My New Assistant

 Visit #1616, Saturday 29 August 26, 6:10-8:30 a.m., 4.1 miles, 1.5 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 60s, sunny and dry.

For the past ten years I have been servicing the trails of Hubbard Park with the perfect backpack.

You can see it held all the important tools of my hobby (Note the red zipper pulls; they come up later). A few months ago one of the important zippers on it failed. I wasn't confident it was repairable and if I failed I'd be in a real pickle without a much needed backpack. So I set out to buy a replacement.

And of course, in those intervening ten years the manufacturer, Dakine, JUST HAD TO CHANGE THE DESIGN. Why mess with what's perfect?!

Well, I contacted the company inquiring because while it appeared the backpack was available in different colors, I could only find it in black and from my research it didn't look like the colored versions would be available any time soon, if at all.

All black-how dumb is that? Contrasting colors make it easy to find buckles and zippers.

So all black was going to have to be it. I ordered one, paying full price, which had doubled in those ten years.

But with the bad came the good. Talking via e-mail with Dakine customer about that color issue, it was learned my almost ten year old bad zipper backpack WAS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY and they were going to send me a replacement!

Alas, the replacement would be a downsized version and I can't say I have much use for it so for now it sits unused with the factory tags still on it.

And in the interim with a now working backpack, I had the freedom to try my hand at replacing the bad zipper on my dearly beloved. And I did! So now I have a working backpack, a lady in waiting backpack, and a "meh" backpack.

But there was still the issue of the all black design. I couldn't do anything about the black buckles, but I could about the zipper pulls. I went down the rabbit hole of paracord knots. I bought some 2mm paracord after buying too small cord, and commenced to replace at least six zipper pulls on my new backpack.

Paracord Padlock Knot

Paracord Snake Knot

I should be set for at least the next ten years.

I ventured out on Saturday on an obscure trail which has probably not seen regular use in over sixty years. I'd received reports of trash and graffiti on this trail. I didn't find trash as my informant picked all of it up, but I did find some graffiti which I'll address in the future.

On an illegal trail I found a pair of earrings, and a religious tract.

But what's more unusual is this find.

I don't know anyone who carries floss picks let alone toothpicks or dental floss, and decides to clean their teeth while out in the woods.

And continuing Patootie Patrol from last week, I found and removed Cat's Patootie #46 since November 2017.

In more mundane work on Saturday, I did cut back this fallen tree poking in to the trail.

Using the saw that vindicates my choice to buy this every time I use it.

Hiking onward toward Labor Day.