Do you love spending time in the great outdoors—and being comfortable while you do it? It’s not a trick question; of course you do. If you prefer to be comfy, dry, and at an ideal temperature while you’re following your...
So there is plenty to be said about the benefits of merino wool! We can talk about it's 'fabled warm when wet' properties. We can talk about the ultra soft, non-itchy texture. Or how about it's durability and breathability. Even...
I recently had the experience of an airplane mechanical malfunction that needed to be addressed before we could board our flight. One would hope that the reaction to such a thing would be good: “Oh thank god, I’m glad we...
I have a lot of people ask me why I love to be on the water, why do I invest so much time in something that you can buy from a restaurant. I can never give a solid answer other...
10 Reasons Adventures are Better with a Dog They encourage you to get out and be active One of the most important things when owning a dog, especially a large breed, is finding the time to exercise them in your...
Up until the beginning of 2018, my gear bag consisted of clothing and base layers made from mostly cotton or synthetic materials. I had a good friend I began hiking with in late 2017 that swore by wool socks. Even...
The Swiss army knife of fabrics Why a 28 in by 80 in cut of fabric made of woven wool and silk is the most important item to bring with you anywhere. I recently took a November camping trip...
At a young age, I wasn’t really into sports. In fact, I couldn’t do much physical activity because of asthma and other health issues. Any moderate exercise would have me gasp for air, like a heavy smoker. Gym class was...
Fishing takes many different forms. I am an avid fisherman in the Midwest and love to chase the fish native to most of the upper Midwest and Canada. However, when I travel, I always try to get on the water...
Because I grew up in the snow belt of upstate NY, there’s something weird about not having a white Christmas. There’s something even more weird about riding up a chairlift, snowboard strapped on, with grass, dirt, and rocks beneath. With...
With over 850 miles of trails and unpaved roads, including 70 on the Appalachian Trail, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a great place to put your hiking boots on and explore! Here are 3 must-do hikes to check...
Check, re-check, then check it again. That's how I plan and pack. Whether it's for travel or hiking. I try to go as lite as I can but carry what is necessary. This trip was no different. I was antsy...
Peakbagging - “An activity in which hikers, climbers and mountaineers attempt to reach a collection of summits, published in the form of a list.” I got into peakbagging almost 3 years ago. At first I would just hike up mountains...
If you have ever traveled to Minnesota you get to see some diverse country, from Oak Ridges to farm country we truthfully have it all. Often, however, the far North part of Minnesota gets overlooked. Creating magnificent beauty that many...
With 20 miles of coastline hiking ahead of us, we set out around 8 am. It was day two of our hike and it was about an hour later than we had planned on leaving. We had a fire this...
It was a Friday afternoon in May and I was sitting down trying to plan out an overnight hiking trip to knock off a few more of my remaining twelve of the New Hampshire 48 four thousand footers. With expectations of finishing the NH48 before the next winter season started, I was getting very excited for finishing this mission out. The plan was a traverse going north to south of Mt. Moriah and the Carters. A traverse that I’ve been purposely holding off on for an overnight, even though I believe that I could do it in a day.
I’m going to start off with a little honesty: Shenandoah National Park really hasn’t ever been on my radar. I want to visit all of the National Parks one day, yes, but I always imagined Shenandoah National Park being packed...
Made the trip south from Washington to Oregon late this spring to ride some mountain bikes in Oakridge. This tiny town is slowly but surely becoming a destination on the map. Old school singletrack coupled with Cascade alpine makes for...
4 years ago, on a beautiful summer day, I hiked up my first mountain in Alaska. It wasn’t easy, but very rewarding and so I decided to do it again. Before I knew it, I was purchasing an old ice...
Minnesota is full of past times, from snowmobiling to the opener of deer season in the fall. There is one particularly close to my heart and that is the start of spring walleye. The season begins in the early part...
This past spring, I had the opportunity to spend a month in the Caribbean. The first three weeks were spent in Borgne, Haiti, a rural commune on the northern coast of the island. We worked with a group of women...
