On July 13, I headed out on my grand Fund For Teachers Fellowship to Yellowstone National Park to collect data on water, soil, temperature, flora and fauna, to become more infused with what I teach my students each year and to become the teacher/scientist I’ve always wanted to be. With me is Sean, who is helping to make sure I negotiate my way safe around the wilds of Yellowstone in a kayak, in a campground and on back country trails.

Wanting to create a camera mount to use while kayaking in our Native Watercraft Ultimate 16, I decided to tackle the issue in my preferred Do-it–yourself (DIY) style. We were, after all, preparing for our first river paddling outing and wanted to record it. The basic requirements for a camera mount are pretty simple: (a) 1/4″ bolt with 20 threads per inch, (b) something to hold the bolt in a particular place or position, (c) some method for retaining the camera in its position on the bolt. Really, that’s all there is to it. From there on, it’s merely an issue of design…

Here’s what I think is needed in tandem kayaking…. 1) a “job description” and 2) a glossary of words that two people in a kayak have in common. Sean and I went Kayaking in our tandem kayak for the first time last week. We took it out to a nearby lake, and had a terrific adventure. We laughed and learned a lot, and came home worn out.

If you have loved ones who’d like to keep track of your adventures, you might get a kick out of TripTracker.net. From the metal detector enthusiast to the backcountry trail blazer, there are more practical and fun uses for this site than you can shake a stick at. Simply track, map and share your travel experiences. Hansel and Gretel would have found this a truly marvelous service.