Thanks for the heads up, @REI-JohnJ  -  this sounds like a lot of fun and we'd love to be a part of it if we're the right fit. We are, in fact, an LGBTQ+ family as well ... View more

@REI-JohnJ  - wait, you're telling me some people go camping WITH their kids and not as a way to escape them?  🤣   🤣   🤣 Seriously, though, I've found that the biggest challenge has been setting realistic expectations for myself. Particularly as it relates to what I hope and wish for them to be doing outdoors. Even on day hikes, I love big miles. If a hike is under eight miles, I'll probably forgo it for a longer trail. But that's me. My kids are 11 and 13 and, for them, they enjoy a mile to two miles. And it's always an enjoyable time and they come back with huge smiles on their faces. But my youngest is always asking to go for longer distances (three or four miles) yet, when we do, they will come up with a myriad of excuses and complaints (so they're a healthy teenager LOL).  And there's the challenge. As *I* get into more and more outdoor activities, I want to share them with my family and have them come along with me but my kids just aren't there yet. And I want to challenge them just enough to push their comfort limits but not so much that they just say that they're done. So it's a fine line as a parent and that's my biggest challenge. That all said, I will happily go on short walks (even around our neighborhood) because time is short, I love my kids and who they are becoming, we have great conversations, and most of all, both my wife and I know that they may not want to be seen in public with us in the near future (my online handle IS accurate, after all) so we will take every opportunity we have. ... View more

@hikermor - great post! "But I only go camping in warm weather, so a fire is not needed" is a phrase I've heard lately. It's easy to forget that gear, no matter how well constructed, can fail. Did the seal on your water filter get compromised? Being able to build a fire so that you can boil water and make it safe to drink is a crucial skill, regardless of weather. Sure, it might *only* be going down to 60 degrees overnight but you slipped when doing that water crossing a few hours ago and now you need to help get your gear dry before you go to bed. There are so many potential challenges of varying seriousness that can be solved - or, at least, diminished - by knowing how to build a proper fire. Thanks for the reminder ... View more

I love to cook and doing so on trail is just another opportunity to try new things. I do, however, create the meals at home and dehydrate them. But, in several cases, rehydrating the meal is a multi-step process. For example, with my Shepherd's Pie, I first need to rehydrate the potatoes. While those are steeping, I can do the the meat and dried mushrooms, and simmer them for 4 or 5 minutes before I toss in the veggies and dried spice mix. Finally, I can drain the potatoes and add them. A lot of my meals are like that since different ingredients rehydrate at different rates. I've not carried a raw steak or other proteins yet. I just get really nervous about safe food handling and not keeping the meat at a safe temperature. But now that the cooler weather is here, I have been working on an idea: heavily salt the meat to inhibit bacteria growth, then vacuum-seal it and partially freeze. Theoretically, it should be fine for 24-36 hours before you need to start to worry.  ... View more

@Philreedshikes  you don't want to start a cattle stampede! 😉 Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. 🤣 🤣 🤣 ... View more

Seriously. I take my coffee very seriously. 🤣 When I go backpacking, I bring my GSI Ultralight Java Drip and freshly ground beans. Makes surprisingly decent coffee.  Car camping or day hiking, I bring my Aeropress from home.  This is an old picture (I’ve replaced both the pot and mug) but it’s the Java Drip.    ... View more

Ranked in order from "leave me the &#*$ alone" to "y'all just stay over there, if you please": A D C   ... View more

My favorite? I'm going to cheat a bit and call it my "after dinner kit". It's not one, but three pieces that make my post-dinner meal a real treat. After a bunch of miles, I like to cook a nice dinner at camp then sit back with a glass of whiskey. It consists of: Helinox Zero chair (1 lb) iClimb table (1 lb) Nalgene Ultralight Flask (5 ounces) As I like to say, my camp site may be primitive, but *I* am not! ... View more

And it's gotten more prevalent in the past two years as more and more people - who would otherwise be staying home - "discover" the outdoors. Not a bad thing in and of itself but it is adding additional stress to the environment. FWIW, I am finding that national forests are still less populated and easier to navigate in terms of permits, camp sites, etc. Not to say they're free from any regulations but I've had two great trips this year in national forests and hoping for another one late this month or early October. Of course, you have to be more careful about when you go as hunting is allowed in a national forest, so just keep an eye on schedules and leave your novelty deer antler head band at home. 🙂 ... View more

San Diego was basically my second home for several years as my company was based in one of the sea side towns and I’d spend a week or so there every month.  I loved it there - so much to see and do.  Welcome! ... View more

My parents would take my sister and I earlier in the year or later, when cool evenings were far more likely. That allowed the tent to cool off before we went to bed. And we could stay up a bit later than we would have at home so, by bedtime, the combination of all that fresh air, the cool night air, and running around all day meant we had no problem being put into our sleeping bags.  That was my plan with my kids, too, but they didn't enjoy camping and my wife has back issues that prevent her from sleeping on a mattress on the ground (well, back issues + a strong desire to never camp again lol). That's my suggestion - go in cooler weather. ... View more