In just fourteen days, we’re heading out on the trail in Maine! The freeze dryer is still humming along! We’re in the final stages of getting everything ready, especially since I’ll be in Chicago for work next week. I was bummed to hear that the cherry orchid didn’t produce any cherries this past year because of the freeze. We ended…
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Foothills Trail Journey: Tackling Ticks and Camping Challenges
This past weekend, we backpacked 21 miles on the Foothills Trail and made a loop using the Chattooga trail to make a loop. This area is COVERED in Lone Star ticks. We pilled over 50 ticks off of us and Ghost. After washing our shirts, there was still one alive and kicking, too. You have to use boiling water to…
Easter Weekend Camping: Gear, Food, and Scenic Trails
We took off work a little early from work on Friday so that we could get to the trailhead and get to a campsite. We needed to get back early Saturday so that we could celebrate Easter with Sean. It’s been hard fitting in backpacking around our work schedule, that’s for sure. I want to make sure that I’m in…
Exploring Bald River Falls Gorge and Scenic Trails
We had an AMAZING weekend. While things did not go according to plan, we still got a great backpacking adventure into the weekend. The campsite we were originally going to be staying at ended up being closed. It happens sometimes. We get there and the bar is down, blocking the entrance. We had originally planned on staying at Holly Flats…
Exploring the Sam Knob Loop Trail
Last week at work was a beast! I got home from South Carolina Friday at 8:30pm. We had already packed our backpacks because we knew I’d be getting in late. We made a fairly quick turn around and headed to Brevard, NC. We did not roll in to Brevard until after midnight. Whew! This backpacking trip was worth the late…
Repurposing an Old Jacket into Insulated Food Pouches
We have been wanting to get food insulation pouches for quite some time, but never got around to it. You can get them for $15- $50, ranging from simple to fancy. They are not hard to find in stores or online. The insulated bags help freeze-dried food rehydrate better and keep it hot longer. I cannot attest to the fact…
Backpacking Adventure: Carvers Gap to US 19E Recap
This past weekend, we backpacked from Carvers Gap to US 19E. We tracked our hiking miles and it ended up being a total of 17 miles. We did hike to a few water sources. Most guide books say the hike is around 15 miles. Our 17 miles did not include any walking around campsites or anything off trail. We got…
Top Benefits of Using Grayl Geopress: Cleaner Water on Your Adventures
I am so excited about the Grayl Geopress! While we already own a Sawyer Squeeze water filter, we decided to give the Geopress a try. The biggest reason is that it filters out viruses as well as bacteria and other pathogens. We’ve recently experienced some pretty nasty things while hiking. Dirty diapers left right at the base of a waterfall,…
Healing Through Nature: My Journey to Section Hike the Appalachian Trail
I am in South Carolina for work this week and have done a lot of driving. It’s a big state! I was in Myrtle Beach yesterday and this morning. I am now in Columbia. As I drive around for work, I listen to quite a few podcasts. If you have not checked out the Huberman Lab podcast, you need to!…
Hiking with Ear Issues: My Experience. Gear Part II.
Yesterday, we loaded our packs and headed to Hanging Rock State Park. At just over a mile on the trail, I continued to get dizzy and ended up throwing up 3 times. Not fun. I did make it back and carried my own pack over a mile after this. Whew. Do not recommend! While we were at Red River Gorge,…
My Little Red Bike 