I hiked with an umbrella...proudly

[forestgnome]

...however, no humans actually saw my fashion dare because it wasn't a busy day on the trails. The trailhead was empty and I soon was on logging roads toward a huge burn feild anyway. It was an excellent way to deal with the driving, heavy rain and avoid being stopped by weather.

I managed to rig the umbrella to my shoulder straps, and I've further tweeked the set-up.

So, I had a nice hike on a heavy rain day, albeit low wide trails and a feild, but I did hike along part of a hiking trail with no problems.

I was able to see a few locals who never heard me or smelled me in the rain. There was a sow bear and her cub feasting on the blackberries. She finally sensed me and stood to check me out. They both took off toward the middle of the feild...

I went to a nearby beaver bog where this raptor was keeping watch. I was able to move toward it screened by a patch of pin cherry trees. Once I was past the screen it saw me and flew off after I advanced a little closer. But it could not hear me in the rain.


ID help, please... is it a juvy of some sort?

Later, I bumped into the bears again. I saw them and advanced on them for some time undetected. This would not be possible on a dry day, with all the noise of walking through wildflowers. This was a bit exciting as I approached the cub because I had lost the exact location of mama in the tall wildflowers.


hmmmm..... blackberries

The umbrella kept me completely dry down to my waist area after hours in a driving rain, even allowing photography. I wonder if there are umbrellas for hiking, umbrella hats, etc.

 

[Craig]

Nice...
How close was you able to get to the cub?

 

[DougPaul]

I wonder if there are umbrellas for hiking, umbrella hats, etc.

IIRC, Ray Jardine used to advocate hiking with umbrellas and might have sold one.

A bunch of references: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&source=hp&q="Ray+Jardine"+umbrella&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

Back in the early days (post WW II) of Himalayan climbing, British climbers had a 2+ week approach walking in from the hot and wet lowlands. (And may have been hiking during the monsoon.) Umbrellas were very useful for blocking both the sun and the rain. Highly breathable, too...

Doug

 

[Waumbek]

If he hiked again at all, the good Dr. Ball probably never left home without one.

 

[Aviarome]

Nice pics. That's quite a lot of wildlife. The raptor looks like an osprey.

 

[Raymond]

I carried an umbrella from Johns Brook Lodge to Haystack and back again. Never needed to use it, and when we returned to the lodge I noticed that I no longer had it. The strap had broken, but—huzzah!—there it was, laying on the deck. So that was lucky.

A bother to carry after that, and now I’ve really lost it. No idea what’s become of it, but I found a good replacement last year along the railroad track.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

I wholeheartedly approve of umbrellas. Better to hike with an umbrella and keep your photographic equipment dry than to spend the day at home. I also seek out destinations with old roads, carriageways, and meadows with wide paths on such days.

I even proudly hike with bright white and cream colored umbrellas. It does not threaten my masculinity at all. Besides they can double as reflectors and scrims when the sun comes back out.

As always, Great photos, forestgnome!

 

[Maddy]

Nice pics. That's quite a lot of wildlife. The raptor looks like an osprey.

Osprey!
Checked my raptor book and there is a pic of an Osprey that looks identical to yours.

Really nice pics.

 

[dentonfabrics]

Hiking with an umbrella is okay as long as you dont twirl it or skip down the trail singing "Chim Chim Cher-ee".

Nice pics, as usual.

 

[TCD]

Umbrellas are great. They are in common use on the trekking routes in Nepal; very handy for that brief shower. I've also seen them used in the Cascades.

Last year my wife and I hiked up little Rattlesnake Mountain in Rumney. It was pouring rain, and quite windy. I grabbed her car umbrella (one of the little folding Totes types), and it was very helpful, although it was destroyed by the end of the hike.

We talked on that hike about developing a good "hands free" umbrella that could be easily attached to various packs. Seems like it might be a winning product...

 

[Little Rickie]

An umbrella is way better than sweating in rain gear if it's intermitent rain on warm and/or humid days.

I think it's a fashon statement and real men are not threatened by using it.

 

[Neil]

Go-lite umbrellas are on sale right now.

I hiked with one in the 1970's and still do.

 

[Snowflea]

Dr. Ball is my hero

I hiked with an umbrella quite a few times in the Whites. Then I moved to California, where (sadly) it hardly ever rains. More often, they're used for the intense sun out here.

 

[CTMQ_Steve]

During my AT thru-hike, I met an older woman who hiked with an umbrella. It rained for about 2 weeks straight from the GA-NC border northward and I met her towards the end of those soggy two weeks.

She seemed quite proud of herself and liked to laugh at US wet folks while we secretly snickered at her.

Years later now, I still wonder if she had it right all along. I'm the idiot who has no qualms about walking from office to car in a 40 degree downpour because, "Hey, I did it for 2 weeks in '97."

 

[Little Rickie]

Go-lite umbrellas are on sale right now.

I hiked with one in the 1970's and still do.

Does the Go-lite have any metal in it?

 

[Trainwreck]

So if I use an umbrella, will I see bears and ospreys????
The woman I am following on Trailjournals, (coincidentally named 'Trainwreck') uses one to protect her from blazing sun in the desertand above treeline on the PCT.
Nice pics.

 

[Neil]

Does the Go-lite have any metal in it?

It's made of Eagle feathers and balsa wood.

On Golite's site it says Waterproof Polyester and that's all. Good to know it's waterproof.

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

Osprey

I agree this is an Osprey. Many on our pond. Beautiful!
Great as always!

KDT

 

[ColdRiverRun]

It's made of Eagle feathers and balsa wood.

On Golite's site it says Waterproof Polyester and that's all. Good to know it's waterproof.

That is too damn funny.

 

[Little Rickie]

It's made of Eagle feathers and balsa wood.

On Golite's site it says Waterproof Polyester and that's all. Good to know it's waterproof.

Let me rephrase that. I wonder about an umbrella being a lighting rod. My umbrella has metal in it and would consider replacing it with one made without metal.