We all know how important it is to stay hydrated while hiking/biking/etc. and I have found that a hydration pack to be instrumental in my ability to drink adequately during an activity. For the majority of our trips we recommend hydration packs, but the problem comes in when you are camping and you want to brush your teeth, or just have a bottle of water to drink at meal time. It gets sort of silly to sip out of the hose all the time, and while you certainly can bring an extra bottle, it does require remembering the bottle and packing an extra item.
Recently on my Caribbean Sea Kayak trip, however, a woman arrived with a hydration hose system that attached to a Camelbak polycarbonate water bottle. She could attach the hands free bottle adaptor to have a hose to drink from while hiking. Then while in camp, or around town, she could put the lid on the water bottle and have something easy to drink from other times. In addition, she didn't need to find any special pack or pouch to fit the bladder in - it fit in her backpack (without worry of getting a hole) and even a side pocket of her pack. The adaptor fits easily to all Camelbak bottles with a removable Big Bite valve. You can see more at REI.com
--Deb
Friday, February 8, 2008
Monday, January 7, 2008
It doesn't take green to be green: Popcorn
This is the first in an occasional series about ways you can lessen your impact on the environment that are less expensive and/or healthier than the standard options.
The other night I was making popcorn for a friend and she was surprised that I knew how to make it from scratch. It's so much cheaper and healthier than the prepackaged or microwaved popcorn - I didn't realize it was a lost art!
So here's how: start with a good pot, like stainless steel, not a thin aluminum one. Pour in enough oil that it covers the bottom. Pour in popcorn - not more than one kernel thick, and less if you want less. Cover the pot and turn up the flame to high or a little less. Once you hear the first pop, start shaking the pot back and forth over the flame. As soon as the popping has substantially slowed down, empty it into a bowl and put the pot in water (this keeps pieces from burning onto the bottom which can be a pain to clean up. And there you have it- a fresh bowl of hot popcorn that cost pennies!- Marian
The other night I was making popcorn for a friend and she was surprised that I knew how to make it from scratch. It's so much cheaper and healthier than the prepackaged or microwaved popcorn - I didn't realize it was a lost art!
So here's how: start with a good pot, like stainless steel, not a thin aluminum one. Pour in enough oil that it covers the bottom. Pour in popcorn - not more than one kernel thick, and less if you want less. Cover the pot and turn up the flame to high or a little less. Once you hear the first pop, start shaking the pot back and forth over the flame. As soon as the popping has substantially slowed down, empty it into a bowl and put the pot in water (this keeps pieces from burning onto the bottom which can be a pain to clean up. And there you have it- a fresh bowl of hot popcorn that cost pennies!- Marian
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Adventure gift ideas
Happy Holidays! The season of gift giving is upon us, and for so many of us this is a complicated event. Some families have spending limits, some have no-gift policies, some have a "secret santa/buddy/angel" and only buy gifts for one person in the group, and some have no regulations whatsoever.
However you celebrate this holiday season here are a few ideas for gifts (either to give or put on your wish list)
1) Are you going on an Adventures in Good Company trip this year? Get our packing list early and put a couple items that you need on your gift wish list. Or help out someone else with their equipment for a trip. Outdoor gear can be expensive, so help with this is always appreciated. A new sleeping bag, synthetic or wool long underwear, zip-off pants, a nice fleece jacket or rain gear are all useful items. Don't know what would be someone's style? A gift card to REI or your local outdoor store is a useful alternative.
2) Magazine subscriptions. There are plenty of outdoor magazines (Backpacker, Paddling, Outside) or travel magazines (National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure) that the adventurer in your life (or you) can spend hours pouring over and dreaming of future trips. Magazines also help the doldrums of working out on cardio machines at the gym. Recycle it at the gym - leave it for others to read.
3) Donations. Instead of gifting each other - why not give a donation in the name of someone to help others? Pick an organization that matches the gift receivers interests (or pick a couple for yourself and let others know you want donations made to them). Do you have a real foodie in the family? Donate to Second Harvest, a hunger relief agency. An outdoor enthusiast? Try Sierra Club or World Wildlife Fund. Or, for every gift you buy for someone offset the carbon emmissions with a donation (see carboncatalog.org for more detailed information).
