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I just read this, Mike.  I'm so sorry for your loss.

We went through this last June with our Minnie (a Sheltie).  The best they could determine was that she had a brain tumor.  So sad.  I miss her still.

Our other dog (who is her son) went into a funk.  Never having had two dogs before, this was new to me.  At age 10, he appeared ready to lie in a corner (he actually started lying in "her" spot) and just let the rest of his life slip by.

We didn't plan on getting another dog, but life is funny sometimes.  Someone in our town posted a beautiful Sheltie that he had to give away because of personal misfortunes in his life.  She just turned six and has brought the "puppy" in our 10 year old dog.

Give your heart time to heal.  It is a huge loss.  Know that you did right by her.

Thanks, Mike! I started kayaking last year, and can't get enough of it!  We live in an area where there are lots of places to kayak in summer: 

http://www.door-county-wisconsin.net/

In winter, we go to your neck of the woods.  An awesome place to kayak there is north of Clearwater, just north of Honeymoon Island, in St. Joseph's Sound.  It's not real deep and it's nice and calm in the mornings and evenings.  In the afternoons, you might want to try sailing instead ;)  We stay in Crystal Beach when we go down there and I keep on wishing we could figure a way to spend all winter down there, but employers seem to frown on that kind of thing.

I'm definitely a calm water kayaker!  Before you buy one, I'd try a few different kinds.  I didn't.  I'm happy with my choice, but some people like sit-on-tops...less tippy, and if you do fall off, you can get back on pretty easily.

We used to go canoeing, but find we use the kayaks a TON.  You can get ready to go kayaking in 5 minutes or less.  They are lightweight, move very easily even in the wind, and you can go places you can't even get to in your canoe. 

For me, getting in and out was a bit of a learning curve, and I dunked myself a few times at first.  Some people get all fancy, but I've discovered I never tip if I just straddle the thing, sit down and go!  The first time I went over the water temp was 48.  That was on April 1st of last year.  This year on April 1st, the bay was still ice-covered.  Yikes.

Great ideas, everyone!  Chris, I couldn't believe when I saw that page on Amazon!  What a great idea!  But then we already have a brand new Porta-Potty that we've had since 1996 and never used...so I started nosing around and found this.  I can't begin to touch anything for this price, and think I might go ahead and order it:

http://www.amazon.com/Texsport-Hilo-Hut-Privacy-Shelter/dp/B001ASICYW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1371423582&sr=8-2&keywords=portable+outhouse

Of course, there's absolutely no challenge in this, so I have to decide....but this one means I lose no window area.  Decisions, decisions...

Hey thanks Darren!  Great ideas!

I'm probably not going to get to start on this project until July, but I'll definitely post some pictures!  Love the Keder welt idea!  We do have an awning but I'd probably attach the privy to the backside of the camper.  When we bought it, the awning came with a zip-on enclosure, but the zipper was a cheap metal contraption (small zipper, too) and we were barely even able to zip the sides on.  I remember returning it and telling the guy I'd need to return it if I wanted to stay married ;)  From the shape of the box it came in, it looked like it had been purchased and returned a few times before...

This is pretty exciting.  When it's done, maybe I'd even be able to have a beer during our evening campfire for a change!  I've been through some long nights where I just did not want to get up and ride my bike to the bathrooms at 2 am...LOL

Hello!

We have a great little popup camper that we love.  However, I am finding the walk to the campground bathrooms to be longer each year, especially in the middle of the night!  I have an idea and I'm here to see if you guys might be able to fill in the question marks or add to the idea....

When my dad has his Scamp camper, he attached studs to the side and made a little fabric "bathroom".  Dad's been gone 11 years now and I can't remember what he used for framing on the outside corners, but I remember him saying how handy it was.  I can't remember how he did the roof either, but I'm sure it can be done.

I'd like to do something similar with our popup.  I'd use a lightweight material, and I'm trying to figure out what to use on the corners.  Tent poles?

This is as far as I am with my idea......any creative geniuses out there wish to throw in their ideas?  I'd like to do this! 

Many thanks!

Kathy

Done :)

Hey Paul,

We were just in Tarpon last month, and will be again in March.  I'll stop in to say hello!  We stay in Crystal Beach and ride our bikes to Tarpon Springs all the time :) 

Kathy

Hey Mike,

How did you make that link?

Thanks,

Kathy

...er, ALL you guys!

Hope it stays away from both you guys!  It just occurred to me that our family's little house in Crystal Beach is probably right in there as well (why was I thinking Tampa was Orlando?  DUH!  I'm not even blonde... it must be rubbing off from my baby sister).  These hurricanes make our winter blizzards seem like nothing!

