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Backcountry Sports:  I love to hike...  |
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catscharm74
outbound
35 Posts
35 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 09:13:44 AM
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| My favorite activity is to hike...I could spend HOURS doing this. When I find a good spot, I love to swim too and it great to cool off after a long hike. I am trying to keep my body fit the natural way- no gyms or weird excercise programs. I was a very active kid and I was pretty fit. I am also trying to set a good example for my DS. I want him to love the outdoors. I am starting yoga too just to get a good stretch. What do you like to do??? |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 11:50:36 AM
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I also love staying fit by being outside - hiking, working, whatever. But I'm REALLY looking forward to canoeing again. I grew up playing on the rivers around here, and now that I'm back, I can't wait for summer! I love the babble of the water on the cool aluminum belly of the boat, swimming, fishing...Have you ever seen a group of turtles out sunning themselves on a log in the middle of an Ozark stream? It is a beautiful, comical thing. They all pile up big and small, one on top of the next, until the last turtle to reach the log can only get its head and forelegs up out of the water. And there they will stay, unless one gets antsy, until their dark green shells bake dusty gray in the sun. As kids, my sis and I would glide along until we got right up next to a log and holler “Turtle soup!” Turtles of all shapes and sizes would topple off the sides in a big splashy ruckus and paddle off through the river, their shadows floating across a bed of sun-dappled stones.
Love it!
The View From My Boots
www.bovesboots.blogspot.com
"The earth is your grandmother and mother, and she is sacred. Every step that is taken upon her should be as a prayer." - Black Elk, Lakota |
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westernhorse51
outthinking
6 Posts
michele
farmingdale
nj
USA
6 Posts |
Posted - Mar 21 2007 : 5:21:40 PM
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| I love hiking also. My friend & I used to meet up at least once a year & hike the Green Mountains. I miss that. One year we hiked N.Y. State, had a great time but ended the hike at the wineries! |
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 04:33:22 AM
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Hiking is sorta of a given with the word backcountry sports.
Ya got to hike to the caves,overhangs, rock walls, and sometimes ya get the best little dose of a walk... time to portage a canoe .
I canoe, prefer sailing. Ever set up a sail with your canoe paddles?
What is the longest expedition, hike you have taken? |
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Meg
Moderator/MaryJane's Farmgirl
11 Posts
Meg
11 Posts |
Posted - Mar 25 2007 : 09:28:28 AM
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For me, there is something about hiking into a location without access to any other mode of transportation and all I need right on my back that feels so wonderful. With all that I seem to 'need' in my life, it is so grand to take a break from it all.
The longest hike I've done in one day was 18 miles out. On the way in we did it in two days but my boyfriend at the time had a new 'waterproof' tent and he kept wishing for a deluge to test it out. Well, we got one and the tent was water resistant. So out we hiked in the pouring rain and it was a big challenge for me...I remember just looking down at my boots and we hiked through the mud and rain streams and thinking over and over, my mom did this same hike with a 75 lb. pack multiple times! And I daydreamed about what meal I was going to treat myself to...steak and potatoes...or maybe grilled shrimp and a big fresh salad...or maybe strawberry shortcake overflowing with strawberries.
I am proud I did it...it's on that master list of little things that I've wanted to accomplish but didn't know if I could. But I will admit I do prefer to stick to the five mile hikes...much more leisurely.
MaryJane's daughter,
Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Mar 27 2007 : 08:37:13 AM
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Well now I've gotta try the canoe paddle sail idea, Ellen! Of course, then, my only real excercise at all will be portaging (unless kid-wrangling counts as a backcountry sport). I remember our first gentle, easy float with our 1st daughter, Rita, when she was 2. I was petrified of having her on the water, but that aspect turned out to be a breeze. It was the poopy diaper explosion, jungly woods portage, and broken glass on the gravel bar that caused me the most panic.
I have yet to take a serious backcountry hike, which seems ridiculous given all the time I've spent in wild places. Just a few miles. I'd love to take a serious backpacking trip for several days, either by myself or when my kids get big enough to come along.
Jen |
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 3:55:50 PM
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Dear Jen,
First,your kids are big enough to come along NOW
And kids in the woods are the best kind of sport 
I don't maybe I guess I was too much thinking about the adventure *I* would be missing, to ever think hey now, I got a kid and can't go. I had my oldest out within the first month in the Red River Gorge.
There isn't a better place to teach potty training  
He walked up Chisos Mtn, BigBend TX when he was 2 -3. Now he did get bored and want to be carried while we walked ridges for the next 3 days. We carried everything in and OUT, ya should have seen his look when we told him, that one.
Then when I had my 2nd, we went winter hiking into Joyce Kilmer Nat'l Forest, and the little one was 3 so my oldest was 7. That was a little scary with the icy trail...sno pants don't let you bend the legs.