I am sure there are many more eco-friendly and helpful suggestions for gift giving and celebrating the holiday season. These are just a few to get you started. Think outside the box this holiday season.
Deb
However you celebrate this holiday season here are a few ideas for gifts (either to give or put on your wish list)
1) Are you going on an Adventures in Good Company trip this year? Get our packing list early and put a couple items that you need on your gift wish list. Or help out someone else with their equipment for a trip. Outdoor gear can be expensive, so help with this is always appreciated. A new sleeping bag, synthetic or wool long underwear, zip-off pants, a nice fleece jacket or rain gear are all useful items. Don't know what would be someone's style? A gift card to REI or your local outdoor store is a useful alternative.
2) Magazine subscriptions. There are plenty of outdoor magazines (Backpacker, Paddling, Outside) or travel magazines (National Geographic, Conde Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure) that the adventurer in your life (or you) can spend hours pouring over and dreaming of future trips. Magazines also help the doldrums of working out on cardio machines at the gym. Recycle it at the gym - leave it for others to read.
3) Donations. Instead of gifting each other - why not give a donation in the name of someone to help others? Pick an organization that matches the gift receivers interests (or pick a couple for yourself and let others know you want donations made to them). Do you have a real foodie in the family? Donate to Second Harvest, a hunger relief agency. An outdoor enthusiast? Try Sierra Club or World Wildlife Fund. Or, for every gift you buy for someone offset the carbon emmissions with a donation (see carboncatalog.org for more detailed information).
I am sure there are many more eco-friendly and helpful suggestions for gift giving and celebrating the holiday season. These are just a few to get you started. Think outside the box this holiday season.
Deb
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
insulated mug
On the trips that we require everyone to bring her own dishes, we often list to bring a "cup or mug". But I highly recommend to everyone to bring an insulated mug.
Plastic camping cups are small, and I have seen women who love tea or coffee fill and refill these cups many times to get an adequate amount of beverage. Plus they do not keep hot drinks hot for very long. And when you make hot cocoa or tea an entire packet/bag makes it too strong.
Metal camping cups are often a little bigger, but when you put a hot beverage in it, the metal typically gets really hot and then you are in danger of burning your lips. Again, when it is cold out, the metal cup does not keep your drinks warm. Though it does a nice job of keeping cold drinks cold.
An insulated mug is the perfect choice, even for lightweight backpackers. It may not be as small as some of the camping cups, but it doesn't take up much more space or weight (except maybe compared to the origami cups). If you get a mug with a handle you can even carabiner it to the outside of your backpack.
An insulated mug keeps hot drinks hot - really great for cooler weather camping. It keeps colder drinks cold. A whole packet of hot chocolate is perfect for your mug of cocoa - thus avoiding the refolding/saving of the packet for future use. If you are dittering about camp throughout the morning you can set your mug down with the lid on, and then come back from time to time and still drink a hot beverage, one without any extra sticks or bugs in it.
They are definitely not expensive, and I am sure we all have a couple of them in the kitchen cupboard. So, next time you go camping throw the insualted mug in with the dishes.
--Deb
Plastic camping cups are small, and I have seen women who love tea or coffee fill and refill these cups many times to get an adequate amount of beverage. Plus they do not keep hot drinks hot for very long. And when you make hot cocoa or tea an entire packet/bag makes it too strong.
Metal camping cups are often a little bigger, but when you put a hot beverage in it, the metal typically gets really hot and then you are in danger of burning your lips. Again, when it is cold out, the metal cup does not keep your drinks warm. Though it does a nice job of keeping cold drinks cold.
An insulated mug is the perfect choice, even for lightweight backpackers. It may not be as small as some of the camping cups, but it doesn't take up much more space or weight (except maybe compared to the origami cups). If you get a mug with a handle you can even carabiner it to the outside of your backpack.
