Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

What's your favorite outdoor adventure type thing you've done?

Last summer I went on a week-long canoe trip in Killarney Park in Canada. It was great (albeit a little rainy). My favorite part was climbing over beaver dams (In the canoes). Climbing waterfalls was fun as well. And sinking canoes. And repelling from 40 foot high trees with no real climbing gear (note: this was a memorable experience however I don't recommend it, especially when you are 16 hours from civilization (ie - medical care)).

I went Caving in Jaunary and that was amazing. We went to Carter Caves in Kentucky. (Horray for cold weather tent camping). I'm going again next year and I want to go on a vertical trip.

I also went luging in January. My stopping is not up to par, but the going down part was fun.

I'd like to do some rock climbing. And for any of you scouts that know what it is my Venture Crew won a lottery spot to Philmont in summer '06, so I'm looking forward to that.

So, what's the coolest thing you've done. I need some more ideas.

~Allison

Disclaimer - I searched before I posted

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

I am a big fan of Camping, and hiking and that kind of stuff, although i really dont get a chance to do it all that often anymore :(

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

I enjoy all of that kind of stuff. I think the most enjoyable (that I can remember at the moment) was when I went on a week-long sailing trip on the Chesapeake bay.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Two most enjoyable experiences.

In 5th grade we went to Yosemite and stayed way up high at the Yosemite Institute of something or another camp, and did a lot of snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. This was during El Nino, so it was Easter weekend and we're up there in the middle of a blizzard. We also spent some time down in the valley hiking and doing other semi eductional things.

The second would be in 7th grade when we went backpacking in the Grand Canyon for a week. 14 mile hike from the rim to the bottom in 110* weather...now that was fun :D

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

I went snowboarding for the first time today. My roommate asks me at 3 if I wanted to go, we left at 3:45. Drove two hours through some nasty driving weather (it was snowing lots), then boarded from ~6-10. Got Wendys, drove home listening to Rent.

Awesome.

I also love sailing on Alert or Vigi, 44' Luders Yawls, when it is a bit warmer out. I don't have proper sailing gear for a frostbite race.

Wetzel

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Last summer I went to Camp Jeep in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a weekend trip we camped out and during the day took the Jeep Liberty off roading. It was sooo cool, this year my dad and I plan to go again, but this year I am 18 and I get to drive the Libby off road, I'm happy my dad isn't LOL.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

most memorable :
camping in france. ... On the south coast. It flooded, the tent was under about 6 inches of water ....

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A 2 week backpacking trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. Honestly one of hardest experiences of my life, but it was definately worth it. I can't even begin to describe how awesome it was out there. I'm sure a few other members can attest to my claims.

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8 days on a island called Ossabaw. Most fun I ever had in my scouting days before I got my Eagle.

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Rock climbing with my uncle a few years ago was great, except my ankle injury wasn't much fun.

Learning how to snow board with friends 2 years ago then doing it every chance I get now.

Hiking through the desert in AZ with 110 degree weather looking for scorpions and big rocks to try some bolder climbing was sooo much fun.

Mountain biking in Idaho on a trail, I forgot the name but it runs about 100 miles or so, I didn't do the whole thing but I did about 4 hours worth or nice riding.
Learning how to water ski on a lake in Idaho, its more fun when you fall down

The climbing trip that some of us FIRSTers took at PARC in 03 to find the light at the top of the hill

Whew i am tired thinking about all that stuff, sorry about the list of stuff, I forgot about some of those till i started to make a list.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Hiking to almost 50 miles in the Grand Canyon, in five days. Most fun I have ever had on a camping trip.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Snowboarding is awesome. Don't know how I forgot that the first time. I finally landed a 180 for the first time this season (I'm not very good at the jumps and such, so a 180 is an accomplishment).

I can't wait until my trip there. Summer 2006.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Once I was backpacking in the Cascades with a group (my family isn't quite into going that far :p) and we were above the line where snow fell in June. Anyway we stopped to eat lunch, look at everything pretty, and then roll our eyes as the leader decides it is time for an "ice breaking exercise." We take off all our spare clothing so we are standing barefoot in only shorts and shirts and line up on a little snow covered log. Then we are instructed to take a step.

