This is My Sport. The King of All Sports, to me. If you want to see nature and the glory of what is Earth, get out into the wild and hike somewhere. Go prepared and take your time. Always let someone know where you are going. If you will be gone overnight and plan on packing in a tent, here's a tip for you: How To Secure Tents And Tarps With Ripped Eyelets If an eyelet rips out of the corner of your tent or tarp and you need to tie it back down, cutting a new hole in the fabric and attempting to secure it with rope will usually result in more ripped fabric or a larger hole in the tent. Instead, take a small stone, pine cone or any other rounded object, wrap the fabric around it and pinch the fabric tight around the bottom of the object. Now take your rope and tie it around the outside of the object so that the object stays wrapped inside of the fabric. Cinch the rope tight and you have secured the tarp. This works because the stone wrapped in fabric gives the rope a place to tie around, similar to a ship's mooring, that is likely stronger than the tarp's original eyelets. And in high winds, securing your tarps this way can prevent the eyelets from tearing out and damaging your tent or tarp.

Another thought: Pillows Some people can't sleep without their pillows. For this reason, there are many different types of inflatable pillows on the market that are self-inflating and easy to deflate. Some of us don't like inflatable pillows however. There are other options. One hiker I know adds a small couch pillow to her pack.Another has a small down pillow. Most people who hike are not the type to need three or four pillows to sleep, and of course smaller is better in your pack. If you have a small pillow on your couch, see how that feels under your head and how it fits in your pack before you go buy anything special for your trip.

There are as many reason for hiking as there are hikers. Landscape artist hike to get a new vista, perspective or just to refresh their artistic senses. Naturalists hike to see what is new and growing. Geologists hike to enjoy the very structures on which they hike, and to appreciate new views of old scenery. I hike for all of the above - there is nothing out there not to enjoy. Take your water and sunblock and hit the trail. I can see 500 new acres of dry land Kilauea has created since the last eruption began. It is ongoing, it builds little mountains and it is like a changing topographic map each time I hike in.

Keeping Clothes And Food Dry When embarking on extended backpacking trips, especially to wet climates, pack all of your belongings in gallon-sized Ziploc bags. If the climate is especially wet, purchase a waterproof cover for your backpack or cover the backpack with a plastic garbage bag. When setting up camp, tie an angled tarp between some trees to create a dry area for stowing backpacks and gear that does not fit into the tents or their vestibules. Finally, bring plenty of cord to tie clotheslines for drying out soaked clothing.

Careful On The Boulders If your hike leads you over boulders, don't assume that just because they look firmly attached to the ground that they are. Even a large rock can move when the weight of a person is on it. If you have to hike over the boulders, put your feet down carefully. Go slowly and test the footing before trusting your full weight to it. Skipping from boulder to boulder like a mountain goat is something they only do in movies without anyone getting hurt.

Glass Containers Don't take any glass containers with you on a hiking or camping trip. Not only is it heavier in your pack, but it could break and you would have a difficult time finding a safe way to pack it back out in your garbage. This includes glasses to drink from, glass cookware, glass jars, or glass juice bottles. Repackage those items at home, or better yet, buy items in plastic or waxed cardboard containers.

Leave The Tent Doors Open In Bear Country When camping in bear country and not staying at your campsite all day, it's a good idea to open all of the doors on your tent. If a bear comes to your site and is remotely interested in anything in your tent, they will make a door to investigate if one is not readily open for them, severely damaging your tent. Chances are if you leave the door open, the bear may rummage around briefly in the tent or just take a peek inside, causing little or no damage to the tent. Finally, remain diligent about bagging anything with an odor (food, tobacco, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.) and don't give a bear any reason to be interested in your tent.

Use A Ground Cloth With Your Tent Tents are rarely set up in areas free of sharp sticks and/or stones. To protect the bottom of your tent, set your tent up on a ground cloth. Ground cloths can be purchased in various shapes and sizes and some tent manufacturers specifically make ground cloths for their line of tents. If you can't find a ground cloth to fit your tent, place your tent on a tarp or some plastic sheeting and fold the sides underneath the tent. Finally, you can make a custom ground cloth for your tent from plastic sheeting by cutting out a slightly smaller footprint of your tent.

Burning Other Items In Your Fire Some plastic package wrapping can be burned up completely in your campfire, but thicker plastic won't burn up. Other items typically thrown in a campfire include cigarettes, hygiene products like toilet paper, food cans, and coffee bags. Anything that doesn't burn up completely in the fire has to be packed out. Just because it's a campfire doesn't mean it's the place for your garbage. So if you're burning those cans to get rid of the food remnants in them, remember you'll have to take them out when the fire has died.

