Monocacy River Float – Reaching the Destination

I made it. Three days and 57 miles.
Posted on June 3, 2013 by augie

Monocacy River Float
Part 4 – Monday, May 27, 2013

I made it! At 1:00 pm on Memorial Day, 2013, I completed the three day journey traveling the Monocacy River from beginning to end. Right now I’m sitting in the grass against a large sycamore tree at the Mouth of the Monocacy boat ramp waiting for my ride home. Everything from Inflatable kayaks, forty year old jon boats with motors just as old, to brand new bass boats jockey for position on the concrete ramp. I just sit and watch. They know nothing of the task I have just completed. Read more »

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Monocacy River Float – Day 2 – The trip Continues

A long winding river lies ahead.
Posted on May 31, 2013 by augie

Monocacy River Float
Part 3 – Sunday, May 26, 2013

Twenty five miles later I pull up onto a beach for the night. The sun is still high in the sky. Today’s travel has been a good one. I am ready to set camp. This beach is bigger than last night’s. It has amble firewood. After last night’s fire of twigs, I take out the folding saw and collect larger fire fuel. I break a sweat in doing so. Read more »

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Monocacy River Float, The First Night on the River

Posted on May 30, 2013 by augie

Monocacy River Float
Part 2 – Saturday Night

I walked the streets of Spain with Hemingway’s characters in The Sun Also Rises until dark. Removing my reading glasses, I pulled the wool blanket tight to my chin and faded off to sleep. Shortly thereafter, I awoke to the brightest of a full moon and chattering teeth. Read more »

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Monocacy River Float – Day 1

All journeys start with the first stoke of the paddle.
Posted on May 29, 2013 by augie

Monocacy River Float
Day 1 – Saturday May 25, 2013

The day has been a good one. Starting at 7:30 am, I began my sixty mile trek down the Monocacy. Here at 7:00 pm, the fire is cooking dinner of potatoes and venison. Twenty miles of river lay behind.

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Monocacy River Float into a New Life

Posted on May 23, 2013 by augie

In three days I embark on a journey short on miles but long on meaning.  For three days, I will canoe the complete Monocacy River from beginning to end, 60 miles in length.

She is my home river.  She is my mistress.  She is where I go to escape.  From the hot August evenings standing waist deep in her waters casting to smallmouth bass to the frigid January mornings tucked behind a log jam waiting for mallards to join my decoys; her presence brings peace to my inner being.

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Memorial Day Weekend Canoe Trip

Posted on May 21, 2013 by augie

A trip to the past down the Monocacy River

Three years after the Civil War ended, Decoration Day was established as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the Civil War dead with flowers. It is believed that date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all over the country.

 

150 years ago the canons blazed along the Monocacy, Today all is quiet as I paddle my way.

150 years ago the canons blazed along the Monocacy, Today all is quiet as I paddle my way.

How fitting that I will be spending Memorial Day weekend traveling a river associated with the Civil War. Along the southern edge of Frederick, the Monocacy River played its part in the Civil War.  During a battle in July 1864, referred to as “The battle that saved Washington.” Confederate forces threatened to capture both Baltimore and Washington. For the complete story see Kristopher White’s story on Emerging Civil War .  If all goes as planned I should be floating right through the battlefield 150 years after the bloody battle.

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Living Life Like Hunter S. Thompson

Posted on May 15, 2013 by augie

“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride!” – Hunter S. Thompson
As I pulled into my apartment building parking lot after 10:00 PM Sunday night after a long weekend of turkey hunting, fishing and hanging with some special friends this quote came to mind.

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Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Long Term Review

Life is no fun staying clean
Posted on May 8, 2013 by augie

An unscientific review of Goodyear’s Wrangler DuraTrac tires

I’m not a rubber scientist, nor a self-proclaimed truck tire expert. I have. however, driven from Maryland to Alaska and back again, driven the beach sands of North Carolina, rocky trails of Montana, snow covered roads in Minnesota and Alaska, and the muddy home trails of Maryland. After more than 25,000 miles on the Goodyear DuraTracs mounted on my 95 Toyota Tacoma, I think I can give a fair assessment of the tire’s performance. Read more »

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Dancing and Drinking with a Black Bear in the Mountains of Maryland

Posted on May 7, 2013 by augie

Black Bears Freely Roam the Hills of Garrett County Maryland

With this post, I want to dispel the rumors you may have heard about me dancing and drinking with a black bear in the mountains of western Maryland. This is what really happened.
Edward Abbey was telling his story of Desert Solitaire, as I sat by the camp fire. In the back yard of a friend’s cabin by the fire pit, I was enjoying the end of another day spent roaming the mountains of Garrett County Maryland. The spring day spent in Garrett Country was coming to a close. The fire warmed me from the chill in the air. Edward Abbey’s words warmed my solitude soul. The rest of the weekend gang was still out fishing some remote brook trout stream. Read more »

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Largemouth Bass Fishing Kayak Style

Enjoying a morning kayaking for largemouth bass
Posted on April 22, 2013 by augie

Kayaks and Largemouth

As Larry and John drove along Route 95 heading south in the pre-morning darkness of a chilly spring morning, they shared the road with several trucks towing expensive bass boats. Two kayaks were strapped to the top of Larry’s Jeep. In sharp contrast they would be fishing the same waters in pursuit of the same fish.
Often times we, especially sportsmen, are falsely led into believing the “required equipment” needed to get out and do what we want to experience. I blame the endless fishing and hunting shows on TV for bombing us with the long and expensive list of things we must have to be able to bass fish, turkey hunt or even just go for a hike. This could not be further from the truth. Read more »

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