Goats and Boats

In late 2017, I took a hike on the Billy Goat Trail in southern Maryland. This trail straddles Virginia and spans just three or four miles. However, these miles are filled with intense bouldering and rock climbing, as well as a Switchback or two. There is not a whole lot of flat hiking to be found. This like also straddles the Potomac River, and intersects with the historical loch houses of the Potomac watershed. Because of the nature of this Trail, the trails website encourages you to bring at least two liters of water, drink your water, definitely attempt to stay hydrated, and if you're hiking the a section of the trail, just leave the dogs at home.

The boat portion of the post.

Once you get past the guest house, which lies inside a Tavern and has a cute little gift shop, you will get to the trailheads as he walked past the locks. These historic water displacement systems allowed for boats to travel from a deeper area of water to a more shallow area of water, and before being shut down, these ones were operated by hand crank. Being a boat worker and docker barely pay the bills and was very intense labor. However, it was a very important job, as several hundred ships came in and out of this part of the river every day to deliver Goods inland two colonies that settled near the Potomac Watershed and Virginia and Maryland. Trains were just being developed at this time, and cars were a far cry from reality.

Another thing to see before hiking the trail is Olmsted Island. It is one of Maryland's last surviving completely self-sustaining ecosystems, and contains many hydroponic plants and flowers. It is a beautiful sight that overlooks the Potomac Rivers Majestic waterfall. Needless to say, I fell in love from the moment I laid eyes on it. It was quite a Blissful sight, and made for a wonderful photo opportunity.

The Island Portion of the Hike.

As for the hike itself, it was not a particularly easy one. The reason why dogs are not allowed on the trail is because there are a lot of slippery Solid Rock surfaces they must be scrambled during the hike. And by that, I mean a good third of the hike comprises crazy Cliffs and bouldering. Although these were very fun to climb, as all rock surfaces are for me, it was definitely easy to lose one's breath, and occasionally, site of the Trail Blazer's as well. What's some fortitude and a Keen Eye though, it was very possible to hike this Trail in less than 3 hours.

Overall difficulty, I would give this Trail a 4 out of 10. It's not a walk in the park, but it isn't going to break you, either. There are some difficult Rock scramble sections that involve some tact and planning to complete, and there are a few Rocky sections throughout the trail.

The "Goat" Portion of the hike.

What does make it worth it though are the trails views. Since the trail straddles the Potomac River, there are several sections where you can walk right up to the river at a beachfront, And get a bird's eye view from the top of a rock formation. It is a very populated Trail as well, so you're likely to meet some friends along the way. Does one particular part of the trail where I climbed to the top of a rock formation and sat with three strangers and stared at the river going Downstream. Being outdoors really does bring people together, and if you're ever near the Virginia side of Maryland, this Trail is absolutely worth seeing.

America's Capital City

When I was halfway through college I took a day trip to Washington, D.C. I had been here before in middle school, but this time, I came with just two other friends to enjoy the city and some museums. For this post, I'm going to reflect upon past experiences in the city, as well as my trip in my twenties.

When I first went in 8th grade, I was socially awkward. I had like three good friends, and I was constantly trying to mack on the pretty girls in my 8th grade class. Unfortunately, all of this was to no avail. I did, however, make some friends, see a lot of the major monuments, and managed to get lost once or twice. This was my first experience having a cell phone as well, so I had my best friend's number on speed dial for this reason. Seeing the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial and Natural History Museum were all quite entertaining, and the Air and Space Museum blew me off my feet as well.

But I returned later in life, I learned that it made more sense to take the subway everywhere instead of driving through crazy traffic, and to plan time for two or three really excellent museums. And so, that's exactly what I did. I hopped in the car for my friend’s house in Westminster Maryland, and from there we headed for the nearest DC subway stop. We got a special deal on cost of parking (which always comes in handy, mind you), bought a day pass for the subway line, and headed for center city.