I have never felt colder water in my life.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

We have camped through most of the U.S. We even set up a RAGE camping weekend last year. Lots of fun. BUT my version of camping is in my motorhome with air conditioning, heat, microwave and two TVs! (And did I mention the smoothie maker, turkey fryer, etc. etc.?)

:D

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Does skydiving count as outdoorsy? If so, that's the most fun outdoorsy thing I've done. The most strangely interesting outdoorsy thing I've ever done is marsh-mucking. And yes, that involves a marsh and muck. Once the mud in the marsh reaches knee level, you have to crawl to go any further. My sister was a nature freak and used to drag me along on trips like this. She tried to teach me what I could eat in the marsh to survive if I got lost. The cat-o-nine tails was not too bad tasting, but I drew the line at a live grass shrimp.

I would love to do some more camping, I've only been a few times. The first time I ever went was a real nightmare, but at least I was willing to go again. I don't care much for hiking trips because the people tend to just want to keep moving at a fast, steady pace and I like to meander and stop and look at things along the way so I always get snarled at for being poky.

Other outdoorsy things that I've enjoyed are cross-country skiing, rafting, tubing (but only when the water level in the river is high) and horseback riding.

Things I would like to do in the future are hang-gliding and spelunking.

Heidi

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

i like to do just about any outdoor thing.....

camping
climbing
paintball
off-road
mountain bike
dirt bike
boating
water ski
ski
snowboarding (spent half the time on my butt)
cliff diving


got some pretty good stories if anyone wants to hear em...

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

ok, how long can a post be?

When I was in college I started going backpacking every June. One trip was a 100 mile loop through the Allegany National Forrest in NE PA. 10 day trip. Went with a close friend. First day our packs weighed 60 lbs each, and we stopped every 40 minutes or so and collapsed.

Your first night out, when it starts getting dark everything is dead quiet and this panic comes over you. You start thinking "This is stupid, if we pack up now we can make it back to the car by midnight" but its too late to leave. Strangely the next morning you feel right at home in the wilderness. I think its something eveyone should do, it changes your whole perspective on life.

The last day we were out we could not find water along the trail all morning. By noon we were getting pretty thirsty, and there was a good size stream we were due to cross. For some strange reason I had a sudden craving for beer, which is weird cause I dont really like beer. We come across the stream, and sitting on a rock, right in the middle, with water flowing half around it, is a can of beer! The sun was shining down through the trees, like a spot light, on the can of beer. We just stood there in disbelief, and yelled out to see if anyone was around. it was like someone was filming a commercial.

My friend gets an idea, and runs downstream a bit, and finds another can. Someone must have put them in the stream to cool, and left them.

So we are both standing there, still with our packs on (now mostly empty), when we hear this clamor coming up the trail from the other direction. We start thinking (ut oh!).

These 6 college kids come up to the stream, drenched in sweat, drop their packs, and start drinking from the stream. they barely noticed us at first. Then they started asking us:

How long have you been out here? ten days
How far did you hike? about 100 miles

they had started out that morning, only a few miles down the trail. After a long pause, one finally asked, "Where did you get the beer?!"

I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Didnt you guys bring any beer?"

He shook his head and said "you got any more?"

I finished the can, crushed it in my hand, and said "Sorry, last one!"

You had to see us to fully appreciate, we were in great shape after 100 miles, we still had our packs on, standing there with our worn hiking staffs. They stared at us with their mouths open, like they were in the presence of some sort of Lumber-Jack Gods.

The other thing I really love to do now is sailing. There is a mystical quality when you pull in the main sail and the vessel accelerates silently through the water. Everytime you sail the conditions are different. I have been out in 8 foot whitecaps, where I could just barely keep the boat under control, and I have been in the bay in 2mph winds, where my HobieCat slid across the glassy water like a hot air ballon drifting through the sky.

