« Posts by Jay

BackPackTrack, a GPS app for Android – my review

February 9, 2012 / posted in Randoms / 2 Comments
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I usually don’t post reviews on my blog, but this app needs to be mentioned. Since it is a GPS/Wordpress app that I have begun using on Jay’s Journeys, it is only fitting that I talk about it here.

BackPackTrack is an Android app that uses the phone’s built in GPS functionality to create tracks of where you have been. As a hiker and also as someone that likes to display maps of where I have hiked, this is an indispensable tool. What is great about the app is that you can run it with your phone in airplane mode, assuming your phone’s GPS will function in airplane mode, saving your battery. The app runs on a timer so you can set it to update at whatever interval you wish. By default it is set to 30 minute intervals. I have mine set to 5 minute intervals which seems to work well for hiking. In other words, the GPS only runs for a short period of time each time the timer goes off. If I were to do a long trail over several days, such as a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, I might opt to set it to a longer interval to further lengthen the battery life. I have taken my phone on extended backpacking trips, leaving it running in airplane mode for up to 4 days at a time on one charge. While I have not yet used BackPackTrack for that long of a time frame, I did recently run it all day on a day hike and the battery usage was negligible. »Read More

Ozette Loop

February 4, 2012 / posted in Adventure! / 14 Comments

Taking advantage of a break in the weather, I headed out once again to do the Ozette loop on the Washington Coast. My primary mission was to arrive kind of late and photograph the sunset, but truth be told, I was feeling rather un-inspired this trip and skipped the sunset.

The loop consists of two trails and a beach walk. This trip is sometimes called the Ozette Triangle due to is shape on a map. Each segment about 3 miles each for a total 9 mile loop. One part of the loop, Cape Alava, is actually the westernmost spot in the continental United States, worthy of a trip in itself.  It is about a 3 hour drive to get out there from Silverdale. There are lots of places on the web that offer directions and route information so I’ll skip that step this time around.

One of my favorite things to do before a hike is to research the area I’m going to. Generally this research is nothing more than an internet search but sometimes a trip to the library is also in order. This time my research was actually post hike since I have already been to Ozette on another occasion. During my research this time around, I did an internet search for “swimming to Ozette Island”. Now I’ll let you know that I’m smart enough not to try something so foolhardy. But you know, hopefully by asking an interesting question, I would get an interesting answer. Because you know, there are no stupid questions. Right? Anyhow, in typical google fashion, I got a lot of hits for the query but one really stood out, “My 40 years on Ozette Island“. When this guy was a young man, him and his friends made a raft using long spike nails and driftwood and paddled out to the island. His story is very reminiscent of a Tom Sawyer type of tale. He even claims to have spent a whole summer on Ozette one year, leaving only long enough to restock his supplies. You really should read his tale because it is very interesting. Poor guy got swept out to sea once for four days because he mis-judged the currents going out there. I highly recommend checking out his story. »Read More

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Copper Creek Hut Overnight

January 29, 2012 / posted in Adventure! / 1 Comment

This was an overnight trip my club sponsored to the Copper Creek Hut, a part of the Mt Tahoma Trails system near Mt Rainier. Conditions were great on the hike in, but the weather deteriorated overnight and the hike out was entirely in the rain. Probably a better option is to ski this trail, but only being 4 miles between the sno-park and the hut, hiking was not too bad. Since the trails are groomed, they are well packed down and the snowshoes I brought were not needed, though some of the folks that came along on the trip wore them anyways. The hut itself was pretty nice to have for the night. We had a hearty lasagne feast for dinner and a big breakfast the next morning. Its a lot of work cleaning up after 14 people but with everyone’s help we got it done. The hut would be a lot easier to stay at if there was running water but since it gets so cold up there, its probably not practical to have it. Snow has to be brought in and boiled for drinking water and to do dishes and is a lot of work. »Read More

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Kerry Park

January 12, 2012 / posted in Photography / No Comments

I brought my tripod and camera to work today so I could go to Kerry Park on Queen Anne Hill afterwards. This was my first trip to Kerry Park and I wasn’t disappointed. I hope to come here again and again as it is one of the best places in town to get good photos of the Seattle skyline, the Space Needle, Mt Rainier and the Puget Sound all in one shot. »Read More