This is bad news for those who used this as a stain repellent on their outdoor gear. GOOD BYE SCOTCHGARD The 3M company has agreed to phase out the use of perfluorooctanyl sulfate-type chemistry in its products including one of its most popular items, Scotchgard. When sprayed on fabrics, Scotchgard helps prevent stains by repelling dirt, oil and water. But researchers have found that the chemicals used to make the product tend to build up on living tissue. PFOS technology is also used in a variety of other ways -- from firefighting foam to coating on paper packaging. The company says it will develop alternatives to PFOS chemistry, even though the Environmental Protection Agency says there is no clear evidence that PFOS actually cause any danger to humans. Charles Auer, the head of the EPA's chemical control division, told HealthSCOUT, "The bigger issue is what might have happened in the future if the company had continued to use the stuff." Auer says 3M's own studies showed PFOS "was persistent in environmental organisms like fish and birds," and that 3M was surprised to find PFOS in the blood of people "in such a widespread manner." However, 3M medical director Dr. Larry Zobel says "there is no health effect" as a result of the presence of PFOS in human blood, and the company is not recommending that consumers who already have Scotchgard in the home should throw it out.

A Mountain Zone Site The Mountain Zone's About Hiking site, located at http://www.abouthiking.com/, is a great site for information and articles. The site has articles featuring various hiking locations, specific trails, photos from some of the featured hiking areas, discussions of equipment, and a page where you can tell your hiking stories or read about the experiences of other hikers. You can even shop for gear on the site. This is a good site for any hiker to visit regularly.

Learn To Recognize The North Star Learning to recognize Polaris, the north star, is a valuable asset when traveling in the wilderness. There is no more reliable way to locate true north when traveling north of the equator. Polaris can be easily located by following an imaginary line drawn through the two stars that form the end of the Big Dipper's ladle. Should you find yourself lost in the wilderness, the north star can lead you in the right direction. Knowledge of the north star's location has saved many lives, and should be passed on to all who travel in the wilderness.

Timing Your Trip Many hikers like to plan their hikes not only around the best period of weather for a particular hiking area, but around natural events as well. Likewise, if you're looking to miss the crowds, you'll want to think about hiking during a less-popular season. For example, some hikers like to schedule their hikes for when the dogwood trees are blooming, or when the prairie is in flower, and so forth. But there are other things you can plan for as well that will make your trip a special one. Plan your hike for the full moon, or for a significant date. This can make your trip a memorable one. The full moons you can look up on almost any good calendar, and the other events, such as when something is in bloom, you can simply call ahead to the park to ask about. Browse the archives http://www.emazing.com/archives/hiking

What To Do If Your Canoe Capsizes Most canoes will not sink if they capsize, but they will fill with water and become very difficult to maneuver. If your canoe capsizes in deep water, try to find someone to help you tow it back to shore. If the canoe capsizes in shallow water (water you can stand in), you may be able bail the water out of the canoe. When a canoe capsizes on a river, keep the canoe downstream if possible. The weight of a canoe filled with water and pushed by a river's current could easily crush you if you get caught between the canoe and some rocks. Finally, when a canoe capsizes on a larger body of water and no one can come to your aid, use the submerged canoe as a flotation device and slowly guide the canoe back to shore where you can bail it out.

Pack A Sewing Kit When a pack's zipper blows out, some important clothing rips, or the tent fly rips, basic sewing skills along with a pocket sewing kit can temporarily repair the damage until your trip is complete. Supplement the sewing kit with some four- or six-pound test fishing line. Much stronger than thread, fishing line will survive more wear and tear until you can properly repair the damage. Finally, pack several sizes of needles. A regular sewing needle may not be sturdy enough to sew through canvas, leather, and other heavier materials. Marcia's note: I always carry unwaxed dental floss and a little beeswax for these repairs. Some are still holding years later. That fishing line can be hard to knot and make the knots hold.

If you're having difficulty finding people to hike with, consider joining a local hiking club. Almost every city has one, usually listed in a local paper under sports, hobbies, or extracurricular activities. The local club in my area has everyone gather at the same place, then take a van to the trailhead. After hiking the trail, they often discuss the hike over dinner somewhere. They even plan for longer hiking trips at more distant trails for those who are interested, so you may even make friends for hiking vacations. The fees are usually minimal, generally just enough to pitch in for gas. And if your area doesn't have a hiking club, consider starting one yourself with an ad in the paper.

