Survival Monday: 5 outdoor gear items for every day use

In a comment on a previous post, a fellow blogger shared this short article about loving your stuff. Materialism is only bad, the writer argues, when we constantly dispose of old items and seek better ones. Stuff isn't bad when you really use it, you really love it, and you really make it last the test of time.

This is true for most of the outdoor gear that I own. I love that gear, and I use it well. Here are 5 gear items that I use on a daily basis, just because they're that good.

1. Kleen Kanteen 12 oz Insulated Mug - I love this mug so much that I've already dedicated an entire blog post to it. Almost one year later, the love affair is still going strong. 

2. Light My Fire Spork - Light My Fire is a Swedish company that sells an eclectic mix of camping gear, best recognized for its bright colors. Of the entire product line, this spork is the lay woman's winner. I use my spork for lunches at work and snacks on the go. The curved shape is comfy in the hand, and both the spoon and fork sides function beautifully.

3. Turtle Fur Neck Warmer - I have always had a weakness for scarves, but now I've done one better: fleece neck warmers. This Turtle Fur neck warmer not only keeps me warm while skiing and hiking,  but also proves to be a toasty accessory for around-the-town use. Plus, this particular fuzzy is made with Polartec Repreve fleece, a textile made from recycled materials. How cool is that?

4. Merino wool socks - I know what you're thinking: "Wool socks? Ugh. How boring." What could be better than toasty toes on a frigid day? Many merino wool yarns are now heavenly soft, and warm socks can be found for almost any sporting adventure. Best of all, it takes days of wear to make these merino wool stink, and these socks can really take a beating before holes appear. My favorites are Chrome no-show socks for warm weather walking and cycling, Darn Tough for hiking, and Fits for every day coziness.

5. KEEN Targhee Mid II hiking boots - Andy and I are both on our second pair of Keen boots, but not because they're made poorly. On the contrary, we both loved and used our Keen Targhees so much that we wore our first pairs right into the ground. Sure, these boots are waterproof and sturdy, but the real attraction lies in how wonderfully easy it is to break them in. No blisters, no stiffness—KEENs are ready for rain, snow, and shine; trail, park, and sidewalk.

What gear gets you through the daily grind? What things do you absolutely love?

Survival Monday: In love with long johns

Life took a tough turn for my family this weekend. I've been trying to write about it, but it's still too soon for the words to come. The words will come eventually. In the meantime, simple routines provide a semblance of comfort.

The posts appearing on my blog this week, including the little blurb below, were written and placed in my blog's "publish" queue days ago. I'll let them continue to be published as originally scheduled, because they reflect some of my favorite small pleasures that help keep life bright.

Old school long johns

I could not have survived my first January in Salt Lake City without long johns. OK, well, technically thermals. I own two sets of Terramar Helix tops and bottoms, and if I could, I would wear them every hour of every winter day.

The first set is about three years old, and it's still in great shape: not too saggy or baggy and no pilling or thinning. Silky soft, wonderfully warm, and incredibly fast drying, I use them for hiking, cycling, and skiing. On particularly cold weekday mornings, I snuggle into them and add extra layers on top for my commute to work. Once at work, I change into my professional clothes -- happily dry and warm.

Whether waiting for a bus, riding on a ski lift, or crawling out of a sleeping bag, I am so happy to rely on this soft, warm layer. And sometimes, there's nothing better than lounging on the couch with just long johns, wool socks, and beer.

You Camp Like a Girl

This is an old post that I wrote last summer but never published—until now!

While reading the July 2011 issue of Self magazine, a small sidebar caught my eye: "Happy Camper." The sidebar features six items—ranging from clothes and makeup bags to a crank radio and water purifier—that Self recommends for camping excursions. The introduction to the sidebar reads:

"When you think of tents, do you picture Fashion Week instead of Yosemite? Never fear, roughing it is so yesterday. These easy-to-tote items let you go wild with style. Ready, set, s'mores!" 

The online version of the side bar (a simple slideshow of the recommended products) simply says, "Rough it in style with easy-to-pack essentials."

So, what's the message here? Are we ladies roughing it, or was that so yesterday? And why are women still afraid of a little dirt?

Let's get muddy.

Women often gape at me in disbelief when I tell them I'm going backpacking for a few days.

"Will there be showers?" they ask in concern. "Where do you go to the bathroom? How can you stand it?"

