Do you remember the last time you fell in love? I imagine we have all felt it at one time or another, albeit with a person, song, pet, smell, taste – or a place. Still relatively new to South Louisiana, I fell in love. about a half dozen times visiting during festivals. Lafayette’s food, music, people, community, weather, style; it is all so captivating and boundless. Moving here I had no idea what I was really getting myself into. However, every adventure into the Wild that so aptly communicates what South Louisiana is inspires me to fall in love,  again ...
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Hiking is one of my passions, everything about it is engaging; from the burn of pushing through an elevation change, to the promise of a new perspective and view once you get there, to the art that nature creates, and yes – even the bug bites, which remind me of my trip. Leaving the mountains for what I thought was just flat land felt crazy. Then I discovered Kisatchie National Forest. The Backbone Trail was just as challenging and lovely as any I have ever done, maybe even more so, for many reasons we will get into in a minute ...
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Still being relatively new to the state of Louisiana, it’s landscape, and recreational opportunities I was pleased to finally get in a kayak and get on a body of water. It becomes immediately clear that topography does exist here in South Louisiana, you just have to get low — and slow — enough to see it. Lake Martin is a great introduction, and opportunity, for anyone living in Lafayette or the surrounding area to discover the calmness of gliding across water. The towering layers and depths that clusters of cypress trees create. The chorus of birds that envelope you as ...
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While stopping by Harold and Sarah Schoefflers house on our trip up Bayou Tortue, we hatched a plan for another paddle.  The plan was to head over to Lake Fausse Point, paddle the south shore of the lake and explore up Cotton Bayou looking for a few Iris's that we could plant in the front bed of Pack & Paddle. On Monday we got just the right weather and loaded up the canoe.  We were expecting partly cloudy skies with a southeast wind.  Perfect to put us on the lee shore keeping the chop at bay on this large, shallow ...
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Coronavirus has dominated our thoughts and lives over the last few weeks.  And rightly so.  This health crisis is affecting every part of our lives - including Pack & Paddle being closed as a non-essential business.  What's crazy is that Becky and I have been really busy finishing up offiice work, taking phone calls, answering social media, meeting some folks at the shop for a curbside pickup (thank you!!!).  We suddenly realized we had worked 6 straight days and needed a break. Tuesday morning we loaded our canoe on the truck (man I love a light boat!!!) and headed out ...
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We've upgraded our fishing department with some incredible rods from our neighbors over in Texas.  Waterloo rod company is famous for their custom rods.  We've added in some non-custom rods that give you a lot of the qualities of these amazing rods at a fraction of the price. Waterloo Salinity - $159.95 The Salinity series is a light-weight, very sensitive and versatile rod. Ideal for various applications such as small swimbaits and topwaters, and live bait. Salinity series moderate fast action graphite blank with a light tip and moderate backbone. Specify your length and power from the dropdown menu. Salinity ...
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Osprey - known world wide for trekking, travel, cycling and climbing packs also makes fantastic and affordable hikes that are perfect for your next day hike. DayLite Plus The Daylite® Series features lightweight, simplicity, durability, comfortable carry and price has proven to be wildly popular, and today their popularity is undeniable. The Daylite® Plus continues to shine with incredible versatility and lots of great colors.  Only $65 Daylite Kids With the same expectations as its adult counterpart, the Daylite Kids pack does it all and does it right. Offering a straightforward feature set in a small package, including a ventilated ...
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Altra shoes have taken off in popularity simply because they fit better and are healthier for your feet.  Recommended by Podiatrists, Physical Therapists and Chiroprators, these shoes can make an incredible difference in keeping you comfortable and active.  Altra shoes have two huge differences from other shoe brands: Footshape™ Toe Box Altra's FootShape™ toe box allows the toes to relax and spread out naturally and the big toe to remain in a straight position for maximum stability and power.  Our staff and owners have personal experience with this feature having hiked these shoes from day hikcs to full 4 week ...
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Come cash in on these great deals, all week long.  Monday, Nov 25th - Monday, Dec 2nd.   We know you're hooked on Kuhl pants and this week - through December 2nd, you can get Kuhl pants at Pack & Paddle for 25% off! Yakima Roof Boxes are 20% off all week!  And if you buy a box, and need a roof rack system for it, we'll give you 20% off on that as well! Not only are Farm to Feet socks sourced, built and sold SUSTAINABLY right here in the USA, but this week you can get these great socks ...
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What if there was a paddle craft that would slip through the water silently, and with so little effort that paddling was a true pleasure?  And what if that boat was built with all-day comfort, could carry enough gear for camping (or the family dog), and would last you a lifetime?  And what if that craft was so light that you could easily lift it off the ground with one hand?  Becky and I along with our entire staff are super excited to bring to Louisiana THAT paddle craft.  The Swift line of Pack boats including their new line of ...
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Patagonia is fighting for public lands.  And these place are not just Joshua Tree and the Grand Canyon.  It's places like the Atchafalaya Basin.  And our coastal marshes.  Access to public lands important to hunters, fishermen, hikers and paddlers.  Here's a few pics of Johne and Becky's favorite public lands: ...
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