hikingafter40

Back when my boys were small, I used to go Black Friday shopping with my best mate, Liz.  We would leave the house at 4AM, go to WaWa and get coffees, and I had planned a route to all the stores (mostly KB Toys, Toys R Us, Kohls, and Macy's).  It wasn't unlike planning a backpacking trip. In some years, we even had a driver to cart our post turkey butts around. My kids got older, and I no longer needed to buy overpriced toys on sale.  My teenagers don't ask for a lot.  They want books and experiences. I may not have taught them how to tie their shoes properly, but I am so happy that they learned that the greatest gifts are the people in our lives and the memories we make together. This year, instead of shopping, I joined forces with the backpacking outfitter, REI, to offer an #OptOutside hike on Black Friday through my MeetUp group for new hikers.   REI takes a great financial risk by being closed on the most major shopping holiday in our culture, so...

Yesterday, I wanted to hike, but my son, Sharpie Boy, who is Autistic and has CP as a result of an infant stroke, was having none of it.  Nothing is more miserable than hiking with someone who hates it, so I didn't force him to go. Instead, he wanted to go to Taco Bell.  The kid clearly has a stomach made of steel. I get very depressed when I can't get outside.  The weather has been horrible, so it was the first nice day to get out, and I was stuck at a Taco Bell. But, this is the life of a parent with a child with special needs.  He appreciated getting to choose our activity, and 3 burritos later, he was all smiles. So, instead, I went hiking today. Alone. This is actually my favorite way to hike.  I like to camp with others, but I prefer to hike alone. I can go at my own pace, stop when I want, take a million pictures when I want, and I am not holding anyone up or going too fast. I did a section in New Jersey that I have done about 10 times as...

Bucket List: Hike the Grand Canyon There is a phrase used in hiking that some people love and some people hate. Hike Your Own Hike Sometimes referred to as HYOH, the phrase pretty much means do your hike the way you want it.  On a trail like the AT or the PCT, you will meet up with people who are experts about everything, but at the end of your day, it's your own hike you are hiking, so own it. This phrase really applies to all hiking.  You don't have to be a thru hiker, section hiker, flip flop hiker, or master hiker to embrace the sentiment.  Just hike your own hike.  Just keep in mind that hiking YOUR hike doesn't mean you get to dictate how others hike THEIR hike .  So, what's your hiking style? Purpose Everyone sets out with a hiking purpose.  Some people want to hike for fitness.  Others want to hike for the nature.  Some just don't want to sit home.  For me, hiking is about getting away from technology.  I use techn...

Ribbon Snake, NJ Your hike is planned, and you are ready to hit the trail.  Here are some quick tips to make sure the hike is amazing.  If you are planning your first hike, check out my post on planning i t.  If you are wondering what to wear hiking, check out my post on clothing . Other Tips: Anti-Chafe Balm ~ for short hikes, I've never needed this, BUT for longer hikes, rub this goodness all over your feet and under and between your hooters or man parts.  You will be thankful.  The best kind that I've found is Bodyglide at REI (it's cheaper at REI than Target).  Rub that all over yourself.  Be liberal.  You can buy more. Noise Makers ~ Bears and snakes and bobcats are just as (if not more) afraid of you as you are of them.  Have something on your pack that makes a little noise, little bells or clanky things.  They have much better hearing than we do, so they will hear it and they will stay away.  Always carry a whist...

Farrington Lake, East Brunswick, NJ So, you want to plan a short day hike but have no clue where to start.  No worries!  I got your 6. If you have been hiking before, even if it was a million years ago, you have some idea of what to expect.  You will go on a path, following trail signs, end up somewhere cool, and then head back. If you've never been hiking before or if someone else planned the hiking trips you were on, you might not know where to start.  Below are some tips to get you moving: Start with Clear and Reasonable Expectations   Sure, we all want to climb Mt. Everest (well, I actually don't...I like trees and stuff), but your first hike out shouldn't be to something requiring uber training and skill.  One of the greatest mistakes new hikers make is trying to do a hike that is too hard.  Then the hike really sucks, and then hiking becomes a thing of the past. Plan, Plan, Plan Start with a short, well known trail that is...

Manasquan Reservoir, Manasquan, NJ Since I've started a Meetup Group for folks over 40 who either want to start hiking or get back to hiking, I get a ton of questions about hiking.  I am grateful that they feel they can ask me because we've all met those know-it-all hikers that can't be bothered by our silly questions.  So, for those of you new to hiking or just getting back to hiking, here are my quick "ground rules."  I am not a hiking expert by any stretch, but these are some of the rules that have made my hikes happy. Plan Plan Plan (but also plan flexibility) Before you head to the hills, print out a map, laminate it if you can, and store it in a plastic bag.  Tell people where you are going and what trails you will be using.  Have an emergency plan.  Think about your clothing, your food, water, and how you will practice Leave No Trace (this is a fancy way of saying taking your used toilet paper home with you).  Have some back up plans i...

Manasquan Reservoir, Manasquan, NJ So, it's a bit of a debate.  I started hiking as a teenager, worked for a sleep-away Girl Scout camp in Eastern PA for two summers, and hiked a crap ton till I got married, had babies, and sat on my butt for 18 years. But, what I remember loving about hiking was the beauty of it.  Literally, every step is gorgeous.  I've never been a racer.  I don't need to be the first to the top.  In fact, I don't even need to get to the top.  For me, the experience, the nitty gritty of the journey, is the beautiful part.  It's fantastic to get to the top of a mountain, don't get wrong.  But, if the mountain is Everest, I am happy to go to the base and look up and love the beauty of God's Earth.  I don't have that competitive edge to be the first one there.  I don't need to make record time.  I'm not in it for that. Don't get me wrong.  I don't judge people who have the need to climb every mountain ...