I usually laugh, explaining that it's not really so bad. The truth, however, is that forgoing the hot shower for a night under the stars used to be gross to me, too. The first time I went camping with Andy was a 1-night trip that involved 2 days of hiking. We were not camping out of the backs of our cars. In order to sleep that night, we needed to hike until we found a suitable place for our tents in the dense woods -- impending thunderstorm and all.

It was a nice introduction to the idea of going without soap and toilet paper. After all, I was able to run straight to the shower when we got home on Day 2. Not much different from lounging around at home, unshowered, on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Right?

Fast forward to our first 2-night camping trip. We hiked 30 miles in 3 days. It was hot, humid, and buggy. By the third morning, I reeked of bug spray and sweat, and I was greasy from a three-day layer of sunscreen. I had brought some camping soap along with me, sheepishly washing my face and hair in a nearby pond. I knew that the soap wasn't the best thing for the critters in the water, even if it was biodegradable; I knew that the scent could attract larger animals to the spot later; and I knew that even a little rinsed-off bug spray and sun screen could contaminate the water. (After all, what if everyone bathed in the pond?) Yet, I still did it. I couldn't fully embrace the "gross" idea of truly roughing it.

Much to my surprise, my habits changed gradually over time. It wasn't an epiphany about being one with the wilderness. It wasn't guilt that forced me to leave the soap at home. As I went on more and longer trips, I just became a better camper. I learned to pack light by leaving extra comforts behind, and I learned to be comfortable in my own skin.

Being afraid of a little dirt closes the door on so many adventures. I've seen gorgeous wildflowers, beautiful animals, bright constellations, and unbelievable sunrises. I've felt closer to my partner and my friends as we spend time together without the distractions of daily life. I've challenged my body and I've learned new skills.

Don't believe for a second that "roughing it is so yesterday." Leave the insulated makeup case at home, and let yourself get stinky! Your body and your brain may actually thank you for it.

Adventure Friday: Go with a group

I have a confession.

All those amazing adventures I've been on? Backcountry camping trips? Epic bicycling trips? All those miles I've logged on the trail and on the road?

Two (or more!) are better than one.

I probably wouldn't have done half of them if it hadn't been for Andy. I'm a doer, but he's a planner. I get up on a sunny morning, hop on my bicycle, and happily combine playtime with weekend errands. He conceives an idea, researches the hell out of it, and creates amazing and well-thought trips. Together, we're a (sometimes bickering) tour de force that squeezes a lot of play into very short periods of time. 

Plus, he always has lots of handy gear.

If your friends are just as new to outdoor adventures as you, look up guided hikes or local clubs. A quick Google search turns up an almost overwhelming amount of options. Some clubs require annual dues or trip fees, while others target specific age groups or attachment status. (Singles only!)

If you're more interested in going hiking than doing research, sign up for a group on Meetup.com. While I've had varying levels of success with Meetup.com activities, I love these groups for one big reason: once you join a group, all the adventures come straight to your email inbox. 

No planning muss, no scheduling fuss — perfect for this get-up-and-go girl.

These people know — it's better with a group.

Back to Reality: How to cope when you return from a trip

Sometimes, surprising things happen in life. No, I don't mean the type of surprising things that involve getting a bee down your shirt on a difficult 10-mile day hike, or spilling DEET bug spray all over your plastic water bottles immediately afterward.

DEET eats through plastic like I eat through boxes of ice cream.

I mean the good kind of surprises. Thanks to a dear friend who is teaching English at a bilingual school in Central America, I had the opportunity to head to Guatemala for some difficult hiking, Spanish practice, and semana santa celebrations.

The colors were just as brilliant in real life.

Typically, when I return from a trip—whether traveling for work or pleasure—I put pressure on myself to dive back into my long list of responsibilities. Flying back from Guatemala was no exception. After getting food poisoning en route to New York, arriving at my apartment at midnight, working a full day at the office, and pitching two stories to a publication (all within 48 hours), I was feeling pretty delirious.

