Squeeee- New Gear!

 It's been a while since last I splurged on some new equipment to add to my gear closet. For one, there's just not a lot that I need and I try not to buy unnecessarily. I also have been out of the gear game for long enough that I sometimes get overwhelmed thinking about which new gear to buy if I do need something.

 I have been kicking around ideas for a big fall adventure (more details to follow) and determined that I was ready for some upgrades. Here's the loot I walked away with last week and is making its way to my doorstep little by little:

Patagonia Black Hole Duffel 120L
  You may be wondering what in the world anyone would need this giant bag for. Well, they're awesome gear haulers when travelling for an extended period. For mountaineering trips in the past, I've used the North Face Base Camp Duffel. It's been a trusty friend but I needed something bigger than the one I have and figured I'd give this well-reviewed bag a try. It was also on closeout so I got a great deal. I guess there aren't a lot of people who love this shade of aquamarine. I do. The bag can be worn as a backpack, which is perfect for carting it around airports. One thing I do like about this as opposed to the Base Camp is the exterior pocket. I loves me some organization!

The Black Diamond Storm
  100 Lumens! 100 Lumens! 100 Lumens! (read: Bright! Bright! Bright!) Really, what more is there to say? Okay, there's more. 100 Lumens is impressive but what I really liked was that the "low" setting on this model was still 25 lumens. An improvement from my Black Diamond Spot, which is only 4 lumens on low. As I've learned, a person can hardly function at night with only 4 lumens, forcing a higher setting and therefore, less battery time.

NEOAir All Season
  New to the Cascade Designs lineup for 2011, this is a true 4 season sleeping pad! It's lighter than my prolite and warmer. I love when that happens. I love that this new pad comes with a repair kit, air pump and stuff sack INCLUDED. For reference, all of those odds and ends were previously sold separately and would cost about $35 on top of the cost of the pad itself. The price point for this wasn't too bad either...at least it's in line with previous models. And for those of you who care (like me), these pads are Made in the USA. Nice!

I'm picking up on a color scheme here

 So, if you had all of this new gear, where would you take it? I'll let you know where I'm planning on heading this fall but am always open to new ideas. Also, any thought or feedback you have on any of these specific items is welcome and appreciated.

Training Hikes: Things to Know About Women

 In the first post in this series, I recommended finding some friends to hike with. When I started looking for people to hike with, the Real Chicks was born. What has made this large group of women stick to their monthly hiking? Well, to answer that, you need to know a few things about women. These are generalizations and are not true about all women. The more experience you have hiking, the more likely these habits are to change. This is also great information to follow Mj and Carla's last post on trip planning.

1. Women need a schedule. We started meeting at the same time every month so that the chicks could put it on their calendars for years on end. We only alter the schedule for dangerous weather (read:hike rain or shine. It's good training and can also be fun to hike in the rain...just not lightning)

2. Women are self-sacrificing. We can rarely rationalize spending a whole day doing something for ourselves, especially when there are spouses and kids involved. If you can occasionally involve the family in your activities, it may help keep your participation up.

3. Women don't like the unknown. Think about it. From the minute we're born, we're taught to be fearful of everything. Identity theft. Assault. Animal attacks. Getting lost. Falling off a ladder and having no one find your wounded self until a week later (mom). It's hard enough to stay sane with all of this when you're in town and relatively close to assistance. Amplify these fears by asking women to show up at a trailhead they've never visited in an area they've never heard of and your participation rate will plummet. Offer carpooling as an option and not only will women show up but they are in it together and begin to function as a team from the get go.

4. Men can often hinder women in the outdoors. This is not male bashing. I love them as much as anyone and there are many awesome male outdoor leaders who really get women. BUT it's so easy to fall into our stereotypical gender roles in the outdoors. Women tend to fall back and let the men take over the navigation and decision making. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless you're trying to develop your skills and then, it's detrimental. I have met many wonderful, chivalrous men who have carried extra group weight for me, offered to make me morning coffee and set up the guy lines in a winter storm. Again, awesome! Except I didn't get better (stronger) in any of those areas because of it. Then there's the other type of guy, who can be downright condescending and kill your mojo. This guys has the potential to turn you off of the outdoors entirely. Finally, whether it be our own fault or a mans, we have this tendency to consider ourselves somehow physically inferior to men outside. We can get discouraged thinking we have to keep up with their pace or skill. These are not reasons to avoid men on your next hike but are good to keep in mind if you're headed out with your guy friends or family. Stand up for yourself. Learn your skills. Go your pace. Thank them for their chivalry and beg them to use it on every date they go on, but not with you on your hike.

