Kip’s Comments - February 25, 2023 — LadagePhotography.com

Disappointing the Purists

If a person either ignored the wind or dressed for the wind today, it really ended up being a pleasant day. A bright shining sun put a big dent in the ice cover we received this past week.

Conditions were so nice that I went canoeing, hiked a couple of miles with my backpack on, and then began testing my wilderness power system - a solar panel, battery pack, and battery chargers.

I used to be a purist about electronics on my backcountry outings. Carrying electronics did not seem to allow for a full disconnect from our day-to-day life. However, after having two people suffer sudden cardiac arrests while canoeing with me, I never want to be without communications again. (We saved one paddler; I was not able to save the other.)

Backwoods purists scoff at the idea of having a phone and electronics in the wilderness. I am guessing most, if not all of them, have never experienced the helplessness a person feels when there is no way to call for emergency assistance. The best you can offer is your hands demonstrating what you have been trained. Sometimes that is enough. Sometimes that is not enough. Sometimes there is not enough of anything to save a life - even when you can call for trained help.

Anyway, today I made sure my solar panel was still working for future outings. It did show it was putting out power. I think my battery pack needs replacing since it no longer holds much of a charge, but otherwise the system seems to be working.

For those who do not agree with phones and power and electronics in the backwoods, I encourage you to look away, turn your heads, and hope and pray you never need help from beyond your camp. If your step-dad or friend suffers an emergency, know that you can come to me and I will try to help, and assuming there is cell signal, I can provide a method for calling 911.

Following are images from today’s many activities.