New Columbia Titanium Backpack

Above are pictures of the New Columbia Titanium Backpack. I've taken it out a few times on a hike and a bike ride. It's a very impressive day pack and I think I'm going to enjoy many more trips with it. Let me hit it's highs and lows:

Highs

• Highly accessible. There are convenient pockets on the outside of the bag along with a (dare I say) fanny pack attached to the belt. The zippers on the bottom and top of the bag can hold small objects like a map, compass or snacks and are even accessible with the bag on!
  
• Incredibly comfortable. It's a very light bag and the belt takes most of the pressure off of the shoulders.
• Well compartmentalized. Pockets, pockets, pockets; they are everywhere on the inside and the out. This bag is excellent for day trips where you may have a lot of gadgets, snacks and loose clothes for layering. There is a place for everything!
• Super stylish. It's a good looking bag, especially with the dome like appearance created by the aqua blue poles. The material is light, resilient and attractive.

Lows

• Very small. This is a day pack only. There is not a lot of room in the bag outside of the pocketed areas. When I took it on a camping trip I was able to fit my sandals, a shirt, rain pants and some loose gear in it and it was full.
• High belt. The belt clips around my stomach. It's a small bag so it isn't a problem, just a little awkward at first.
• Pole endurance. The poles on the outside of the bag are working well, but I am concerned about their longevity. As long as they continue to stay soft and pliable the bag will be fine.

I can't find the Titanium Backpack online anywhere, so I do believe this pack is currently in the test market. I think Bass Pro would do well to add this pack to their line up when it comes out on the market. It's a great pack for day hikes and I think you'll enjoy it.

Niangua Camping Trip

I just finished three days and two night at the Niangua River in Lebanon, Missouri. It was a good trip. Pat, Ben and I stayed at the NRO Camp Ground and rented kayaks through them. It was a good deal. The kayaks were $30 and two nights camping came with it.
The trout fishing was tough! We found one really good section on the river. We caught two trout there and another one a ways down. I believe it was at least a mile and a half from the Bennett Springs entrance into the river. Pat was using an ultra light with a tiny Rapalla and he only caught one small bass. If fishing was the primary focus, than the trip was a bust. Thank goodness there were other benefits! The weather was gorgeous, the river was beautiful and the company was excellent.
In retrospect, I should have begged NRO to drop us off at Bennett. They took us three miles up which, even in kayaks, was a haul to the Bennett area. You won't find any trout up from that area as the water is too warm. I also think I would have fished the sweet spots harder and pushed through everything else without fishing it. The riffles, eddies and deep pools are trout feeding areas- not long stretches of calm water.
Later this week I'm going to post a critique of the Columbia Titanium Daypack. A friend from Bass Pro sent it to me and asked for some feedback. I'll include some pictures and initial observations. For more Niangua pictures check out my facebook feed: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=318568&id=527555092&l=6a7aff7e56

Floating the Platte River

This picture pretty much sums up the Platte; the banks are muddy, steep hills. I have a pontoon float boat that I used. I'll include an earlier picture of me on Taneycomo so you know what I'm talking about. My fishing goal on the Platte was to catch some catfish. The only major problem with that was the fast moving water and no anchor. I thought I would wrap a rope around a tree so I could fish a spot but I couldn't ever stay in place long enough to do so. Well, the night went on and the short trip seemed longer than it should have been. At one time, I actually thought I had missed my boat ramp. And there is no getting off the Platte without a boat ramp! I had my gps but it looked like I had gone by the exit ramp. I had put the boat on up at Platte Falls in Platte City. They have two boat ramps right next to each other. The river actually does a big mile and a half loop from one ramp to the other. What I didn't know is that the loop makes an oval and not a circle. So when I was moving further away from the ramp I was actually past the half way point, but I thought I was heading down river. This wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't 8:30pm at night, completely dark and one of my float tubes was slowly deflating. Bottom line- I didn't catch any fish, got ate up by mosquitoes (forgot repellent), freaked out because of the dark and tree stick ups (not good for a boat that's inflated) and the river was anything but scenic. No more Platte River trips for this guy!

The "Outdoor Pastor" Blog!

If you know me very well at all you know I love the outdoors: camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, canoeing- whatever gets me outside really. My focus with pastorjiminweston.blogspot.com/ is to communicate things that relate to the Weston community. My outdoor passion doesn't always fit that mold. I'm also a gear junkie so this gives me an opportunity to share products I've had success with and vice-versa. If you have a blog focused on the outdoors I'd love to connect your address to my blog.