Change is the spice of life. And trying something new is the heart of adventure. Well, during my summer of (f)unemployment I am gonna try a few new things! For my first adventure, I decided to try the Stand Up Paddleboarding craze. It’s the fastest growing water sport and has been tremendously popular. I did some research and it sounded like it was easy to pick up, but I was still reluctant to go out on my own and just figure…
According to the all-knowing Urban Dictionary (which I never in a million years thought I would be citing), a “Jackwad” is defined as follows: ” A person containing the attributes of both a “Jack ass” and a “Dick wad”. Having a inept attitude or ignorance.” ” The term Jack Wad is used to describe an uneducated, moronic, ******, with absolutely no regard for any other person. This term is mostly used to describe a law breaker or other low life…
Back in March, I made a list of 10 things I had learned about living over 9000ft. Well, summer is here now, so I’ve added a few more life lessons onto the list. Here’s the original list, plus a few new additions: Hydrate!! You’ll regret it if you don’t. Follow the high altitude baking directions. If you don’t have any, make up your own. Cooking everything takes much longer (see above) and you’re 80% likely to either undercook it…
One of the biggest risks in the wilderness in the summer is one of nature’s coolest phenomenon: Lightning! I was super terrified of lightning when I was little, until I turned 4 and my dad put me on his shoulders one day and made me hang out in the garage to watch it. Now I think it’s the coolest! One of the keys to being safe on a mountain in a thunderstorm is to know how lightning works. If you…
A lot of folks asked me how I got involved in the outdoors. Most folks assume that I grew up with it like Brian did. If you’ve ever met my family, you’d know there is NO WAY I was genetically inclined. I was raised outside Washington, DC. Camping meant taking the RV for the weekend when I was growing up. Despite this, I still loved being outside. I played in the woods and built forts and campsites. I was a…
The sun is out, the snow is melting, flowers are blooming and the mud is drying. Add it all up and summer is here and it’s time to bust out those hiking boots! That means it’s time to get your gear organized, so you can grab-n-go and get out on the trail quicker! I am a follower of the Girl Scouts’ motto, “Always be prepared.” So what are some things you should hike with, so that you are prepared for…
I was an athlete for a long time. I rowed all through high school and college, with the latter being a very intense, DI program at the University of Tennessee. We trained. A lot. Amazingly, despite the fact that I graduated 13 years ago, I am still very close friends with many of my teammates. So why has that bond held on so long? I firmly believe in the power of friendship that grows out of mutual experience, especially sweating…