Upon arrival, we were blown away by the sheer amount of stuff that there is to be found in the city. I came back a few months later to experience the National Zoo and see their beautiful pandas again, but even this was not quite as awesome as being lost in the big metropolitan DC. We staggered around, eventually stumbling upon the Native American History Museum. We thenceforth went to the Space Museum, learning about astral science and whatnot.

At both museums, there were massive gift shops, and a plethora of history lessons. If you are reading this, understand that science is an important part of our evolutionary past, and that it is important to understand the world around us. Also understand that if you're looking to understand the world around us and the science behind it, going to the Smithsonian museums in Washington DC is a perfect way to do so. They are fun, competitively inexpensive (with most of them being free), and also very relaxing. In actuality, I would argue that the museums and history are probably the number one reason to visit Washington DC.

If you're still not sold, know that there are plenty of clubs and bars, good restaurants, movie theaters, concert venues, and other exciting things. I can personally attest to the National Zoo and concert venues there, as I've been to both and give both very good feedbacks. The capital of America is a city to be experienced for and by yourself, and absolutely worth a day trip. I am lucky that I only lived about two hours away from the state capital, so it was pretty cost-efficient to spend a day there.

My Mission Statement and Ambition

Hello dear readers, one and all.

As you read some of my blog content in the next coming days, weeks, and Dearest, it may occur to you that I attempted to do a lot of outlandish stuff.

It occurred to me that I do some pretty outlandish stuff. Things that most people don't think of doing on an average basis. And I'm perfectly okay with that. I like that, and I live for that.

This post is to share a bit of my ambition and my mission statement, now that you've gotten to know a bit more about me through my first couple of posts.

I am a broke college graduate, looking to find the most sustainable way to travel, and to do so whenever I have even the slightest bit of pocket change.

My intent is to share stories to inspire the community that reads them, and to inspire people to get outside and do more. My boy scout troop put the out in scouting, and that is exactly what I have grown to live for.

My ambition is to see as much of the world as humanly possible in my short life. Being born in the

United States, and being born Male, my prescribed life expectancy is roughly 78 years of age. Given that I was 23 at the time of writing this post, that means I had approximately 55 years left to explore.

My mission statement is to right the world through dialogue, search for peace from within, and to help tear down walls that have divided us for so long. The easiest way I know how to do that is to write, to speak up, and to put myself out there.

Whether I am working with patients, performing on stage, speaking in public, or privately working on writing new music and literature, my end goal will always remain the same. My end goal is to prove to myself, and eventually to others, that anything is possible if you believe in yourself first.

As hominids, as Earthlings, we learn and grow and inspire every single day. When we stop doing this, then we have ceased to function and live. I will share what I learned in the only ways that I know how, as excessively to the public as possible.

Life is a journey. Where is your destination, and what roads will you take?

Taken near the Potomac River.

Coping With Jet Lag

Jet lag is absolutely horrible sensation for travelers to have to go through. Nearly any time there is a gap in time zones, jet lag will be experienced. typically, you will take one full day to recover from each timezone skip. So if you skip five time zones going from Washington DC to London, then it will take 5 days to completely recover. Nothing can all set or speed up the time that it takes two reactivate your circadian rhythm, but here are a few things that help.

If this is about to be your view for a few hours, read ahead!

1) Stay busy.

Although this should be intuitive, you will almost never get synced up with your new schedule in your new time zone if you decide to sleep anytime before a regular bedtime hour. Yes, you may be missing 5 or 10 hours, but you essentially have to pull an all-nighter to get your body set to the new schedule. This means no daytime napping - many make that mistake and end up feeling worse afterwards.

A little water and starch goes a long way.

2) Eat and drink a little bit more than usual.

Believe it or not, traveling across time zones takes a huge toll on the body, and the effects can be felt sometimes throughout the entire duration of a trip. You've got that time to take care of yourself. To make sure your body can meet the demands of hopping time zones, whether it is a 3 hour flight or a 20-hour flight, you should increase your water and calorie intake by 20% in comparison with what it normally is during the hours of travel. So if your daily fluid intake is 5 cups of water, include one extra cup of water. Your body and mind will thank you.

