these boots are made for hiking

On a hiking trip, boots are one of the most important items you can own. Ill fitting boots can lead most basically to blisters, and more seriously to structural foot injuries. When I bought my first pair of backpacking boots I had no idea what I was doing. So, I only tried one pair that were recommended by a friend. The store did not encourage me to try on any other kinds, and they suggested getting a boot a whole size bigger than my shoe size. I was also told that blisters were normal in the initial break-in period, but once the leather was softer would be fine. All this resulted in years of the worst blisters I have ever had, or seen. Moleskin did not work; duct tape did not work; nor liner socks, thicker socks, thinner socks, or different insoles. One long trip I resorted to cutting up my foam sleeping pad and duct taping that to my heels. It was miserable.

This was long before the policies of 100% satisfaction guaranteed was well established. I spent a lot of money on these boots, so i kept wearing them. Plus, they were really high quality, highly rated boots - just not really good boots for me.

A couple years later I started working at Eastern Mountain Sports. It was there that I learned that not only do we have different widths and lengths of our feet, but different sized and shaped ankles. And that some brands of boots fit people better than others based on how the boots is constructed. After trying on a few different brands this becomes clear - some boots your feet swim in, others are too narrow, etc. I had once been told I had a narrow foot with a nigh arch, but the boots that were the most narrow in construction completely did not fit. I actually have a regular sized foot, but a very narrow ankle. I finally bought a pair of Raichle leather hiking boots that I love. I have had the boots for 12 years, and have had maybe 2 blisters; a problem which was solved with varying my socks.

I am now getting to the point where I need to retire these boots and get a new pair. Even though I know how to shop for new ones, I am still scarred by those early years, and afraid of getting a "bad" pair of boots.
But here are some steps to reduce that risk:
1) Go to a reputable retail store - where in the boot department they know their boots and how to fit the right boot to the right foot.
2) Try on a variety of boots and walk around the store in them. And if that store doesn't have what you need, go to another store and see what brands they have.
3) Choose a store with a good return policy. Some stores will only take your boots back if they haven't been worn outdoors. you can get a decent sense of their comfort that way, but ultimately you need to field test them.
4) Buy a boot that will match your activity needs. Backpacking boots differ from lighter hiking boots; rocky steep terrain require a different boots than flat or rolling hills. Again, going to a reputable store will help. They should ask you this question.
5) Typically you want a boot a half size bigger than your shoe size. This accounts for sock variations, as well as the natural swelling of our feet.
6) try the boots on with a sock combination you know works for you. Bring your own. Or if you wear orthotics, bring those.
7) Buy your boots early enough before your trip (usually 2+ months) to break them in. If they are all leather they will take a bit longer to break in than the cordura/nylon/part leather ones. If they are uncomfortable after a couple times of wearing them, bring them back.

They're your feet, and will carry you far into the wilderness. Buy a pair of boots that fit, that are comfortable, and take time to break them in. It will make the hiking experience - and your feet - so much more joyful.
--Deb

another waterproof option

The are so many rain jackets on the market it is hard to know what to buy. For high activity, we recomend a waterproof and breathable fabric. I have tried many jackets throughout the years, and the one I have always had the best luck with is a jacket made with Gore-Tex. I have found these jackets to keep me dry the longest (all jackets, except rubber raincoats, have a saturation point) and the least sweaty from the inside. I actually I have a new Gore-Tex shell that works really well.

There is a "new" product on the market, though, that has been getting a lot of press lately, particulalrly in the lightweight backpacking and adventure race communities. It is a patented material called eVent. Like Gore-Tex, it is a micro-porous membrane of material in the jacket, that keeps the rain out and helps sweat vent to the outside of the fabric. With a few other techie features, the result is a waterproof-breathable fabric that will move moisture 30%-200% (depending on humidity level) faster than Gore-Tex XCR.

