Hike in Comfort
If you plan on going on a hiking trip, you’ve probably made some of the preparations: you have an idea of where you’re going and how long you’ll be there. But when it comes to the “crunch time” of really packing up and being totally prepared to head out, many people find that they’ve put off too much until the last minute.
That’s why you’ll want to start getting your feet ready today. With these five tips, you’ll build up both foot muscle and skin strength so that you can enjoy the hiking trip for the fresh air and views without thinking about your feet.
1. Walk barefoot as much as possible going into the trip.
Many of us walk around with socks and sandals, even around the house, and while this makes us more comfortable, it doesn’t exactly put a lot of stress on the feet. Why is this a bad thing? You want to put a little stress on them to get them stronger and work them up to a toughness that you’ll need once you finally hit the outdoors.
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2. Trim your nails and check for possible ingrown nails.
Toenails grow slowly, so it’s sometimes tempting to ignore them. But before you go hiking, trimming your nails will help you to avoid jamming them and breaking them. Check for ingrown nails as well – if your toes look clear and are pain-free, chances are you don’t have any. Get your toenails round and short.
3. Exercise with your feet.
Even a little bit of walking every day will help you get your feet used to activity. For the more ambitious, you could try small hikes and jogs, but as long as you’re working out and using those feet muscles, you should be pretty good.
4. Wear comfortable, thick socks.
This can go without saying, but it’s worth the reminder: socks are crucial to keeping your feet comfortable. Test out a few before going and make sure they don’t hole up easily. You might even test them by going outside and using them – just make sure to wash them again!
5. Make sure your shoes are comfortable.
This will depend on your feet type and the type of terrain you plan on tackling, but if you have a pair of shoes or boots that you’ve taken hiking before and don’t put unnecessary strain on your feet, you’re off to a good start. Don’t bring a brand new pair of shoes on your hiking trip, as these sometimes need “breaking in” time and can give your feet blisters.
Photo Credits: David Plotzki
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 28, 2012 in
hiking, hiking tips
Give others space.
Before you head out on your next fishing trip, it will pay to know some of the rules of common courtesy. If you’ve been noticing other fisherman glare at you while you’re out and don’t know why, it’s possible you may have been violating some of the unwritten rules of fishing – or even some local laws. To make sure that you are more courteous the next time you’re out looking for Muskie, here are some rules of common courtesy you’ll want to follow.
1. Give other fishers their space. Fishing is often a territorial sport, so if you crowd another fisherman or bring your boat too close to theirs, you’re being obnoxious. You’re also being dangerous, as you want to keep plenty of space between each boat. Some potential consequences to fishing too close together can include scaring away the fish they were trying to catch and creating a wavey wake that throws the other fisherman off their balance. Be sure to keep your distance.
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2. At early morning and evening, keep your engines quiet. There’s nothing more frustrating to a fisherman than to find an area of good fishing at 6 o’clock in the morning, only to have someone with a speed boat come zooming through the bay and scaring away all of the day’s catch. You don’t always have to keep your engines perfectly quiet just to make fisherman happy, but try to be courteous.
3. Throw a few back. Don’t come into their lake and catch up all the fish. You might think this makes you look good in front of other fisherman, but they’ll only resent you for showing them up. Be sure to throw a few fish back – including some large ones if you have caught some already – to keep the sport in the area alive.
4. Respect the professionals. If you’re in an area where there are professional fisherman around, be sure to give them plenty of space out of respect for their livelihood. This doesn’t always apply to inland lakes, but in coastal areas, you’ll see a lot of commercial fishing boats and you don’t want to get in the way of them and putting food on their family’s table.
5. When in doubt, think. If you’re getting glares, ask yourself, “would I be annoyed if I were them?” Try to put yourself in their shoes and see if your behavior’s been obnoxious. You can’t please everybody all the time, but you can work to be more thoughtful.
Photo Credits: bugeaters
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 27, 2012 in
fishing, fishing tips
Short camping trip or long camping trip?
