Knockoff backpacking oven

This past weekend I field-tested my knockoff of the Omnia oven, also known as a wonder pot. I had tried this setup at home on my kitchen stove, but I wanted to try it outdoors, too, so I took it on the canoe trip to find out how it would perform. It worked great, in my humble opinion.

This lightweight backpacking oven consists of a heat diffuser (with removable handle from Harold Import Company, also known as a flame tamer, about $7), an aluminum ring mold (which I picked up at a local thrift store for $2), and a round foil pan (three for $1 at Dollar Tree, although you could probably get one for free if you save a take-out container).

The diffuser sat on the burner. The ring mold sat directly on the diffuser. The foil pan acted as a lid for the ring mold. Four small holes punched through the side of the foil pan allowed moisture to escape. The edges of the foil pan were pinched over the mold. I powered the oven using my titanium Monatauk Gnat burner attached to a four-ounce MSR ISOPRO canister.

What did I bake? Two packages of blueberry muffin mix. These are ideal for backpacking because you only need to add water. After adding the water directly to the package and mixing, I squeezed the batter into the greased mold and placed the setup on the stove.

Within a few minutes, the oven thermometer indicated that the temperature had reached 500 degrees, so I turned down the flame. After about 15 minutes, the muffin mix was golden brown on top in just a few spots, so let it bake for a few more minutes. Two packets of mix produced the equivalent of 12 fluffy muffins.

The downside of this oven is that it uses quite a bit of fuel. I hope to find a better-fitting lid, but I’ll need to weigh it (literally) against the foil pan that weighs almost nothing. If I sandwich carbon felt (or even corrugated cardboard) between two foil pans, I might be able to boost heat retention. I’m also searching for an angle food cake pan to see if the mold will fit within it, although this will increase the oven’s overall weight.

The oven weighs a mere 11.9 ounces (337 grams). Total weight can be reduced to 9.2 ounces (260 grams) by excluding the thermometer and removing the handle from the diffuser.

Pan (lid) = 0.5 oz / 13 g
Mold = 3.5 oz / 100 g
Diffuser = 6.4 oz / 181 g (without handle 5.2 oz / 147 g)
Thermometer = 1.5 oz / 43 g
TOTAL = 11.9 oz / 337 g

Recommended reading:

• http://www.omniasweden.com
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Pot
• http://theboatgalley.com/stove-top-baking/
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTZJsNdM5eg
• http://www.backpackerspantry.com/products/outback-oven/outback-oven-ultralight.html

East Granby North

We rode for about 2.5 hours on Sunday. We started from a parking lot at Route 20 in East Granby (Turkey Hills Road between Newgate and Canal Roads) and rode north on the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail (map 36 and map 38). This is multi-use trail that runs along abandoned rail corridors. The Farmington Valley Trails Council offers a sensational map of this route.

We continued to pedal on the paved asphalt trail as it made its way into Massachusetts as the Southwick Rail Trail. Further along, it turned into the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail (see google map).

We stopped a few times to regroup. When the trail ended in Westfield, about seven miles from the Connecticut border, we ate a snack and turned around.

This was an especially easy ride, but the pace was tediously slow. Average speed was ten miles per hour. At one point I broke into a mad dash just to get some exercise. When we reached the cars on the return trip, we still needed to pedal a few more miles to reach the 25-mile mark, so we continued south, crossing Route 189 and Salmon Brook before returning to the parking lot.

It was a gorgeous day, sunny, with temperatures in the upper-70s. Many pedestrians and cyclists were also enjoying the trail. Our group was large with 15 or more cyclists. The youngest scouts did well, but I wonder if a few will be able to complete the 50-mile ride in a few weeks.

Keeping track of mileage was easy, thanks to my new Bontrager Trip 2 computer. Somewhat a chore to install (perhaps I should have purchased the more expensive, wireless version), it was a welcome companion on this trip.

NOTE: Convenient, trailhead parking is available at several spots elsewhere along the route:

• Copper Hill Road
• Phelps Road (just south of the Mass. border)
• Miller and Congamond Roads in Southwick
• Shaker Road (at Shaker Farms Country Club)

Charter Oak Greenway

Today I decided to pedal a few miles on the eastern section of the Charter Oak Greenway (map 22) to get more familiar with it. I started at the lot at the corner of Porter and Highland Streets (Route 534) in Manchester. From the lot, I quickly drifted downhill, crossing Wyllys St. at Highland Park Market, as well as the ramp to 384 at Candlewood Dr.

The paved trail is steep in sections with two bridges that cross Birch Mountain Brook. It continues to descend until it flattens out at Charter Oak Park and runs under two overpasses.

At the end of the park where Main St. intersects with Hartford Rd. and Charter Oak St., I decided to turn around and pedal back uphill. My heart was pumping and my legs were burning as I ascended back to the van. This section of the trail only took a half-hour to travel. It was a good workout, but too short, so I decided to drive back to the park and continue riding from there.

From the park, the Greenway follows South Main St., safely crosses over Route 384 by way of a sidewalk, loops back and continues to parallel 384.