I have not field tested any of their products yet, but I like everything I have read and I am shopping around for a pair of eVent rain pants. The prices are in a range comparable to a Gore-Tex jacket, depending on features, styling and manufacturers. I'll keep you posted on my field testing. To read more about the technology go to http://www.eventfabrics.com/eVent_technology.php

--Deb

Remedy for the Habituation of the Human Mind

This past December I was walking on my favorite stretch of beach south of Tulum, Mexico....just me, white sand and blue ocean. A flock of pelicans flew over head. I thought, "oh, pelicans" and kept walking. Moments later I remembered the first time I saw pelicans about 18 years ago in the Florida Panhandle. I was fascinated. I sat down and watched them fish for the longest time. In the meantime I have seen lots of pelicans. It occured to me that I had become habituated to the thrill of watching pelicans in flight. This struck me as an unacceptable condition! I pulled forward a meditation practice taught by Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and revised for my purpose. I took a deep breath in and thought "pelican". I exhaled thinking "fresh". Ater repeating this simply practice several times I was restored to my joy in watching the pelicans.

Now I don't know if this qualifies for a travel tip, but I thought it was worth writing. I try to remember to wake up as often as I can to all the natural beauty around me. Let's not miss it as we climb the next hill or as we mow the lawn.

Tamar

Always be prepared - even at the Dog Park!

When we talk about what to carry in a day pack on our trips, we always mention to bring an extra layer. Something non-cotton - a fleece or long-underwear top - just in case you get cold and/or wet you have something warm and dry to put on. This is a good rule of thumb whenever you venture out on an extended day adventure, on an AGC trip or otherwise. It is true that you may not use that extra layer, but in case you do, it can be, quite literally, a lifesaver.

It continually amazes me how quickly (and often unexpectedly) an incident can happen. One minute everything is beautiful, you're having a fun time, and then blip! someone slips on a flat road and breaks an ankle; a jump off a rope swing busts open a kneecap; while opening a can with a pocketknife, it slips and slices your thumb. Or, a woman swims to rescue her dog who is floating further and futher down the Missippi River trying to retrieve a stick. In early May. In Minnesota.

Why the dog wouldn't swim across the current and to shore is another story. What it made me think of was those extra, dry layers. Never in a million years did I think a trip to the dog park would lead to potential hypothermia. But here we were: my friend's clothes were soaking wet, the river water temperature had been very cold, the weather was about 55F and cloudy, with no extra clothes. Fortunately we only had about a mile walk back to the car, and that amount of exercise kept her warm enough.

This is so often how accidents happen - in the moments when we least expect them. What we need to be prepared with is how to safely handle the situation and keep things from getting worse. Whether it is extra layers, a first aid kit, or just an awareness of what to do if x, y, and z happens - being prepared is really the key to safety. -- Deb

Some Good Reads

I'm an unlikely mountaineer; I mean, how can you be a mountain climber when you live full time in Minnesota? We have an ancient mountain range in the arrowhead region of the state, but the highest point is Eagle Mountain, a whopping 2,301 ft. above sea level. Geographical challenges not withstanding, I started climbing mountains in 1993 after a good friend of mine from Washington state said, "You should try mountaineering, I think you'd like it." To help me get in the right mood and have a better idea of what I was getting myself into, I read Arlene Blum's book, Annapurna, A Women's Place, about the first American women's team to climb Annapurna. I highly recommend it, even if you never set foot on a mountain. I used passages about their challenges for inspiration as I was facing my own challenges on Mt. Adams, Mt. Baker, and Mt. Olympus my first summer of mountaineering. The next climbing book I read was Into Thin Air by Jon Krakkaur, which tells his first-hand story of the deadly 1996 climbing season on Mt. Everest. It is a harrowing story and one that I think everyone who goes into the mountains should read as it lets us know what can happen when we put getting to the summit ahead of being and staying safe and how seemingly unconnected decisions can lead to tragedy.

Fast forward 10 years to 2007 when I read my next book in the adventure genre, No Shortcuts to the Top by Ed Viesturs. I didn't plan to read it, or even think I wanted to read it, but a copy was sent to me compliments of Mountain Hardware when I ordered a MH jacket from REI. I was a bit annoyed that this book was being foisted upon me, but figured I could always donate it to a book sale. Then I saw an interview with Viesturs and was intrigued by this guy who at my age was the first American to climb the 14 highest peaks in the world without using supplemental oxygen. HIs story is fascinating and one that resonates with me. He has a passion for climbing and lives by the motto " Getting to the top is optional. Getting down is mandatory." That fits with the idea I keep forefront in my mind when I'm climbing, "the mountain will be there another day." I started this book thinking I was going to hear the story of a testosterone-poisoned guy regaling his climbing exploits. Instead I read a thoughtful, moving, and realistic portrayal of what it is like to climb at high altitudes and by extension, what it means to take on a personal challenge.

