Reflections on 2015

So much changes in a year, and so much stays the same. Jobs and people come and go out of our lives, but our wild places, our places of beauty and solitude, remain. With so many truly beautiful outdoor spaces to be thankful for, many of them close to home, I feel blessed. It is my hope that by sharing my love of these places, others will come to love them as well, leading to their preservation for future generations.

How to be a Good Green Car Camping Neighbor

Sometimes camping green and being a good camping neighbor go hand in hand. One day I realized when it came car camping, I was getting green all wrong. When camping with my cousin’s family, I noticed my family generated two full sized trash bags, while hers required a small bag that never seemed to fill. Concerned for what I was teaching my daughter, I started making changes. Now, I practice the green suggestions listed here, and I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to teach my daughter to be a good, green camping neighbor.

Following my Passion - Valentine's Day 2015

As a woman in a male dominated profession I've heard it all. The minute colleagues learn I'm headed out for a wilderness adventure or even a day hike at a state park the teasing begins. Bears, snakes, and various other forms of the Boogeyman, according to the guys, lurk out there waiting to "get" me.

Eventually they get around to asking the inevitable. Why would I want to get out there in the cold-rain-heat-bugs anyhow? For love. That's why. Love. Plain and simple.

Go Light, but Don’t Go Crazy – Mama’s Lightweight Philosophy Updated

Go light, but don’t go crazy. My lightweight hiking philosophy in a nutshell. My younger self thought of the wilderness as an escape. Yet I dragged along enough stuff from home, that the escape became a 50 lb. (23 kg) burden on my back. My back ached while hiking. The weight threw me off balance on river crossings. It put unnecessary wear and tear on my knees.

How to Gear Up for Backpacking on a Budget

Shopping for gear and clothing always starts out fun. Then I see price tags. My heart races and I feel like running, not walking, to the parking lot. Is your first reaction to gear shops sticker shock?

How Time in the Wilderness Teaches Us Who We Are

Wilderness expeditions teach us who we really are. Our feet ache. It’s raining. Night noises rattle our confidence. Through the obstacles, we carry on. 

We hike over mountains because we believe we can. And if we think we cannot, we are right. We learn to accept help out of necessity, despite our fierce independence.