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The
best thing about embarking on an extended wilderness kayak trip
is coming back and being able to brag about it. Seven years ago
I set out on a solo kayak trip down the Yukon River, starting at
its source from Lake Atlin, British Columbia and heading to the
Bering Sea. Although the source of the Yukon River is only 35 miles
from the Pacific, it takes the scenic route of 2300 miles to reach
the Bering Sea. My goal was the Bering but having run out of time
I had to end my trip at Russian Mission, Alaska—300 miles
from Emmonak and the Bering Sea.
Having
since retired from my position as middle school principal, I no
longer have to be concerned about time constraints and as a result
will be setting out again from Lake Atlin on June 5. This time I
will reach Emmonak, Alaska on the Bering Sea.
| It all has
to fit somewhere! |
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Gear,
well over 100 essential items, not only makes the trip more
comfortable but also ensures the likelihood of a safe journey
and return. Gear checklists can be found in many sources (NRS
being one of them), but one's personal experience on the water
may be the best way to draw up a list of essential equipment,
bearing in mind that there is some latitude regarding "essential"
equipment.
Once
the gear and equipment is selected and laid out, the paddler
may be momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of "stuff".
It’s at this point that you begin the process of de-selecting
gear. The next step is to fit what one thinks is essential
gear into the kayak. This is the second point in the de-selection
process: what doesn’t fit into the kayak obviously will
not make it on the trip.
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Then
the intrepid traveler must be able to pack the gear into dry bags.
My 25-year-old Bill's
Bags have served me well over many years of paddling. One of
my Bill's Bags has to fly as checked baggage but the second one
flies in more comfortable surroundings: it goes on board as a carry-on-bag.
It’s here that one reaches the third de-selection stage, the
one determined by the airline. Weight and size limits decide what
goes in the baggage area and size determines what goes as carry-on
baggage. When I have used the Bill's Bag as a carry-on bag, there
have been several occasions when I’ve had to pound and pummel
it into the confined space of an overhead storage bin. It has survived
the beatings and continues to take them without complaint.
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The
final step is to get my folding kayak into its bag. Usually
that is not a problem on short trips, but the Yukon River
trip requires that the kayak share space with other gear,
equipment, clothing and dehydrated food. Once again, the airline
steps in and determines, to some extent, what will go and
what will stay by imposing weight limits.
By checking, sorting, weighing and de-selecting, one is able
to reach the point where all the "essential" gear
is in the bags and meets the airlines guidelines. I finally
reached that point and stood confidently by the bags knowing
that none of them would explode, rip the zippers and inflict
grave bodily damage to me.
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25-year
old Bill's Bags still going strong
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Seven
days before departure for Lake Atlin via Juneau, Alaska, from
Phoenix, I am ready and so is my gear.
The
Yukon River awaits.
Ray
Zvirbulis
Show Low, Arizona
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| The man and his boat, ready for the adventure |
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We
received a postcard from Ray, dated June 20th and postmarked
from Eagle, Alaska.
“Greetings,
As I mentioned to you, I began my trip in Lake Atlin, B.C.
(the source of the Yukon River) and have paddled so far 580
miles to Dawson. I have about 1720 miles left to go. The weather
has been great for me. Out of the 11 days on the river, it
has rained only one time. The scenery is incredible –
the lakes I had to paddle first were surrounded by snow capped
mountains.
Ray
Zvirbulis”
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