One thing I never learned from the "net" is how handy those camping/hiking skills and equipment can be during a disaster in everyday life. I just survived the eye of Ian and barely batted my own eye when the power was out for days and running water was scarce and food was running low because I knew I had headlamps, water filters, portable cooking methods, and lots of shelf-stable foods from my hiking stash.

@staciecarrel4492

Жыл бұрын

Camping and backpacking gear is great for both bug-in and bug-out scenarios.

@nebc_yukonyeti

Жыл бұрын

True & you can be prepared & adaptable. Hope things are getting better in your area!

@mendyviola

Жыл бұрын

Ditto for me during Harvey and the “Big Freeze” the other winter.

@naturescritter4691

Жыл бұрын

Glad you are safe

@_FZ06

Жыл бұрын

Hope you made it through the hurricane ok🍻

People talk about water, shoes, food, spiders. BUT, if it’s really hot or you’re a tropic or desert hiker, or are going to do one. Here is one to really remember. Salt/electrolytes… not just water. The first time I forgot some in a long desert hike (Skull Mesa in AZ to the ruins on the back ~20mi RT) towards the end, about a mile to the car park, my quads were cramping so bad it took me almost an hour to make that mile, and it was pretty much flat at that point. Don’t neglect the salts/electrolytes. Your food isn’t enough to make up for the salt loss in high heat environments.

@andrewksadventures

Жыл бұрын

Very true. I have to agree, as a hiker/backpacker and utilities meter reader for work I've experienced some heat stress out in the Australian sun. Had plenty of water but learned the hard way about the need for electrolytes!

@mendyviola

Жыл бұрын

Good point. I bike trails, and always keep electrolytes to add to a frame water bottle in addition to my camelback water. I also now keep one of those chemical ice packs in my camel back for heat exhaustion before it becomes heat stroke, and a hand fan. Added these after “splooting” on the trail like a squirrel from heat exhaustion this summer.

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

No kidding and it sneaks up on you! As I've aged, I've noticed that my body is much more sensitive to this and ALWAYS have tablets for my water as a preventative measure.

@andrewksadventures

Жыл бұрын

@@michellealvarez-orr3487 Yes, same. I take them everywhere now and keep them in all my bags and backpacks.

@roxannegordon2854

Жыл бұрын

David: I found out the same thing after hiking a 'medium' mountain LOL when laying down to sleep here comes the horrible calf or thigh cramp. The only thing to get rid of it is walking. Or stand on the pained leg then the other. Putting weight on it for some dumb reason gets rid of it/and an ice pack. BUT the way to prevent it, I read, is to drink a sports drink before the hike. It has all those electrolytes (and a truck load of sugar, darn). I grabbed a Gatorade before the next equally difficult hike and no cramps., I use a bladder for water and do not have a bottle to dissolved tables in, so the sports drink works great. My husband got a whopper of a cramp in his right thing on an overnight and we both got up at 2 am in a panic so put weight on that leg rocking back and forth while I grabbed an ice brick out of his pack. It took some time but calmed down. Those nasty things are vicious!!

Some good advice here, as always. With water, the army taught me good water discipline and I only drink 1 - 2 litres per day, depending on how hot it is, regardless of distance covered. The trick is to try not to drink while you are walking. If you really have to, just take a sip to whet your whistle. When you take a break, don't drink until you are about to put your pack back on and head off again. That way you won't be drinking to cool down, you'll only be drinking what your body needs to keep going. It sounds harsh but it works. Water bottles in shoes reminds me of the advantage of having a pack with lots of little pockets - if you put things away, you will always know where everything is and it will be easy to get to. It's why I hate modern packs with their single cavernous bag. It's another army thing but absolutely everything goes back into my pack as soon as I've finished with it. i.e. I never put anything "down", I put it "away". One thing I notice about several of the points raised is that they all come from pushing hard. I try to avoid that as far as possible. If it rains overnight and is raining in the morning, I'm happy to stay dry in the tent until the rain clears, even if it means an extra day to get to the end. So I always make sure I have an extra day's food on anything more than a weekend trip, just so I don't have to push too hard if things go against us. The best prep you can do for your first big backpacking trip is to build up to it. Start with a simple overnighter with minimal walking. e.g. Park the car somewhere, walk 10 minutes down a track to a nice camping spot and set up camp. It's something you can do after work, through the week. You can also throw your pack on with all your gear in it, plus a few bottles fo water, and walk around the block a few times at home of an evening. It will all give you confidence for that first weekend trip.

@HaraldKasbauer

Жыл бұрын

Great advise! I'm gonna adopt some of that, being a wannabe hiker so far...

@Shwammi

Жыл бұрын

Interesting strategy. I'll give it a try. Of course aridity / humidity, personal factors, etc. all affect the water needs of someone, so anyone's baseline water use may vary considerably. What I like also about what's inherent in this idea is that one takes a break to break, catch breath, etc. Pure and simple. Pause to pause, rest to rest. And hydrate to hydrate.

I tell people who hike with me for the first time - don’t take your heavy pack off near a drop off (cliff, river etc) because the sudden weight change can make you stumble forward.

@rkatrails

Жыл бұрын

And be careful where you sit down when you have a heavy pack on because it can pull you over backwards off a log or rock and you can hurt yourself.

@franzoidle7002

Жыл бұрын

Yup, I remember a Boy Scout outing, and watching that ex-frame backpack yard sale down the mountainside. Amazingly it wasn’t my doing for a change. Those were some unhappy Scout Masters trying to collect the vitals, but the bouncing sleeping bag was never to be found. Fortunately it was on the hike out.

@novakillbones2140

Жыл бұрын

In 50 years I have never experienced that sensation. When I take my pack off, it just feels normal again.

@jewelciappio

Жыл бұрын

@@novakillbones2140 It only happens to me after carrying a pack for more than 4-5 hours straight. And only when your pack is heavy. When I started carrying less, I no longer felt it.

Climbing with a buddy who was a competitive bicyclist, I learned to use foam ear plugs on windy days. Reducing the noise helps reduce the stress we experience.

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing this!

@CaliforniaTravelVideos

Жыл бұрын

Good one Don and I've seen top golf pros wear a stocking cap to cover their ears to reduce the noise stress so they can keep their focus to minimize distracting noises.

Something I would see emphasize more. Uphill is strenuous, downhill is tenuous. Uphill is difficult, downhill is dangerous. A slip going uphill puts you on the ground. A slip going downhill can lead to a tumbling injury. Downhill on rocks especially tricky. Rocks can be slick, especially when wet. Deep leaves are fun to kick through, but they also make you lose traction easily when going downhill. Great video Dixie. As for the cathole, I usually mark mine with a stick. I figure if a stick is marking a place, it was a person giving warning.

@architennis

Жыл бұрын

Out here in the Sierras in California I watch out for bits of sand on top of rocks I'm stepping on when going down hill. They make great ball bearings...whoosh and I'm on my ass!

