to leave my plastic camping clothespins at home. Do you bring just the clothespins and attach them to small branches? My clothesline is a lightweight luxury. Often it stays in my pack and I drap everything over bushes and branches.

Yeah I love the clothesline action, been doing that for a few years now. You can also pop your paddle handles in the twists and get them off the ground, also helps keep tension, porcupines are known for chewing on laminate - they love the glue.

For eggs we use Egg Beaters - http://www.eggbeaters.com/index.jsp. Comes in a carton plain or flavored. Not my invention but useful for back-country trips. As Bo suggested, can be frozen and when wrapped in newspaper lasts for days.

Interesting idea for the clothesline - I'll be trying that someday.

How are you with tarps? I was introduced to creative tarp-work by a friend who once led a group of youths on a 14 day back-packing trip in the Sierra mountains of California. They slung tarps for shelter, not a single tent. Below a couple of pictures of structures I have had the pleasure of erecting/enjoying in the park.

Steve,

The site in your last picture has peaked my interest. I wonder if you could tell me where it is and if you have any other pictures of it.

Thanks in advance for your time.



Jim

http://www.algonquintrips.blogspot.com

Zeb and I have some passing experience with tarp rigging. Here's a 3 tarp set-up. Two are 10X12 and the third is 10X6.



Step 1. Replace those blue plastic ones with quality tarps.

Steve:

I see you use your "spare paddle" the same way I do! ha ha


Bo

Jim - the site is an island site on Big Trout, taken last August.

I do the same, only without milk (worried about spoilage) and in a nalgene bottle dedicacted to eggs, being more leakproof. Once at the campsite I add powdered milk and a bit of water and then scramble. That way you're not dealing with egg shell disposal.

Bo - the paddle was put in for extra bracing against a torrential downpour that lasted 2 full days. We stood under that tarp into the wee hours bullshitting, drinkin' whiskey, with rain pouring down all the while. That paddle saved our asses. Even when the weather cleared up, it didn't seem right to remove it. A trusty piece of lumber indeed.

Steve
Hamilton, ON

We were discussing eggs on OAC website and the problem is when you take them out of the shell they go bad alot faster.The one said if you get farm frest egggs they will last for a week to 10 days if kepted out of the sun. So be careful if you break them into a bottle first!

I tend to use powdered eggs.... I buy them by the case from WaltonFeed.com in the US. The variety I get is the Egg Mix which makes the best tasting scrambled eggs I have ever had from a powder.

Wild Child
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