A few quotes from Henry David Thoreau, who understood our connection to nature: -"In wildness is the preservation of the world." -"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." -"Nature is full of genius, full of the divinity; so that not a snowflake escapes its fashioning hand." -"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." -"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, how ever measured or far away."

Care Of Gortex Garments Gortex garments, like any other piece of camping gear, need maintenance over time. With Gortex garments, the outer nylon can begin to absorb water, leaving you cold and inhibiting Gortex's capacity to breathe. To wash and restore the water repellant characteristics to the nylon in Gortex garments, try using a wash treatment specifically designed for that fabric. TX Direct, a product made by Nikwax, works well for this purpose. If you tear the Gortex, do not try to repair or sew it. Send the garment back to the manufacturer for repair. A small tear can be temporarily secured with a piece of duct tape, but check the manufacturer's warranty first, since this may void the warranty.

This is truly foreign territory for me! Only hiking I've ever done is country walks. Never been camping, ever! Real townie, me. (Well, cept in Africa, but that's different!)

The gentleman for whom I created this topic has actually hiked 40 miles in one day. Far beyond anything I could ever do. But, I am not built like he is *grin*

Sheeesh unimaginable. I did 10-20 miles a day in Switzerland in my teens, but not now!!!

Carrying your 65 pounds of survival gear, too? Not sure how long my longest was but over 10 miles for sure.

He was trailmaster and as such I suppose it was necessary to check the safety of them by hiking every step. I also know a guy who was a ranger on Mt Lassen Nat'l Park and he hiked every inch of those trails almost daily for years. I wonder about David's longest hike....Pretty far doing flow-front duty, I would imagine!

nope no survival gear, just day sacks. We only rambled foothills near Zermatt.

You mean you did wear a dirndl and run around singing ala Julie Andrews? I rather fancied you that way...

Well, actually, yes I did once but not in Switzerland - and I've got the medal somewhere to prove it! Did the Bronze Medal exam at the Duke of Wellington's house in Hyde Park!!!! (now what else are you going to drag out of me I wonder??) T wants to do the Pennine way - you can go with him, and I'll stay home in the warm!!! I wouldn't mind doing some of Hadrians Wall though - in Summer.

The South Downs call me but off the track it is so conjested there. I just might take him up on the Pennine way. I have a lovely book I got in Britain with all the hikes around UK - especially England. Think I'd pass on the Grampians or the Caringorms (unless I could bring a nice huck of it back with me *grin*)

The walking here in the chilterns is nearly all down lanes - dangerous! There is SO much private land and where we used to walk with the kids you can't walk now. Sure, take T off walking - anywhere! I'll stay and paint - and have hot soup (or cool drinks) waiting for your return.!

How To Sweeten Your Water Supply When camping in the wilderness, if your only water supply is somewhat stagnant (water collected from a swamp or a small pond), it may be desirable to sweeten the water before drinking it. First, bring the water to a boil. Next, drop a few pieces of charred hardwood from the campfire into the pot and simmer for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Skim away the foreign matter and either allow the solids to settle or filter through a cloth. Sweetening the water should eliminate any unpleasant tastes and/or odors associated with stagnant water.

The Solar Recharger Taking your cell phone camping is probably a good idea. Unfortunately, there are not many places with power for a wall wart out in the middle of the great outdoors. This gadget helps out. The Solar Recharge is a small solar cell that can power a 3-volt device or recharge most newer, small cellular phones. Remember that full sun is required and that a full charge can take 12 hours. Two rechargeable AA batteries are included as well. The Solar Recharge is available from Hammacher-Schlemmer at (800) 543-3366 or on the web at http://www.hammacher.com.

How To Build A Fire Pit The wilderness is no place to build a fire pit, but if you want to build one at home here's how. -First, dig a hole in the ground where you want the fire pit. Size the hole depending on the size of the fire pit you want. For most fire pits, a hole one foot deep and three feet in diameter will suffice. -Next, line the bottom and sides of the hole with flat rocks. The rock-lined pit provides an excellent surface for shoveling out ashes, will support the logs better, and helps the fire burn hotter. -Finally, place larger rocks in a ring around the top of the hole. One final note: Never use rocks from rivers and lakes. They have absorbed water and can explode when heated.

Wow, good tip on the exploding rocks.