This is not a smart way to return from a trip. Though I may not always follow my own rules, I know there are three important things I should always do to ease myself back into a routine:

1. Unpack the bag. Whether you got caught in a rainstorm on a camping trip or you showered at your hostel before your red-eye flight, there's bound to be something damp in that bag. Unpack everything as soon as you can. Air out your tent, sleeping bag, and other storable items for a few hours to prevent nasty mildew and mold.
2. Take time to rest. As a coworker said to me last week, everyone underestimates how exhausted she'll be after a trip. Plan to carve out a few extra hours of sleep for yourself. Be realistic about the tasks you put on your to-do list. It's OK to go to bed early those first few nights when you get back! You'll perform much better in work, school, and life once you're well-rested.
3. Drink plenty of hydrating fluids. This is especially true for those of us who have just stepped off a plane, but it's also good advice for outdoor adventurers who tend to feast on salty foods. Dehydration can contribute to feelings of fatigue after a trip, and it may even worsen those back-to-reality blues.
4. Plan the next adventure — even if it's just a bike ride, a day hike, or a stroll through the park. Give yourself something to look forward to!

Bottom line? Take care of your brain, your body, and your gear.

Adventure Friday: Marcia's Mile & Glenclyffe Loop

On St. Patrick's Day, while New York City streets teemed with green-clad revelers, some friends and I chose a different means of celebration. We went where the green greets the spring—on our first self-planned day hike.

It took a bit of effort. We were looking for a trail easily accessible by train or bus. While many trails are advertised as public transit accessible, hikers often have to walk a few miles on roads before even getting to the trailhead.

Finally, my friend zeroed in on the area around Cold Spring, N.Y., and I found a simple hike called Marcia's Mile, just 75 minutes north of New York City by train.

Take the MetroNorth Hudson Line train from Grand Central to Garrison station, just outside of Philipstown, N.Y. A trailhead sits right at the southeastern corner of the train station parking lot. I don't think you can get much closer than that.

Highlights of the hike?

We found a small pond of loudly singing frogs.

We paused to swing on a rope.

 

We stumbled upon thickly growing bamboo jungles.

We had a picnic lunch on the river.

Best of all, our bodies enjoyed every moment of sun and exercise.

Since we were feeling ambitious, we decided to combine the Marcia's Mile and Arden Point hike (2.2 miles) with the Glenclyffe loop (1.6 miles), as suggested by the Open Space Institute. While the added distance made for a satisfying hike, the Glenclyffe loop seemed slightly disappointing in comparison to  Marcia's Mile.

Marcia's Mile, with its dry leafy trail and second-growth forest, seemed typical for a southern New York hike. The trail was well-worn, but the area was quiet and picturesque on this early spring day.

The vegetation of the Glenclyffe Loop created greater challenges, particularly for new hikers. It was here where we saw long lines of thickly growing bamboo. In some places, the bamboo allowed only a very narrow passage. A bright green creeping plant—perhaps wooded sorrel—stretched across long portions of the trail, obliterating any previous sign of a path, and a few large downed trees forced us off the trail. Mostly, I was disappointed by the frequent reminders of human presence: old tires, broken fences, and abandoned buildings.

Recommendation: 
Stick to Marcia's Mile and Arden Point for a leisurely day hike. Add the Glenclyffe Loop for a better challenge, but make sure you can read trails and blazes. These trails are relatively quiet now, in early spring, but they will likely get crowded in the summer months—if the rope swing by the river is any indication.

Resources:
Since I'm still a novice, I always rely on two types of hiking information.

1. Narrative hiking directions (i.e. "continue straight on the red blaze trail past an old stone wall..."), like those on this Philipstown map or the Open Space Institute website.
2. Official trail conference maps (for more reliable trail orientation), like this NY-NJ Trail Conference East Hudson set of three. These maps, and others, are available in-store at Paragon Sports.

Frog and bamboo photos courtesy of Dan Cabrera.

Survival Monday: How to protect yourself against ticks

"Dan, there's a spider on your hat."

Dan threw his baseball cap to the ground, and Katie bent down to pick it up. There, on the underside of the brim, was a small black-and-red bug. It wasn't a spider. It was a deer tick.

For all my outdoor adventuring on the east coast, I never encountered a tick until I spent a week in Shenandoah National Park last summer. In one day, we brushed a lone-star tick off my hiking pants and pulled a deer tick off of ARA's shin. 

Now, on this St. Patrick's Day hike near Garrison, N.Y., my friends and I suddenly realized that we should be checking for ticks. In fact, we should do this after spending time in any wooded or grassy area, as ticks have been reported in many Manhattan and outer borough parks. 

Only deer ticks (picture) are known to carry the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease, but lone-star (picture) and dog ticks (picture) can pose other health risks.