Within a few minutes, I crossed Prospect St. and continued to Keeney St., turned right and crossed over 384 again via a sidewalk. I turned left at Hartford Rd. and pedaled a few hundred yards to the trail’s end at House Dr., where I turned around and biked back to the park.

Next time, I will not turn right onto Keeney St., but instead continue straight onto Wetherell St., which turns into Horace St., turn right onto Bidwell St. and pick up the trail at Ramey Dr. This section of the Greenway skirts Manchester Community College.

As I drove home, I pledged to purchase and install a bike computer or odometer.

Which way to go

Today I tried to discover if a cyclist could safely and easily get from the end of the multi-use Hop River State Park Trail in Columbia, Conn. (map 52), to the Air Line State Park Trail in Lebanon (map 8). Deemed part of the East Coast Greenway, this section of trail in Columbia essentially ends (or starts) at the town of Willimantic in Windham. I also wanted to investigate how to pick up the Air Line Trail in Windham (map 10).

This excursion was all about planning a 50-mile route that could be used to complete a requirement of cycling merit badge. Soon the troop would be going on the annual bike trip, using Camp Johnson in Bolton as the start and finish line.

I decided to start my excursion from the park-n-ride where Route 6 intersects Route 66, find the trail and bike to where the trail ends at the abandoned railroad bridge at the Willimantic River. Then I intended to investigate a safe way to pick up the trail to head south through Lebanon.

From the park-n-ride lot, I crossed Route 6 and entered a wooded area hoping to find the trail, but after a few hundred yards of cycling through a clearing, I ended up at the river with no trail in sight and no way of crossing. So I continued west on Route 6 up the hill to Roses Bridge Road (also Pucker Street), turned right and found the trail after about a half-mile.

The trail is a bumpy ride over broken stone. It is best traversed with fat tires. It goes under Pucker Street and Route 66, and ends at the barricades at Kings Road. Cyclists can turn left onto Kings Road for a few hundred years, then turn right onto Flanders River Road, pedal a few hundred more yards, and either pick up the dirt trail on the left or turn left onto Willimantic Road (Route 66).

There are two options to get to the Air Line Trail in Lebanon from the intersection of Flanders River Road and Route 66, neither of which is optimal if a rider hopes to avoid traffic or narrow, steep roads with blind turns. The easier, flatter route is to continue about a mile eastward into Willimantic on Route 66 (or Columbia Ave., which turns into Main Street), pass a cemetery, and turn right onto Bridge Street to cross over the river. Then one turns right onto Pleasant Street, a relatively flat road through a residential neighborhood. Pleasant Street turns into Kingsley Road, which intersects the Air Line Trail in Lebanon.

The much more difficult, steep and circuitous route is to turn right and head south on Cards Mill Road, turn left onto Baker Hill Road, and continue to where the trail intersects Kingsley Road. These roads are narrow and without shoulders. I deemed this route totally unacceptable for the troop’s bike trip.

After completing the bike, I decided to drive into Willimantic to investigate how to pick up the Air Line State Park Trail in Windham (10). Essentially, one simply stays on Main Street for 3 miles to the Frog Bridge at Jackson Street. The route is straightforward and flat, but congested with traffic.

In the end, I never found a quick way to get from the terminus of the Hop River State Park Trail in Columbia to the Air Line Trail in Lebanon. I need to try this again, perhaps riding off-road, following the river.

Windsor Riverfront Trail

As promised, I investigated the multi-use trail at the Bissell Bridge in Windsor that extends southward from the riverfront boat launch on East Barber Street to the Hartford line. Dubbed the Riverfront Trail, it is paved with asphalt and meanders for just about a half-mile–not very far.

I parked at the lot at the end of East Barber Street (see map 122). Within a few minutes, I had gone past the end point, hoping to connect to another nearby trail or bike-friendly street. No such luck.

As I headed back, I pedaled past a barking German shepherd that caught my attention. I thought to myself, “Pepper spray or some other deterrent would be a good idea to have on hand. I wonder what the bike shop in town has in stock.”

Returning to the parking lot, I decided to ride an unpaved trail to the north, following the Connecticut river for several miles. Because this portion of the trail was not bike-friendly, I needed to dismount three times to lift my bike over logs and scoot down steep embankments. It was muddy in spots, and my right shoe got completely soaked as I skipped over a stream. Thankfully, I didn’t do any face plants.

In all, I covered just a few miles, but it was certainly nice to get outside and explore. When I got home, the bike really needed a bath and lube, maintenance that was long overdue.

Over the Bissell Bridge

Well, I didn’t trek on a blue-blaze trail on Sunday, but I did ride my bike. Some of the newest members of the troop rode south on old Main Street from the post office in South Windsor, over the Bissell Bridge (see map 122) into Windsor and back, or 10 miles.

It’s such a pleasant stroll. The street is flat and cars drive by infrequently. It’s a fine ride to get back in the saddle. The architecture of the old homes makes it very scenic, as well. I even noticed a lacrosse goal in someone’s backyard. Nice.

The highlight of the trip was spotting an eagle in the trees on the way back over the bridge. Spectacular, just spectacular.

