bp2go
Trail Wise!
California
Posts: 1,329
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Post by bp2go on May 26, 2016 10:12:19 GMT -8
I'm late to add my welcome as well. I saw your intro last evening just as I wasclosing down, planned to add my comments this morning, then got sidetracked with forum work.
I wanted to say I appreciate your enthusiasm and your informative intro! By now you might have found the photos of National Parks, and it looks like you found the Nature forum. I expect you'll have some chances to help in that area. There are often "What's this?" questions there.
Glad you found the forum. A Google search?
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speacock
Trail Wise!
I'm here for the food...
Posts: 378
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Post by speacock on May 26, 2016 10:16:10 GMT -8
Welcome! Looking forward to your questions of how to get it put together and getting out there. This is my basic strategy for 'acquiring' (you will never throw any of it away ) gear. When relatives and friends ask what you would like for Christmas, Bday, etc., tell them you would love to have a (pick a store - several REI in Indiana) cash card of no more than $25. You can send out wish lists to make those times of year a bit less awkward and time saving for them. Most don't have a clue what EXACTLY you are interested in, wish it were easier and less complicated. You become a quick check mark on Santa's list. They also would be floored by how much some of this stuff costs. When you respond 'fleece' if they ask what you need, you can expect many different versions of what 'fleece' is to them. When you get enough cards ('crowd financing' comes to mind) saved up, buy the piece of gear you want (not the one they think you want), send all of them a note that you are so happy they helped finance the stuff and how and where you are going to use it. Pure unabashed marketing but it is certainly a win/win strategy. I have one of the first Lowe Alpine Sirocco 70+15 with low mileage, single owner, etc - for a good home. It might be larger than you would like but is designed for a female frame in mind. Price is right if you pay postage. Add the California Sierra National Parks to your list of things to see. Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia, embrace the John Muir Trail and Mineral King is added for extra spectacular mountains and scenery. Except for Shasta and near by White Mountain they include the rest of the twelve 14,000+' mountains in California. Lots of places to walk to.
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Westy
Trail Wise!
Diagnosed w/Post-Trail Transition Syndrome
Posts: 1,960
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Post by Westy on May 26, 2016 10:17:42 GMT -8
Greetings from Salt Lake City!
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crawford
Trail Wise!
Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.--Edison
Posts: 1,775
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Post by crawford on May 26, 2016 10:44:30 GMT -8
speacockDude, that is cool. Good on you.
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rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
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Post by rebeccad on May 26, 2016 14:32:12 GMT -8
Welcome! Good luck getting that gear, and I know you'll have fun even if the gear is non-optimal (mine sure was when I started).
Meanwhile, what are your opinions on beets, brussels sprouts, and kilts?
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Post by honeybee on May 26, 2016 15:44:13 GMT -8
*waves* Hey, everybody! Everyone is so friendly around here, hahaha. graywolf nice to see someone familiar with Indiana...I'll definitely have to check that out! bp2go I sure hope I can help at some point! I've already been given loads of info, and I always jump to help inform. It's probably the most fun aspect of my job. And yes, a Google search did lead me to y'all. I saw the words phrase "kilts, Brussels sprouts, bacon" and was hooked. speacock holy crap, that's a brilliant idea. It's a little late to implement for this bday, but come Christmas...LOL. As far as the backpack goes, I'd really love to keep it in the back of my mind for now, and maybe PM you if I decide I can't get by with my current packs. I haven't taken either of them "out" for real, yet. And there are SO many places in CA I want to see. I have been a little obsessed with redwoods and sequoias since I was young, and of course Yosemite looks amazing. The PCT in general is also on my bucket list, but I definitely didn't glaze over the distinctive John Muir trail portion. Big Sur is on there, too. Shasta, yep. I'm looking at the list I came up with and jotted down in my journal last year (I should upload this!), and Pinnacles is on there, as well as the Channel Islands. I have a huge interest in trophic cascades and population recovery, so both the Channel Islands ecosystem and the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem are of ENORMOUS intrigue to me. rebeccad Thanks for the luck! And opinions...hmm. I like beets for the color, Brussels sprouts for the taste (sauteed in butter and served with a little sriracha mayo...YUM), and kilts are all around awesome. Scotland is general, really, because 1.) those castles, 2.) Highland dancing is terribly impressive, and 3.) I like the phrase "pleat to the sett", LOL.
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Post by Kevin Palmer on May 26, 2016 16:19:52 GMT -8
Welcome. I went backpacking in Indiana just last week. The backpacking trail at Shades State Park is very short (2.5 miles) but it's not a bad place for a quick overnight to test out new gear. Plus there are some awesome day hikes in the area. Pictures hereA couple of my favorite places to backpack within a days drive of Illinois/Indiana are the Porcupine Mountains in Michigan and the Buffalo National River in Arkansas.
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johnnyray
Trail Wise!