If you enjoy camping, is it better to go camping on a weekend, or to take a full week-long vacation out into the wilderness? The answer might seem obvious: people who enjoy camping should take as much time camping as they possible can, right? But when you consider the advantages and disadvantages of both, you might just gain a new perspective. Here are some variables to consider.
Time Off
When you go camping for a vacation, it can make a great vacation, but it’s still a vacation. That means you have to take time off of work, plan to take your family traveling, and manage all of your affairs so you can have the week off. No problem, right? For many people, this is an ideal situation, and if you love camping vacations, there’s no reason to stop now.
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But consider this: what if you’d rather spend your vacation time relaxing on a beach in the Caribbean, or enjoying the Pacific breeze during a Hawaii vacation? This means less time for camping, unless you organize your schedule and go overnight camping during a few spring-through-fall weekends. If you embrace overnight camping, you can enjoy yourself in little bits and pieces without having to eat up your vacation days at work.
Your Level of Expertise
Unless you plan on renting an RV for your entire camping trip, your level of camping expertise will have a dramatic effect on your ability to camp for a week. If you’ve never gone camping before, you can expect to meet a few surprises throughout the week. They won’t all be pleasant ones. Camping is a skill, and if you decide to match your wits against nature for the first time over one week, you may find that nature often wins.
What’s a great way to build this skill? Camping overnight on the weekends until you feel comfortable building fires, setting up camp, and cooking your food.
If, however, you know that your level of expertise is more advanced, you can have a great time vacationing all week – and in fact may find that’s the only way to camp for you.
What works best for you? A true camping enthusiast may find that including both overnight camping on the weekends and week-long camping vacations is the best way to go, and the only way to continue to get your fix!
Photo Credits: ames sf
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 26, 2012 in
camping
Geting ready to set up.
For anyone living the rustic life on a far-off campsite as their yearly vacation, the trick to camping isn’t necessarily living off of the land: it’s living in your tent. If you were prudent, you brought along a tent that you know how to set up, effectively holds out moisture and insects, and provides a comfortable shelter for you and yours on your camping trip. But what if you’ve never tried it before? Here are some brief tips for setting up a tent the next time you go camping.
First, there are two ways to prepare, and you’ll want to try both of them. The first is to make sure you have a good tent in hand. If an old camping tent is available, make sure to take it out before your trip: check for holes, tears, and anything else that might compromise the tent’s functions as a shelter. If you don’t have an old tent lying around, make sure that you do plenty of research in order to find the best and most cost-effective tent available near you.
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Once you have a tent in hand, you’ll want to make sure you know to set it up. Nothing is more frustrating than traveling all the way out to your campsite, only to find out that one small part of the instructions doesn’t make any sense and is ruining your experience. By taking out your tent and setting it up in the front yard a week or so before you go camping, you can work out those kinks ahead of time. If you get stuck at any one particular point, you can take the time to figure it out in a situation in which you don’t actually need the shelter.
Setting up a tent usually relies on a few things: stakes, tent poles, and the tent tarp. Most tent structures are established by having you drive a few stakes into the ground. These stakes will typically have something attached to them – such as a loop – that the tent poles can then essentially “plug in” to, allowing the poles to bend and create a dome-like skeleton over your head.
Once this skeleton is complete, you follow the tent instructions and lay the tarp over the skeleton, making sure that it’s properly laid out and attached in every area. Then you’re free to unzip the door and climb in.
Each tent is different, but if you know how to put up a tent, you’ll have a head start the next time you take the family out to the woods. Just make sure you’ve read the directions already!
Photo Credits: candescent
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 25, 2012 in
camping, camping tips
Best Hiking Trails Reviewed
Hikers of the world, unite! Don’t just unite, find the best place to do unite, then hike it. We live in an amazing world that’s brimming with ideal hiking spots and camping spots, but there are a number of hiking spots that attract people from all over.
If you plan on taking a vacation to some of the best hiking spots in the United States, you might want to consult this list first. Finding the best hiking spots isn’t just about knowing where the most people go – it’s about choosing an experience that is best suited for you and your family. With that in mind, here are the top five hiking spots in America:
5. The Tahoe Rim Trail – Nevada and California
Lake Tahoe has long been a top destination for wilderness lovers, but how many people are aware of the Tahoe Rim Trail? Well, now you are. This versatile trail blazes its way through two states, a state park, three national forests, and six counties. Thanks to trails like the Tahoe Rim, there’s always enough adventure out there for the both of us.
