-
Are You A Backpacker?
When we think of the term “backpacker,” we probably get a particular image in our heads: someone walking solo through Europe, going from town to town after graduating from college and hoping to discover something about themselves.
Okay, maybe our image of the backpacker isn’t that specific, but we do know one thing: being a backpacker isn’t limited to the profound. Backpacking is also about integrating hiking and camping into one enjoyable, relaxing activity that helps you get out of the world for a few days and cut loose. Spending the occasional weekend on a backpacking trip doesn’t mean you’ve mentally checked out; instead, it means you’re simply recharging your batteries.
With that in mind, ask yourself a few questions to determine whether or not you have the personality of a backpacker, and you’ll understand in a few minutes whether you have it within you.
-Do you function well alone, or at least feel the yearning to get away from things?
You might have a busy and active social life, but sometimes taking “time off” doesn’t only refer to work. Spending a day or two camping by yourself can be totally reinvigorating, especially if you’re used to the hustle and bustle of a highly active social life. If a break from “people” sounds as welcoming as a break from work, you might want to spend a weekend backpacking, if even just to try it out.
-Do you enjoy camping?
You don’t need to enjoy being alone to be a backpacker; often, you can spend a backpacking trip with a friend or loved on. If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, you come to another question: how much do you really like camping out under the stars. To some people, the novelty of sleeping directly under the clouds or under a tent is refreshing and welcoming. To others, they can only think about how many canisters of bug repellant they’ll have to bring. If camping out without breaking the bank sounds good to you, you might have the personality of a backpacker.
-Do you want to learn self-sufficiency?
Sometimes, you don’t need to be predestined as a backpacker; you can develop those skills by backpacking! Learning self-sufficiency is a great skill, especially to people entering college or the work force. For you youngsters who want a taste of what it will be like to depend on yourself for your livelihood, a simple “one-weekend trial” can be a big step forward.
Do any of these personality types sound like you? If so, consider giving backpacking a try. You’ll enjoy your own cooked food, clear summer nights, and sometimes a more developed relationship with a loved one.
Photo Credits: Mat Honan
-
How to Handle Adverse Weather on a Hike
On an unstable day, the weather can turn from good to bad before you know it. If you’re out hiking and you start noticing the skies turning dark, or the first few drops of rain, it can be very intimidating. In order to weather the storm and remain calm, it will help to know how to handle adverse weather even when you’re outdoors on a hike. Here’s how you can do it.
Prevention. Understand the nature of prevention: you don’t want to be the person who’s stuck in a blizzard telling himself “I wish I’d listened to the weather reports.” Prevention means fixing a situation before it happens is not the sexiest way to avoid an emergency, but it is the most effective. The words “safety first” always apply here – adventure can come when the weather ain’t so bad.
Does that mean bad weather is totally avoidable? Of course not. But having an understanding of the weather, including the weather reports and the signs from nature itself, will help you better stay out of a potentially troubling situation.
Understand the clouds. Reading the clouds is perhaps the strongest indicator of weather if you don’t have any sophisticated instruments like a barometer with you. A cloudless day can indicate high pressure – usually meaning that you’re in the clear for the immediate future. If the sky turns cloudy in a hurry, that can signify the drop in pressure that comes with an approaching storm. Be sure to keep an eye on the clouds in order to better understand what’s headed your way.Checking the clouds for their speed and direction will also tell you where they’re being “pushed,” which should give you an idea of where the weather will be coming from. The winds can vary from day to day, so don’t necessarily expect a storm to come from “where they always do.”
If you don’t have any weather reports, ask anyone you see for them. You can read the clouds all day, but a weather report will help you understand the immediate threat of weather. Ask anyone near you for the weather report; if everyone is headed for home, that might be a good indication that you probably should, too.
Handling the weather means being able to read it as best you can, and being prepared to high-tail it out of there once you realize what might be headed your way. Remember: safety first.
Photo Credits: ingo.ronner
