Events

Hey Everyone,

Sorry it has been so slow on the site lately. I have been really busy this spring. Not only have I been checking out some new products, but I have been busy attending several events this year. I have been invited to speak about backpacking all the way back home in NY in April. I am very excited to see what this year brings with backpacking and fly fishing. I have met some really knowledgeable people and made some great friends along the way. I also have been invited to come fishing with Linda Heller and Bob Clouser, and to go shad fishing on the fly with the team from Orvis. As far as backpacking, I have a few trips in mind for late spring in the higher elevations, and I think we have a caving trip in the works. This should prove to be a very eventful year indeed. Thank you to everyone who has invited me to talk at your events. I truly love sharing the passion that I have for these sports and getting others as excited about them as I am.

See you on the trail,
Lance

p.s. I have a really cool video on camp soap that I'm about to finish so keep checking in.

Learning From The Best

Hey Everyone,

What a killer day. I spent the day talking fly with two of the most respected fly fishers in the sport. Not only did Anthony Hipps show me how to tie a couple of his most famous patterns that were featured in "Fly Tyer" magazine, but Linda Heller and I spent a good amount of time talking fly. I always say you can never stop learning and I figure if your going to learn something about fly fishing why not from two of the best. I'm excited to say that Linda told me that next time that Bob (Bob Clouser) is in town that we all should hit the water together. I gladly accepted the invite. Here are a few photos of the masters in action.

See you on the trial,
Lance

Wow Busy!

Hey Everyone,

Im sorry for the lack of activity on the site lately. Ive been busy at work getting ready for the spring season. I havent even been fly fishing in about three weeks. Im hoping to get out here in the next few days and have something to share. I am also checking out some realy cool gear that I will be doing some videos on. Hang in there I have not abandoned you.

See you on the trail,
Lance

First Trip of the Year

Hey Everyone,

This weekend I went on my first backpacking trip of the year. My venture crew and I headed to Uwharrie National Forest for our first hike together. Temperatures where mild compared to the 20's we have been experiencing, and we even managed to slip out just before the heavy rain fell. Although it wasn't a long hike, it was one of the more interesting trips I have taken. Menu choices are always fun to see, and there was no shortage of interesting meals. Now that the first trip is under our belts its time to hit the gears lists and start to shave some pounds. I hope to get everyone to around a fifteen pound base pack weight.

I have some really cool ideas for gear this year. I also have seen some new things that have come out that may make it into my pack. I think this is going to be a great year. I hope to be under nine pounds soon so keep checking in to see what I come up with.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Fun and Excitement to Come

Hey Everyone,

Sorry for the lack of activity on the site lately. I have been out, I just haven't had much time to post. I went fly fishing last week in the cold and did quite well considering I had to break the ice out of my guides all day long. I am also in the process of planning a backpacking trip with my venture crew. I'm already getting requests for classes this coming spring and have been invited to a couple events. I think this year I'm going to play around with some ultralight tent/shelter ideas and see what I can come up with. I also plan on cooking some original meals this year on the trial. By the way...If you haven't been following Tinny lately I urge you to check out his recent tinkering. This should be a fun year and I cant wait to see what comes of it.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Cool (weather) Tips

Hey Everyone,

I went out for a day on the river yesterday. The weather was very nice- mid to low fifties, and overcast. I'm sad to say that the fishing was very slow. I did manage a couple fish, including this very strong fifteen incher. I guess cold weather slows everyone down a bit.

One thing to remember is, if you are venturing out this time of year, you should wear layers. With morning temperatures in the twenties or thirties, and afternoon temps getting into the fifties, layering is a great way to adapt to the weather. I think that a couple of thin layers are better than two heavy ones. Also, it's fine to have a cotton shirt for camp and sleeping in, but for strenuous activities you should be wearing synthetics and fleece. Synthetic drys faster and fleece will still keep you warm if it gets damp. I like to wear a nice long sleeve synthetic shirt with a light or medium fleece over that. If it gets windy or rain starts to fall, it's very easy to put on a light shell.

If you have any winter backpacking trips or just plan to camp out for a night, remember to put your canisters and water filters into your sleeping bag with you because these items can freeze, and either ruin your filter, or make that warm morning cup of coffee slow coming.

See you on the trail,
Lance

Reinventing the Wheel

Hey Everyone,

I just watched a video from Tinny on Mini Bull Design. It seems that the pot that I, as well as many others have been using, is even better than we thought. Tinny has been creating many different pot designs over the past year. He's made everything from pro 20oz wide mouth pots to little QMH 8oz pots. He recently built a new wide mouth ring for the lip of a pot. He also has started to make lids for Snow Peak Ti-mugs. His recent endevor was a new bottom that featured heat sinks. The question was, was it worth the time that he put into the manufacturing of this new pot. This is the kind of thing that I love about Tinny, hes always experimenting with new ideas and designs. That is the reason that I consider him the finest alcohol stove builder around. This is also why I only carry Mini Bull stoves. Here's the video from his site that explaines the rest.



See you on the trail,
Lance