@lanecountybigfooters5716

Жыл бұрын

So very true!

@libertyvilleguy2903

Жыл бұрын

Agree - uphill is strenuous, but downhill can be dangerous. Hiking poles are especially valuable going downhill.

@RiDankulous

Жыл бұрын

That's a very good point Papa! 👍

The nurse in me has to chime in about the PREPARATION H thing… yes it will reduce swelling and sometimes that’s a good thing… but if you want something to actually heal (open wound, abrasion, etc) don’t use it on that. It’s a vasoconstrictor and won’t allow the blood flow to the area to promote healing. My 2¢

@jackvoss5841

Жыл бұрын

I like Neosporin, maximum strength, with pain reliever. Every day, I carry a little case for Contact lenses, but with Neosporin in one side, and Bag Balm on the other. Courtesy of Half Vast Flying

@michaellundphotography

Жыл бұрын

@@jackvoss5841 just don’t put that in your eyes lol

@a.p.5429

Жыл бұрын

Thanks

@deec6535

Жыл бұрын

NEVER use neosporin. Please! So many people are allergic to components of neosporin that it frequently makes wounds look infected that are not. Use bacitracin instead if you insist on antibiotic ointment.

The FIRST night I camped alone I was in a site with no other campers, and no moon. AND THERE GIANT SQUIRRELS, AND PTERODACTYLS IN THE TREES. But they only showed up that one night, lol

@maryuchman5633

Жыл бұрын

So funny, my first night alone on the AT in new jersey and I had bears, wolves, mountain lions, Sasquatch and many other critters large and small circling my tent but amazingly not one left a footprint. 😊

@CRuM770

Жыл бұрын

Sorry, but these two comments have been grossly underappreciated!!!

The Internet does not teach you the importance of getting a good night sleep while backpacking. It is worth carrying heavier gear (sleeping bag, pad, pillow) if that’s what you need to sleep well.

One thing that I learned over the years is not easily passed along to others. I try to be aware of wind patterns and the direction clouds travel so that I can orient my tent to minimize wind and rain issues.

@m_soko

Жыл бұрын

I do the same. Can't change nature, but you can change your surroundings to better deal with her, that extra time spent is more times than not, gratifying lookng back on the situation

@hikinggsdmom8754

Жыл бұрын

I haven’t backpacked yet, but I hike every morning at 5-6:30am before work, when it’s still pitch black out and face spiders are plentiful. I love that you mentioned those aspects because once you’ve learned to deal with those two unpleasantries, you can probably handle the rest pretty easily.

"Embrace the suck" is underrated on YT. You can only really understand it when you are out there, and it sucks, hard. Just remember that every hardship makes a great story later. "Later" is a time measurement proportional to how much is sucked. I almost died on a trip and it took about 10 years before we told anyone about it. Even then, it's not a story I tell often. Embrace the suck can mean "keep going you'll be okay", but it can also mean "Don't die, push through this, your life depends on it." Not everyone sees the extreme's and I really hope no one experiences the latter.

@paulrevere2379

Жыл бұрын

The difference between an ordeal and an adventure is all about how you view it.

Very useful information here but I have to correct you on one thing, and this is one thing that even most Soldiers get wrong. I spent many years in the army with several tiers of groups, doing a LOT of different missions, some of which took me to deserts, jungles, forest, swamps, and frigid areas with no support from higher. Special operations has a different meaning and are the ones who came up with it. "Embracing the suck" does not mean, "just power through" or "just accept that it is what it is and move on." If it did, this particular phrase wouldn't mean anything different than all the others that people usually think it means ... The definition of 'embrace' is to, "accept or support (a belief, theory, or change) "WILLINGLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY." To "embrace the suck" to those on another level means to love that it sucks. It means that you're pushing yourself past limits that you didn't know were possible - and you LOVE IT. That is a whole different level that most people in the world will ever get to, but there are still many who have and live their lives by purposely putting themselves at a disadvantage or in more and more uncomfortable situations - ON PURPOSE. That is what it actually means to embrace the suck.

@billcampbell1627

Жыл бұрын

You end up feeling this doesn't suck enough. De Oppresso Liber.

On water management: 1. Always drink your fill before leaving a source - the best place to carry water is in your body 2. NEVER assume even the most "reliable" water sources will be usable. Carry AT LEAST enough to get to the second reliable source, or in the desert, the third or even fourth. Even the best sources can be fouled by animal carcasses or other recent pollutants. 3. If you choose to use a bladder, that's fine, but have some system for checking it periodically. It's way to easy to run dry and not know it. I once walked 3 miles past a water source thinking my bladder was plenty full and then ran dry and had to choose between backtracking 3 miles or hiking dry for 7 or so. I did not choose wisely because I felt pressure to get to camp before weather hit and wound up absolutely miserable for the last 2 hours and another hour or so after making camp. I never used a bladder again.

@uffa00001

8 ай бұрын

You could use a bladder and have the "reserve" water inside a separate container. It's like the "fuel light" on the dashboard, or the reserve tap of old motorbikes.

When to eat: I plan all my eating time. When through hiking I generall hiked from 6 am til 6 or 7 pm every day. I ate my breakfast before I started hiking and then planned on 200 Calories every two hours. That meant I ate at breakfast at 6am, 200 C at 8am, 200 C at 10am, Noon lunch (X Calories), 200 C at 2pm, 200 C at 4pm, and then dinner at 6-7pm. I generally ate my 200 C snacks while hiking. My breakfast I ate as I took down camp and always finished before 6am when I started hiking. Lunch time I stopped to eat and rest. the time caried between 20 minutes to an hour. As lunch approached I kep an eye out for good places to stop, rest, and eat. So it wasn't strickly right at Noon, but there abouts. And of course dinner I usually started almost immediately after reaching camp site. By spacing out my snack breaks I usually avoided getting "hangry" or bonking. I always had extra nuts or something to munch on if I felt I might be getting low on fuel/energy. Anyway, by putting myself on a semi regular eating schedule I avoided such problems. I pretty much did the same with water. It really became just a part of everyday hiking the trail and nothing special. "Oh, it's 8 o'clock, time for my granola bar."

Water bottles in the shoes can also keep the spiders and critters out! I always check my empty shoes in the morning for this reason.

@rkatrails

Жыл бұрын

And I always keep my tent zipped closed whether I'm in or outside my tent to keep bugs, snakes, critters outside.

@iriolexisbierle6697

Жыл бұрын

Yes! If wearing boots, I put my next days socks stretched over the opening to make sure nothing gets in over night. Especially if you leave your shoes outside for some reason

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

@@iriolexisbierle6697 great idea!!

@RiDankulous

Жыл бұрын

I think I heard one story about a scorpion climbing into shoes. Woah. That would scare me senseless.