Stay safe!

~ Kathy

Zane,

Nope, she didn't get it.  Thank you for your offer, though!  ;)  I'm sure she'd have appreciated it!  If I'd have needed another one, I'd have bought it myself...

I think you're right about the untapped market for kayak accessories....all three of my sisters need back support in theirs.  I'm going to be working on something for them as well.

We were talking about boomers getting older and wanting to be active...you're right in that getting in and out of these things takes a bit of balance!  I've seen a couple devices that are made for that purpose, but don't really like any of them.  I've got my own way of getting in and out that works like a champ, but it'd be just as well that nobody ever have to witness that sort of spectacle!  LOL!

Other things I think would be nice are bags shaped to fit up under the bow (out of the way of your legs), different types of tethers (haven't lost anything yet, but it's only a matter of time), but I do think many of the kayaks are sorely lacking in seat comfort, and a person couldn't paddle around for long once their back starts hurting.

And kody, I think you might be on to something...maybe instead of launching my machine out of my kayak as an anchor, I should just put it in there before getting in....with that kind of ballast, it'd never tip again!

I've had episodes of backaches before, and sometimes they took a long time to clear up...but once I had what my doc called a spasm.  Never had such pain in my life!  I couldn't even dare to try straightening up, and we were at the cabin, so I had to ride home100+ miles curled up in the van.  I'd have gone to the emergency room, but didn't think I could get out of the car.

Got home and took hydrocodone I had from something else.  The next day I went to see a DO.  He gave me more hydrocodone, a muscle relaxant for at night, and Prednisone.  Wow.  I couldn't believe how that worked.  Within three days I was taking walks again. 

I did a bit of reading and it sounds like a spasm occurs to prevent you from doing any further damage to your back.  The funny thing is that I don't remember doing anything to hurt it in the first place...but we did move some furniture around, and slept two nights on the worst pull-out sofa ever.  I'm pretty sure that was what set me up for that spasm. 

I think next time I'll just sleep on the floor!  I'm pretty convinced your bed can have a profound effect on your back pain, or lack of it.  I hope I never have another one of those...

I also have a "very healthy respect" (others would say fear) of water.  I typically won't go anywhere I couldn't swim.  I'm kind of new to the whole kayak thing - just started this spring, and a little too early for these parts. 

On April 1, I went for my maiden voyage, only I never really go to.  I'd watched this athletic young man on youtube show me how to enter and exit my kayak.  It looked so easy! 

I put one foot in the boat, but before I could get the second one in, went head over teapot right into the 48* water!  Oh, that was cold!!  Good thing I'd done the Polar Bear some years back.

The second time I went out, I did almost the same thing, only trying to get out...this time it was May and my only problem is that I rather severely bruised my backside when I landed on a big, pointy rock.  Owwwww, that bruise lasted for weeks!

Now I have it figured out, and once I'm in, it's not tippy.  Not too graceful, but I just straddle the dang thing and sit down.  Reverse for getting out.  Works every time, although I don't think I'd want to be a bystander to this foolishness.

Most of the places I go I can see the bottom, or know it's not too far away  ;)  There are whitewater rivers and Lake Michigan nearby, but no thanks!  The calmer the better for me!

And yes, Chris, when we're in your neighborhood, we'll try to behave!  Behaving isn't really isn't my biggest problem, but being quiet is!!  I know kayaking is a quiet sport, so I have to remind myself of that, often!  I'm working on that.  You never see or hear anything when you're talking!  LOL!

Thanks for the heads up!  We actually DO go to Pinellas County every winter, so we'll definitely check this place out!  We hang out up in Crystal Beach for about 10 days (I know, not nearly long enough) when we just can't take winter anymore.  Crystal Beach is up in the northern part of the county, I guess...a few miles south of Tarpon Springs.  I love that whole area of Florida!

Thanks, kodydog! 

My profile pic was taken in northern Wisconsin....there is nothing like it in summer.  We kayak several times a week and almost every weekend.  We see eagles quite often!  Last weekend we saw 5 or 6 huge northerns (northern pike) sitting quietly in the bottom of the water...you can find extremely quiet places to paddle if you know where to go :)

My sisters and I all decided we don't want to get old yet and got kayaks this spring.  It's been a hoot!  We have a women's only kayak camping weekend planned for the end of July...that ought to be interesting because some of us try to bring too much stuff!  You really can't bring much along on a kayak...and there is only water access to the site. Haha!

Unfortunately, as nice as it is here in summer, it is exactly the opposite in winter...