Experiences While Thru-hiking the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail - Part 2

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I must have stood there, looking at the walrus-like man, for several long seconds. It seemed unbelievable to me that this "Park Ranger" had no interest at all in offering any kind of assistance. I fumbled for something to say, but without another word, he slowly eased his Explorer down the road. I watched his tail lights as they disappeared. I was completely baffled by the utter uselessness of the whole conversation that I had just been involved in. What was the point of having a park ranger if that was the kind of “help” they provided? I was still staring down the road, perplexed and annoyed, when I saw the headlights of a truck heading in my direction. As it got closer, I could see it wasn’t just any truck, it was a big and beautiful F-250. It was our savior.

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Experiences While Thru-hiking the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail - Part 1

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The trail mostly runs along the spine of Laurel Ridge, one of the western-most ridges of the Allegheny Mountains. It seemed to us that the hiking would be fairly flat once we got on top of the ridge. But first, we had to get to the top. For the majority of the first day, we climbed at a steady pace, stopping a little to catch a glimpse of the deep, lush Conemaugh River Valley. It didn’t take long before dark and ominous storm clouds began blowing in. The winds from the southwest pushed the dark gray clouds right toward us. Distant rolls of thunder followed us as we continued our upward progress.

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Down to the Wire: A Story of a DIY Colorado Mule Deer Hunt

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The next day was our last day to hunt for mule deer during Colorado’s 2nd Rifle Season. I pulled my beanie down over my eyes. The wind whipped around our tent as it gusted through the shallow gully choked in sagebrush.

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Pack Packing 2.0

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I tend towards a lightweight style.  You’re always welcome to add on that extra sweater, that daily change of socks and underwear, that roll of toilet paper, and all the spice jars on your kitchen shelf.  I tend to choose increased comfort in mobility and mileage over more camp or creature comforts, but this is a choice we all get to make before we start each trip.  So experiment with how much you can carry, or how little you need.  And have fun exploring!

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Overlanding through the Northern Illinois Bayou Valley, Ozark National Forest

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During our summer trip to the Ozarks, Van and I decided to dedicate a full day to running 4x4 trails in the eastern portion of the forest. We pondered over our Ozark National Forest map and eventually decided to explore the northern portion of the Illinois Bayou valley.

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Floating Big Piney Creek, an Ozark Gem

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I think Van would agree with me, Big Piney Creek is one of those rivers that you could float over and over again without getting sick of it. Granted, I think we hit the river when the conditions were just right. If the water had been lower, we would have had to carry the raft for 7 miles. If the river had been higher, this novice oarsman would have been a little sketched-out.

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Overland Lab Gear Reviews - Decked Drawer System: A Truck Bed Storage Game Changer

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Back in 2015 I was fed up with running a fairly homogenous serious of tubs and bags in the back of my truck when going on adventures. I had grown quite weary of having to unpack my truck bed every time in order to find one piece of gear. I never could re-pack the bed the same way twice. After some research, I had decided that a drawer system might be something for me. 

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