To protect yourself against ticks, the New York Department of Health recommends the following:

• Wear light-colored clothing with a tight weave to spot ticks easily.
• Wear enclosed shoes, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Tuck pant legs into socks or boots and shirt into pants.
• Check clothes and any exposed skin frequently for ticks while outdoors and check again once indoors.
• Consider using insect repellent. Follow label directions.
• Stay on cleared, well-traveled trails. Avoid contacting vegetation.
• Avoid sitting directly on the ground or on stone walls.
• Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
• Bathe or shower as soon as possible after going indoors (preferably within two hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that may be on you.
• Do a final, full-body tick check at the end of the day (of yourself, children, and pets), and remove ticks promptly.

If you find a tick, don't panic. Do familiarize yourself with the tips in the graphic at the top of this post.

Blogspiration: 5 Reasons to Go for a Walk

"Walking is life at its most immediate. The combination of people and places changes constantly and never repeats." Joseph Scher


That line stuck out to me while reading this New York Times "Opinionator" piece three years ago. The author is referring to the experience of walking on a crowded New York City sidewalk, but I think it describes small-town strolls or quiet hikes equally well. While cycling gives me the rush of moving fast, walking helps me feel rooted and connected.

So why should you go for a walk, right now? Use these five reasons to get on your feet and out the door:

1. Improve your mood. We've heard it from the experts for years—regular exercise can help relieve anxiety and stress. While you'll only get that "runner's high" from an intensive cardio workout, a brisk walk around the block can do wonders to relax your muscles, improve your energy level, and boost your confidence. 
2. Love your body. There are few things more satisfying than feeling a gentle ache in your muscles after a long city walk or a challenging outdoor hike. You're making yourself stronger and healthier, and that's something to be proud of.
3. See something new. I've discovered some of my favorite stores, cafés, and parks by taking a new path. If you need to escape your thoughts for a while, new sights can provide a good distraction. 
4. Take a break. Step away from that bad day at work, that fight with a loved one, or that horrendous case of writer's block. Walk it off, listening to music or taking in the sounds around you. I find that some of my best work comes after a long walk around New York City.
5. Go alone or with a friend. Connect with your friends, family, or partner. Relish your alone time by setting your own pace and path. Walking fits almost any situation.

Need a bit more convincing? Check out Every Body Walk, a "campaign to get America moving."

Blogspiration is a new meme hosted jointly by GrowingUp YA and saz101.

Try a Discover Outdoors Guided Day Hike in NYC

Two weekends ago, I finally accomplished one of my big goals for the winter: Bring friends on a day hike.

It happened quite by accident. Back in January, I received a Vital Juice email advertising a Sunday hike and organic farm tour.

Farmers market veggies

It may be important to mention that my second love, after the great outdoors, is farm-fresh food. On any given Saturday, you will find me at the closest farmers market. I've been a member of a community-supported agriculture (CSA) group for two years, and I've loved every minute and every vegetable of it. Sometimes, during particularly stressful moments of New York City living, a small part of me even dreams of running away to join the WWOOF program.

So, I jumped at the chance to combine two of my favorite things. The hike and farm tour was being offered by Discover Outdoors (formerly known as Outdoor Bound), a New York company that leads day trips, weekend excursions, and international adventures. I booked my ticket online and sent an email to my friends. My dear friends, always up for trying new things, reserved the last spots on the trip. I was thrilled!

5 miles and feeling good

The Hike
Everyone met at Union Square at 9 a.m., and we piled into a van: 12 hikers and 1 Discover Outdoors guide. It was a beautifully sunny, if bitingly cold, day.

The van took us up to the Reeves Meadow Visitor Center at Harriman State Park, N.Y. (map) From there, we did a 5-mile loop to Pine Meadow Lake. The lake served as our halfway point, where we stopped for a picnic lunch.

The trail was well-worn and fairly flat. The only challenging bit was a stretch of moraine that had us picking our way around boulders and over loose rocks. We finished our hike before 1 p.m., and we piled back in the van for the next leg our trip.