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4. Avenue of the Giants – California
It’s scary-sounding, but actually quite serene and beautiful: the Avenue of the Giants in Northern California takes you through giant Redwood trees and near the North Coast. Littered with campgrounds, nearby towns and villages, restaraunts and other attractions, this also represents an ideal vacation spot that just happens to include some breathtaking hiking trails.
3. Yellowstone – Wyoming
One of the world’s most famous parks is also home to some of the world’s best trails, a true reserve of wildlife that sees the Earth kept in almost perfect, serene order. It’s also a versatile destination, with attractions that range from geysers to rolling hills and steep, challenging hiking trails.
2. Glacier Gorge (Estes Park) – Colorado
You’ll think you’ve stepped of the hiking trail and into a travel magazine when you check out glacier gorge, a destination in Colorado that includes scenery like waterfalls and wild flowers. You’ll also want to be sure to bring your camera for this trip: there will be too many opportunities for beautiful pictures to pass up.
1. The Bright Angel Trail (Grand Canyon) – Arizona
The ancient, astounding wonders Grand Canyon also just so happen to make for great hiking trails, and perhaps none are better than the Bright Angel Trail. The Bright Angel Trail is located on the south rim of the canyon and descends 4,380 feet into the canyon itself, providing breathtaking scenery along the way.
With any trail on the Grand Canyon, however, you can’t go wrong:Â Bright Angel Point Trail is located on the north rim, the River Trail, and the Plateau Point Trail are just some of the trails exploring the Grand Canyon.
Photo Credit: Globe Travelers
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 24, 2012 in
hiking trails
The holidays seem to roll around earlier and earlier every year. The Christmas season starts before Thanksgiving, Spring Break seems to go on through March and April, and everyone has a birthday rolling around the corner. If you’ve got a hiker in your family, you know what kinds of gifts to buy, but you don’t have any specific ideas on what might be applicable for those special occasions.
That’s why you’ll want to consult this list of gift ideas for your hiker – it not only takes a look at the life of an active hiker who can’t get out into the wilderness enough, but it also might open up some other ideas that you hadn’t originally anticipated. Here are some great gift ideas for your favorite hiker:
- Solar-powered battery and gadget chargers – There are too many to list here, but a quick search around the Internet will yield a treasure trove of sunlight-sucking energy boosters for cell phones, iPods, and all sorts of electronic gadgets that hikers often take with them. This is an especially apt gift for the hiker in your life that likes to push his or her boundaries, get deep into the forrest and take day-long jaunts into the unknown: it always helps to have some extra energy for the cell-phone around, just in case.
- A GPS device – Unless your hiker is the outdoorsy type who needs to get away from technology to relax, the GPS device is an especially appropriate gift that will help your hiker get some air under his/her wings. GPS navigation systems can be worn on watches or handheld devices, and have even expanded to include features like barometers and weather prediction. It’s possible you have enough trouble getting your hiker back into the house as it is, but don’t rule out a handy GPS device that takes the guesswork out of hiking.
- Lightweight, weight-balancing backpacks – While hiking is great exercise, it can also present some unduly stress on the back. Keep an eye peeled for backpacks with enforcement that shifts the balance of weight to a more appropriate place in the body, closer to the center of gravity and the hips, rather than on the shoulders and back. These should also typically be lightweight items with enough carrying space to satisfy your hiker.
- Wool socks – Please note that this is more of a stocking-stuffer than an actual gift: it really doesn’t get much more boring than socks. But socks that wick away sweat, keep your feet dry, and don’t itch are as practical as they are thoughtful; the kind of gift that you don’t appreciate fully until you put them into use.
These are just a few of the potential gifts you could buy the hiker in your life. To find more gift ideas, feel free to browse the web, look for customer product reviews, and ask yourself what your hiker would want or need.
