GEAR TALK #1-BACKPACKS AND TENTS
Wed, April 8
7 p.m. - Greensboro Shop
Backpacking the Milford Track in New Zealand? Traipsing across the Alps? Trekking Annapurna Sanctuary in Tibet? Hostelling in Eastern Europe?
For any of these or a NC weekend adventure in the Smokies, it is imperative to have the right gear for optimum enjoyment of your backpacking adventure.
This is the first of a three-part series presented by our resident Appalachian thru-hiker and backpacking gear guru Walker “Goat” Thompson. He has the requisite mountain man beard, ensuring he has proper credentials on this subject.
On this evening, Walker will cover pack selection, fit and features. He will help you avoid hip “hickeys” and keep your aching back from aching while on the trail. He will show you how to pack your pack where you won’t be bent over backwards from ill-distributed weight distribution. He will also offer pointers on tent selection, covering tent materials, styles, terminology and features. Have a leaky tent? You probably won’t after Walker gets through with it.
All talks in this series last approximately 30 minutes. FREE
BOATING TALK #1-CARTOPPING
Thu, April 16
7 p.m. - Greensboro Shop
You have just circumnavigated Lake Townsend by kayak. You must have gone 20 miles. All upper body muscle groups are taxed. Now for a mammoth shoulder press to car top your boat, no small feat considering how whipped you are. There must be a load-assist!
Good news. There is.
John Flowers, our paddlesports aficionado, has the solutions to your kayak and canoe loading and transporting issues.
On this evening, John will outline the assorted rollers, saddles, brackets and cradles that make kayak or canoe transportation a cinch. Even if you don’t have biceps, triceps and deltoids of steel, like John, who bears an uncanny resemblance to 1970’s Russian weightlifter Vasily Alekseyev, fear not. He has some tricks to help cheat gravity when car-topping your boat.
How to safely carry your kayak or canoe will be covered.
He will also delve into how to store and care for your investment. Critters like to nest in kayak cockpits, but this can be thwarted. The sun loves to degrade plastic. Another pitfall to avoid that will be talked about.
All talks in this three part series last about 30 minutes. FREE
GEAR TALK #2-SLEEPING SYSTEMS
Wed, May 13
7 p.m. - Greensboro Shop
Sleep like a baby. Don’t shiver all night. Remain toasty warm even on a chilly night. No need to toss and turn.
In this second installment of a three-part series, Walker “Goat” Thompson will present an informative overview of sleeping systems. He will delve into bag selection, making sense of temperature ratings, fills, features. He will inform you how to maximize sleeping bag life through proper care and storage. Learn how the sleeping pad is not only for comfort, but to also protect you from conductive heat loss with the ground.
Have a bulky sleeping bag that takes up most of the room in your pack? Walker will also teach you how to compress your bag to more manageable volume.
All talks in this series last approximately 30 minutes. FREE
BOATING TALK #2-SAFETY
Thu, May 21
7 p.m. - Greensboro Shop
Egmont Key sits in the mouth of Tampa Bay. Kayaking to it can be exhilarating, but requires caution. Currents and tides are renowned. Large container ships can appear out of nowhere while you cross the shipping channel. Thunderstorms materialize quickly in the “lightning capital” of the U.S.
Safety is always of paramount importance. You must recognize your limitations and be realistic of your ability.
In this second installment in a three-part series presented by kayaking/canoeing guru John Flowers, a wealth of paddlesports safety information will be discussed.
Emphasis will be on cold weather apparel, avoiding hypothermia, signaling devices, and awareness of motorized water craft. Trip planning, tides, currents and weather considerations will also be addressed.
All talks in this three part series last about 30 minutes. FREE
GEAR TALK #3-STOVES AND WATER PURIFICATION/FILTRATION
Wed, June 10
7 p.m. - Greensboro Shop
You have covered 10 miles with 5000 feet of elevation change. You are exhausted. And now that camp is set-Boy are you hungry!
Time to fire up the stove, and cook up some righteous backcountry grub.
In this third and final presentation in the three-part series, Walker Thompson will cover cooking systems and stove technologies. He will explore canister and fuel bottle styles, group cooking systems and the latest in cookware. It will be show-and-tell time for the backcountry wok, wood and alcohol stoves and pressure cooker. And if you possess a sweet tooth for campfire cobbler, he will explain Dutch oven cooking.
A backcountry gourmet Walker isn’t (AT thru-hike trail diet-Snickers, Ramen noodles and Cheetos), but he is an expert in stove technology and high caloric junkfood.
Water filters and purification systems will also be covered.
WARNING: We don’t recommend you eat anything Walker cooks during this presentation. Dogs are welcome to attend.
All talks in this series last around 30 minutes. FREE
BOATING TALK #3-GEAR
Thu, June 18
7 p.m. - Greensboro Shop
For centuries Inuit and Thule culture kayakers have fashioned paddles from driftwood, fine-tuning design for maximum acceleration when hunting.
These days you don’t have to whittle and sand your paddle to perfect shape, but the myriads of purchase options can be overwhelming and the selection process as laborious.
You may have heard your paddle selection is the most important gear choice you will have to make. Very true. You might be daunted by the choices in materials, blade shapes, and paddle lengths. You needn’t be concerned. John Flowers, our resident paddlesports sage, will guide you toward your “preferred engine” in this 30 minute clinic.
How to choose a comfortable PFD (Life Jacket), how to dress for the weather as a paddler, and how to utilize your gear arsenal to enhance paddling enjoyment will be explored.
Would you like to build you own “stick” from a 3 1/2 X 8 of cedar? John has constructed his own Inuit-style paddle and can provide pointers here, too.
All talks in this series last about 30 minutes. FREE