It has been over 10 years since I have climbed above 20,000 ft and his description of preparing for a summit attempt transported me back to my tent at high camp on Mera Peak in Nepal, trying to consume food and liquids (an extremely difficult task at high elevations), getting dressed and harnessed up in 90 minutes rather than 20, and taking 10 breaths for every 3 steps on our way to the summit. Even if you have never climbed a mountain, I think you will have a good idea of what that experience is like.

I would have enjoyed reading more about some of the high altitude women climbers he knew, but in the end it is his story and he climbed almost exclusively with men. This is one of the better memoirs I've read and encourage anyone who is curious about high altitude climbing, about the making of the Everest IMAX film, or what it takes to be a professional mountain climber to check it out.

Enjoy your summer reading. Shelley

Sleeping beauty

I love to sleep outside. In my tent, under the stars, away from the city - I find great joy in the lack of walls around me. I know a concern of many people is sleeping on the ground, with sore backs, or daily aches and pains. Self-inflating sleeping pads (like Therm-a-rests) are key to a comfortable night's sleep on the ground. Therm-a-rest makes pads in a variety of thicknesses, weights and widths; aware that people want and need different things from their sleeping pad.

Sometimes sleeping on my pad, though, I still wake up with a stiff low back. I like to sleep on my back, and the sleeping pads are very flat. One day I was sleeping on a slight down slope, and started tucking small articles of clothing under the edges of the sleeping pad to try and keep me from sliding down my pad and into the bottom of the tent. It not only succeeded at keeping me in place, it was more comfortable. The clothes gave contour to the pad to help support my body.

Now when I get in the tent at night, I lay on my pad, on my back and see where (or if) I want a little lift or curve of the pad, and tuck clothes in a variety of spots. I have also started to lay a light-weight fleece or my rain jacket underneath the pad at knee level (it should lay perpendicular to the pad) to give my low back some support. Imagine it like a bolster under your knees when getting a massage. Except that you don't want the knee "support" too bulky because if you want to turn over it impedes laying on your pad on your side or stomach. You also want it placed underneath the pad so it doesn't slide out of place. I have to play around with the "system" each night, and you will need to find what works best for you. I recommend it - I have had fewer aches the next morning. -- Deb

This past weekend, my family and I spent our Earth Day planting new spring flowers, recovering the beds in mulch, and enjoying all the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells of springtime. We look ahead to our coming weekend as we begin planning our menus and activities for a weekend of camping at Fort Mountain in the mountains of North Georgia. I adore this time of year, and as I contemplated what I should write for the Adventures in Good Company blog this month, I am reminded of last weekend and the one to come and how we celebrate and enjoy our natural world. I love every aspect of this glorious planet and all the creatures in it, and hope to instill that love not only in my children but those people that I come into contact with on my trips and on a day to day basis. I decided this month, the best way to share my love for this world was to share a wonderful poem with you.

In Tune With Mother Nature

If you listen for the songbirds
As they greet the summer sun,
And love the way the wind can make
The trees sings just for fun;

If you like to hear the ocean
As it drums upon the shore,
And imagine all the whales out there,
And hope they'll sing some more;

If you think of all the animals
As players in a band,
Each with a lovely tune to play,
All needed on the land;

And know that as a boy or girl
A woman or a man
You have a vital role to play
In Mother Nature's plan;

If you honor every living thing
As a part of nature's treasure
You're in tune with Mother Nature
So let's all sing her song together.

Spend quality time in a spectacular place, where true health is more than a strong body. It is fine-tuning the relationship between your body, mind and spirit to achieve fitness from the inside out.
I hope you feel inspired to spend sometime in the great outdoors. Dale Bowers