Yeah - is there any other place you can think of to post that? Gonna put in Geo 1 since most people read what I post in there. Removing A Fishhook From The Skin Here's a quick and somewhat painless way to remove a stuck fishhook from your skin. First, loop a piece of string or heavy fishing line around the bend of the hook and loop the other end around your fingers. Next, have a second person push down on the eye and bend of the hook to disengage the barb from the skin. Finally, jerk the string making sure the string lies flat against the skin and is aligned along the long axis of the hook. Incredibly, when done right, the hook will come free easily and without pain. Please note: If you fish with Berkley "Goldpoint" hooks, the barbs are on the outside of the hook point. Instead of pushing down, pull up to disengage the barb and pull up and out with the string to remove the hook.

Packaging Meals For Extended Camping Trips When packaging meals for an extended camping or wilderness trip, try to pack each meal in its own large Ziploc bag. Pack everything the meal will include except for basic staples, such as bread. Pre-packaging each meal on an extended trip makes meal preparation easier when you're in the wilderness and can prevent inadequate rationing of food, since each meal has its own Ziploc bag. Finally, label each bag so you know what meal the food is for and try to pack the bags in the order they will be used.

Tip For Lacing Your Boots When lacing your hiking boots, one of the primary objectives is to prevent the laces from loosening while you're hiking. Here's a couple of quick ways to prevent the laces from slipping once tied. Hiking boots usually have several sets of eyes that lead up from the toe of the boot to the ankle, followed by hooks to secure the boot around the ankles. Lace the eyes as you normally would, but at the last set of eyes before the hooks, bring the laces back through the opposite eye a second time. When you cinch the laces tight around the ankle, the double-laced eyes generate enough friction on the laces to hold the laces tighter. Next, lace the hooks of the boot; but instead of coming up under the bottom of the hook, lace over the top of the hook around to the bottom creating a triangle around the hook. The extra friction created will keep the laces from slipping and keep the boots snug around your ankles.

Seam Seal Your Tent If you've ever been sleeping in your tent and find yourself being awakened by water dripping on your face, or worse yet you're laying in a puddle, you will wish you had taken the time to properly seam seal your tent. Seal every seam that is exposed to weather and each seam the manufacturer recommends you seal. Here are a few tips. -Before seam sealing your tent, determine which side of the fabric to seal. Sealant will adhere best to the side of the material that is not coated. You can test this by observing which side of the material best repels water. That is likely the coated side. -If you are applying a liquid sealer, apply two coats. If applying a tube-type sealer, one coat should suffice. Allow the sealant to dry for 24 hours before using the tent. -Once the sealant has dried, test the tent underneath a sprinkler for a couple of hours. Locate any missed leaks and re-seal them after the tent has dried.

Carbon Build Up On Camp Cookware It's easy to prevent build up of carbon on your cookware while cooking over campfires by "soaping" the cookware. To "soap" your cookware, apply a thin layer of dish soap to the outside of the pot or pan immediately before cooking. Now you're ready to cook your food. When the cooking is finished and you're ready to clean the cookware, you'll find that the carbon adheres to the dish soap and easily wipes off the pot. Reapply the dish soap each time before you cook and your cookware will continue to look shiny and new.

Do I assume 'dish soap' is British 'washing up liquid'??? (i.e. runny stuff not solid) - sorry I DO try ...

Yes, it is, as opposed to dishWASHER liquid or laundry liquid

Eliminating Insects From Your Tent A quick and easy way to eliminate insects from your tent is to fog the interior with an insect fogger (bug bomb) prior to sleeping. About 15 minutes before you go to sleep, close all the entrances to your tent and fog the interior. After about 10 minutes, open the tent flaps, but keep the tent screen closed to allow fresh air into the tent. When you're ready to go to sleep, enter the tent as quickly as possible and remove any insects that may have snuck in as you entered the tent.

Would insect spray do just as well? I don't know what a bug bomb or insect fogger is.

If you use a fogger let it air throughly. They sell them to do your garden in the evening so you can stand to sit out without being feasted upon by every mosquito in the county!

When The Weather Unexpectedly Changes When traveling outdoors, if the weather unexpectedly changes, your first priority is to seek shelter. Depending on the climate you're traveling in, this can mean anything from trees, to caves, or snow caves. If you are traveling on the water, you can navigate through a minor storm. However, in high winds or at the first sign of lightning, seek refuge on the shore if possible. Your second priority once you have gained shelter is to stay warm. Light a fire, put on dry clothing, or huddle together with your camping partners to stay warm. Once the inclement weather has passed, you can continue on your journey.