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 23, 2012 in
camping equipment
Make some S'mores!
Let’s face it: even on your most active day of camping – fishing, hiking, boating, building fires – there’s still going to be some downtime. After all, even the U.S. Marines enjoy a certain amount of free time every day. If your day has been active enough, you might only want to spend your downtime eating and resting, but if you have a little bit of reserve energy, you might just feel a little bored. Here’s how you can cure that boredom out on the campsite.
- Constellation spotting – Constellation guide books are easy to buy. If you’ve never really done any serious stargazing, you should feel free to take a gander up at the stars and try to identify as many constellations as possible. If you’re exhausted from activities all day, you can even do this on your back. Just be careful that you don’t fall asleep outdoors! Stars are clearer out in the country, where there’s less light interference here on Earth to drown them out.
- Roasting marshmallows – This is perhaps the hallmark camping activity. Roasting marshmallows doesn’t take a lot: a fire, a stick, a marshmallow, and of course some graham crackers and chocolate bars to go with it. You can even make S’mores for everyone else if they’re too tired to do anything, seeing if you can get your marshmallow at just the right temperature.
- Talk – The campfire is one of the greatest places to have a conversation. Not in it, of course, but around it as everyone gathers. There is a certain psychiatrist’s-office effect in looking at the fire and not directly at anyone else: after all, it might be dark anyway. Talking around the campfire is usually done with friends, so the conversations tend to get a little deeper than smalltalk. Of course, there is nothing more engrossing than a good conversation, and you can do it while sitting in a chair under a blanket.
- Play cards – A flat surface and some willing participants are all you need for this easy activity. Oh, and a deck of cards, of course. A quick game of poker can be great for just before bedtime, and nighttime means that it will be harder for others to see your cards.
The spirit of “downtime” usually means that people aren’t exactly willing to volunteer for a lot of exercise-heavy activities. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself while sitting down or even lying down.
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 22, 2012 in
camping, camping tips
Anchors away!
For the fancy yacht owner, dropping anchor can be an incredibly easy thing – some anchors will operate at the push of a button. For the rest of us in speed boats, pontoon boats, or fishing boats, dropping anchor is a little bit more work to say the least. So if you’re taking out a boat for the first time and decided you need to drop anchor, how do you make sure you do it without embarrassing yourself or doing some damage to the boat? Here is a quick guide to dropping anchor.
First, choose your spot. You’ll want to go somewhere where you have an idea of the water’s depth: this will help you know how far the anchor needs to go. It’s one thing to drop your anchor in shallows, it’s another to drop it deep. You can also choose a spot based on where the fishing is. You don’t necessarily need to know the water depth, but if you have a good idea, it helps.
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Next, prepare the boat. Slow down to your spot, stopping momentum so that you don’t drift away while you’re preparing the anchor. You’ll also want to consider any currents or tides so that you know where your boat will end up after you’ve dropped anchor. Make a mental note of where your anchor is so that you can position your boat accordingly. Remember that anchor ropes will generally become taut when there is a current present, and that your boat will likely drift in a certain direction.
Once you’ve prepared your boat and have slowed down, it’s time to get your anchor ready. Most anchors will be tied to ropes; make sure both ends are secure. The rope should be adequately attached to both your boat and your anchor. You’ll also want to check the rope itself: is it knotted? Is it attached to anything that might go overboard if the rope dragged it over? Make sure the rope is clear of these things before you drop anchor.
Next, hold the rope over the anchor over the side of the boat and begin gently sliding it into the water. Once you have a bunch of rope cleared, you’ll be able to let it slide faster. Don’t simply throw it over. Don’t let the rope slide over your hands – you don’t want to get rope burn.
Once you’ve dropped the anchor and you feel it hit the bottom, it’s up to you to decide how much give it gets. You can tie the rope around a safe notch in your boat – many boats have a place on the side where you can do this. Or you can throw the rest of the rope overboard and let the current take you a bit further.
Photo Credits: FourthFloor
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 20, 2012 in
boating
Hike with your Dog
Have you ever gone out on a hike by your lonesome – or with a friend – feeling guilty at the prospect of leaving Man’s Best Friend home alone?