Carbon Fiber Tripod on the Cheap and a Poor Man’s Do It Yourself L Bracket

January 8, 2012 / posted in Photography / 2 Comments
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Since getting into photography a couple years ago, I’ve had my eye out for a cheap, sturdy, lightweight tripod. While it’s quite easy to find cheap tripods, nothing I could find looked sturdy enough to hold a DSLR and not shake while doing long exposures. Most of the tripods I could find that were sturdy were either very heavy or way out of my price range. Seriously, who pays $800 – $900 for a tripod? I guess if photography is how you make a living you may have your reasons for going this route but for a photo hack such as myself, anything more than a couple hundred dollars is a lot for an accessory.

Generally, the majority of the time, I hand hold my camera while shooting, but in some situations you just can’t get around not using a tripod. Being a backpacker, going light is very important to me. My camera and accessories minus the tripod already weigh in at about 5 lbs. I purchased a Slik Compact II last year for $30 that I take backpacking and is not too heavy at 2.75 lbs. While the Slik works good for backpacking, it is not really the ideal tripod for everyday shooting. I have been on a mission to find something that would do the job I wanted it to and not break the bank. »Read More

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[Sticky]

Welcome…

December 8, 2011 / posted in Adventure! / No Comments

Hi. Thanks for stopping by my little slice of the web. Jay’s Journeys is a place I like to post all the fun things I see or do that I like to share with my friends and family. You might say, “Jay, you are so vain for posting all that stuff about yourself” and you’d be right. This is a vanity site after all. I mean, isn’t that what a blog is for? But all kidding aside, my goal with this site is to have a place for me to record and share all things about my family, my friends, my outdoor exploits and all of life’s journeys. Lately I have been working on becoming a better photographer and am using the site to promote my work.

Have a look around, feel free to comment on anything and most importantly, come back soon. New content is added all the time.

Jay

Kalalau Trail

November 27, 2011 / posted in Adventure!, Overnight Backpacking / 8 Comments

On my family’s vacation to Kauai this year, I had my sights set on backpacking the Kalalau Trail that hugs the along the Na Pali coastline. I’ve been to Kauai 3 or 4 times now and every time I’ve gone I’ve had this trail on my mind. The last time we vacationed here, I brought along my overnight pack and sleeping bag so I could attempt the trip, but due to the rains we experienced that year, I decided to forgo the hike. This time, being better prepared and looking at more favorable weather, I went for it.

The October 2008 issue of Backpacker magazine, rates the Kalalau Trail as one of America’s Ten most Dangerous Hikes. I’ll admit, the possibility of doing one of Americas deadliest trails held a certain mystique for me, and I’d be a liar if I said that article wasn’t part of the reason I so badly wanted to hike it, even though I know Backpacker can be over the top sometimes. My interest in Kalalau might have also had something to do with the proximity of where the trail was in relation to where we were staying on the island in Princeville. Or maybe thinking the hike was a once in a lifetime thing even though I’d been to this island several times now. I mean, one of the hikes on Backpacker’s list is in my home state and I have never hiked it or really given it more than a passing thought. The Muir Snowfield on Mt Rainier in Washington is on the list. What makes Kalalau different? Why have I been so drawn to it? »Read More

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Snowshoeing Hurricane Ridge with Hayden

November 20, 2011 / posted in Adventure!, Family, Photography / No Comments

Hayden and I went up to Hurricane Ridge for his very first snowshoe trip. I’d purchased some snowshoes for him the year before but it seemed that I could never find a good weekend to get up there with him until now. I think he did pretty good for his first time out and I can’t wait to get back up there with him. I recently bought him a new overnight pack and I am ready to get him out this summer for an overnight trip or two. He is really growing up quick.

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Adventures in shed building

November 20, 2011 / posted in Randoms / No Comments
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My first big construction project.

After much procrastination I finally got around to getting a shed started this year. Part of the procrastination was due to me being gone every other weekend on a hiking trip and part was due to not knowing exactly where I wanted to put the shed. Another project I had going on this year was painting my house. Once the house painting was finished and most of my hiking objectives for the year were complete, I had no more excuses for not getting this thing started. I have to give credit to my father-in-law Jim for helping with this. Not only for the use of his tools and truck for supplies but also for his knowledge of construction. Without Jim’s help, I would still be putting the walls up.

