Riverbanks Adventure Forum

Garmin GPSMap 78 Series: High Quality Affordable Handheld Marine GPS

// June 30th, 2010 // No Comments » // GPS, Garmin, Hand held GPS, Product Reviews

45N68W All Natural Insect Repellant. Safe but Tough!

// May 18th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Adventures, Creative gear, Product Reviews

All natural insect repellant

It is that time of year again when the mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs become a nuisance and can ruin your outdoor adventure if you are not prepared. If you are looking for a potent insect repellant that is safe for children and adults, 45N 48W is an all natural insect repellant that really does the job. 45N 48W gets is clever name from the GPS Coordinates of the Northern Terminus of the Appalachian Trail, located on Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park, Maine. This repellant was designed and tested by serious hikers who spend a lot of time in the backwoods. One of the key ingredients is Neem, a herb native to India, and has been referred to as the “village pharmacy” due to its incredible array of healing properties. It has been proven effective as an insect repellent and is being used in malaria prone tropical countries. Another key ingredient is Lemon Eucalyptus Oil that is highly recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for effective protection against mosquitoes.

We all know that Florida is known for having relentless mosquitoes in swamps. During a hike last May in the midst of the Okahumpka Swamp, we applied this 45 N 68 W prior to venturing into the woods and we remained mosquito free for the whole 2 -½ hour hike.

Florida 2009-2010 Winter has gone on record as being one of the wettest winters in years which creates the perfect breeding environment for ticks. While hiking in the panhandle in early April, I came back from an all day hike with 11 ticks on me. Two weeks later, I was hiking in the Lower Suwannee Wildlife Management area and neglected to use my 45 N 68 W because there did not appear to be much mosquito activity. Well about 1 mile into the hike I had two ticks fall on me out of the trees and a few relentless deer flies harassing me. I pulled my bottle of 45 N 68 W and applied the insect repellent. The deer fly seemed to vanish and I was able to finish the hike without anymore evidence of ticks.

Not only is this insect repellent tough. It smells great! The sweet smell of Rosemary has a double function as it also has been known to have insect repellant properties. Other Key ingredients include Witch Hazel, Glycerin, Citronella, and Polysorbate.

These products are free of toxins such as DEET, petroleum, and paraben. 45 N 68 W also contains antiseptic properties and is biodegradable.

Buyer Beware: This “Waterproof” backpack is actually only Water Resistant.

// May 17th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Backpacking, Canoeing, Creative gear, Hiking, Kayaking, Product Reviews

Waterproof Backpack

Overboard Accessories LTD is a company from the UK and came up with their own patented Waterproof Store Rating System (WSRS). Then they proceeded to rate this backpack a WSRS Class 3 which means:

Waterproof so tight that it can handle quick submersions. The product could be permeated by water in any of the following applications: Prolonged Submersions, submersions greater than 3 feet of depth, or high water pressure applications.

By Our American Standards this product would be considered Water Resistant at best. It would get you through a short rain shower and an accidental dunk from tipping a Canoe or Kayak at best.

I paddled the Waccasassa River for 7 hours today and had stowed the Overboard Waterproof backpack in the back of my sit-on-top kayak. After riding countless wakes left by weekend boaters and my own little splashes from routine paddling, the waterproof pack ended up sitting in about 2 inches of water for several hours. The outside of the pack, of course was wet with splashes of water from paddling. After I removed the pack from the kayak, I opened the roll top to find that the contents on top were dry. My hiking boots and socks, which I had put in an oversized zip-lock bag for testing purposes, were damp but the papertowels I had inserted at the bottom of the pack were soaked.  However, there were not puddles of water sitting at the bottom of the pack.  Bottom line the items at the bottom where the pack was sitting in water for a prolonged period of time will absorb some moisture/water.
This pack comes with a roll down top typical of waterproof bags and clips to the side. The pack also has padded shoulder straps to allow for this pack to be worn comfortably as a daypack for hiking. There are support straps that reach around the waist and chest for extra comfort and support for toting those heavier loads. A nice idea and I will be sure to make good use of this item during the rainy season here in Florida. There are plenty of small coastal islands I plan on paddling to explore. This pack will allow me to paddle and hike without carrying extra equipment. Just remember you may need to still give those perishable items a little extra protection (ie in a smaller dry bag or ziplock)

This pack is manufactured by Overboard Accessories LTD, from the UK. You can purchase this item online at the WaterproofCases.net in Jacksonville, Florida.