Decomposing compost heats
the pipes on these
seedling tables

The Farm
Next, we headed over to Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in Tarrytown, N.Y., a 25-minute drive across the river (map). Stone Barns was originally a dairy farm owned by J.D. Rockefeller—in a response to milk pasteurization, Rockefeller wanted a private source of raw milk for his family. (The debate over pasteurized milk versus raw milk continues today.) Now, Stone Barns is a four-season sustainable farm and educational program; it is also a direct supplier to the famous Blue Hill Restaurant. We took a tour of the farm, seeing everything from rotating animal fields to compost-fueled heating systems. Best of all, we had time to grab fresh snacks from the farm café.

The van got us back to Union Square by 5:30 p.m. By that point, I think we were all ready for a hot and hearty dinner and a good night's sleep.

Recommendation: Perfect first adventure
While the Discover Outdoor programs can be pricey, they provide excellent opportunities for first-time hikers. There's no need to worry about transportation, planning, or getting lost. All you need to do is pack a lunch and get yourself to the meeting point in New York City! Discover Outdoors also does a great job of explaining what to wear and what to bring. Grab a friend and check out one of their upcoming adventures.

Blogspiration: Get Outdoors

I'm reading Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey for two reasons: it was recommended to me by one of my favorite reading buddies, and it's set in Utah.









Edward Abbey was a pretty crazy guy, judging by his picture alone. (Yes, he is leaning on a rifle, next to a television with a bullet hole in the screen.) He is perhaps most well known for Monkey Wrench Gang, a novel about "environmental terrorists" that allegedly inspired the early actions of a real-life radical group.






Radical environmentalism aside, Abbey was pretty sharp. In Desert Solitaire, Abbey dedicates one chapter to a detailed proposal for a car-free national parks system. His proposal includes everything from bicycle paths to backcountry leadership, from shuttle buses to infrastructure maintenance. It's quite brilliant.


One particular passage on car-free tourists had me giggling on the subway to work:

But the rest, the majority, most of them new to the out-of-doors, will need and welcome assistance, instruction and guidance. Many will not know how to saddle a horse, read a topographical map, follow a trail over slick rock, memorize landmarks, build a fire in rain, treat snakebite, rappel down a cliff, glissade down a glacier, read a compass, find water under sand, load a burro, splint a broken bone, bury a body, patch a rubber boat, portage a waterfall, survive a blizzard, avoid lightning, cook a porcupine, comfort a girl during a thunderstorm, predict the weather, dodge falling rock, climb out of a box canyon, or pour piss out of a boot.  

Abbey's point was that, even without the responsibilities of collecting car fees and handing out road maps, park rangers would be wonderfully and absolutely needed in a car-free national parks system. Get people out of their hot cars and into the (newly) quiet wilderness of our beautiful country.

Just please don't tell me that I'll have to learn how to bury a body.

Blogspiration is a new meme hosted jointly by GrowingUp YA and saz101.

Survival Mondays and Adventure Fridays

Yes, sometimes life can even get the best of an Outside City Girl. The final weeks of fall slipped away in tepid rain showers, but I still have big dreams for my boots and this blog.

In the coming weeks, you can expect to see a regular schedule of posts. For now, these quick little posts will fall into the following categories:

1. Survival Mondays: how-to guides, choosing gear, fun facts 
2. Local Wednesdays: events at NYC retail locations, bars, and nonprofits 
3. Adventure Fridays: weekend trip ideas or stories from previous adventures 

Please send me your questions and ideas! Need some inspiration for a local trip? Stumped by an overwhelming choice of brightly colored rain jackets? Still really nervous about that one thing that keeps you from forgoing the city for the woods? Let me know!

Find NYC hiking trails near you

November has obliged, and today is a beautiful day for a New York City hike!

The NYC Department of Parks & Recreation website offers a great list of trails in the Bronx, Brooklyn or Queens.

If you're in Manhattan, and you're not interested in leaving the island, check out this site with quiet walks in Central Park. Don't be alarmed by the horrible website design. The suggested hikes are great, and the poetic descriptions may inspire your inner Thoreau.

Resisting Winter: How to go hiking in Queens

You may have been shivering in your boots last night, but don't let November fool you. Winter hasn't arrived yet. This weekend, temperatures may reach the mid-50s and mid-60s — so get outside for a New York City hike while we still have leaves on the trees and sun on our backs!

Quick tips for your November day hike:

1. Bring water and a small snack. Nothing ruins a hike like an empty stomach
2. Carry extra layers: hat, gloves, and an extra sweater to wear under your coat 
3. Give yourself enough time. In New York, everything takes longer than it should, and hikes are no exception.