5. Women are social. We really thrive off of talking, sharing and just being around other people. Being around other women, no matter their background, can be very life-giving if it's the right group. I am constantly inspired hearing the stories and adventures of other women. Invite everyone, make them feel welcome and encourage encourage encourage. The more you invite, the greater your base to draw from when you're looking for hiking partners.

 As a final note of encouragement, did you know that the average purchaser of an adventure travel trip is a 40-something woman? Did you know that on average, women take at least one trip per year just with other women? They are out there. Just ask the question, be consistent and plan. You'll have a great hiking group in no time at all.

Planning an Adventure Trip

REAL CHICKS: Planning an Adventure Trip

Marijo & Carla

One of the common elements of the Real Chicks is our love of a good adventure. Many times these adventures are close to home – a hike in a nearby state park, paddling kayaks in a local lake, etc. Other times our adventures take us further. Recently, a group of Real Chicks traveled to North Carolina on a kayaking trip that we planned ourselves. We wanted to spend some time together and wanted the opportunity to experience and/or re-experience white water kayaking. The trip was fabulous and we all had a really wonderful time. Jessie asked if we would share some tips on how to plan a successful adventure trip as well as some lessons learned the hard way. Here is what we learned:

1. Give yourself and the participants plenty of time to plan.
We started dreaming of adventures in September. We went on our trip in May. That time frame gave us plenty of time to find a guide, find accommodations, and spread the word. It also gave the participants time to arrange their schedules and budgets to accommodate the trip. The farther the distance, the more time you’ll likely need for planning.



2. If you’ve gone on a successful trip, mimic the elements that worked well.
Our first Real Chicks adventure trip was a March 2010 trip to Colorado planned by Jessie. We weren’t entirely sure what was in store for us other than some outdoor winter activities such snow shoeing and cross-country skiing, as well as the potential for tons of fun. Turns out, the trip was a huge success and bonded the group into a close knit group of friends. As we planned our NC paddling trip, we thought back to the successful elements of that trip. Breakfast was a casual, help yourself affair that worked really well. We copied that in NC and that type of meal, and its elements, have come to be known as a “RC Breakfast” to our group. In CO, we all stayed in a big cabin at a YMCA Retreat. That communal housing situation positively impacted the group dynamic in a way that separate hotel rooms never could have. When we started looking for places to stay in NC, we immediately looked for a nearby YMCA Retreat. Even though the retreat was a bit out of the way, we loved being all together and coming “home” each night. This was especially great in NC as our group splintered during the day to accommodate skill levels and other interests.



3. Find a guide you trust.
Our paddling trip was driven by our desire to experience white water kayaking and to spend time with our friends. Knowing that most of our group had never paddled on moving water before and that we’d have to travel to get to white water, we knew we’d need a guide. We wanted a guide who could create a trip that appealed to Beth, who had been in a kayak on lake approximately 4 times, as well as to April, who is an accomplished white water paddler. Of course, we wanted someone who could keep us all safe, teach us great skills, and (ideally) be someone we liked to hang out with for hours on end. When we started talking about guides, we discovered that we both had been checking out Girls at Play and its founder, Anna Levesque. Anna’s paddling resume was impressive and the philosophy of Girls at Play seemed liked it fit perfectly with our group. After we both had separate email and telephone conversations with Anna, we knew we had found our guide. Not only did she assure us she could help us create a fun trip for everyone, we were excited to spend time with her and get to know her better. She is totally a Real Chick! Once we got to NC, Anna introduced us to Mary Frances who was to be our co-guide. We promptly feel in love with Mary Frances as well!



