Last month, I took a much-needed break from my grad studies and 'went walkabout' the Oregon way: I loaded up my kayak with minimal gear, a silnylon tarp, and some home-made backpacking meals and embarked on a 4 day solo kayak trip down the Willamette river. I took along my BK14, Enzo Trapper, and my BK2 (My Beretta 96 Centurion Elite accompanied me as well...) of course and used each one a lot. It amazed me how much solitude I was able to find just a sort distance from our house, as well as how much wild life I encountered! I saw 34 bald eagles, countless Blue Herons and Osprey, hundreds of beavers, and a pair of wiley coyotes. I was able to get within 10 feet of each of these in my boat without them seeming to feel threatened by my presence. I recommend river travel to anyone here that is looking for some serious adventure! Here are some pics:
My first tarp configuration was simple, but proved to be a little too roomy:
So I ended up using this more low profile setup, which proved handy: One night, I had to camp...ahem....illegally in the Champoeg State Park day use area and when the ranger came through to close the park, I was able to quickly drop the tarp and hide in the bushes hehe.
Breakfast at sunrise:
Lunch on the bank:
And a few views from my bow:
My last night, I camped near Goat Island below Willamette Falls and had a nice flint and steel fire
I listened to some beavers coming up the bank and gnawing limbs and dragging them back into the water all night. Here are their tracks:
I woke up the last day to a steady rain at 0430. So, skipping breakfast, I loaded up and set out by 0500 for Portland, which welcomed me with a rare sunny sky:
It was a beautiful and, at times, grueling trip. I saw parts of the valley that I hadn't ever seen and, without being on the river, would have not seen ever. Some profound life lessons were learned, a boost in spirituality attained, and an appreciation for the knives that bring us together here on this forum. Thanks to all for your projects and how-tos that I was able to use to prepare for this trip. Thanks also for looking!
My first tarp configuration was simple, but proved to be a little too roomy:
So I ended up using this more low profile setup, which proved handy: One night, I had to camp...ahem....illegally in the Champoeg State Park day use area and when the ranger came through to close the park, I was able to quickly drop the tarp and hide in the bushes hehe.
Breakfast at sunrise:
Lunch on the bank:
And a few views from my bow:
My last night, I camped near Goat Island below Willamette Falls and had a nice flint and steel fire
I listened to some beavers coming up the bank and gnawing limbs and dragging them back into the water all night. Here are their tracks:
I woke up the last day to a steady rain at 0430. So, skipping breakfast, I loaded up and set out by 0500 for Portland, which welcomed me with a rare sunny sky:
It was a beautiful and, at times, grueling trip. I saw parts of the valley that I hadn't ever seen and, without being on the river, would have not seen ever. Some profound life lessons were learned, a boost in spirituality attained, and an appreciation for the knives that bring us together here on this forum. Thanks to all for your projects and how-tos that I was able to use to prepare for this trip. Thanks also for looking!
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