Happy Hammock Day!

Happy Hammock Day! Didn't know it was Hammock Day? That's alright, let me tell you what it's all about.

Hammock Day is strategically placed on July 22nd which is right in the middle of the Dog Days of summer (July 3rd-August11th). It's a day where everyone is supposed to sit back in their hammocks and relax. Getting up to get another cold drink with a little umbrella or some food is acceptable, but there's no other reason to get up. Mowing the lawn is definitely not allowed today. I have no idea who thought it up or who made Hammock Day official, but I do thank him/her.

Photo Credit: Adam Fricke

Flatland Training Part 4

Note from the writer: This is part 4 of a 5-part series about how to stay active in the outdoors through flatland training--essentially, training for the mountains without actually being in the mountains.

Well folks we're on the downhill stretch of this 5-part series. Speaking of downhill, that reminds me of how great a workout riding a bike gives you. That's why part-4 is to ride a bike.

I'm not talking about a motorcycle, I'm referring to a human-powered bicycle. There's a variety of different bike's you can use to train. The two I'll focus on the most is the road bike and mountain bike. Personally, i prefer a mountain bike, but you're not alone if you want to get into training on a road bike. There's a huge road bike community in the area where I live and on weekend mornings it's easy to find the pack of 50+ people riding around town.

The Holiday Weekend We Couldn't Stick To A Plan

Our plans kept changing, but we kept rolling with the punches and still had a great 4th of July Holiday. Like I said in my post a couple weeks ago, our plans changed from climbing to going to the beach with a trip to Tampa. While we were in Tampa our plans changed again, but I'll get to that a little later.

First off, I'm sorry for this late post, but I was sick last week, yuck, and didn't feel like doing much. But without further ado, here's the update of mine and Alison's 4th of July Weekend adventures.

ENO's ProFly Rain Tarp: The Best Way To Stay Dry and Cool

When I started blogging for ENO, I was elated that I could get the opportunity to write to their customers. As a token of their appreciation, they sent me an awesome lime green ProFly Rain Tarp and stakes to go with it.

The ProFly is an essential piece of equipment to any ultra-light hiker that's looking to shed some pack weight by hammock camping instead of tent camping. It's very compressible and weighs in at a mere 22 oz. making it a light, added luxury if you want to make sure you don't get wet.

Photo Credit: Adam Fricke

Oceans vs. Rivers

Over the past couple weeks we've compared rivers to lakes and lakes to oceans, so we're down to rivers and oceans. Two weeks ago we saw why lakes beat out oceans, but when it comes to oceans and rivers, I think oceans win. Here's why:

When Mother Nature ruins your plans, go on a road trip!

I had this awesome post ready to go for today and now I can't even share it with you. I guess that's what you get when Mother Nature has the final say. Alison and I were supposed to go up to Rocktown in Lafayette, GA for a bouldering/camping trip with some friends, but those plans changed thanks to Mother Nature and the rain she's bringing.

If you know me, you know I can't just sit around when I have time off work.

So we're going on a road trip!

Flatland Training Part 3

Note from the writer: This is part 3 of a 5-part series about how to stay active in the outdoors through flatland training--essentially, training for the mountains without actually being in the mountains.

When you're in the mountains you're typically going to have something on your back. Wether it's a boulder pad, a pack full of gear, or your kid, something's going to be adding some weight to your back. So my third suggestion for flatland training would be to start training with some weight on your back.

You could buy a lead vest, but that disperses the weight evenly across your upper body. You won't get the full effect of having to stand upright while having something on your back. It's also a perfect time for you to get your pack on your back and get re-accustomed to what it feels like.