Upside Down Hobo Stove | Will it Work?

 Hobo Stoves, or Stick Stoves, are easy to make and work perfect for cooking food in the woods. 

I had an idea that if I turned one upside down, it would trap heat from my forest woodstove and keep food or water warm. 

The prototype worked but does require modifications to be useful in the field. 

This video shows the making and testing of the prototype. 

 

Testing out a Kick Sled. These sleds are a big deal in Norway.

 This kick sled was purchased at a garage sale. I modified it by adding wood runners and plastic slides for use with my sled dogs. The unit worked perfectly and covered many silent miles while my dogs and I traversed the lakes and forests of Algonquin. 

Several years ago, my constant companions passed away, I placed the sled in my barn and didn't give it another thought. I suppose I missed my dogs so much I didn't want to use it. 

With the recent melting of snow, the ice conditions on the pond were perfect. I decided to try the old sled out; this time, the way it was intended to be used. 

All I can say is that I should have thought of this much sooner than this present moment. These sleds are fun and if the ice conditions are right - they are fast.

The unit shown in this video was made by a company called Rapp. The model is Tarzan. (no joke, really, it's called Tarzan.) I don't know the year it was made but it's vintage for sure. 

There are several companies that manufacture modern kick sleds with customizable accessories and colors. 

If skates aren't your thing but you want to get onto the ice, check one of these sleds out. 

Have fun. 

   

A Winter Walk in Algonquin Highlands.

The March sun fills the forest with a warmth which has been absent for several months. 

As the sun stretches the shadows from the trees, I wander through the woods with no destination in mind. Animal tracks dictate my direction of travel.  

Wandering in this fashion allows one to purge the concerns of tomorrow and live for the very moment in which you find yourself. 

Even if it is just a fleeting release from the realities of the man-made world in which we all must function, taking a walk in a place where trees grow and wild ones walk always returns me to a place within myself which I call home. 

Whenever you get a chance to drift away from everyone and wander through the woods, don't hesitate, jump right in and lose tomorrow for today. 

  

Keeping the trails groomed.

When the snow gets deep in the woods, the wild ones follow in each others foot prints creating trails which crisscross the forest. 

In the woods which I call home, there are many such trails which lead from feeding areas to sleeping areas. There are always stories written on the snow which, to the observant eye, will entertain the imagination for hours. 

I have always groomed trails through that same forest using my little Yamaha Bravo. It is light and maneuverable allowing me to go into areas modern machines can-not follow. 

The snow gets packed down by the sled and within a few hours, the wild ones are using the trail as if it were a sidewalk. Wolf, deer, moose and a host of other forest dwellers leave their footprints superimposed on the track impression of the Bravo. 

This video is a rear view look at the grooming process as I traverse my forest following and being followed by the wild creatures which reside within its shelter.