3) Adjust your sleep schedule, and take advantage of downtime.

This is where the neck pillow, sleep mask, and earbuds come in handy. When hopping time zones, you need to immediately start adjusting to your destinations new sleep schedule. Go to bed when you normally do, start your day when you normally do. It might feel weird to take a nap on the plane, but that extra hour of sleep you get now will prevent you from feeling like dirt later. since you won't be sleeping or taking a nap during the day (as mentioned earlier), you need to force yourself to try and rest now while you have the time. It is easier said than done for some, but if you have a 7 hour flight ahead of you, you can easily spend the part over the ocean sleeping. As there won't be much to see out the window or do anyhow. The in flight services on some flights such as movies and games may be tempting, but enjoy them sparingly and take advantage of the time you get.

The many faces of jet lag.

4) Get your exercise!

It doesn't have to be intensive workouts like dropping down and giving 20, but get up and move around on the flight. Keep your body active. The longer you sit, the more you will feel the effects. Do some stretching, take a brisk walk around the cabin, or do some seated chair exercises. A few good suggestions for exercises can be found here.

5) Try melatonin and light therapy.

These are two simple things that can offer amazing benefits to resetting the Circadian rhythm. Your body releases this hormone anyhow, so giving it a little boost may help you to reset your sleep cycle. Light therapy can be used to force the brain into being alert when it otherwise normally wouldn't due to the Circadian rhythm having not been reset yet.

6) When you do consume, consume responsibly.

You should never eat a fatty or high-carb diet before going to sleep, even if it is a plane nap. You also should not drink coffee or alcohol before going to bed. This will disrupt your sleep cycle and will counteract trying to adjust to the new time zone. Try to remain to your typical eating habit pattern and eat responsibly.

A moderate amount of calories go a long way, and may even be a part of your flight!

7) Minimize distractions.

When it is time to sleep, turn the phone off, and turn the television off. Get yourself in the zone to sleep, and start winding down 2 hours beforehand. Your body will thank you later, whether or not you do this during or after travel. 

hopefully these tips help you as much as I have helped me. Travel responsibly, and enjoy the process.

Bon voyage! Arrivederci!

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Choosing the Right Hike For You

Everybody goes hiking for different reasons. Some people go for the views they receive at the end of the hike, some guys for the exercise; others go because it gets them out and about. Some people just go because they want a family activity and they have identified that they enjoy nature. The reasons vary from person to person, but there are a few things to bear in mind when selecting a destination.

Defining a hike.

Not only is it a figure of speech (i.e. wow, that’s a hike!) to infer something that is quite some distance away, but it also has its own Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionary definition. Different people view it in different ways, but it is generally referred to as being a large span of distance that is walk with intention. To many people, it is also used as a figure speech to mean anything that is outside the normal drivable distance. Defining what a true hike means to you as important because you will be able to go from there I decided where you want to go exactly. To quote Merriam Webster, a hike is “to rise up; especially to work upward”. As per Oxford, it is ”a long walk or walking tour”. So now, it’s time to dig into the nitty gritty details of choosing the right style of hike for you.

1) Who is coming with me?

When you establish this, hopefully it is easy to see what you are going to do from there. For instance, you probably wouldn't take your small child or infant hiking for 5 mi uphill. And personally, you and your stern hiking buddy going on a very easy trail would be too boring. As such, you must assess the skill levels and hiking competency of everybody in your hiking group, and it comes down to a few factors; previous hiking experience, level of physical fitness, their willingness to explore, how old they are, and any other underlying health complications.