When I hiked the John Muir Trail I encountered many difficult sections (for instance trail covered by large irregular rocks) that I had not expected. I had prepared by watching numerous JMT videos (at age 72 I wanted to know what I was getting into!) I concluded that many of these harder sections were not in videos because the hikers were busy mastering these sections and taking a video was the last thing on their mind!

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

Excellent point. I've noticed this in my own documentation as well. No pics or journal notes when the going gets tough. Later, these are my favorite moments to share but I've got no visual aids! It's difficult to "be in the moment", and also aware of the "narrative" that you may wish to look back on.

@roxannegordon2854

Жыл бұрын

@@michellealvarez-orr3487 My husband and I have a go pro strapped to our chest. I have hands free. Later we edit what we think is viewable by people who can watch it without throwing up! 😅 Its aggravating to watch videos that don't show the trail but the hikers face almost all the time while TALKING about the trail. What's up with that?

I've just learned that sometimes bailing out of a hike is the right call. Had to leave a trail yesterday with a pick-up at an emergency point by the wilderness paramedic after 4 inches of rain while hiking ridge top rock slabs and it sucks. I'll go back and continue my 'home' grade 4 trail sectionals and try to do this one again at a later date.

@28105wsking

Жыл бұрын

A considered tactical retreat for safety and morale is a smart call. The land’s not going anywhere.

I've learned never to trust the weather app (says sunny but then it hails!) and that temperature is not always the same! Need to look at humidity, wind...and probably something else too to truly gauge how warm/cold I will be. lol. Thank you Dixie. All these tips were helpful as usual. I greatly look forward to your videos which have spearheaded my love for backpacking- this prissy, sit on the couch, never athletic, woman in her 50s discovered her passion for backpacking since that one day 2 years ago when my husband sent me one of your AT videos. I will be forever grateful.

Yes, the second reason to use at least one hiking pole is to hold in front of you and knock down spider webs! One thing I always find surprising is this. At first on a hike, I say "wow, carrying this pack sucks". Then, I get used to it and at some point it changes to "Wow, I can't believe I have everything I need to survive out here on my back, like a survival turtle!" and it makes me laugh.

I learned that wind is the worst weather condition. Cold, heat, rain, snow - there's gear for that. But there's nothing you can do about wind. It pushes you around, dries you out, makes it hard to sleep. It's exhausting.

@vincentvega5686

Жыл бұрын

wind is great to keeping the bitting insects away.

@paulrevere2379

Жыл бұрын

@@vincentvega5686 Almost the only thing good about a hard wind that does not stop.

@AstrumG2V

Жыл бұрын

I hate wind with a frickin passion. I can deal with rain all day, but wind just annoys me to no end. It's so exhausting!!!

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

Amen to that! For me, it feels like I'm being tormented. I always thought it was a sensory overload thing so I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one.

@paulrevere2379

Жыл бұрын

@@michellealvarez-orr3487 Far from it, but it's one of those things where even even having a group of hikers doesn't help much unless you have enough at one place to form a huddle of penguins...which I have yet to see...or smell.

Thinking back to when I started backpacking in 92. I think about this stuff I gushed about after the hike. Like the unbelievable amount of confidence I gained. I was a teenager, did a 30 mile loop in yosemite's backcountry as my first backpacking trip. the very first day I did four miles of uphill switchbacks out the gate and walked up on a bear. How much I loved the absence of alarm clocks and telephones. And trying to explain to people that yes during the trip I complain a lot, it can suck in the moment but I'm already planning the next trip before finishing this one.

@dustyc324

Жыл бұрын

if you don't experience a little discomfort, you won't appreciate the rewards as much. Even if it's sore feet or a shoulder strap rubbing you. Nothing worth doing is free of sacrifice. Marathon runners know what a finish includes. Sore feet and chafed nipples are just a part of completing the goal.

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

Absolutely! I have difficulty explaining to non-hikers why an activity that can be so difficult and uncomfortable is so unbelievably fun and rewarding to me. I guess it's that warrior spirit stirring.

I love the idea of using a basket for resupply. If I’m hungry when I’m in the grocery store I can be plumb dangerous 🤣

You can use a head net (midge net here in UK) to protect from the early morning face spiders. Then you can observe it crawling across the net an inch in front of your eyes before you hit yourself in the face with your trekking pole trying to knock it off. Oh the joys of morning hiking!

@donaldstrader7241

Жыл бұрын

Currently with LEDs that would no longer be a thing, but your trekking pole story reminded me, just make sure you are not carrying a MagLite! I heard the story, I think it was just a mosquito, he swatted his forehead, but unfortunately was holding a MagLite. Ouch. As I recall stitches were required. I don't recall if I heard it from the guy that did it or his ER physician friend.

@Telthar

3 ай бұрын

face spiders was a real problem for me when I did night hikes around where I live. Some nights I'd get dozens. I started to recognize where they'd be most likely and just use my hand to break them... still ended up with plenty to the face. One problem I didn't have when night hiking in the winter!

A great video. "Embracing the Suck" is the most important thing one can learn. Anyone can hike in ideal conditions but I think that would get boring after a while. I have hiked and paddled where I was quickly reminded that I was not at the top of the food chain. I have endured weather extremes where I didn't know if I would survive. I have great memories and stories to tell. Most importantly, my senses are in order and I am a better and happier person for learning to embrace the suck. As I have said before, you are wise beyond your years.

@roxannegordon2854

Жыл бұрын

Bill that sounds great and doable when you're 30., Wait till you are 60 and still hiking. I hope. Your 'just push through' will work until the next day or not even when you put your head on that pillow at night. Then your body will tell you what it thinks of pushing through. You'll learn not to do it again. I would LOVE to hike a traverse here in NH but at my age I know I COULD do it, but my body would make me pay...and pay for the next 2 days. I read about hiking rescues in the White Mountains and the woman who "couldn't breathe" half way up the trail, or had a fall snapping an ankle are MY AGE. The hiker who had to call for help going up the traverse I want to do, was my age. 75 yes, seventy five big ones. As soon as I read that I said out loud: "What? What's she doing up there on that difficult trail at her age?" Then I said ooops, she's my age. So I stick to the 3,000-4,000 footers for now on. And I'm grateful I can do it.

@billheckman5937

Жыл бұрын

@@roxannegordon2854 I will be 68 in a few months and still going strong. Life is an adventure and I plan on going until I drop. I can't imagine where I'm not outdoors loving life

Knowing that everything in your pack with a trip to the grocery once a week is all you really need, helps in learning how to simplify your life.

I think the biggest things I have learned on the trail that I have never heard mentioned is: If a viewpoint, historical site, etc... is more than a 1/4 mile from the trail you are not going to see it unless you plan for it. Hiking for days/weeks/months on end we get tunnel focused on the day/week/month goals and we tend to skip anything off the beaten path.

@John_Ridley

Жыл бұрын

I have the same problem in any mode of transport, I get focused on the destination and afterwards regret not taking that extra half hour to go look at something.