It was breezy, so I wore a long-sleeve wick-away undershirt, a fleece pullover and an old rain jack as a windbreaker. I also had on some fleece gloves and lined wind pants. I never overheated. I also had a small knapsack on my back with extra water and snacks stuffed inside. Because I wore my yellow reflective vest, I decided to be last in the pack. That way, cars would notice the line of bikes, I hoped.

I did hear a few squeaks as I pedaled along. I guess I need to clean the chain with some old toothbrushes and lubricate it again. I also need to check the suspension, which was making the most noise.

We were done in 90 minutes. Too soon. Even so, I really enjoyed myself. On my next excursion, I’ll need to investigate the trail in Windsor that extends from the bridge southward.

Between Rivers

Why not take advantage of the nice weather?

Spring had finally weakened winter’s grip, so I decided to hike another portion of the Natchaug Trail. This time, I would head south from Nathaniel Lyon Memorial Park in Eastford, Conn., en route to the Orchard Hill lookout in Chaplin, covering 4.2 miles.

• Trail Map [PDF]

The trail was still tough to follow in parts. At least a dozen times, I found myself stopping to ensure I spotted the blue blazes. Perhaps it was because there is no leaf coverage yet or perhaps some of the marked trees were down. I’m not sure.

I headed out early, about 8:30 a.m., and was on the trail by 9:05. Based on my last hike, I figured it might take me an hour and a half (or more) to reach the lookout.

From the parking lot, I headed south on Kingsbury Road, picked up the trail as it extended east toward the Beaverdam Marsh Area, then headed west across Kingsbury and toward the waterfall.

I slipped twice as I paralleled Beaverdam Brook, although I did not fall — thank goodness. I realized then that I had made a colossal mistake: not leaving behind an itinerary with my route and expected time of return (just in case). I pledge to rectify that the next time.

I stopped a few times to sip some grape Powerade and take a breather. Because it was quite warm, I hiked without wearing a jacket.

Crossing the pipeline right of way, I continued south to a dirt road where the blue-yellow trail intersects the blue-blaze trail. It was very rocky in parts, as is typical in this area. As I traversed along, I was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a footbridge near a spur of the Goodwin Brook. By the time I crossed Morey Road and then Marcy Road, I had hiked 3.3 miles.

I reached the lookout at about 11:35. Atop the ridge, I enjoyed sitting on a cozy bench made from two folding chairs with fiberglass boards bolted to them.

Because it was quite breezy, I donned my fleece pullover, ate an apple and granola bars, drank some water and enjoyed the view of a soaring bird. Perhaps I’ll start bringing binoculars and a camera on these excursions.

After 15 minutes of being battered by the wind, I decided to head back to the van, hoping I’d reach the parking lot by 12:15.

Hiking north on my return trip, the waterfall was much more scenic. Round trip, I covered 8.4 miles.

Next time out, I hope to hike another portion of this trail, or perhaps try the Nipmuck, which intersects it. Perhaps I’ll ask a friend to join me.

Natchaug Trail

Yesterday, it poured. Today, the weather was expected to be splendid, with temperatures in the upper-50s. Mostly sunny, too. The remainder of the week’s forecast was quite gloomy; however, so I decided to take a hike.

The troop was scheduled to backpack part of the Natchaug Trail in eastern Connecticut soon, so I wanted to get a flavor of the trail. I drove to the James L. Goodwin State Forest on Potter Road in Hampton and parked at the Conservation Center near Pine Acres Pond.

I decided to try a seven-plus-mile hike to the Orchard Hill lookout and back, even though I thought the distance might be too long for my first outing after a long winter break.

• Trail Map [PDF]

At one point, I realized that I had accidentally left my gloves at a point where I had stopped to tighten my bootlaces. By that time, I was probably about a quarter mile or more off the trail. I didn’t really want to backtrack to go get them, but . . . I did.

Plenty of spots still had snow along the trail. Many downed trees obscured the path. After hiking two miles or so, I arrived at Black Spruce Pond dam and contemplated turning around, but decided to forge ahead.

Because it was warm, I hiked in a short-sleeve wick-away shirt and Gortex rain jacket (to keep the breeze at bay). I stuffed my down vest and fleece pullover into my pack, which also included two liters of water, ultra-light cook kit, first-aid kit and the other essentials. Most of the time, I carried my gloves and hat instead of wearing them.

Just a short distance from my turnaround point, I dined on an apple, peanut butter, granola bars and ramen noodles (with half of the flavor packet). Even so, I craved a Baby Ruth or Snickers bar later in the afternoon.

I had just finished lunch when a beautiful golden Labrador came sniffing around. Its owner was hiking to the lookout, too. After a few minutes, I followed far behind them to the “summit” (675 feet) but did not disturb their view, turned around and headed back to the van. I saw six people throughout the day. Most were walking their dogs.

On my return, I tumbled once when crawling through a downed tree. It took me 1.5 hours to hike back, almost exactly what I had guessed.

I’m looking forward to hiking another section of the Natchaug Trail very soon. I hope the weather cooperates.