Women's Adventure Magazine

Women's Adventure Magazine just launched their Winter edition. Read it online here.

How to Avoid the Ho-Hum

I've saved this post for hump day- because let's face it- even the most active & energetic of us outdoor peeps get the ho-hums. Late fall/ early winter tends to be when the ho-hums set in for me. I think it is a combination of darker days & cold winds that brings it on. So here are some strategies for avoiding the ho-hums:

Night Hike

When I transitioned from full-time student to full-time worker I had to start mixing up the work week. Monday through Friday is so dull. But Monday to Wednesday's Night Hike in the woods- to Friday's night hike up nearby peaks is sooooo much more livable.

Fire

Survival experts always tout the motivating, let alone warming, powers of having a fire. Well sometimes a little bit of campfire is needed to ward off the ho-hums. Give it a try- got your own backyard with a firepit? Have a nearby cheapy campground or state park with firepits? Fire em (or one) up and watch the ho-hums fizzle out.

Cartwheels

Seriously there is nothing that a few cartwheels can't cure. I cartwheel on mountain tops, walking the dog on the sidewalk, and even during hike & bike push fests.

TP Your Friends Tent

Sure it's a total waste of TP but it brings the hilarious back to camping as an adult. Plus, who's to say you can't reuse all that TP?

Biking at Night

Biking at night turns the tamest trails into something wildly fun. There is something so appealingly dangerous about limited vision while whipping through the woods on two wheels ;)

Smores on the Grill

Some nights I'm so dead on feet that I just can't gather the energy for the above jaunts. These nights I try to keep the ho-hums away by grilling up some smores on the grill. I find the best way to grill smores is to: put down graham cracker with chocolate and two marshmallows on top, heat for 3-4 minutes with cover on, remove and place another graham cracker on top. Voila! Peanut butter or nutella are nice additions too.

My Fall & Winter Without the Gym

Yup, I'm still humming along on my year without the gym. I manage two to three evenings of running during the work week, at least four days of walking Misty, and I play all weekend. So far I am still biking through the cold and hope that I can survive the months of January and February (that is when I traditionally fall apart).

Revisiting Winter Hiking

Gosh- I've sure been thinking about and getting ready for snow this year. Traditionally, I am more of a warm weather person since biking is one of my favorite sports, but every year I find myself loving the snow just a little bit more.

This year I am really interested in doing a lot more cross country skiing. So I'll probably be posting a bit about skis and jaunts through the woods. In the meantime, I thought some of my newer readers might enjoys some of my previous tips on getting outside in the winter.

Winter Hiking: Traction in Snow and Ice



Top Ten Winter Hiking Tips



Also check out Winter Campers here. Lots of good tips and ideas for camping in the cold.

Turkey Time

We actually celebrated Thanksgiving a few weeks early this year. So after our turkey, stuffing, and pie we had to do a few laps.

Upcoming

Hope you had a great weekend! We did some exploring and adventuring and a little bit of cartwheeling. Here is the game plan this week on Betty Mountain Girl

• How to Avoid the Ho-Hum
• Bike Buying Mistakes to Avoid
• More tips and tales!

Cold Weather Camping Tip #1

Cold Weather Camping Tip #1- Entertainment becomes essential

Try headlamp tic-tac-toe or writing your name with light...

Osprey Aura 50 Backpack: Product Review

We did a much longer thru hike of the Wapack Trail this weekend. The weather was ideal- in the high 50’s. I packed an assortment of layers in case we might need something- but didn’t really load the Aura up with a ton of weight. So how did the Aura perform on a longer trip with more gear? Here are my thoughts:

Osprey Aura 50: Balancing the weight

Even though I wasn’t carrying what I would consider a heavy pack for our ten mile hike, I still had a substantial amount of water and food (which as we all know tends to be the heaviest part of our gear). With that in mind I found that it really is all about the weight distribution for the Aura backpack. It doesn’t have the stiffest frame in the world, so how you pack your things really impacts comfort.

Osprey Aura 50: Compartments

The Aura backpack’s real selling point is the well thought out compartments. The top pouch is super roomy which is great for sticky a rain jacket or your mess kit. The waist belt include two small mesh zipped pouches for things like chapstick and tissues. There are also plentiful tie downs for sticking a sleeping pad or tent poles.

The Aura Backpack Final Thoughts

I would definitely recommend considering the Osprey Aura backpack in the 50 if you need a roomy day hiking pack or small backpacking pack. Overall, the pack fits very nicely and has many well thought out features. The only cautions would be to really pack the backpack carefully when not carrying a full load- or else it just gets awkward and wobbly, but then again most large backpacks will when not fully loaded. Lastly, I wish the price point was a bit lower ($199). Osprey’s packs are generally pricier than your EMS brand or REI brand pack- so sometimes that could really hamper your decision.

More detailed specs here and here.

Disclaimer: Product Reviews are based on opinion only and are not intended to condone, encourage, or promote a product. Some products are sent to me by the manufacturer or affiliates and are mine to keep. I mention this specifically on products sent to me. Compensation and/or product and/or services never interfere with the review of the product. Otherwise, products and services are purchased by me for personal use. The backpack was purchased by me.

Dear Santa- Love Misty

Dear Santa:

I would really love some new kicks. You may recall that I have some nice Ruff Wear Jackets (below), but really they are SO three seasons ago. Plus, you got me the wrong size and I practically swim in the softshell.

I know some dogs think it is redic that I wear a jacket, but they don't shiver and shake when temps hit the single digits. So please get me this jacket in size medium please. Kisses.

Ruff Wear Cloud Chaser Jacket

Plus, I like tops of mountains. Tops of mountains are slippery in the winter even for dogs with all four legs. I want to try these crazy boots- even though I'm not sure I like how tall they look.

Ruff Wear Polar Trex Boots

Thanks Santa!

Slobbery Kisses,
Misty