@michellealvarez-orr3487

Жыл бұрын

Excellent point, and I have also fallen victim to this while traveling in general. I utilize an ADHD survival habit for all kinds of situations where I know I'll have to make priority decisions down the line, when my judgment might be questionable. Options are categorized in advance: 1) I know I will later regret not doing this, 2) I want to do this if convenient, 3) good idea if I have extra time/energy to "waste" . No excuses are allowed for not completing items on list #1, no matter how tired or miserable (unless safety is a concern). This trick has never failed and has resulted in some epic experiences that probably wouldn't have happened.

@johnpsmith19

Жыл бұрын

@@michellealvarez-orr3487 I like the way you prioritize sites/experiences you want to consider, but I also know that I have been on long backpacking trips and someone that has come before me or going the other way tells me something to not miss and I decide to not do it. Later on I find out how cool it was and kick myself because I was more focused on my exact plans/goals and not living the moment. I know if I submit to shiny-object syndrome every time I will regret it but I also regret many times blindly sticking to a plan just to hit an arbitrary goal I set earlier.

@redrockcrf4663

Жыл бұрын

perhaps it's related to goal-seeking in the first place? But I also think there is an element of experience and capacity. When I'm doing something close to my limit, I've got almost no interest in doing an "extra". But when I am operating well within my boundaries, then I've got all the time in the world to do other things. I think about this because of friends who do a lot of transalpine work off-trail. They do all kinds of cool stuff because they are supremely confident in what they are doing, and will adjust plans on the fly. Most peeople are never that fit or capable.

@johnpsmith19

Жыл бұрын

@@michellealvarez-orr3487 Do you know Brian Dean?

weather and wind are the nightmares that can't get an accurate representation online...I highly recommend a planned terrible weather trip....so you can experience exactly how fast your 300.00 rain jacket wets out. How water gets in and doesn't get out of packs and pockets. The limitations of every aspect of a trip including your own. It's so much easier to learn when you had no expectation of a great trip ruined. The terrible decisions made at high altitude that seem completely rational at the time...experience is king. Peace all

I knew to bring a lighter from prior unintentional survival encounters when I went out in the woods, but I ran into a few people who couldn't cook food once the igniter broke on their stove. Even a book of matches would have made these people's trips so much better. A bic mini would be great as a back up and a nice addition of there is a fire ring and you are in a place where you can have a campfire

My two cents: If you're planning to continue hiking at night, be conscious of the moon's phase. If the moon is waxing (1st quarter), the moon's light can extend afternoon hiking If the moon is waning (3rd quarter), the moon's light will aid a pre-dawn start. The moon's cycle is 29.5 days. The moon arrives approximately (24/29.5) * 60 = 49 minutes later each day (other factors influence its track, and to a lesser extent, timing) A full moon does not help as much for dusk or dawn hiking because it is very low on the horizon, while 1st or 3rd quarter moons are high at dusk or dawn, respectively.

I am afraid of spiders. I like to hike. On one hike a had a weird feeling and stopped trying to figure out what was bothering me. Stand still looking all around, into the woods I couldn’t see anything but something was making the hair on the back of my stand up! Leaning to one side I caught something out of the corner of my eye. It wasn’t in the distance! It literally was mere inches away from my face! A huge garden spider was hanging in the air directly in front of my face! I may have screamed like a little girl ot cussed like the grown ass man that I am. Only me and the spider know for sure!

@johnsullivan6560

Жыл бұрын

@@odinata when I was a kid, my grandmother was bitten by a brown recluse and almost died. Since then, I have been afraid of spiders. I’m fine with everything else but not spiders. I love nature. Was a scoutmaster for fifteen years, a soldier before that. Have hike, backpacked, paddled, or biked thousands of miles. Still hate spiders.

@jeffruebens8355

Жыл бұрын

@@johnsullivan6560 it might help if you read Charlotte's Web and also watch the movies. Like sharks, we kill more of them than they kill us. Also, mosquitos are the most deadly animal for us, worldwide. The phobia is almost always a lie.

@novakillbones2140

Жыл бұрын

@@johnsullivan6560 Just remember that the spiders eat flies and mosquitos, they are our friends in the bush.

@johnsullivan6560

Жыл бұрын

@@novakillbones2140 as long as they stay away we can be ‘friends’, to close and I become much less friendly! It’s a phobia, so logic doesn’t have much to it.

@talesfromtheleashexpatdogl1426

Жыл бұрын

@@johnsullivan6560 IYKYK I will happily play with snakes but absolutely no spiders. Never been bit by a snake but spider bites are no fun. They're beautiful love watching from afar but the surprise factor is TFM for me 🤣😭

The nice thing about hiking in late fall through early spring is no mosquitos, bees or spiders to deal with.

I expected “Pitch Black”, but I didn’t expect the gamut of sound while hiking. How you can hear road and aircraft sounds even when you think you’re in the middle of nowhere or how you hear water sources, other hikers and most animals before you see them. And once you get accustomed to the sounds, how putting on a hood or being inside a tent or huddled in a sleeping bag changes how things sound.

@musingwithreba9667

Жыл бұрын

Ha ha ha! One time I was out with a couple of friends and we were in the tent huddled up after a huge storm went thru, and the rather large drunken group across the lake from us were frantically looking for their hot dogs. Rather loudly. Friend Stacy who was with me shouted "shut the f#@% up!" And the folks across the lake said "what!? Who was that?! How can you hear us!?" Buncha idjits. I have 🤣

Maybe it's just me, but... About 20 minutes into a new hike, with a full pack, I am just miserable. I find myself going uphill, breathing like a freight train, sore all over. What on Earth am I doing? I'm crazy to be doing this. I can't possibly do this for long enough to get to, well, anywhere. A few hours later, I'm in driving rain, on a narrow ridge, with wind whipping from both sides, and loving it. That first bit really does suck, at least for me.

As a hike leader for day hike here in Maryland, it seems our spiders get most active in August and September. On one such hike I stopped just in time to avoid the web and swung my hiking pole up to clear it and as the pole was returning to my side the edge of the web, with a large black spider came swinging toward my face. I did the usual karate chops in all directions and continued the hike. I returned home, proceeded to the bathroom to shower, as I pulled my shirt over my head who do you think came along with me......The Big Black Spider.

@kurofune.uragabay

Жыл бұрын

Yes, that scenario sounds like a worst nightmare (and probably a deal breaker) for arachnophobes - I have been one for a big part of my life - , but I want to point out a couple of things. One, the few truly dangerous spiders out there (Australia, South America etc) are not open space web builders. 2, if you'd checked more thorougly (good idea to take off your top layer without inverting it) at the time this probably wouldn't have happened. 3, that spider put a lot of work building that web and has no interest in going along for the ride, if you reset the switch to "calm mode" if you find it (always more efficient than not-calm)(+ respect if you can admire its "design"), it doesn't want to bite (nothing to gain), and even if it did the probability of it becoming an issue is very small.