How To Find Water In The Wilderness When traveling in the wilderness, nature gives us many clues as to where to find water. Water will collect at the bottom of hills, and on its way down, will groove the face of the hill. Look for the thickest patches of vegetation and you'll likely find water. In flat terrain, alder, willow, and other shrubs indicate the presence of water. In the desert, water will collect at the lowest points. If you find a dry stream bed, choose the lowest point and dig a hole, because water may lie just below the surface. Finally, snow and ice can be used to supply water.

What Items Need To Be Placed In Bear Bags? There is one firm rule in bear country: If the item has an odor, bear-bag it. This includes food, deodorant, scented soap, tobacco, toothpaste, sunscreen, cooking clothes, garbage, or makeup. Never leave any of these items in your tent. Finally, when on a backcountry fishing trip, always remember to filet your fish at least 100 yards away from your campsite. Fish remains will attract bears like iron to a magnet.

Bear bag, ya mean hang it outside in a tree up high where them 'bars cain't git it?

How To Properly Set Up A Bear Bag The purpose of the bear bag is to prevent the hungry and opportunistic bear from stealing your food. While there are several ways to set up a bear bag, the following is a quick and easy method for bear bagging. Most bear bags are set up in trees. The bear bag should hang 12 feet above the ground, 10 feet away from the side of the tree, and 5 feet down from the branch where it is hanging. To accomplish this, ideally you want to find a tree with a branch about 20 feet above the ground. First, toss a weighted end of rope over the tree branch. Next, tie the bear bag to the rope and hoist it up, leaving the sack at least 5 feet below the branch and 12 feet above the ground. Tie off the other end of the rope around the tree trunk and your bear bag is secure. One drawback is that some clever bears have learned to swat the tie off until the rope breaks and the food comes down.

Yup, that's whut they ment... If'n yur smart, y'all crawl up in the b'ar bag and stay there to sleep!

That's that Hawai-in' drawl, ain't it hon?

Y'all figgered it out, huh?! We's the suthin-most island in the chain... Only right that we have sumthin diffrent 'bout ussin.

Yeppin'

Alternative Bear-Bagging Technique An alternative method for bear-bagging in terrain where the bears are clever is to use the counterbalance. Begin by setting up a bear bag as you normally would (the bear bag should hang 12 feet above the ground, 10 feet away from the side of the tree, and 5 feet down from the branch it is hanging from). However, place the items to be bear-bagged into two separate and equally weighted bear bags. Hoist the first bear bag up to the top of the branch (at least 20 feet above the ground). Then tie the second bag to the rope about three to five feet above the ground, and tie a loop that hangs off the top of the bag in the rope. Just give the second bag a push and the bags will counterbalance about 10 to 12 feet about the ground with no tie off rope for the bears to swat. When you want to retrieve your bear bag, pull the second bag down by hooking the tied loop with a long stick. One drawback is that if the counterbalanced bear bags are not set up right, they can be extremely difficult to retrieve.

Recommendations For Insect Repellent Where you are, how bad the insects are and how long you will remain outdoors all factor into insect repellant selection. In general, any insect repellent that contains DEET will ward off mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, and some biting flies. For day hikes and general outdoors use, choose a product with about 10 to 20 percent DEET. However, in the wilderness an insect repellent with 95 to 100 percent DEET is recommended. Stay away from citronella-based insect repellents when camping, as they are not effective enough to provide relief from abundant mosquitoes. For clothing protection, use a permetherin spray to treat the clothing. (FOR CLOTHING PROTECTION ONLY. DO NOT APPLY TO SKIN). One treatment with permetherin can last one to four weeks at a time and is especially effective at repelling ticks.

Removing A Tick When a tick wants to bite, it usually takes several hours for the tick to become imbedded. A tick that has just attached itself to you can be easily removed by running a thin, clean knife blade between the tick and the skin. If a tick is imbedded, cover the tick with a heavy oil (mineral oil) to close its breathing pores. Eventually the tick will disengage itself. Then remove the tick with a tweezers, being extremely careful to remove all tick parts. Leaving a tick's head in place can cause a painful infection or worse. If you cannot extract all parts of a tick, a visit to your doctor may be necessary. Finally, once a tick is removed never crush the tick between your fingers as this can release harmful organisms that the human body can absorb. Cast the tick aside and move on.