About the Author: Barbara is the owner of  an on-line store Riverbanks  Outdoor Store  for several years and has frequently engaged in outdoor sports for years including camping, mountain biking, whitewater rating, kayaking, snorkeling, and hiking. Barbara also hosts a blog Riverbanks Adventure Forum  that focuses on product reviews and adventure vacations.  You can also follow Riverbanks Outdoor Store on twitter, flickr, youtube, and facebook

Florida State Parks new iPhone App makes Trip planning Fun and Easy!

// April 29th, 2010 // No Comments » // Adventure Vacations, Adventures, Florida, Hiking, Product Reviews

Beaches – Great for shelling! by Riverbanksoutdoorstore

This new application for the iPhone/iPod Touch/ iPad was released by outdoor enthusiast and award winning outdoor travel writer, Sandra Friend, just in time for Earth Day last week. I must say that it caused quite the buzz on Facebook. The application can be purchased and downloaded through Itunes for a truely affordable $1.99 but contains the information of $50 in books.

The Florida State Parks Itune application is well so written and designed that it is easy and actually Fun to use! The parks are listed alphabetically by name and contain full color photos, park specific information, accomodations, and contact information. The satellite feature Apple instills in its products allows the application to tell you how far you are from the park and then provides you with a Google map to the site with one stroke of your index finger. Planning a trip could not be easier!
No more lugging around bulky expensive travel books or littering your backseat with Park brochures.
The Florida State Park iPhone application is a must have for anyone planning a trip to Florida or for the Natives just looking for a weekend getaway.

Click here to download or for more information on the Florida State Parks Itune Application.

About the Author ★

Walking the gardens and pathways during her first Florida State Park (Washington Oaks) visit at the age of six, award-winning outdoor and travel writer Sandra Friend is a Floridian with a deep knowledge of the Florida State Parks system. Since 2001, she’s written 8 guidebooks to hiking in Florida, including three titles in the “50 Hikes” series; co-authored 3 travel guides in the “Explorer’s Guide” series, focusing on Florida’s natural and cultural heritage, and most recently published “Exploring Florida’s Botanical Wonders.” During research for these and other Florida books, plus just the joy of exploring her home state, she has personally visited all but 8 of the parks presented in this guide – and those are on her to-do list. Sandra is a member of the Friends of Florida State Parks, the Florida Trail Association, the Florida Outdoor Writers Association, and the Society of American Travel Writers. She lives in Central Florida

Exploring Florida’s Botanical Wonders: A Guide to the most Spectacular Botanical Sights in the state!

// April 23rd, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Florida, Florida History, Product Reviews

Botanical Wonders

The Monday meeting of the Florida Trail Association – Pinellas Chapter was a full house at Bill Jackson’s Sporting Goods as the crowd gathered to meet with and see Florida Hiking Expert and award winning author, Sandra Friend’s, presentation on her latest book, Exploring Florida’s Botanical Wonders.

The audience was captivated by the pictures of the wondrous flowers in the presentation as Sandy took us on a journey from the western most edge of the panhandle, down the Florida Peninsula, into the wilds of the Everglades, and then out to the Florida Keys. The diversity of flora in Florida is only surpassed by California and Hawaii in the fifty states.

Botanical Wonders leads you to the Largest Oak Tree in Florida, to the soggy bogs that produce fields of rare Carnivorous plants, to where the ancient Giant Cypress trees are hidden, to the special Gardens that boast the largest diversity of passion flowers and palm trees, past the exotic Kapok tree, and to the rare endangered Torreya Trees. The state of Florida boasts eighty-one distinct biological communities more than 4,200 unique plants recognized by botanists. The state contains several world-renowned hot spots for flora, including the Apalachicola River valley, the Lake Wales Ridge, the Big Cypress Swamp, and the Everglades.  Sandra includes engaging descriptions of the 250 selected plant communities, as well as directions to and pertinent information about each location. This book ranges from both natural areas as well as public botanical gardens, and is truely a guide for nature lovers of all ages.

It is truly a treasure to have all of this wondrous information compiled in one place!