Argle-Bargle, Jiggery-Pokery, and Applesauce
Posts: 2,050
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Post by johnnyray on May 26, 2016 16:23:14 GMT -8
Welcome Chelsea, from the Chicago area. Bacon, have you been asked about bacon?
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Post by honeybee on May 26, 2016 16:40:19 GMT -8
Kevin Palmer SHADES! Yes! I'm very familiar! I've never overnighted, but have frequented. It's within a fairly short drive of the much smaller park where I work. Your photos are stunning- I'm seeing all of my favorite spots. Devil's Backbone and punchbowl, and I'm thinking I see some honeycomb rock? I'm baaaad at staying on-trail, but I've discovered that the DNR employees at TR/Shades don't frequent the latter nearly as often, and I really enjoy the fact that it's much less populated. I will absolutely check those places out!! I'm actively looking for close(ish) weekend trips. If you have any other suggestions, please let me know! johnnyray If it tells you anything, the last time someone came over to my apartment I opened the door and immediately said "I know it smells like bacon, sorry". I like breakfast for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.
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speacock
Trail Wise!
I'm here for the food...
Posts: 378
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Post by speacock on May 26, 2016 16:56:06 GMT -8
Best that you are young...that is quite a list! Keep a trail journal!! I'll put the pack in the back of the storage area again. It is built to be relatively comfortable for long multi-day trips so it is not a Go-lite featherweight. I think a Garcia bear canister fits under the +15 flap when needed in bear/critter country. I carry a Wild Ideas Expedition Bearakade in my pack for all overnights. It holds 8 days for two. It is bigger, lighter (and waaay more expensive unfortunately). I've had enough pack damage from rodents and fox in the past to pay for it.
Don't leave Wonderland Trail around Mt Rainier off your list or Denali and Wrangle range in AK AND all of the Rockies up through several Providential Parks in Canada too. We haven't even talked about south of the border and EU+ or Wainwright across UK and the Munros of Scotland while you are in Edinburgh taking in the Fringe or the walk between Inverness ("happiest place" in UK) and the eastern seas trotting along all of the locks along the Caledonian Canal.
Best get crackin'.
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Post by honeybee on May 26, 2016 18:01:34 GMT -8
I would like to work my way up to those long trips for sure! And I will definitely keep a trail journal. Currently my "journaling" is just a little wooden box filled with one or two little items I found along the way at different places (I know- bad naturalist ): ). I also keep trail maps from everywhere I visit. I WISH I needed a bear canister right now!! Because of my location and affinity for apex predators, I have yet to develop a fully healthy fear of bears, pumas, wolves, etc. (or even large herbivores; god forbid my enthusiastic self ever encounters a moose or a pronghorn. OR A BIGHORN SHEEP. OH MY GOD). I'm gleefully awaiting the day when I see any the aforementioned big guys...from a distance, I suppose. I checked out that Bearakade and ohhhh my goodness. That's pretty awesome that the pack can fit a canister. I'll definitely keep that pack in mind. I think I may be able to take one of my current packs out for a test run in the next few weeks. I'm absolutely noting all of this. Please talk about the UK, Scotland, etc. Iceland is particular has called my name for a very long time. Oh, this is the page in my journal from last year. Ignore the bee abdomen to the left.
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Post by Lonewolf on May 26, 2016 18:10:44 GMT -8
I have yet to develop a fully healthy fear of bears, pumas, wolves, etc. (or even large herbivores; god forbid my enthusiastic self ever encounters a moose or a pronghorn. OR A BIGHORN SHEEP. OH MY GOD). I'm gleefully awaiting the day when I see any the aforementioned big guys.. Come on out to Montana. I might be able to show you some of them in my yard. At the very least, Yellowstone is only about 90 miles away. If you don't hit a moose or bison or grizzly or bighorn with the car on the way....
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Post by absarokanaut on May 26, 2016 19:42:55 GMT -8
My yard has Democrats.
Welcome young lady. Beware the dirty old men among us. I was God before microcwaves.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2016 20:23:49 GMT -8
Because of my location and affinity for apex predators, I have yet to develop a fully healthy fear of bears, pumas, wolves, etc. (or even large herbivores; god forbid my enthusiastic self ever encounters a moose or a pronghorn. OR A BIGHORN SHEEP. OH MY GOD). I'm gleefully awaiting the day when I see any the aforementioned big guys...from a distance, I suppose. You're in good company here. You can find all of the above in Wyoming. And bison. No bears in my immediate proximity. But plenty of pronghorn and puma (called mountain lions here) bison or bighorn sheep a short drive away, an occasional wolf, moose in a couple hours' driving distance. Grizzly bear, bison, and moose deserve a healthy respect. Nothing much to fear from the others. The mountain lions keep to themselves and leave tracks and scat but rarely a photo opportunity. Hope you get to enjoy them all someday.
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Post by immadman on May 27, 2016 4:27:36 GMT -8
Welcome to the forum from the Mississippi Gulf Coast, honeybee . You will find lots of good folks and good info on this forum.
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