What Should I Bring Hiking?

Being an eagle scout as an avid Outdoorsman, I've done quite a lot of hiking and time spent outside in my life. The Scout motto is to be prepared, which always comes in handy. My personal mottos are to learn to improvise and to not overcompensate, though, which are also very important rules to live by. This is especially true if you're packing for any sort of trip and what you will not be around the comforts of home, which will pretty much be everywhere, unless you are camping out in the hotel room instead of in tents. Here, I've compiled list of some items you should definitely bring and not bring on a hiking trip.

1) A compass or some other method of orientation (such as a sextant).

When you're out in the wilderness, your surroundings can change in an instant, leaving you lost for words as to where you are located. As a rule of thumb, it is important to not rely on a GPS or piece of electronic equipment to bring you back to civilization. In the wilderness, electronics are prone to fail, lose service, or die. Learning how to use a compass will be a valuable skill. Just as well, there are several tips and tricks to finding society when you are lost.


2) A water filter.

Of course, when you're out hiking, you need to remain hydrated. If you're in the middle of the woods and your water supply runs out, having a water filter can save you from almost certain dehydration on your hike. There are some that are so efficient that you can put it in the stream and drink directly from the stream. I've taken many a drink from many a stream, but it is much more efficient and healthy and safe if it has been purified or filtered.

3) Lots of Trail Mix or granola.

When you are out hiking, it is easy to forget to eat lunch, lost in the beauty of your surroundings. Is even more likely that you will run out of physiological fuel and need to replenish. When I hike, I always bring a bag of granola trail mix with me to put put a pleasant taste in my mouth and to replenish my energy.

4) Airtight bags containing extra clothing and rain gear.

On this note, learning how to gauge the weather patterns by looking at the clouds in the sky is a valuable skill, as is checking the weather forecast before departing. You should always come prepared with extra clothing in case of inclement weather, and keeping it in air-tight bags will ensure that your clothing actually stays dry should your pack run out of water proofing. Getting a can of waterproof spray is also a helpful precautionary measure as well.

5) A first aid kit.

There are many of small pocket-size first aid kits available nowadays, and each one is very valuable for trail hiking. A lot of camping stores also give free or discounted classes on wilderness medicine, where you will learn the difference between treatments and items for discounted price. One notable store is REI.

6) A multi-purpose tool.

Trying to cut a piece of tinder for your fire? Open a bottle or can? File something down to size? Need to fix a loose nut or Bolt somewhere along the line? A multi-purpose tool will become your best friend as such. Plenty of retailers carry multi-purpose tools, and finding a good one is essential for any outdoorsman.

7) Safety items, such as a magnesium stick, whistle, and rechargeable flashlight.

Purchasing a wind-up flashlight or flashlight with rechargeable batteries will come in great usage out in the wilderness, where there is a great potential to see nothing for miles and miles and quite literally so. You can use a flashlight as a signal, to see your way around, or even as a way of telling directions if you know how. With a magnesium stick, you won't have the risk of it getting wet like matches or drying out and cracking like flint and steel. A magnesium stick such as this one goes right on the keychain and produces an insane amount of Sparks when scraped with a steel knife. And a whistle will come in great use as well if you are stranded (or bored).

8) A companion.

By way of common knowledge, it is always a good idea to utilize the buddy system when in an unfamiliar area, especially when that area happens to be fairly uncharted and unorganized territory. Not only will you reduce your risk of falling victim to an injury and not being able to receive medical attention or help, but bringing a friend with you ensures that you have someone to share your wonderful memories with. The best voyages are often taken with the company of others. And, if you lack the resources of outdoorsy friends, then try to stick to well-lit and highly-traveled areas.

9) Rechargeable batteries and a battery recharger.

If you have anything at all that runs on electronics, getting rechargeable batteries and a portable recharging station can be the difference between life and death. If you don't have access to a recharging station, make haste to bring plenty of extra batteries. Solarchargers also come in handy for cell phones end other USB adaptive technology, since you definitely won't have access to a wall outlet in the middle of the Woods.

10) Pack smart, pack light.