Normally these things all flow in equilibrium, being with somebody who is older is usually more experienced with hiking and occasionally more physically fit. However, this might not always be the case. Good examples are Jordan Romero, who summited Kilimanjaro at age nine and Everest at age thirteen, or perhaps a couch potato who is willing to explore but not much else (and usually via the discovery channel). That being said, you can start to look at the next item of mention.

2) How much of a challenge do you want to be in for?

This kind of ties in with the other part of this post talking about the Yosemite grading system, but it deserves a mention as well. Are you in your group of people looking for a stroll in the park? Or are you looking to have a challenging hike ahead of you? This factor plays a lot into your physical fitness level, so choose wisely. What might be good for one person may not be for the next person, so it is important to know you and your groupmate’s limitations before you try anything too crazy.

3) How far are you willing to travel?

Unfortunately, a lot of hikes I attempt are dictated strictly on how far away they are. Or, inversely, they're dictated by how long the trail is. If there since we're not an issue, I would be all over the United States hiking right now. Sadly, that is not the case though. Another part of hiking is deciding how far you want to travel to reach the trail, and how far the purported destination is from the trailhead on the trail. Some things you need to plan out an entire day for, others can be done in a quiet afternoon. Either way around, make sure to make your decision responsibly and considering your energy levels. And whatever you do, make sure to bring trail mix and some sort of snack and beverage.

4) Trail Rating.

Next, you must bear in mind the rating of the trail itself. Just as I mentioned earlier, The Yosemite Decimal System was incepted for this reason. It breaks down hiking into 5 sections, as follows:

Class 1: Easy hiking with minimal elevation gain and few obstacles

Class 2: More difficult hiking, some of which may be off-trail, and may require putting your hands down for balance at times.

Class 3: Rock scrambling and/or un-roped climbing.

Class 4: Climbing with a rope and lateral ascension at parts.

Class 5: Technical climbing, mountaineering, ice picking, etc.

So not only do you have it broken down by difficulty and duration necessary for the height, but this YDS breaks it down further into things that you will encounter along the trail. Different difficulties work for different people, but I take it most people reading my blog will stay with a 3 or below, like myself. Class 5 would be something like climbing K2 with ice picks and crampons. Class 4 would be something on par with the Seven Summits and needing to climb them with poles and ropes. And then, if kind of goes downhill from there. Hah! No pun intended. Pick your hike based on the rating you think you can tolerate the best.

5) Do you like your lungs?

If the answer is yes, then stick to altitudes that are lower in hiking, particularly below 8000 feet. If the answer is no, and you feel as though you can handle altitude sickness well, then choose a hike that is above 8000. However, be aware of elevation related sicknesses and physical conditions that can occur in your body. Lake elevation related hypoxia, air bubbles potentially forming above 15000 ft, and so on. You don't need to let it scare you away from a really good hike, but it is something you definitely should be aware of.

6) What scenery are you after?

The last notion that is worth mentioning is that of scenery. There are a lot of great hikes with good scenery, although a lot of them are short. And then inversely, there are a lot of really hard ones. You need to identify what balance is right and make your judgment as such. It would also be a good idea to look at reviews and pictures from other hikers online, as it will give you a better indicator as to what the heck would be like. My blog is one of many places and what you can do just that.

I hope this post provided some insight to how you plan on choosing your next hike. Now get out there, go hiking, and enjoy yourself. You have nothing to lose and everything (and a lot of altitude) to gain!

Check out my Apparel Store at https://teespring.com/big-world-small-feet for apparel!

Benefits of Learning a Foreign Language

I am writing this post to compliment my posts about Europe and all of the non-English-speaking places I have been to. In almost every country in the world in which English is not the first language or official language, kids are required to learn the language as soon as they enter grade school. At this stage of childhood development, the brain isn't completely done neural pruning yet, so that developed neurons and axons that dictate language comprehension abilities get an extra dosage of things to contemplate and comprehend. Although it is harder to learn another language as an adult, it is not impossible. Here are a few reasons why everybody should attempts to learn a foreign language.

1) There are so many languages out there.