4. You can let some details slide. Or not.
We decided to rent a car when we got to the airport in Greenville. We didn’t make reservations. When we got to Greenville, we found out that all the local universities and colleges were conducting commencement ceremonies that weekend. Rental cars were in short supply and the quoted prices were a bit outrageous. While the chicks wrangled gear and retrieved checked luggage, we got on our phones and started to find a better option. The website for one of the rental companies indicated that they had vehicles available AND at a good rate. We booked on-line standing 10 feet from the counter, got our cars, and got a good deal. However, this could have taken a really bad turn! We knew we would need vehicles as we had to drive to our cabin and drive ourselves to Anna’s the next day. Without wheels we would have been stuck. The moral of this story: if you know something is a NECESSITY, don’t leave it to chance. While it might work out, you are rolling the dice on something that could make or break your trip.



5. If you delegate, delegate all the way and stay out of it! Also, make it easy for those who are willing to help.
Two of the chicks graciously offered to meal plan and grocery shop. We quickly said “THANK YOU!” and gave them that role. However, when it came time to shop, Carla didn’t have the grocery allotment in cash to hand to them (Carla typed that sentence and takes full blame for her poor planning!) and four of us ended up on the grocery shopping trip. Maybe we were hungry, maybe we were excited, who knows. But we got A LOT of food, some things in duplicate! In addition, Elizabeth HAD to purchase the groceries as she was (graciously) allowing us to use her Whole Foods discount. This saved us a TON of money but added a step of having to reimburse Elizabeth (due to that whole lack of cash thing...). The better route would have been to set the budget, give it to Elizabeth in cash, and let her get the groceries with one other person to cut down on confusion. Things worked out in the end – we had enough food to throw an impromptu picnic lunch in the parking lot on Sunday. We hadn’t planned for that meal but, after play boating that morning, we were hungry and would have had to scrounge a meal at the airport. Instead, we had a nice little picnic with Anna and Mary Frances, finishing off our hard boiled eggs, clementines, and Luna Bars. We also were able to send some wine home with Anna & Mary Frances as a little parting gift (as well as an truly odd assortment of leftovers)!



6. Budget.
Really. Budgeting is an interesting beast. I’ve (MJ talking here) had a few attempts at budgeting for group trips and this is probably the best I did on any of them. Three things to keep in mind:

A. Overbudget. Round those budget numbers up and leave room for unexpected expenses. We were able to pick up the cost for alcohol and the car rental because we had plenty of cushion in our budget and didn’t have any unexpected expenses arise. It’s much easier to sell a trip at a slightly higher cost than have to approach your friends mid-trip asking for more money.

B. Structure your trip so everyone pays one person in advance. Its vacation, keep things simple for you and the companies you work with by not splitting everything out individually. It’ll all balance out in the end.

C. Keep a record of your expenses and reference them when you plan your next trip.



7. Communicate
The two of us have been planning events together for over a year now, little tiny events all the way to huge, national scale events. Each organization will find their own way to manage information, but one thing that will be true for any team is that communication, over communication in fact, is essential. We know exactly when we’ve stopped communicating effectively because one or the other of us will get overwhelmed with the stress of everything we are planning and the enormity of the “to-do” list. We then call a lunch meeting (or a pub meeting) and re-evaluate where we stand. As soon as we are back on the same page, the stress level goes down. Don’t make yourself hate the trip in advance due to stress over the details! Take a breath, regroup, and tackle one task at a time.



Lory State Park

 As we pulled into the park to pay our entrance fee, the ranger told us that Bracco was "the most gorgeous cattle dog ever." I knew immediately that I would like this place.

  M and I got the rare summer opportunity to take off together for the day so see some friends in Fort Collins, as well as some family who were in town. After a leisurely morning and too much time stuck in traffic, we arrived at Lory State Park for a day of swimming and sitting in the sun at Horsetooth Reservoir.

 Wherever our Fort Collins friends go, adventure follows, along with many dogs...which made Bracco a happy mutt. He spent hours running around with his little dog friends and chasing the frisbee into the water. B doesn't like going in the water over his head, which made for some hysterical frisbee retrieval attempts. I can only hope my friend, Lisa, shares the video she got of this.