In general, remember to pack light and only pack what you need. When searching for gadgets online, try to get a gadget that does at least more than one thing. It will save on pack weight and overall expenditure. For comparison, this survival kit only costs around $30, whereas the individual components would be well over $40 and take up more space. 

These are just a few of the basics, which hopefully prepare you for a successful excursion outdoors.

Why I Travel

And why you should too!

My parents were home bodied, there's no doubt about that. End up until the end of high school, I pretty much was as well. Now that I am older though, and I decided to act upon a hidden Wanderlust that I never knew existed, I have found great joy and traveling as far as often as possible. I have a list of six reasons why you should consider taking a trip or two and sometime soon.

1) Earth is big, and we are small.

In America, only about 20% of us will ever get a passport, and even fewer will ever actually utilize it. After graduating high school or college and starting work, most people in America live their life in complete control of the nearest 10 or 15 kilometers (or miles, for those who use Imperial). Very rarely do they understand that this makes up only a small portion of the Earth.

Earth is 26,000 miles across at the center, and so much of it has still been unexplored. Dreaming of places to go, you will never get bored. When you're standing on top of the mountains, hearing nothing except the breeze and a few stray Birds, that's when you start to really realize that everything you look at is very big and distant, but we are rather small and inferior. It is the most humbling since I've ever felt, and the biggest reason why I go hiking.

2) You create Unforgettable stories.

This should come as a no-brainer to some, but often doesn't. You generate new viewers on your social media accounts. You share incredible stories with people. You connect to people who ever hear you talking about your travels in public. And, while you are traveling, you get to meet some incredible people the otherwise never would have the chance to interact with. I've met some of my greatest friends through traveling.

3) You never stop learning.

Just when I thought I couldn't cram any more information into my brain, I started going further and further away from home. I learned about boiled peanuts in the south. I learned how to translate miles into kilometers amongst many other things in Europe. I learned about the culture and the Locale of the area. I became more culturally competent by saying other aspects and perspectives on life. And of course there is the actual learning to be done at the Museum's themselves as well. I've changed so much valuable information on Aviation in Washington DC. I really solidified my rock and roll roots at the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So on, and so forth.

4) You meet the coolest of friends.

You never know who you're going to run into when you are out and about, and they could just end up being some of your closest pals. Although I do not keep direct contact with a lot of people, I have gotten girls numbers at rest stops, I have held conversations with strangers about literally anything literally anywhere, and I've met Unforgettable people. Because of staying at an Airbnb in Cleveland, I now have a friend in Saudi Arabia who offered a place and his house if I ever go visit. Also, did I mention that my best friend is from Denmark? If we weren't travelers, we would have never met.

5) You gain a new status with your colleagues.

When I returned from Iceland, I was bombarded with all sorts of questions for weeks to come. I became known as that cultured hippie who decided that going to the land of the ice and snow in the middle of winter was a good idea, and I gained newfound respect because of it. People ask you questions about the areas you've been too, and in your own way, you almost become your own little expert.

6) You'll have the time of your life.

I'm a big fan of living loud, and as a clinician, I have come to understand that my happiest patients are the ones that have had a variety of meaningful life experiences. Notably, they the teachers and educators and clinicians that had the ability to travel and see foreign places and create the wonderful stories I've been talking about. You will carry these memories with you throughout your entire life span, as evidenced by how many I already have had at my young age. And, when you're enjoying the process of breathing and being present in a foreign place, you really realize what it means to be alive and having fun.

Look at it this way, here's a few statistics for you. There are 196 million square miles on this Earth. 29% of those miles are land mass, which means there is about 57 million square miles to explore. This spans 195 lifted countries, and during our lifetimes, we might see even more. And in those countries, there are 7.6 billion people that speak approximately 2000 languages.

It doesn't have to be far, it doesn't have to be extravagant, and it doesn't have to be expensive. It just has to be something outside of the norm to ease the tensions in your heart. Let go of will duties at work, obligations and deadlines, and all other reservations you hold, and just get out there. Go somewhere, see something, be someone. And I promise, you won't regret it. If anything, you might just end up starting a blog about it.

Somewhere along the road...