Dear Meg,
Ooooo I have down pour stories too, but we didn't have a tent. We chose these overhanging rocks... then who else has to choose overhanging rocks... well they probably chose them first too
but having the big tomato saucey spaghetti dinner we cooked called in all their cousins. ...I slept with a hatchet that night... and woke up to rats on my sleeping bag.
So how many days before you felt dried out?
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Mar 28 2007 : 4:12:07 PM
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Dear Meg,
I forgot to ask where did you go to do the 18 miles?
The longest I did in a day was along the Appalachian Trail in NC...and we did 21 trying to outleg a momma bear.
Have you all ever met others/groups along your hikes going the same way? |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Mar 30 2007 : 1:50:20 PM
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I totally agree, Ellen. My kids have been out with us hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing, and even elk hunting. Sam, my newbie, was out huckleberry picking with us when he was 4 days old! I just find that our outings are a lot easier & more fun when we don't push too hard, so we'd need a lot of days off to do a 20-mile pack trip! My new book, by the way, is called Wild with Child: Adventures of Families in the Field. It's a terrific anthology of stories by parents who "go wild" with kids. Trying to hook a publisher as we speak...
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Ellen
outstepping
124 Posts
124 Posts |
Posted - Apr 01 2007 : 10:57:50 AM
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Dear Jen,
O berry picking hikes were always a trip! Did you make huckleberry wine? I never quite brought back as many as I'd dream... did have some mighty chigger battles.
What was scarey about Rita out on the water? Did you talk about that in the book?
I think the best part of walking on the wildside with kids is they are more legs to lighten the over-all load... do you let Rita paddle now?
Have you bought gear for them?
I have not done any 20mile a day trips with out a horse or a boat in years.
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Apr 02 2007 : 12:08:18 PM
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Well, with the advent of parenthood, I got this crazy (or not so crazy) paranoia about water. Yeah, the kids have life jackets, but the combination of a river's power & a child's helplessness just gives me the willies. I'm getting better (and the girls are learning to swim) They're gonna love paddling this summer. I'll probably just snuggle Sam in the hull on a blanket or hold him (he's 8 mos). We always take really easy floats & portage if we see a snag, so, like I said, it's my own paranoia!
We never did make huckleberry wine, which sounds fantastic. We made shakes, pancakes, muffins, etc. But you can't beat just eating them warm & juicy, fresh off the bush, you know? While I was hugely pregnant last summer, I had a hard time seeing over my belly to pick & an even harder time trying to bend over! We usually got a gallon or two, though, which was great. As far as wine goes, we used to get this delicious sweet raspberrywine in Hood River, OR from a local winery. I imagine h-berry wine would be similar. |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2007 : 1:38:49 PM
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I love hiking (with the backpack on long trips) or day hiking too. I usually call day hiking "rambling" because I usually just ramble through the forest and don't stick to trails. I also love free climbing rock faces when possible and have been wanting to get into real rock climbing but the cost is a bit daunting at the moment. I also love white water rafting and a lazy day by the stream fishing :)
Elizaray |
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Meg
Moderator/MaryJane's Farmgirl
11 Posts
Meg
11 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 9:41:38 PM
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Jen~ I can't wait to READ Wild with Child.
Ellen~ The Uinta mountains in Utah. Gorgeous...but thankfully no rats! I think a good meal (we found an all you can eat buffet, disgusting to think of now but at the time MmmMmm and a good night's sleep was all I needed). I think how proud I was of myself quickly dried me out. And, before the trip I had invested in my most expensive shoes yet, some good hiking boots...I was so pleased I ended up without a single blister, although they did feel quite bruised.
And reading your further posts, it looks like it's a good thing I did my 18 miles because now that we have our wee one, it might be few years before our adventures are that lengthy...
MaryJane's daughter,
Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org |
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vintagechica
outbound
24 Posts
Eren
Kenosha
Wisconsin
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2007 : 07:41:06 AM
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I am loving this site so much!!!
Jen, I can't wait to read your book!!!
http://www.vintagechica.typepad.com
"A sure way to avoid housework, live outdoors" |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Apr 12 2007 : 08:35:14 AM
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Meg-
Have you thought of using a Snuggli while hiking? I am thinking of using putting my Litte One in one of my Snugglies for summer hiking. I am not sure if I am in shape enough to do an 18 mile hike, but I sure would love to attempt it!
I am not so afraid to take my little one out camping as I thought I would be. I guess I get courage by thinking about the thousands of generations that made do without car seats, port-a-cribs and such things. I think the thing I would worry about the most would be the scent from dirty diapers attracting animals. A zip-lock plastic back should solve that problem though.
Elizaray |
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Meg
Moderator/MaryJane's Farmgirl
11 Posts
Meg
11 Posts |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
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Backcountry Sports: I love to hike... |
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I love to hike...
