Breaking in Flip Flops

Whew. I just got back from a record setting vacation... 21 days out of the office, no work phone calls or emails. I bought a new pair of flip flops and didn't wear shoes for most of the time. I put a staggering 50 miles on my car, and didn't leave the state. Thats pretty hard to do when you live in the smallest state in the country.

Anyhow... Most of the time was spent kayaking, mountain biking, sailing, surfing, or fishing. Brutal I tell ya. For the most part the weather was decent, i think there were about 4 or 5 days of rain. Depressing yes, but it made for great river trips.

I took four trips down the Wood/Pawcatuck river, including FARTAB. I took my neice and nephew down the river once with their mom and grandma. Grandma kicked all our butts, she needs a kayak of her own. The kids kept asking for "More rabids!" meaning, Rapids. Eh.. theres not too many of them around RI but I'll take them up to the section below Barberville someday.

Mrs 40 and I took a trip down the Pawcatuck from Biscuit City to Bradford.. this year must set the record for winter blowdowns. We had to stop every 50 feet to lift the kayak over yet another fallen tree. That horse-shoe damn in Richmond spooks me everytime I have to paddle past it. Mrs. 40 wasn't too pleased either.



Kaptin Krunch and I took the yellow beast loaded with camping gear on a mini-Fartab last weekend. Quick trip out to the river camp for drinking beer and to watch some caveman TV (campfire). Yep. Cool trip. Here he is opening a Cottrell with another... er... Cottrell. Yummy Yummy Cottrell.



I tend to wake up really early in the summer, even when I'm on vacation. There's something about being the first person on the trail, out on the lake/pond/river, or in the break. Dawn Patrol rocks. It's a good way to sneak up on 'nature' if you're into that sort of thing. Here is Bambi and mom. I got about 20 feet away and snapped this picture before it looked like Mom was going to charge me and kick my @ss.



Other than that... i spent most days just doing a whole lot of nothing. I did use/abuse/test the iBucket in just about every scenerio... Kayaking, fishing, on the bike rack out to the beach, out in the boat with family, even out in the sunfish. It fits perfectly right in the footwell.



I've gotten enough interest in the iBucket over vacation that I've decided to offer a few handbuilt models to family and friends. I'll by selling them for cost + something extra for my time. Definitely affordable by all of the readers.

If you already have a 12V NiCad or NiMH for your bike headlamp, I can build yours around that so you won't have to buy a battery charger and battery, just the amp/cooler. I'll be offering it in just about any configuration you want (to carry a 6Pack or a Case) or, if you want I can just build you the extremely efficient amp and you can build your own bucket. Email me over the next couple weeks for pricing and availability, and I'll order a batch of parts to get started.