Essential Camping Equipment - Sunglasses When hiking at elevations, in snow, or traveling on water, ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can burn the eye's retina if proper eye protection is not worn. Sunglasses should filter 95 to 100 percent of the UV rays and varying percentages of ambient light. For high elevation travel, select sunglasses that allow only a five to ten percent transmission of ambient light and have side shields that reduce the light reaching your eyes. For general outdoor use, sunglasses with ambient transmission rates of 20 percent are desirable. Sunglasses with gray and green lenses will provide the truest color while yellow lenses provide visibility in overcast weather. If purchasing sunglasses for fishing, make sure the lenses are polarized to filter light reflected off of the water surface.

Selecting Sunscreen And Sunburn Prevention When outdoors, it is important to protect the skin from sunburn. Underestimating the burning capacity of the sun can be painful and dangerous, including giving you the potential for skin cancer. The ideal protection from the sun is extra clothing. However, when you're camping a good rule of thumb is to use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Apply to all exposed areas of skin. Reapply as often as needed and every couple of hours when sweating heavily. If a body part (such as your nose) is especially susceptible to sun damage, use of a zinc-oxide paste (Desitin) will offer complete protection. And don't forget to protect your lips from sunburn as well. Several lip balms are available that offer SPFs up to 30.

Campsite Cleanliness The "golden rule" of camping is: "Leave the campsite cleaner than you found it." Always pack out any garbage that you create and any other garbage you may find, no matter who left it. This includes the little aluminum flecks left in a campfire from burnt packaging. On an extended trip, always remember to pack some heavy-duty plastic bags to pack out your garbage. When camping in the wilderness, try to practice the concept of "Leave no Trace" so that another camper hiking in the same area never knows that you were there.

Where To Go To The Bathroom When traveling in the wilderness, always use pit toilets and/or latrines if they are available when you need to go to the bathroom. If these facilities are not available, go at least 200 feet from any open water. Dig a hole 8 inches wide by 8 inches deep in which to do your business. When finished, fill in the hole with the loose dirt. Never leave behind non-biodegradable items, such as sanitary napkins, and burn the toilet paper if possible. Remember, the last thing you want to encounter when traveling in the wilderness is someone else's mess.

Use Trekking Poles To Save Your Knees When hiking over rough terrain up and down steep slopes, you may be surprised how useful trekking poles can be. Trekking poles will literally save your knees thousands of pounds of strain over a typical day of hiking. Also, a set of poles will improve your balance, enable steady breathing, provide added stability during a descent, and help conserve energy. If you can't afford a set, split the cost with a hiking partner and use one pole each just as you would a hiking stick. You and your knees will find the investment well worth the cost.

Using Gaiters If you want to keep rain, snow, rocks, sand, and twigs out of your boots while hiking, cross-country skiing, or climbing your favorite mountain pass, you may want to invest in a pair of gaiters. Typically gaiters fasten just above the ankle, and are worn over the boots and pants, serving as a waterproof barrier and acting as an extension of your boots. Gaiters come in varying sizes and styles, ranging from short styles that rise several inches above the ankle of the boot (keeping sand and rocks away) to high top styles that let you splash through deeper streams, mud, and snow. When selecting gaiters, choose a model suited to your outdoor activity that features strap bindings rather than shoelace bindings. Also keep in mind that hook and loop (Velcro) enclosures will leak less water than a zipper enclosure.

Drying Your Clothes If dry weather is scarce on your wilderness trip, a reasonably dry pack towel can be used like a small clothes dryer. First, ring out your wet clothes and place them in a single layer on the pack towel. Next, roll the clothes up in the pack towel and place the bundle in a garbage bag. At night, tuck the whole thing into your sleeping bag. By the morning, the pack towel will have extracted most of the moisture from the clothes and they will be ready to wear.

I had a great hike along the San Francisco Bay, some pictures are at http://www.wholetech.com/sanfran I got to see Fort Point, under the Golden Gate Bridge and some great vistas along the trail. There's a nice golf course adjacent to the trail. Save your pennies if you want a place in the Presidio neighborhood near here!

Took the kids 'hiking' last Sunday. The Easter bunny had hidden a few eggs along a short path in Lory State Park. Kendall walked and I had Ri in the Snugli napping. The first trail went so well (it was an easy trail about .2 miles!) that we embarked on another. Kendall started asking to be held more often about 1/2 mile in, so we turned around and went back to the first trail to play in the water!

BTW, I LOVE abalone Paul!!!

Jan Wolter would love to hear that.