An insulated mug keeps hot drinks hot - really great for cooler weather camping. It keeps colder drinks cold. A whole packet of hot chocolate is perfect for your mug of cocoa - thus avoiding the refolding/saving of the packet for future use. If you are dittering about camp throughout the morning you can set your mug down with the lid on, and then come back from time to time and still drink a hot beverage, one without any extra sticks or bugs in it.
They are definitely not expensive, and I am sure we all have a couple of them in the kitchen cupboard. So, next time you go camping throw the insualted mug in with the dishes.
--Deb
Friday, October 26, 2007
Sleeping warm
Even though the weather is getting cooler, it doesn't mean we want to stop camping. Here are a few of my favorite tips for sleeping warm:
1) Change your socks. Our feet sweat a lot, even around camp, so try and put a dry pair of socks on before bed.
2) Wear a hat. We lose a lot of heat out of the top of our head, even while asleep.
3) Have a sleeping set of long underwear. Same idea as #1
4) Use a sleeping pad. Much of our heat is lost through convection. Insulating yourself from the cold ground (head to toe) will help.
5) Do some crunches in your bag. You keep your sleeping bag heated, it does not keep you warm, so you need to have some source of warmth. Exercising raises your body heat and if you do the crunches in your bag it will go directly into the space around you. Plus it keeps your abs toned!
6) Hot water bottle. Put hot water in a Nalgene bottle (make sure it is a heat resistant plastic and the lid is on tight!) and then place it in your sleeping bag (at your feet or between your legs is nice). This will create warmth to heat your bag, just as the excercise does. If you are worried about the Nalgene leaking, put the bottle inside a wool sock.
7) Use a liner. A silk, fleece or wool liner adds warmth to your bag.
8) Get up and pee. If you have to go, get up and go. It takes energy to keep holding our urine, plus it is uncomfortable. Once you get up and go, you can get back in your warm bag and sleep soundly again.
9) Sleep in a warmer bag. I sleep cold, so I have a bag rated 10-15 degrees warmer than what the air temperature is. For instance, when the weather is 20 F, I sleep in a 0 degree bag.
10) Zip up. Once you've created all this heat for your bag, you want to hold it in as much as possible. So, zip your sleeping bag up tight around your shoulders or even around your head (in a mummy bag).
I am sure there are many more tips, but these are just a few to get you on your way to year round camping in comfort!
--Deb
1) Change your socks. Our feet sweat a lot, even around camp, so try and put a dry pair of socks on before bed.
2) Wear a hat. We lose a lot of heat out of the top of our head, even while asleep.
3) Have a sleeping set of long underwear. Same idea as #1
4) Use a sleeping pad. Much of our heat is lost through convection. Insulating yourself from the cold ground (head to toe) will help.
5) Do some crunches in your bag. You keep your sleeping bag heated, it does not keep you warm, so you need to have some source of warmth. Exercising raises your body heat and if you do the crunches in your bag it will go directly into the space around you. Plus it keeps your abs toned!
6) Hot water bottle. Put hot water in a Nalgene bottle (make sure it is a heat resistant plastic and the lid is on tight!) and then place it in your sleeping bag (at your feet or between your legs is nice). This will create warmth to heat your bag, just as the excercise does. If you are worried about the Nalgene leaking, put the bottle inside a wool sock.
7) Use a liner. A silk, fleece or wool liner adds warmth to your bag.
8) Get up and pee. If you have to go, get up and go. It takes energy to keep holding our urine, plus it is uncomfortable. Once you get up and go, you can get back in your warm bag and sleep soundly again.
9) Sleep in a warmer bag. I sleep cold, so I have a bag rated 10-15 degrees warmer than what the air temperature is. For instance, when the weather is 20 F, I sleep in a 0 degree bag.
10) Zip up. Once you've created all this heat for your bag, you want to hold it in as much as possible. So, zip your sleeping bag up tight around your shoulders or even around your head (in a mummy bag).
I am sure there are many more tips, but these are just a few to get you on your way to year round camping in comfort!
