Brief Ballad of my First Kaweco

My Kaweco Ice Sport in green was my first Kaweco. I can’t remember if I got it in late 2015 or early 2016, but it was a while back. I have fond memories of using it during the 2016 season as a park ranger at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. I had originally intended to use it as an eyedropper, and it was around the time I discovered ink samples. However, one instance of all of the ink dumping into the cap changed the plan to refilling cartridges.

This pen went everywhere with me and was the one that started the tradition of always having a pen in my pocket. I generally clipped it in my right pants pocket. If you know anything about Kaweco Sport clips, this was a daring choice. I didn’t realize how daring until one day I was deep in the backcountry on a day off.

It’s hilarious to me how solidified this memory is in my brain. I was heading to Sky Pond off the Glacier Gorge trailhead. This area is one of my favorite areas in that park (alongside Rock Cut and Beaver Meadows). That day I was wearing a pair of cargo hiking pants. I had tucked a pocket notebook (probably a Field Notes) and my Kaweco into the cargo pocket on my right leg. This is important for later.

For the most part, the hike was as pleasant as this trail had ever been. This trailhead leads to quite a few different lakes and if one is ambitious you can even do some peak bagging (and sign the Colorado Mountain Club Register stored at the top of the fourteeners). Alberta Falls is one of the first sights, but once on top of the ridge the view opens up on a glacial valley. It’s probably not there anymore, but there was a skeletal dead Ponderosa that towered among the rest of the trees. There was always a bird of prey or a raven surveying their domain from the upper branches. This area was also a great spot to witness Broad-tailed hummingbirds doing their dive-bombing mating dance because they have enough room to get some serious speed. Birding and making notes about what I saw on the trail was the big reason why I wanted my notebook and pen so accessible in my pocket.

At one point, the trail splits into three. On the left will take you to Mills Lake and Black Pond, the center to The Loch (now that I think about it, I wonder who just named it “lake”) and Sky Pond, and the right will take you to Lake Haiyaha in Chaos Canyon which is a great way to go to make a loop hike. The Loch is about a mile and half past the trail split and then Sky Pond about another 2.5ish miles past that slowly climbing in elevation. Lodgepole pine forests gave way to fir and spruce. Sky Pond is on the edge of the alpine and the final approach is across a meadow that seems to end in a granite wall. On that granite wall is some rough carved steps (courtesy of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930’s) and the last hundred feet or so is a scramble up the side of a small waterfall.

And it was halfway up the rock wall where I almost lost my pen.

I didn’t think anything of my pen clipped in my pocket until I heard a tap. I looked down and to my horror my little Kaweco Sport was bouncing off the rocks on the way down. I was certain it would be lost to Icy Brook. Climbing back down I began to look over the glacial scree and small water plants that grew amongst them. I was determined to find it in the crystal clear (and freezing cold!) water because the current wasn’t all that strong.

I caught a glint of unnatural green and in disbelief, I saw my little Kaweco on top of a flat rock with a little bit of water flowing over it. I began drying it off and examining it for damage. It’s fall had made some ink fall into the cap and there were a few dings in the plastic. I uncapped it and it wrote just fine. I moved it into the more secure pocket of my hiking shirt.

This was one of the most dramatic adventures of this pen, although it has traveled through quite a few states, up and down rivers, a few mountains. While I wish I could say that was the last time I lost a pen out of my pocket (the real last time was when I lost a gray Kaweco Sport in a dirt parking lot in a rainstorm and by the time I found it, a truck had run over it. That was too much for the pen), but if I am going on an adventure this lucky little guy usually comes along in place of pens I am much more fearful of losing.

After all, if I didn’t lose it after dropping it off a cliff, I’m pretty sure it won’t get too far from me while exploring.

POV writing beside a river in Yosemite National Park. This pen is definitely well-loved. You could still see the words on the cap for the most part in 2017… nowadays they are pretty much rubbed off from use. It’s actually pretty amusing that I had orange ink in this pen and also orange in it when I went looking for old photos of it.

Yosemite Falls as the back drop for my first Kaweco and my first traveler’s notebook (I cannot remember the brand and I have since given it to a family member). Look at just two inserts in there… how far I have come, haha!

Currently Inked

Ferris Wheel Press Hearty Harvest - Kaweco Ice Sport Green B - I only have ink in the feed left after drafting this week’s post. I may have to do a favorite orange roundup soon because this one is top ten at least. It’s just really cozy with the burnt orange and orange shimmer.

Wearingeul Othello - Kaweco x Elite Royalty Sport Deep Red BB - Most likely going to be the next pen I write dry. This is a top three gray ink for me. I think it’s the warm undertones. Wearingeul sure makes some awesome ink!

Monarca Mar Caribe - Kaweco Sport Iridescent Pearl M CSI - The token turquoise in the lineup this week. This ink is so pretty. However, I didn’t find myself reaching for this pen much this week. I think it was the sharp corners on the nib. It makes a beautiful line variation, but it can be finicky.

Anderillium Luna Moth Green - Kaweco Sport Dark Olive BB - I never should have dropped this ink in a green pen, haha. For some reason the matchy-matchiness was just too much this week. Luckily it’s almost empty and I can mix it up.

Ferris Wheel Press Tides of Midas - Kaweco liliput copper F - Only had this one inked since yesterday, but first impressions are very good. It’s a nice sapphire blue with gold shimmer. It will be fun to put it through its paces this week.

Diamine Lullaby - Kaweco liliput fireblue M - Another yesterday inking. First impression is that this is a very soft purple, but appears to be pretty legible.

Ferris Wheel Press Bluebell Brushstrokes - FWP Roundabout Tides of Midas RB - I picked up this pen alongside Tides of Midas ink and a few other inks because I had a pretty good coupon. I decided to go for a second rollerball because they can scratch an itch of buying cheap rollerballs. It’s a silly compulsion, but having refillable rollerballs at home works great. This is a nice blue, it reminds me of blue jeans.

Project Chaos Update

I did a lot of journaling this week and I was very attached to my Sterling Ink notebook. When I wasn’t able to write but wanted to play with stationery I went to my stickers and random ephemera to make some collages on the pages. Even when what I am writing beside them is nonsense, sticking stickers down is relaxing and it helps me focus back onto what is important.

Brief Ballad of my First Kaweco

Enjoy Collection 2025: Q1