Beloved Feist, my thirteen-year-old terrier is still keen, enthusiastic, and delighted to be adventuring together...she just adventures as a vigorous trundle, rather than an unbridled sprint.
Adventures to Accommodate our Aging Pup
Category: Lifestyle
2021: Where Do We Go From Here?
It's a new year, I feel excited, cautious, optimistic, and weary. I'm trying to leave space for all the emotions. 2021 is going to be another big, chaotic year (and, hopefully, moving towards reconciliation and healing, rather than divisiveness and rage), and I suspect that my annual themes are going to be even more important … Continue reading 2021: Where Do We Go From Here?
7 Inspirational Non-Fiction Books for Outdoorsy People
This summer has been a weird one. Or maybe one that is so simple we don't know what to do with ourselves without unnecessary opulence. The 'back to basics' approach we are experiencing here in British Columbia is really working: lots of cooking at home, time with family and close friends, no big crowds, and … Continue reading 7 Inspirational Non-Fiction Books for Outdoorsy People
2020: Same Goals, Renewed Focus
Cultivating community might in fact be my theme for 2020, and I have found it to be both easier (kinda) and way more important than before. I have experienced a glut of people keen to join me, because their usual entertainment has been thwarted, so I am no longer choosing between hiking and spending time with friends. I'm also learning to be more patient, and adjust the adventures to accommodate my companions...and my companions have surprised me with their grit and tenacity.
Welcome 2020: New Goals, New Year, New Decade
I feel that 2020 is the year of driving towards new and different adventures and being open to the universe. To that end, I have identified three themes that will move me in said direction...
Holiday Gifts for the Aspiring or New Hiker
What is the perfect gift for the new or aspiring hiker in your life? Before we dive into gift ideas, let me describe a bit of gift giving (and receiving) ethos. I'm a huge fan of gifts that achieve three key functions: (1) the gift is something I probably wouldn't get for myself, (2) the … Continue reading Holiday Gifts for the Aspiring or New Hiker
Socks: The Most Underrated Piece of Hiking Equipment
Picking the right socks can be an art because he socks you chose to wear on a hiking or backpacking trip can make or break your experience. Socks have the magical power to gently swaddle and comfort your feet as you pound along on the trail for days on end, or to rub, chafe, blister, and generally allow you to devolve into foot-pain driven madness in a matter of hours. If you think I am joking about foot-pain driven madness, you have clearly been lucky enough to avoid such a fiasco, and I applaud you. I, however, have not been so fortunate.
Off Season Cross-Training for Hiking and Backpacking
Winter is fast approaching, weather windows for hiking are rapidly diminishing (if not completely vanishing), and it gets dark waaaaay too early now. I'm sure some of you will be layering on the waterproof jacket and venturing out into the west coast rain, trading in your hiking boots for snowshoes and skies, or even heading south for sunnier, drier conditions. And some of you may be thinking 'well, I guess those trails can wait until next year...'
Staying Grounded During Life Transitions
As extensively alluded to in my previous post, life has been moving at quite the intense pace recently. All the ongoing changes are being welcomed with open arms and great enthusiasm, and I am teetering at the precipice of both exhilarated and completely overwhelmed. I try to be mindful of when I teeter, so I … Continue reading Staying Grounded During Life Transitions
12 Things To Do When You’re An Injured, Active Person Who Loves Lists
Sometimes we get injured. It sucks, and it happens. As discussed in a previous post, I sprained my ankle a few weeks ago. My usual, busy schedule has been thinned to a few sedentary activities. Needless to say, I'm going a little bit stir-crazy. I always try to make the most of such non-optional idleness … Continue reading 12 Things To Do When You’re An Injured, Active Person Who Loves Lists
Barefoot in the Backwoods 