--Deb
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Reading Lists
Whenever I travel to someplace new, I like to do research on the area before I go. I usually search the internet for a variety of information and it is a great resource. I also like to try and read books about the region as well. On our general information sheets we always have a suggested reading list. You can also Google/web search reading lists for where you are going as well. I try and read one historical book and one fictional book to provide both a factual and personal/creative perspective. For our recent Rafting the Grand Canyon trip, the group actually had emails going around recommending some favorites to read before arriving at the Canyon. I wanted to read the books and I wasn't even going on the trip. Add a dimension to your travels - books. -- Deb
Friday, October 5, 2007
"I love trash" Oscar the Grouch
Obviously when it comes to the wilderness (or even our backyard, neighborhood streets, or local parks) - we don't love trash. Trash is not only distasteful to our eyes, but can actually alter or destroy the ecosystem. We teach Leave no Trace principles on our trips to help reduce our impact on the areas we travel. One of those principles being - you pack it in/you pack it out. And I am not just talking about obvious items like an empty plastic water bottle, or your soda cup from Subway. It is also the small things that alter our natural world - an orange peel, a handful of dropped trail mix, toilet paper, etc.
Yes, even those things that "biodegrade" need to be packed out. The hardest one to understand, I think, is the apple core. There are good arguments for throwing it off in the woods: It's natural to most environments, it biodegrades relatively quickly, and if an animal ate it, it would not get terribly sick and it may find apples to eat in the area anyway. However, I have a different way of thinking about this: you may be just one of hundreds that visit that trail/park/campsite and if all hundred of you left your apple core, well, that would vastly alter not only how the area looked, but also the animals that may forage there. A few peanuts from your GORP may not seem a big deal, but when that chipmunk or squirrel starts relying on the hundreds of people that thought "no big deal" to leave a few peanuts, we have altered the system. Plus, those all too-friendly chipmunks, etc, are a real nuisance when you are trying to enjoy a picnic, or camp at a nice site.
The other idea I like to promote is collecting trash when possible. It is great when we collect the big, very messy things. But again, thing about the small items. I try to make a point of picking up 3 pieces of trash on my hiking trail. Typically they are small wrappers that probably fell out of someone's pocket or the twist-tie from lunch. I make the tiny extra effort to bend down and pick them up and carry them out with me. If we go back to the idea of hundreds of people visiting a trail - if each one of those people picked up 3 pieces of trash - we'd have a lot less trash in the wilderness.
We have to remember we aren't the only ones out there. Let's collect the trash like Oscar the Grouch and keep it in our garbage cans. -- Deb
Yes, even those things that "biodegrade" need to be packed out. The hardest one to understand, I think, is the apple core. There are good arguments for throwing it off in the woods: It's natural to most environments, it biodegrades relatively quickly, and if an animal ate it, it would not get terribly sick and it may find apples to eat in the area anyway. However, I have a different way of thinking about this: you may be just one of hundreds that visit that trail/park/campsite and if all hundred of you left your apple core, well, that would vastly alter not only how the area looked, but also the animals that may forage there. A few peanuts from your GORP may not seem a big deal, but when that chipmunk or squirrel starts relying on the hundreds of people that thought "no big deal" to leave a few peanuts, we have altered the system. Plus, those all too-friendly chipmunks, etc, are a real nuisance when you are trying to enjoy a picnic, or camp at a nice site.
The other idea I like to promote is collecting trash when possible. It is great when we collect the big, very messy things. But again, thing about the small items. I try to make a point of picking up 3 pieces of trash on my hiking trail. Typically they are small wrappers that probably fell out of someone's pocket or the twist-tie from lunch. I make the tiny extra effort to bend down and pick them up and carry them out with me. If we go back to the idea of hundreds of people visiting a trail - if each one of those people picked up 3 pieces of trash - we'd have a lot less trash in the wilderness.
We have to remember we aren't the only ones out there. Let's collect the trash like Oscar the Grouch and keep it in our garbage cans. -- Deb
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