Black Rucksack - The Gear, The Lifestyle and The Pastimes of Men » Utah http://blackrucksack.com The Gear, The Lifestyle and The Pastimes of Men Tue, 13 Mar 2012 02:10:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Arches National Park http://blackrucksack.com/arches-national-park/ http://blackrucksack.com/arches-national-park/#comments Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:33:16 +0000 J. A. http://blackrucksack.com/?p=1485 Arches National Park is one of the most unique and vibrant national parks of the U.S. The top hike in the park is the Devils Garden Loop, which is 7.2 miles long, and hits great views of eight awe-inspiring arches.

You can view a park map here. Arches National Park is one of the most unique and vibrant national parks of the U.S. The top hike in the park is the Devils Garden Loop, which is 7.2 miles long, and hits great views of eight awe-inspiring arches.

Arches National Park - Photo by J. Mays

You can view a park map here. Arches National Park offers very accessible hikes, so expect the shorter hikes to be somewhat busy. The Devils Garden Loop is the least frequented hike and takes you away from the busier areas of the park! In the not-to-distant future, Black Rucksack will be travelling to Moab, UT once again to travel and test some less frequented hikes!

Arches National Park - Photo by J.Mays

Best time of the year (with moderate temperatures and generally clear) to visit? April, May or October, with April being the wettest month. If you love the heat and lots of visitors, then June, July and August often offer temperatures over 100. Bring your water!


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Devils Tower National Monument Colonial Williamsburg Grand Canyon National Park Grand Canyon National Park Arches National Park Covered Bridge - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore New River Gorge National River Badlands National Park Great Smoky Mountains National Park Rocky Mountain National Park
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]]> http://blackrucksack.com/arches-national-park/feed/ 0 Mark Seven (Mk.VII) Bag http://blackrucksack.com/mark-seven-mkvii-bag/ http://blackrucksack.com/mark-seven-mkvii-bag/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:00:33 +0000 J. A. http://blackrucksack.com/wp/?p=1008 As I stomped through a canyon outside of Moab, Utah I stumbled upon an oddly shaped outcrop of red rock. I was intrigued and immediately started examining the surrounding area. As I moved to the sunlit side of the outcrop, my eye caught a glint coming from an object on the ground. I knelt to [...]]]> A requirement for any adventure...

A requirement for any adventure...

As I stomped through a canyon outside of Moab, Utah I stumbled upon an oddly shaped outcrop of red rock. I was intrigued and immediately started examining the surrounding area. As I moved to the sunlit side of the outcrop, my eye caught a glint coming from an object on the ground. I knelt to take a closer look at the object and as I did, I smashed my knee on a piece of glass that I didn’t see because it was covered by dirt. I found that just barely underneath the topsoil there were a number of antique bottles and such. I dug deeper and found no less than six separate bottles, mostly whole. Since I was 3.5 miles into this canyon and had to climb in numerous areas, carrying a bunch of glass out was not going to be possible. Due to this experience back in 2003, I started carrying either a rucksack or some sort of bag almost everywhere I traveled and regardless of whether or not an adventure may ensue. My absolute favorite bag is the Mark VII…

In the early years of the Second World War the British military adopted the Mk.VII bag to carry the standard service gas mask; it’s also the bag that Indiana Jones always carried with him. This bag is rugged and worthy of carrying more than just gas masks. In fact, I can think of no other bag that would be better suited to carry trinkets out of a canyon in Moab. A canvas sack with a leather shoulder strap is one of the most simple yet essential carry-all devices. Measuring roughly 11″ tall, 10″ wide and 3″ thick, the Mk. VII neatly separates gear you’ve carried in and finds that you’re going to want to carry out.

The Mk. VII has utility for a variety of hobbies and adventures. If you’re a hunter, it’s perfect to use as a shell bag in addition to carrying your knife, flashlight and a Snickers. If you’re a fisherman, you’ll find the bag good for use as a creel or to carry all of your misc. fishing gear, ie. pliers, knife, tackle, repellents, etc. And if you’re an adventurer well, it’s good for your many adventures.

I’ve ordered three replica Mk. VII’s (one for myself and two as gifts) from What Price Glory (onlinemilitaria.net) and they’ve all been very high quality.

Mark Seven (Mk.VII) Gas Mask Bag
$48
Arches National Park Arches National Park Arches National Park Arches National Park Arches National Park
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