There’s no reason to feel guilty, particularly as you can even start bringing your dog along with you on your hikes. Doing so will help you bond with your dog, bringing you both into a situation where you feel somewhat dependent on each other to keep going. With your dog with you, you won’t have to exit the house to the pattering of Fido scratching on the wall, hoping to come along.
But before you do bring your dog on a hike, make sure to follow these tips and guidelines:
- Make sure your dog has all the vaccination he/she requires. You might already have this covered, but it bears mentioning because of the unpredictability of introducing a dog back into the elements. If you’re not sure, make sure to call or check with a veterinarian before you bring your dog hiking with you.
- Get your dog in shape. Just like you wouldn’t expect yourself to tackle Mount Everest after many years as a couch potato, you can’t simply expect your dog will be in hiking shape, even if you take daily walks. Introduce your dog to hiking with a small hike to begin with – this will both help them get into shape and familiarize them with the environment you’ll be bringing them in to.
- Bring a leash. This is often required at certain hiking trails, but even if not, you’ll want to make sure you have control over your dog. You never know what kind of critter might come along and steal away your dog’s attention. Even if you have a good verbal command over your dog and leashes aren’t required, bring a leash the first couple of times just to be sure. You can always let go of the leash if the dog wants to go explore.
- Remember that you’re drinking for two. Don’t forget that your dog, just like you, will need to keep hydrated, particularly on hot summer days. This might mean a little extra packing. If your dog pants heavily, it’s a fair sign that he or she is already getting dehydrated and needs some water.
- Consider your dog to be like bring a smaller person along with you. How would you prepare to bring another person along with you? You’d need extra supplies of the same things like food and water, yes, but you’ll also need to be prepared with a first aid kit.
Following these simple guidelines a few times will get you used to the idea of taking your dog with you on your excursions into the woods and the great outdoors. But as with anything, make sure you and your dog are ready before you start embarking on your adventures.
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Photo Credit:phxpma
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 19, 2012 in
hiking
Long hike.
Anyone who has taken up a hobby on more than a semi-regular basis knows that with each hobby or endeavor, there are typically certain words that develop known only to the community devoted to that hobby. Hiking is no different, and if you want to become a truly avid hiker, you’re going to have to speak the language. Don’t worry; this isn’t like learning Spanish. It simply means picking up some basic hiking terms, some of which are listed here.
- Day Packs: Day packs are like smaller versions of backpacks that you’ll use for a common hiking jaunt, packing only what you need for a day’s worth. Backpacks are more suitable for more long-distance hikes and for the different activity of backpacking.
- “From the Skin Out” or FSO Weight: As the title suggests, “from the skin out” refers to everything you’re carrying with you that you weren’t born with. In other words, FSO weight includes everything you’re carrying, from your sunglasses and clothes to your backpack and hiking stick.
- Packweight: Different from “From the skin out” weight, the packweight refers to the actual backpack you’re carrying itself. Don’t include food and water in this weight: simply refer to the actual weight of your backpack.
- Pronation/supination: Both of these refer to the angle at which your foot hits the ground. Pronation refers to rotating your foot inward; supination refers to rotating your foot outward. These are also popular terms with runners, who need to make sure that their form is ideal for the pounding that their feet will take. As you can imagine, this is also important for hikers.
- Guiding stars: Guiding starts are ways that help you find your direction at night; they’re different in the northern and southern hemispheres. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, you’ll look for the North Star; if you’re in the southern hemisphere, try to find the Southern Cross.
- Cairn: A formation of rocks or simply a pile of rocks that helps indicate the direction of the trail. Needless to say, keeping on your trail is of vital importance to a hiker that doesn’t want to get lost.
These terms simply work as some “basic” hiking terminology: if you want to learn more, simply remain exposed to the hiking community and you’ll pick up more advanced terms. Don’t be embarrassed to ask another hiker what a term might refer to; after all, we all had to learn them at some point or another.
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Photo Credits:
Rick McCharles
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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on January 18, 2012 in
hiking
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