And trapping out, where you are hooked into a harness that runs to the top of the mast, and you stand on the outside of the windward hull of the catamaran, leaning back sideways. when the hull lifts up out of the water you dont think about ANYTHING else but the next wave you are about to crash through, and the subtle changes of the wind on your face, as you instinctively work the tiller and mainsail to keep the boat up on one hull, flying along at 20mph.

Its something everyone should be required to do, at least once.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

I'd do the outdoorsy thing if there weren't any bugs out there.

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Go sailing...or water skiing...no bugs on the water (usually).

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Every summer I work at a camp up in Vermont, and during the second week, we take the kids on hikes. The younger kids just hike either to a pond about 8 miles away, or to a big field about the same distance away. But the oldest campers (ages 15 & 16) we take on a 15 mile hike through backtrails to these awesome stables. There's nothing like hiking through woods - smelling the trees and plants, and feeling the warm sun shining on you, and then finally reaching the stables and lying out in the fields at night and seeing all the stars above - it's just breathtaking.

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I can't swim... :o

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I also am going on a cruise to Alaska and going down a mountain in Danali National Park for my senior vacation.

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If you stay in the boat you don't need to swim.

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But whats an adventure on water, if you can't swim? Learn to swim koko ed, you'll thank yourself forever!

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Outdoorsy?

Hmm-
Those who know me know I am big, out of shape and generally lazy.

But I spend my summers doing one/all of the following-

1. on expedition to a tropical zone somewhere- I always keep an eye out for grants
2. mining mineral specimens in a quarry or the claim my buddies and I work- been into minerals for 30 years or more
3. photographing wildlife and plants
4. visiting the wildest places I can drive to with my tent in the back of the van.

Favorites in the US-
Chiricahua Nat Mon on the Mexican border, Az- great snakes there!
Stephen Foster SP in Georgia- canoeing the Okeefenokee (more bugs)- gators galore
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico- everyone needs to see it before they die- stay for the bat flight

Anybody else have similar interests?

WC

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

I never go out without my life-vest.

you dont need to swim, as long as you can float :^)

now I must tempt you severly! this was taken a few years ago, late in the fall: http://members.aol.com/wittlief/hobieMe.jpg

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Ahhhhhh....... Philmont. How I miss thee.

In any event, I went to Philmont twice as a participant ('01 and '03) and then went back last summer ('04) to work as a Ranger. I'll be heading back again this summer ('05) to be a Ranger again, so if anybody's making the trip, stop by and say "hi".

As for other outdoorsy stuff, I also spend a fair amount of time climbing (you can't not climb if you spend the entire summer in New Mexico!) and doing personal backpacking/climbing trips.

-Rob

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Ken, I prefer a slightly larger boat... :)
For bonus points, who can name all the sails flying on Vigi in this picture?


Wetzel

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

Sweet! I would love to get a cruiser someday and bounce around the carribean for a year or two

read "Sailing around the world alone" by Joshua Slocum, the first person to do so (around 1890) and you will be infected.

I like my 16 foot hobie though, esp going 20 knots, flying a hull while hooked out on the trapeze wire, and blowing the hatches off 60' monohulls as I fly past them :^)

like these: http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/gall..._num=15&res=hr

http://www.hobiecat.com/sailing/gall..._num=12&res=hr

BTW, I can name those sails. The one on the front I name Bob, then Mike, and the back one: Sam

and the one all curled up on the bow: Curley!

Re: Hiking/Camping/Outdoorsy Types
 

I've had a lot of fun outdoor experiences.But one that sticks out was a couple of summers ago, I was on a mountain biking trip down some melted ski slopes in west Virginia, having blast, and hitting jumps like crazy. That year we used a rental company so we didn't have to hall our bikes to west Virginia. I regret that. Half way down the slope I lost my brakes and started to go faster than I wanted to go. To say the least, I ended up with a stick stuck in my head and had a helicopter trip to UVA. What was cool was that I was conscience the whole time. I'm OK now. But it was fun.