My hiking buddy lives in Queens, so we choose Forest Park for our most recent adventure. The park has an amazing 5.1 miles of hiking trails in its northeast section.

Forest Park, Queens

Each trail is marked with a "blaze," or paint on the tree bark that points you in the right direction!

Blue trail

Blaze or no blaze, it would be hard to get lost in Forest Park. The trails are beautiful, but they're not very rugged.

We encountered dog-walkers, couples, and even someone on horseback!

I learned a huge lesson in trip planning. Always make your day hike just that: a day. I tried to squeeze in our adventure before catching a 4:30 train to visit my family. Of course, it just didn't work out. I took two subways to get to Queens; then my friend and I took another subway and a bus to get to Forest Park! Much to our surprise, the bus also stopped half a mile from the hiking trails. After all that transportation, we only had about 20 minutes for hiking — and I was still an hour late for visiting my family.

Plan your trip carefully (using a combination of nycparks.gov, HopStop, and Google Maps). If you give yourself enough time for a true day hike, the excursion will be well worth your time. 

REI's "Find Out NYC" iPhone app is bigger than life

...literally.

I still have a (well-functioning) iPhone 3G. Since I seem to destroy phones as frequently as local exterminators destroy cockroaches, sticking with this cheaper model was the only rational choice. I've been quite happy with my little geriatric robot—until now.

REI is opening a store in New York City, and they're making a big deal about it. Their campaign includes the release of an iPhone and Android app that interacts with REI ad posters around New York City:

While I can't imagine myself stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to point my phone at random REI advertisements, I did get excited for two reasons:

1. "You can learn more about outdoor opportunities in and around New York."
2. Gear giveaways!

Number 2 is simply (very tempting) consumer bait. However, for a city girl trying to breathe life back into her outdoor hobbies, number 1 has some great potential!

I gleefully downloaded the app, eager to discover new trails and untold wilderness. Unfortunately, the great outdoors is apparently too vast and untamed for my greenhorn mobile technology. The 48.9MB application pushed my poor little iPhone over max capacity, and I'm still debating the merits of removing some music just to try the darn thing.

Have you tried the app? What do you think?

TONIGHT: Patagonia Tin Shed Opening Party

If you like free food, free gear, and good times, you may want to head to tonight's opening party for the Patagonia Tin Shed on the Upper West Side.

From the horse's mouth:

We’re pleased to announce the arrival of two new Patagonia concept stores open for the holiday season and early spring. We call them Tin Sheds, named after the blacksmith shop in Ventura, Calif., where Patagonia founder/owner Yvon Chouinard forged tools for rock and alpine climbing.

Where: 2625 Broadway at W. 100th
When: Tonight, Nov 11, 6:30 p.m.
Why: Live music, food, giveaways

And if you like movies with breathtaking nature shots and people doing awesome things that you'll never do, even more reason to go:

Exclusive preview of Sweetgrass Film's SOLITAIRE: A South American Ski Film, followed by a Q&A with Nick Waggoner, director of the film.

Or, just enjoy the sweet Jose Gonzalez soundtrack.

I heard about this event from @scienceb4brkfst. Thanks!

Three ways to get outdoors without the guys

In order to start tackling all the outdoor tricks I thought I already knew, I'm setting three basic goals for myself:

• Join a cycling group - I've been wanting to learn the fine art of the group ride. What better reason to start? I'll start doing research now, but I'll even be happy if I can set something up for the spring.
• Leave New York City for a day hike with a friend - Many of my best buds have an untapped appreciation for the great outdoors. Hear that, queridas amigas? Before winter descends upon us, I'm dragging you with me!
• Plan one winter camping trip - Last year, A. and I joined some coworkers for our first overnight in the snow. I was super nervous about freezing to death in my sleep, but everyone came out alive (and with all of their extremities intact). Most importantly, it was actually fun! Organizing a trip like this will be my biggest challenge, because I would need to brush up on a range of skills. 

Yikes. Enough talk about winter, though. Give me some October sunshine!

Splitting camping gear for two

Two packs. Two hammocks. A two-person tent. I need to either replace some of this gear or be creative with what I'll be keeping with me. Can I hang that hammock without asking someone else to tie the fancy knots? Should I invest in an expensive 1-person tent? The New York City frost will be setting in sometime soon, but I would like to see camping in my future!