@uffa00001

8 ай бұрын

Hat on your head, bandana over your neck, stick in front of your face, long trousers always.

The bravest unsung heroes? Those who tested preparations A through G. 😂

@HomemadeWanderlust

Жыл бұрын

😂😂😂

Great reminders, I'm about to head out on an overnight backpacking on Mount Hood and haven't been out in about a year since losing my dog to cancer. It's been rough. I've come a long way from spooky NJ pine barren stories that freaked me out to now facing darkness & spiders & bumps in the night comfortably. Bugs aren't "gross" they are part of it, the point of spending time out there is to remember us that we are one. Seeking discomfort is so much more rewarding than fearing the unknown. 👏✌️💕

@Scapester1

Жыл бұрын

Have fun! I live very close to Mt Hood and it's my favorite hiking area to explore and get away from the rat race. Small world....

@makeuphappy1

Жыл бұрын

Too funny I live about 45 minutes from Mt Hood ! I summited it as well this year with a guide! Beautiful mountain for sure 🙌🙌🙌 Enjoy all the outdoor adventures 🤛

@1519Spring

Жыл бұрын

Dixie does a great job in her videos of showing the beauty in all the critters and bugs she encounters on the trail.

@memathews

Жыл бұрын

@@makeuphappy1 Congrats on the summit. I live in Beaverton, but spend many overnights on Hood each year.

@memathews

Жыл бұрын

Yes, Mt Hood is a great getaway. So close but pretty easy to find solitude, especially before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

I learned to listen to myself more and take care of myself no matter what. Like if my knee starts hurting, I talk to my knee. Can we make it to that shade tree or must we stop now? Or pit stop now? OK! I’m old, so I get up early to get enough miles in to get to the next water because that is taking care of myself. Etc. listen and take the action needed. I wasn’t expecting to talk with my physical and mental parts so much!❤

@lkeith88

Жыл бұрын

Really good point. At 18 it was whatever. At 35 with bad back and knees and ankles from doing reckless stuff at 18 it's alright let's sit here for a second and think about this. And it has saved my ass a couple of times on trails.

I might be unique in this method, but maybe it's because I have broken several toes on each foot and broke a few bones in my right foot. But I take an anti microbial dish sponge, I slice off the scruff side, and I cut out mini spacers for in between each toe as well as a longer strip to go across the front on my toes, and a second long strip to go on the interior side from my big toe to about an inch past the knuckle. I put them on by rolling my sock down in folded sections until only the toe section is available, I put the spacers between my toes and I use my hand to line to tips of where my toes would be inside the sock. I then put my toes into the sock ensuring the pad protects the front, I then insert the second strip to the inner side of my big toe and start unfolding the sock keeping it tight. If I'm pushing miles or on extra difficult terrain, I will also cut out two 1x1 inch squares of sponge to put under and behind my heel. The sponge is antibacterial and easy to clean and dries fast, I've noticed a drastic reduction in foot pain and very rarely if ever get blisters now. I also use doctor Scholl's shoe inserts as well. I relax the laces on my shoes and widen them up as much as I can, I carefully insert my foot into the shoes ensuring the front and inner pads are correctly in place, I then sinch down and tighten them up. Also I use Gold bonds to help keep the feet dry and fresh. Hope this helps any hikers with hurt feet 🐾. Keep up the great content, hope to cross paths with you on a trail someday! You're an absolute legend ☺️

Take time to enjoy the scenery AROUND the trail - that is why you are out there. I do get goal oriented (gotta get to the next campsite ) so it is very easy to just concentrate on where to take the next step. Look around - don't forget to TURN AROUND and look where you just came from and you will discover some new views. A benefit of trekking poles not mentioned is that they do offer more stability so that you can raise your head up to actually SEE the trees, the meadows, the waterfalls, the peaks, the wildlife............

Outstanding video, Dixie, especially the part about overcoming and all. Fortitude and gratitude are the two biggest things I've learned on the trail.

On 'embrace the suck': it has been said before but one can't emphasize that enough: a lot of hiking outdoor experience is only great in hindsight! The gratification comes afterwards, when you reflect on what challenge you have put yourself through and succeeded. And when you've been through some of those moments, when you wanted to quit but kept going, you'll remember that state of mind next time and can go through it more easily. I guess in times, where anxieties are basically becoming the new social norm, the realization that just you, yourself and your body are actually capable, is a very valuable thing to learn. And I can only agree: social media is heavily skewed - most of hiking actually feels something between total mundane up to forthright miserable. After all it's just walking...with extra steps. Pain is still painful, stink keeps stinking and the suck keeps sucking - no filter you put on it will change that.

I like the basket idea as someone who always comes back from a week out with enough food for another month.

Two random thoughts… 1. Your backpack makes an excellent backrest when taking a break. Unhitch your pack and place it behind your sit pad and voila…instant Barca lounger! 2. Avoid the green rocks!!! The growth on the rock is super slippery and will drop you every time. Look for the well worn part of the rock that has been cleaned by other hikers for better grip.

@mhoefler914

Жыл бұрын

I could not allow myself another pound to carry a chair, so I used my one hiking staff (a 50 year old bamboo ski pole) as a prop for my backpack (Ospry). I could lean the pack against the pole stuck in the ground and have a full back rest. FYI one long pole is always the right length, because I could adjust my hand position to meet the need.

@28105wsking

Жыл бұрын

Green rocks? That’s a great tip! Thanks!

Another good, informative video -- thanks! Besides the topics that you covered, one thing I've learned is always watch where i'm sitting and where i set things. Don't put things where they might roll off over a cliff, down a slope, or into a stream or slip between some rocks, out of reach. Don't set my water bottle down without the cap on, in case it falls over, so i don't lose my water. Also, when the terrain is rough and you have to be looking down constantly to watch your step, still take time to look up frequently to check your surroundings. Happy hiking y'all!

@mhoefler914

Жыл бұрын

And always look carefully where you have been resting, before you leave, to know for sure you have picked up everything....compass, knife, scraps of bandage, glasses etc.

@sk-wx1cf

Жыл бұрын

@@mhoefler914 Yes, definitely!!!

@jeffbonzerpeterson

Жыл бұрын

I’m carful where I leave my bear canister, where it’s required to have one. I make sure it’s away from my tent covered with some large rocks if possible and always make sure it can not roll down hill and be lost or worse fall into a creek or stream.

I always tell folks before an extended hike that the best memories are made from misery. It's going to be too hot, too cold, too wet, no water, blisters, hunger, thirst, and an overall discomfort. But, after you make it back to that warm bed/hotel you'll find that your body wants to go back. For me, and my friends, that first night back to civilization SUCKS. You stuff your face, take a long hot shower, then try to go to sleep. For me at least, sleep is hard to get on the first night out. It's funny how nature always grags you ike that.