According to one ethnographic study, there are well over 6800 languages that are still used in the world today as of 2018. 6% of these languages account for 94% of the world's population, which means they are around 400 languages that are used to communicate with other human beings around the world. English, as it stands, is only one of those languages. There are so many languages out there to be explored, and all of them and their own respect just as easy and hard as English.

2) It increases cultural awareness.

The best way to become aware of other people in this world is to experience what they experience through their own eyes. When you realize how difficult it can be to communicate with Outsiders from an Insider's perspective, you will become much more aware of the problems they face.

3) It increases hirability.

There are literally hundreds of jobs out there nowadays that are looking for somebody who speaks at least two languages. If you are one of those people, you just made yourself much more marketable in every single job market. Just think, if you speak Spanish, and your client speaks Spanish, you save the middleman of having to hire a translator.

4) It is intellectually engaging.

When you're speaking a language that you didn't grow up with, you usually need to put some sort of thought into your choice of words, your grammar, compensating for that which you do not know, and of course, understanding the point of view of whomever you were communicating with. Being bilingual increases your gray matter in your brain, too. It came in handy for me when I was in Italy, which you can read about here.

5) Being multilingual is impressive to everyone.

I would argue that currently in America, since we are not made to learn a second language as part of our education, that at least three-quarters of a population are monolingual. When I tell people that I've been speaking Spanish since I was 14, that I've attempted to learn Arabic, and that I've caught myself bits and pieces of Icelandic, German, in Japanese, their jaws usually hit the floor. I don't claim to be good at any of these languages, but it is still an incredible feat that most people would never care to accomplish. In countries like India, Indonesia, and Switzerland, though, having fluency in multiple languages is an expectation. It activates a part of the brain that most people don't otherwise get.

6) Businesses usually start up because of foreign trade.

There are hundreds of small startups every single day, and a lot of them in the twenty-first century are based around some sort of foreign culture or for in trading. You could be part of that start up from the ground up if you spoke that particular language.

7) It breaks down barriers.

There's this dilemma in society called the language barrier. However, if you know even a few words of another language, you can help her move that barrier. You grow closer to people's hearts by trying to relate to them on this basic human level.

8) The friends you'll meet and the networking you'll create.

Whether it is a club in high school, an interest group in college, or something in your professional life, you will always meet people who share the same language interests as you. You'll meet them everywhere and anywhere.

9) Everything you learn about a culture and its nuances.

Although I described this briefly earlier, it deserves further explanation. There are so many things that make up a culture that are derivative of language. And of course, vice-versa also applies. As you are learning a foreign language, you will learn about the people, how they dress, how they act, their sense of humor, their social lives, their food, the where they live, their religion, their music, and so many other unique aspects of their lives. You just gained an Insider's perspective to a whole new group of people to become friends with.

10) You'll feel at home anywhere.

If you've already learned one foreign language, then picking up on bits and pieces of another will become a no-brainer exercise. And should you just so happen to land where are you study the language, you'll be even better off yet. It will surprise you when you're language comprehension abilities will come in handy, especially when traveling somewhere in which your first language is not theirs.

On a personal addendum, being forced by my mother to learn Spanish in high school was one of the best decisions of my entire life. When I worked as a cashier at Giant, I had so many incredible conversations with people simply because their first language was Spanish and not English. I've even had it occur where individuals only speak maybe four words of English,

 and I need to rely on someone else for translation or from my own acquired word Bank. When I took Arabic, I never thought that I would be able to go to a mosque and hold a conversation with the Imam and the adherence. When I started learning Icelandic, I never thought I'd be told by several Icelanders that I have perfect pronunciation and should consider visiting again. The doors that foreign language has open for me have been incredible, and really, I still am surprised that when my language abilities come in handy. I will be going back to Europe, but this time, with better German and Spanish skills yet. And if any of you reading my blog ever go abroad, it will serve you the same gratitude and fortune.