  We talked, splashed, had a few beers, ate and relaxed. What a great way to spend a Saturday.

 From Lory State Park, you can hike to Arthur's Rock. It's just about a mile and a half away. There are 11 other hiking trails to take in the area ranging from easy to difficult. You can enjoy mountain biking and even some backcountry camping...which I'd love to check out sometime. There's a lot to do here and the place was hopping this weekend. There were times that the East Inlet (where we lounged) looked like an MTV Spring Break event with "party boat" after "party boat" cruising through. A little more traffic than I'd like to have seen but most of that chaos was on the water. There was NO ONE else around on the shore!

Once Again, I Am Humbled

  There must be a cosmic message trying to get through to me because I am being slammed by inspiring women left and right. I know that I am supposed to be continuing on training hikes and I swear, there's more of that coming but I need to share this.

 I received an email from a woman who found me through google (and hope she doesn't mind my sharing this). In short, she wants to hike but questions whether she is fit enough to start and is a bit intimidated by the fact that she's never hiked before. I am so impressed with her for reaching out with her questions and concerns. And to a complete stranger. Way to go, M!

 Pile this on top of what my mom wrote a few days ago and I am just completely in awe of these women who take the proverbial bull by the horns. They are adventurous and open-minded and not afraid to seek support in being who they want to be. We all need it. We should all work to provide it for others.

 This is a great reminder to reach out. There are women who would love nothing more than to find a community of supportive women to include them. In fact, we were ALL that woman at some point. I have heard many of you lament about the competitive nature of women you know in work, through your children's school, in sports etc. You have then remarked at what a wonderful community of women you have found in the Real Chicks. A group that supports one another no matter what. Solidarity, as MJ put it. But we all started with a blip of inspiration, a friend who took the time to invite us along. We were presented with an opportunity and jumped on it. We are now all reaping the benefit.

 I would challenge you to reach out in the month of August. Find a female friend, co-worker or stranger and invite her to be part of what the Real Chicks has to offer. Our message stops if we don't include new women. We our the best friends, mentors, support and teachers for one another when it comes to the outdoors. We learn more about nature and ourselves when we teach it to another. Help another woman dream big...plan an adventure. She may have never received that gift before. We need to be there to convince women, like M, that they are every bit as welcome in the outdoors, with no experience, as those of us who discovered the lifestyle years ago.

 And for you Omaha ladies, I challenge you to bring a new friend to the chicks hike in August. It's a great place to start.

Hiking is a Spiritual Journey

We interrupt our scheduled programming on training hikes for this special message from my mom. I swear I didn't ask her to say all of these nice things about me. My mom came out for a visit last week and truth be told, she inspires ME. The first time she came out, struggling with altitude and an aggressive trail, we made it about halfway up Nine Mile Mountain. The next time, she reached that peak. This time, she was a hiking/running/walking machine! While I had to work much of the time she was here, she didn't waste much time kicking back. Nope, she threw on her fancy footwear, grabbed her pack and hit the road. A lot! I took off last Thursday and we attempted the summit of Sheep (Snow) Mountain, which is comprised of 5 peaks in a row. The trail between 1st and 2nd is a killer incline, no matter your fitness. Steep is steep. We made it 1st peak in an hour. An hour after that, we made it to 2nd and opted to turn around for exhausted legs and lungs. Mom, being the trooper she is, immediately decided that on her next trip out here, we would conquer this peak...or at least get to 3rd. :) She is a great example of taking small steps to achieve a big goal. There is no age limit or fitness prerequisite for adventurers. She is a real chick hiking. Go get 'em mom!

"I’ve just returned from five days visiting my daughter, Jessie, at Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, CO. We talked and laughed, hiked and climbed. Jessie inspires me, and when I’m with her I find that I push myself just a little harder. Last week was no different. Boy did I push – about 2,000 feet upward to Second Peak of Snow Mountain. But for as hard as it is for me to get to the top, it’s just as hard to come down.