@bobpadrick7718

Жыл бұрын

Many years ago I read a hilarious little book about camping entitled " A Fine and Pleasant Misery" which was all about that very concept. All the best stories come from worst struggles!

@grantgrow

Жыл бұрын

Yes about the misery. I did a 27 mile hike in Oregon, and had some blisters, but the hike was wonderful and we all survived, with great memories

@JohnFrahm0676

Жыл бұрын

That is always my thought in the middle. Why do I do this? Why do I do this to myself? Then I get home and want to go the next day.

@josephlemmon706

Жыл бұрын

Was a scoutmaster for years. I always told the boys that in a few weeks this is going to be your favorite memory of the summer!

@amberlayne4206

Жыл бұрын

I lived in a tent for 6 months once and the first night I spent in a hotel I felt so uncomfortable. It was so quiet and still, it was creepy to me. I told my boyfriend I wanted to go back to the woods lol

2:54 I just put all my stuff straight into my backpack, and it's super useful to know how much can fit or carry. It saves a lot of time and hazzle so I don't buy too much. I know that's not customary in most places, but where I live, people seems to be fine with it. Perhaps because I do it with such confidence and nonchalance in front of people and don't try to skulk around. My bag is half open, so all the items are plainly visible. I'm explicitly not hiding anything. One time I accidentally forgot a to remove some stuff from my pack to scan it. I went back and apologized, but the store clerk said it's fine. I didn't have to worry about it nor pay for it.

I'm an avid backpacker of 40+ years and I just want to say I appreciate the "realness" of your videos. Even experienced as I am I find good tips and ideas. I really appreciate the last segment on embracing the "suck" or discomfort. Go with the expectation of suffering and you'll be able to appreciate fully the aspects that don't. On that note, it is totally worth it!

One thing I learned on the PCT this year. When you are packing your food in a bear can, pour your freeze dried meals into Quart size freezer zip lock bags. Make sure to label the bag with the "cooking" instructions. Added bonus, you pour the boiling water into the ziplock bag so you keep your pot clean.

@caitlinwilson6926

Жыл бұрын

I've been thinking about how that might work but am always concerned that the bag would melt. Have you ever had a plastic bag melt when pouring in the hot water?

@scottnelson8461

Жыл бұрын

The freezer ones do not melt.

@bonniegreen3256

Жыл бұрын

Keep one of the bags the food came in and use it as a pouch. If the ziplock does fail the food is still contained. Also, it does have to be the ziplock brand, I've heard the off brands have had issues. I have yet to have a ziplock fail

@asht.7640

Жыл бұрын

@@caitlinwilson6926 I've honestly never had that happen. Just make sure you are using good bags, I've bought the Great value ones in the past and had them spring a leak and now I just stick to the name brand stuff. I'm not sure if there's much of a difference anymore, but I remember comparing them side by side and seeing a slight difference. I would use my beanie as an insulator for my Ziploc bag to hold it and mix things up by kneeding the bag. I have a few of those reusable silicone ones, those things never leak! They do weigh a little bit more tho.

@franzoidle7002

Жыл бұрын

I carry a 20 to 24oz Hydro Flask type bottle to prepare my food in. One, it keeps the meal hot while it’s rehydrating, and two, to clean it I just add more hot water then drink it. It also is nice to keep the coffee hot longer in the morning. Before I hit the trail that day, I’ll boil more water to make tea, or perhaps bullion broth to have at lunch. It worth the extra weight. Trail tip, buy an obnoxiously loud color so you can’t miss it.

Coming from Germany, the Apalachian Trail would be three times longer than my own country. This could be the (one) life changing challenge. Thank you very much for the content of your KZread channel. lots of good impressions and lots of good advice. please keep it up 👍👍👍

@TimboLappen

Жыл бұрын

Lass zusammen machen!

@madx3937

Жыл бұрын

@@TimboLappen ...ernst gemeint?

@TimboLappen

Жыл бұрын

@@madx3937 schon, die Frage ist nur wann. Spontan geht das ja leider nicht :D

@madx3937

Жыл бұрын

​@@TimboLappen leider nicht 😞 ...bis jetzt ist es auch erst eine Idee aber Vorsatz fürs neue Jahr hört sich besser an.

@TimboLappen

Жыл бұрын

@@madx3937 Also nächstes Jahr wird das bei mir devinitiv noch nix leider :/ Frühestens in zwei Jahren. Ich versuche aktuell aber möglichst viel Geld zur Seite zu legen.

When through hiking I box up my freeze dried resupply and mail it general delivery to myself at the next stop. I will stop at a supermarket though, but only to get some heavy food for my first dinner/breakfast the next morning. Then it is back to mountain home (or whatever brand). I carry extra empty water containers. They are light enough. If I get to halfway out of water, I go back and fill more containers. Yes, grown adults like me are afraid of the dark. I found over the years that when there is no moon, few animals are moving around. The real surprise is how bright a full moon is. Even a quarter moon is like having a flashlight in your eyes.

For me the things I had to learn 1st hand were 1 water management 2 dealing with bug noise at night or hearing bigger things making noise at night near camp and not worrying too much ... my 1st 3 nights on the pct in the PNW I had a hard time getting to sleep after getting used to it and talking to some other pct hikers who had hiked all the way up to where I started from Mexico it helped me not worry and get good sleep 3 getting a realistic idea of how many miles I can or can not do day after day and getting the food and miles to line up I brought way too much food for how long it took me to get from resupply to resupply given the miles I ended up doing and had to leave some stuff in Hiker boxes and have some of my resupplies lightened before being sent out 4 layers and sleep system again another personal thing and I leaned more towards go warmer just in case and I ended up with too hot of a sleeping bag and carrying a bit too many warm layers I didn't use except 2 mornings just to be warm while I packed up my bag That being said if it's your 1st time going out I would recommend leaning towards more warm stuff vs less just in case but it's hard to get a good idea of how everything works together until you go test it out

If you are going to be first along a trail in the early morning or evening, pick up a decent 'wand' BEFORE you start along the trail. Long enough to wave about, and sturdy enough without being heavy. Or use the pointy end of a trekking pole 'cause you don't want sticky spider web all over the handles :) Then just wave about your 'wand' like you are in Harry Potter and you'll be fine. Where I live, we have colorful tree spiders with a leg-span the same as your outstretched hand. I don't mind them, but I've shrieked a few times when my dog has pulled me right into a web and I've wondered if I have a spider sitting in my hair :( And if you go where there are giant fruit bats, always wear a hat at dawn and dusk and do NOT look up to watch them take-off from the trees - they very often pee as they start flying. You don't want bat pee in your hair, either.

