A long, walking family of six, from Lakeland, Florida, the Strawbridges set out to thru-hike the PCT with their four kids in 2018. They accomplished this feat successfully going SOBO, averaging around 20 miles per day and, facing all the struggles and joy that come with hiking 2,650 miles as a large family.
Taking care of your physical health is obvious when it comes to outdoor activities; if you’re injured, there is a set limit to how much you can physically do (and a much lower limit for how much youshoulddo.)
Though we don’t always pay attention to them, mental health and emotional health are equally as important. Pay attention to the voice inside your head that is telling you to come down. You will not summit today. That is OK.
That young man had some big brass you know whats! He had a plan to propose at a certain spot and he followed it through to the end regardless of forgetting his hiking boots. I couldn't thank them enough and even told several campers what had happened. The entire hike had taken me over 12 hours. I was wiped out to the point I didn't even make it to Lake Elizabeth.
I’ve made the choice to dedicate my life to my passion, and that doesn’t come without sacrifice. There are more days than not that not having a wife, a family or an established career can eat away at me. I experience a lot of loneliness because of my choices. I’m 45 years old, and there are days I wonder if I’ll ever have a different response to the questions people ask me. Sitting on a mountain top, tent flap open, sun going down, a majestic aura all around me fills me with inconceivable joy, but it also has its moments of aching solitude.
Actually, I had lost sight of what brought me up to the woods in the first place: the friends, the solitude, the enjoyment of skiing througha quiet forest in winter. Which I was totally missing out on because I couldn’t let go of my expectations. I couldn’t slow down, take my time, focus on each downhill slope, and lean into the occasional crash.
Hiking is an easy way to appreciate nature and offer your mind time to reflect, space to appreciate, and you get to experience the warmth of the sun touching your face. You can hear the whistling sound of the wind rushing through the trees and you get attuned to the earth with every step.
Three months ago, I climbed the Grand Teton as the culmination of my summer job leading outdoor trips for students. The certificate for that feat, signed by our three guides, is currently pinned to my refrigerator. Because I’m proud of it, goddammit.I did a thing!
The best trekking pole does not come from the expensive brands, but from the brands that combine all the essential elements of a useful, functional and reliable trekking pole. Experienced trekkers and climbers understand that functionality, safety, and comfort come together in finding a reliable trekking pole.
Knowing this, I invested in my first ever set of sticks – theHiker Hunger Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles– after reading faaaar too many reviews online. I gave them a test run the week before on day hikes to Laguna Esmeralda, Laguna Turquesa, Vinciguerra Glacier and the Valle de Olum near Ushuaia, and was surprised at what a difference they made!