Author Paulo Coelho, in his book, The Fifth Mountain, writes that the Lord often has his prophets climb mountains to converse with Him. Coelho’s reasoning for this is that only when we are on high can we see how large the world really is, and everything else becomes small. “Our glory and our sadness lose their importance,” he writes, when we see the world from the top of a mountain.

We are small. Consider the ants. As I lean over on the steep inclines to catch my breath I notice them. They never rest but continue to climb, unquestioningly carrying the weight of a single grain of food. They don’t complain, as I am wont to do on the trail, of the toll the climb is taking on their legs, lungs, or heart, but faithfully struggle upward doing the work God has put before them.

On the mountain I know I am small. I am smaller than the ant. I can’t climb without stopping to rest; sweat dripping into my eyes and onto the ground. I struggle to breathe, my body aches, I stop mid-stride in an attempt to slow down my heartbeat. Eventually I begin asking God to flatten the path before me, to move the mountain out of my way. I want to reach the top but I want my journey to be easy.

Still I climb; fighting, pleading, rationalizing, negotiating with every step. My physical limitations give way to my mental limitations until finally, depleted of my strength, all my inadequacies exposed, I abandon myself to the trail.

And He moves. Not the mountain; He moves me. And I look up to find that I’ve reached the top.
It’s hard to come down from the mountain because I know I will be leaving a piece of myself, my weakness, behind. Maybe that’s why I climb; to get a glimpse of how much larger the world is and to remember how small I really am."

Training Hikes: The Footwear

 

As the saying goes, if your feet aren’t happy, your trip won’t be happy.

  As you begin your training, you will need well-fitting, comfortable shoes. Early on, you can probably get away with your tennis shoes but as you add distance and/or weight to your pack, that footwear is no longer built tough enough to protect your joints and back from the impact of hiking. You may want to consider a water-resistant shoe if you are hiking on backcountry or primitive trails (as opposed to “urban hiking” on sidewalks). There can be streams, mud, even horse manure (It’s happened to me- thank goodness for Gore-Tex) that you don’t want seeping into your socks. If you’re not concerned about precipitation, think about sweat. If you’re the sweaty-foot type, bring a change of socks for your midway point. Wet feet are more prone to blistering and, of course, trench foot.

  The terrain you hike will dictate the type of footwear you should be wearing. Big rocks on trail might require you to wear a more heavy-duty boot, with a reinforced toe box. Gravel may mean you want a stickier sole on your shoe. Lots of brush could point you toward a higher boot so as to avoid morning moisture, stickers and scrapes. You don’t need a shoe for every possible obstacle you might encounter, just a pair or two depending on what you aspire to. Also, the more weight you carry, the more important it becomes to have good ankle support. Your local reputable gear shop can assist you in figuring out which type of shoe will be the most well-rounded for what you’re hoping to accomplish in training.

  Please don't purchase new boots and jump into a 50 mile hike the next day. Start by wearing them around the house to make sure they fit and feel comfortable. Work them into your shoe rotation with low mileage hikes, building over time to that 50 miler. The stiffer the sole, the more time you need to spend breaking in your footwear. If you're headed out to hike the Inca Trail, buy your boots early in your training so they fit like a glove by the time you arrive in Peru. Here is where we have to break "new school supply" thinking. Remember when you were a kid and every August you got to pick out those shiny new crayons, Lisa Frank folders and pencils? You compared them against your friends new stuff on the first day. Yeah, don't do that with hiking gear. New is not better on trail. In fact, more broken in is usually better. No one will be impressed if you arrive at a trail head with clean, white shoes as they will see that it probably means they'll be stopping for your blistered and sore feet often.That said, have a well worn pair of boots re-waterproofed, check the treads and sole structure and perhaps get some new laces before you take them out again (or pack an extra pair-they can have many backcountry uses). If we're talking the ancient pair, it might at least be worth your time to get a new pair of insoles to revive their support. Take care of your feet and they will carry you many miles.

When we're talking footwear, just remember you don't want any surprises, no matter how old/new your boots are. Try them out close to home before trekking them abroad.