Hahahahahahaha!!!! I had to pause the video, on the place where you were talking about ice cream ("ass cream") and the Preparation H box came up, because I was laughing so hard!!! The look on your face, on that freeze-frame was a deadpan stare--which increased my laughter to a flat-out wheeze! Ooooh, man! That was priceless! This was, yet again, another GREAT video! Thank you, Dixie! You did good! Happy Trails, and God bless you, real good! ❤❤

It is surprising how dark a night can be in the woods, but opposite of that is how bright it can be when the moon is full. One night when leading a Scout group on the AT, I found it difficult to sleep because it was so bright. I spent part of the night sitting outside the shelter leaning against a tree, just amazed at how well I could see even small details. It would have been easy to let my imagination run wild. Dld I see some creature in among the trees?

@bernielamont825

Жыл бұрын

Naw, it was just Dixie out on a night hike trying to outrun the moon!

The “ahhce cream” comment followed by the graphic “*NOT (preparation H)” made me lol and chuckle!! 😍😂

As far as I know, and can tell with a short bit of research, all the venomous species of spiders in the US and Canada are mostly ground dwelling and would not make a web across a trail. Those "face spiders" are almost certainly completely harmless to humans. I'm a bit arachnophobic myself, so I totally get being freaked out when it happens, but my feelings on spiders have calmed down a lot as I learned more about which species were actually concerning versus just looking creepy.

@musingwithreba9667

Жыл бұрын

It still sucks being first out on trail in the morning clearing all the webs for everybody behind you 😉🤣

@johnmiller935

Жыл бұрын

You know… those aren’t spiderwebs… the Bigfoot place them across the trail to disorient their prey…. Just saying

@v776

Жыл бұрын

Last year I had chunk of my leg removed from a spider bite I got in Wyoming.

@Time.and.Spoons

Жыл бұрын

Meanwhile in Australia our biggest fluffiest "scary" looking spiders are the most harmless. Small sneaky slick spiders are intended deadly

Howdy Dixie! I've really enjoyed the valuable insights you share here! I've hiked the El Camino del Norte a few times and really admire your articulation and all of the "mathy" logistics you explain so well. And for curious viewers pondering a hike...the wonderful, beautiful highs that make you say, "Man, I feel alive!"...well, for me, the challenges, adversities, and even the blues, may make one say, "Man, I feel alive!" Just in a weird, peculiar way. Happy Trails!

The shopping basket is a great idea!

I’ve been telling folks about Prep H solution for blisters for awhile now… the wipes are an even better idea! And who wouldn’t want a good face spider first thing in the morning to get you going? Good one, Dixie.

@musingwithreba9667

Жыл бұрын

It sure does wake you up quick!

@stitch3163

Жыл бұрын

@@musingwithreba9667 those spiders do give you a good wake up call, Reba!

@marylousherman5471

Жыл бұрын

Coffee & Spiders!

@flynnstone3580

Жыл бұрын

Do you put it on your face to get rid of wrinkles and morning eyebags?

@musingwithreba9667

Жыл бұрын

@@flynnstone3580 that would be an inexpensive face-lift!🤣

Vloggers: "The worst day on trail is better than the best day in the office". Me (avid backpacker): No it's not! The worst day on trail is miserable! If you're lucky. If you're not it's life-threatening (or worse)!

Thank you so much for mentioning my Facebook comment! My wife and I have been watching your videos for about 3 years now. Love your channel and really appreciate what you do for the hiking community.

Baked potato is my friend!! So cool he got to meet you! We always talked about you and others who influenced us on our gear and such, especially since he was training for the AT!

It takes time getting accustomed to being alone in the bush to eventually get comfortable being alone. I got hired in 1980 for a timber scaling job in northern Ontario in September when the frost just beginning to color the plants. I had moose jumping out of the bush and running beside my truck. A very scary beginning but I gradually got used to all the dangers and eventually taught nothing of it. We had bears walking in camp and I tried to warn people but nobody cared. They were used to it. I took that experience to my hiking ventures and canoe trips and never worried about anything. But now I'm getting just too old to feel comfortable in the bush and feel like it's time to make some changes.

@floydvaughn9666

Жыл бұрын

Everything out there was out there first. Just like you, they just want to get on with their life. Be a good guest.

@paavoviuhko7250

Жыл бұрын

@@floydvaughn9666 And Merry Christmas to you too.

@floydvaughn9666

Жыл бұрын

@@paavoviuhko7250 and Good Samhain to YOU.

I have almost learned everything i know about backpacking before i got the internet. Where i live we dont have spiders that can harm you, so already as a little girl scout i learned that if spiders somehow find their way into your sleeping bag( we did not had bugnet), they would be dead in the morning from the weight of your body, so no worries. Now I only mind about things that can harm you in nature. So if there are spiders that are dangerous for humans I will mind, otherwise i dont have a reason for being alert and can enjoy the outdoors instead. Where I live everybody is anxhious about getting to freeze this winter in their houses. Because of backpacking i really care more about our house than about me and My family getting to freeze. We got sleeping bags for the outdoors in wintertime, we got cloth for very cold outdoor winter temperatures. And if they shut the power off, we got a little solar panel and powerbanks enough to make our tablet and Phone have the power we need, and headlamps to make light. We also actually also got alot of food that does not need power to be eatable.

I was curious as to your success on your anti-inflammatory diet. Have you checked out Terry Wahls and her cookbooks? She has reversed her MS at least for now and has books on Amazon. I am diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease where the antibodies attack your own system. I've taken a food sensitivity test and it is amazing to find out what I am sensitive to. Wheat (and most grains) and dairy are big (SO MUCH FOR PIZZA). The food sensitivity test was a blood test. I've also taken an allergy skin test. The skin test shows I am allergic to a lot of pollens (weeds, grasses, trees), dust mites and now shellfish which I wasn't before! I blew off the shellfish results but recently had an allergic reaction to shrimp I ate while on a dive trip to Belize. Scary. I need to carry an EPIPEN now just in case. The dam things cost over 300 dollars! NOTE: if taking certain medical scans, they ask if you are allergic to shellfish. The injection protocol may change if you are. NOTE: Since I moved from upstate NY to Washington, I had to retake the allergy skin test because the plants up here are different. Since you hike a lot, you may want to get checked for Lyme disease. So many people I have found out have gotten it and it has messed up their immune system. Some permanently. I take doxycycline when I hike to help in the event of a tick bite. (I normally take doxy for rosacea whenever it flairs up). You have to have doxy in your system for a while in order for it to act as a prophylactic. Check with your doctor first. I'm thinking of heading to Iceland to see the Auroa Borealis and waterfalls this winter. The US dollar is strong so it may be a good time to visit. kzread.info/dash/bejne/fJ58j7mShNafe7w.html She has cookbooks on Amazon. The other is the Swank Diet and here is a comparison of the two. Some have gone on the Wahl diet only to go back to the SWANK diet. kzread.info/dash/bejne/fWp52diggtKuZMo.html Love your videos, The Meltdownman

It gets dark when I'm out on the lake on an overcast, moonless night in a canoe. You'd think a flashlight would help except that the light reflected by the inside of the canoe makes it hard to see anything out in the water. 😳Thanks for the video!

