Drove down this past weekend to Los Padres National Forest with every intention to bag Junipero Serra Peak. (For the record, the drive down at night is gorgeous with millions of stars as far as the eye can see, so that was worth it in itself.) Did I bag it? Not even close. I underestimated the scorching sun, unforgiving heat, lack of shade, and desolate dryness of this side of the Santa Lucia Range.
When the Chums Vortex Utility Keychain showed up in my mailbox, I really struggled with how to use it. I’m not really a bulky keychain person. Over the years, I’ve gone from carrying bags stuffed to the brim to only going places with my wallet. Sometimes I even ditch the wallet.
When Outdoor Research sent me their Onrush cap, my first thought was “Oh no, another hat that I’ll hate and it’ll collect dust in my things I’ll never wear drawer”. They proved me wrong. I’m not a hat lover still, but this cap is a-okay.
I am super happy and excited to announce that I’m joining this year’s Hell Hike and Raft crew! I’ll be heading off to Idaho and Hell’s Canyon early September for three days of backpacking and three days of rafting with some stellar folks.
It just so happens that two of my teammates, Russ Beebe the Winehiker and Annie Yearout the OutdoorsyMama, are located in the Bay Area! We decided to have a little tweetup to get to know each other and do some mild training for the trip.
When it comes to selecting shirts for adventuring, I have a tendency to pick merino wool over synthetic. But every once in a while, there’s a synthetic top that catches my eye and tickles my fancy. Right now, it’s the Outdoor Research Ignitor Tee!