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Bucket List

October 5, 2011 / posted in Randoms / 1 Comment

Places I’d like to go and things I want to see or do before I die. This list is in no way complete and I will be adding things to it in the future. List is not organized in any particular order.

Visit The pyramids of Egypt
Travel in and around Greece, see the Acropolis 
Travel in and around Great Britain, attend the Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling and Wake at Cooper’s Hill
Travel in and around Germany
Travel and hike in New Zealand
See the salt flats Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
Hike the rim to rim in the Grand Canyon
Hike the complete Pacific Crest Trail in Washington
Hike the complete John Muir Trail in California, visit Death Valley in spring time
Hike and spend more time in Yosemite, dayhike Half Dome
Run a half marathon
Travel in Israel, section hike the Israel National Trail
Hike all the major trails in the Olympic Mountains
Hike the Wonderland Trail around Mt Rainier
Visit and spend some time in Washington DC
Spend more time in New York and New York City, see the new memorial at Ground Zero, visit Niagra Falls
Travel in and around Italy, see Rome, the Colosseum and other historical sites, see Venice, see the Temples of Damanhur
Travel in India, see the Taj Mahal
Visit Chichen Itza in Mexico
Visit Machu Picchu in Peru
Travel to Rio de Janeiro Brazil, visit the Christ the Redeemer Statue
Visit Petra in Jordan
Travel and spend some time in the Cook Islands
Experience the madness that is Tokyo Japan or Hong Kong China
Leisure travel to Phuket Thailand
See the Black Hills, Mt Rushmore and the Crazy Horse memorial

Is there something else out there that is a must see? Your comments are welcome.

Ancient Lake Overnight with the PWC

September 24, 2011 / posted in Adventure!, Overnight Backpacking / No Comments
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My friend Steve from the Peninsula Wilderness Club had enquired a few times about the Ancient Lake hikes that I sometimes go on. For Steve and me, this trip was a long time coming. Since it gets very hot and dry, Ancient Lake is not usually a place one goes for a hike in the summer. This however was the only good weekend for either of us since we both had major projects going on. We planned this trip well in advance.

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The Devils Loop

September 6, 2011 / posted in Overnight Backpacking / 2 Comments
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On Labor Day weekend this year, I co-hosted a backpacking trip around Jack Mountain in the North Cascades/Pasayten Wilderness with fellow PWC club member Kevin Koski. Joining us on the trip was another friend and club member, Isaac Sun. Originally another group of people from Hawaii that saw the trip announcement on-line was going to join us but due to a work conflict, they pulled out at the last minute.

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Using da force

September 2, 2011 / posted in Randoms / No Comments

I walk by this graffiti on my way to work every morning. Creepy looking Yoda using da force.

Update: Glad I took a picture when I did. Someone painted over this recently and I noticed it just today, Sept 21st 2011.

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Movin’ on up!

September 1, 2011 / posted in Randoms / 2 Comments
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When I was young and probably in my teens, I used to think it would be cool to live in an apartment. Every time I saw this bldg in Seattle I would wonder how cool it would be to live here, Jeffersons style, moving on up! My tastes have changed since then.

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2011 Weekly Green Mountain Hikes

September 1, 2011 / posted in Adventure!, Day Hiking / No Comments

This year, starting in May, myself and Doug Savage of the Peninsula Wilderness Club made a pledge to sponsor weekly hikes up Green Mountain every Thursday night after work. In the first few weeks we didn’t have many folks show, mainly just a few friends. By the end of the season, we had as many as 28 people show up. I contribute the success of these hikes mostly to Doug’s outgoing nature and willingness to pack large bottles of wine to the summit. Not sure what will happen next year when he is out of town for work most of the year. Another contributing factor was Soon. I had never met Soon before she showed up for our second outing but Doug knew her. When she starting doing the hikes, word got out about her excellent cookies. Perhaps she will co-sponsor the hikes in 2012 with Doug out of town? Below are photos of some of the highlights of the 2011 weekly Green Mountain hiking season.
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