Talking about the embracing the suck I'm 63 now but only a couple years ago I was still serving as a Boy Scoutmaster. Let me say trying to keep pace with a bunch of teenage boys on those long backpacking hikes for me they was alot of embracing the suck. I will say though it was worth all the misery for what those young men was able to learn. It got to point after hikes it would take a week before I could walk further than a bathroom. Because of my health I finally had to give it up and I greatly miss it.

@1519Spring

Жыл бұрын

Fellow SM here. 53 now and I can still outhhike the boys, but I know it is only a matter of time. We get older every year yet they are always teenagers.

@kenjett2434

Жыл бұрын

@@1519Spring yeah age has huge difference at 53 I still had a daily workout of 3 miles in 30 minutes just to keep in shape. Sadly I can't walk a half miles now without having to be carried home. I hated giving up scouting but I just didn't have a choice.

Hiking has actually helped me get over my fear of spiders. I still don’t like them, but my reaction to the face spider is less outrageous now.

I did the TRT last summer and the first couple days was a nutrition and hydration lesson. I'm from the north east and wasn't use to how much moisture you lose in the dry heat of California mtns

Great info! TY!

(I love your MiniSawyer/bottle combination which I always credit to you and your splendid videos! Thank you! So quid pro quo ...) This is my recently evolved system for (horrible ... gag!) foot and shoe stench: 1. Soak feet in very diluted bleach solution. 2. Pour bleach solution into shoe/boot and on liner just enough to kill fungi (but not long enough to do damage). 3. Spray/pour (Dollar store or any) deodorant or aftershave in shoe. And rub well on feet (which further kills fungi). (I came across a 48 hour (!) deodorant in Spain which really did the trick but now cheap smellum seems OK too.) Such a difference!!! Happy walking, Dixie!

Well done, one of the better videos ive watched from different sites. Practical, valuable and relevant. You hit my spot.

Excellent video! Good information! Thank you!

Been following you since you STARTED the AT thru hike. Still love ya. Great info...thanks, Dixie.

Yeah! Well said Jess! It DOES suck! Being out in the rain, being beaten by the wind, having your feet sucked into freezing marshes and terrified you're going to lose your boots in the bottomless mire.... making camp, putting on a brew, warming up some stew, taking a deep breath and letting out a "phew"... oh yeah, maybe it doesn't suck that much after all....

@charlottedunlay4397

Жыл бұрын

Dixie, I hope you have blocked this person JonnaJiton... looks like phishing to me. Just saying.

Thank you, through hike attempt 03-01-2025i have accomplished fht and various northeast to trails you are a true inspiration. I watch religiously and learn a lot each video thanks

Great content as always Dixie!!!

Probably mentioned before, but worth reiterating, make sure your sleeping bag or quilt is longer then stated with there max length for excess air room around your feet and toes, and all your electrical stuff/batteries/phone/water filter when around freezing... Much more fun to play footsie with that great stuff then Not have battery and filtered water:) cheers, EC

Thanks for these tips! btw your braid and color looks great!

This is great. You covered many things I hadn't thought of or heard about. So far I am just a day hiker.

@HomemadeWanderlust

Жыл бұрын

That’s how all of us started!

Love your channel. Real, informative, optimistic!

We watch every video Dixie! Love what you do and you inspire me to hike 🥰

In the army, we did operations 24/7 in all different climates. Panama twice- heat and damp/wet results in cellulitis infections and prickly heat. Desert conditions were mostly night ops, so we dug in for the day. It was super hot, and then cool to cold at night. Rainforests- cold is fine, wet is fine, cold and wet sucks.

When I bike ride off-road trails, I always carry a minimum of 2 liters of water in a camelback. I can pretty much empty one plus an extra bottle on my bike frame (with electrolytes) over a few hours, less time when it’s hot a humid. My last camping trip I went through 2 gallons of water without much exertion, and that was being stingy with using it for cleaning dishes. The other thing never talked about is how to aim for that cat-hole you dig. It does take some practice. 😂

@bradbraun6851

Жыл бұрын

Cat holes on a hill can be tricky too.

In the early 70’s, my unit operated at night in Central and South America. Dark doesn’t bother me. Fast forward 20 years. My nephew was in an accident and not expected to live. While driving from Dallas to San Angelo, I stopped on the roadside to stare up at the stars. It was so remote that I couldn’t even see any ranch house lights. Suddenly the little boy inside came out and this 45 year old man was suddenly afraid of the bears and wolves of west Texas. That area of Texas has neither. That fact didn’t help the little boy standing in the dark, moonless night though.

Nice post!! Nicely distilled.

I just take my food can or stuff sack into the store with me. This totally prevents over purchases. Another thing I learned, don’t take the same type of 2 pair of socks. I take 2 pairs when I pack but they are different styles. And pay attention to the ground terrain when you plan the hike. Taller socks for scrub brush and cactus. Low socks for water crossing. Thin socks for heat. Thick socks for shoe rubbing, etc.

Love your videos! Love the braid!

Amazing informational video, thank you !

I’m a dawn day hiker, and I can tell you the cross-trail spider webs can be a real problem! I wear glasses when I hike, and one morning I hit a pretty strong web smack across my face. I heard something rustle in the bushes, but I walked on. Fifty feet later I realized my glasses were gone! Talk about panic! Thank God I looked down at that rustle in the bushes. It took my a good minute or two to backtrack and recognize the spot where my glasses had landed safely by the side of the trail. Now I look for the webs, and if I’m not carrying trekking poles, at least I put my hand out in front of my face!

@grantgrow

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Isn't that called silk blazing?

@daven.7685

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@@grantgrow Call it what you want, I’ll just never forget the lesson it taught me! Best to you on all your hiking adventures!

My first (successful) solo backpacking trip I decided to read a Stephen King kindle book. Was so on edge the whole time, ha. Especially the first night since it was poor weather so I was the only backpacker in that alpine cirque.

Good reminders Dixie. thanks and stay safe.

My first real long walk was in Scotland , 21 miles in a loop on Skye, and I forgot to bring water. Fortunately it was late summer and the roads and trails were lined with bushes covered in bramble berries. I got back to my B&B tired but very purple.

Great video Dixie! Loved the Face 🕷s!

I needed this video right now. Thank you, Dixie.

It’s my trail momma! Love you girl! Always keeping me up to date on the latest gear and tips/tricks!

Thanks for the information, and the inspiration 🙂 Stay well & safe .. Cheers.

Another advantage of using boots/shoes for water bottle holders is it discourages small critters from exploring your shoes! I once woke up to find that something had deposited a bunch of seeds in the toes of my boots while I slept! It took ages to clear them all out. But I can't say I've ever experienced the anti-gravity effect - and I've carried packs up to 40lbs for 20+ miles... It is nice to take 'em off though!

And!!! That is the best exposition of why we go backpacking that I have ever seen, thanks Dixie!

I liked the tap to the head when you said knock on wood.