It is definitely midsummer here. I have some random thoughts I want to share about the Trail, the office, and camping.

First, the Trail. For the past few weeks it seems like I’ve been getting daily calls from folks asking for advice on paddling the Trail. I love talking about places to go on the Trail, and talking about islands, safety and being seen. I’ve had requests from people wanted to go to all parts of the coast, not just one or two locations. So I’m not sure if use is up or not but there are certainly lots of folks calling for assistance in planning trips.

The Office: The MITA offices sit on the third floor of a building at Portland Yacht Services on Portland Harbor. As I type this I can look out and see www.SailMaine.org sailboats darting around the harbor, with an occasional capsize and recovery. Surely these young people are learning valuable nautical and safety skills to provide them a lifetime of adventure along the Maine coastline. That’s the ‘glass half full’ side to our office. The empty side is that we are south-facing with no AC and lots of exposed glass. We know heat in our office!

Camping: Virtually all campsites on MITA islands were located in spots where ground conditions were favorable. And generally, favorable ground conditions means having a flat spot to erect at least a two person tent and to have a space to sit and cook. Last year I was introduced to a new way to camp that has changed how I look at campsites. I have become a convert to camping in a lightweight hammock. I was skeptical at first – how comfortable would it be to lie in the bottom of a sack? But my hammock, a Hennessy Hammock, is cut so that you actually lie flat. Comfortable? Oh my goodness yes. And it has the added benefit of being a Leave No Trace system. No ground trampling or compaction. All you need are trees with the right spacing.

Send us you thoughts. Please be sure to check out the stories (and submit your own story) at http://www.mita.org/tales. Have fun, be safe.