Adventure Travel Show podcast (Kit Parks)

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	Date	Titre	Durée
	05 Dec 2019	15 Benefits of Adventure Travel	00:27:23
Learn the fifteen ways that adventure travel can improve your physical and mental well being - plus an anecdotal bonus sixteenth benefit. In this episode, first broadcast on the companion podcast, Active Travel Adventures in December of 2017, the benefits of adventure travel are outlined. See the complete SHOW NOTES HERE. You will also hear an interview with Kit's 90+ year old mom, who started doing adventure travel in her 60's - a late bloomer just like her! On the website, you can see a video of Patagonia guest and adventure traveller, Sandra Long - in her late 80's - doing competitive ballroom dancing. Sandra hiked Patagonia at age 82! You'll also find the link Kit mentioned for the Wall Street Journal article on the site. Be sure to join the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group to share your upcoming adventures! Kit encourages you to +1 outside of your comfort zone when you plan your next adventure.
	10 Oct 2019	How to Safely Cross a River	00:31:55
How to Safely Cross a River When hiking, sometimes you come to a wide or deep river. How do you cross it safely? Learn these important skills on today's show. See complete SHOW NOTES HERE. Below is a machine transciption of this episode (and there is bound to be loads of errors). I am currently traveling off grid and didn’t have a chance to work up the complete webpage before I left, so this is the best I could do in the meantime. Either check back later, or if you email me, I’ll write you back to let you know when I’ve got the post up. Thanks for your understanding! Kit 00:05 I had to get across the river. I lost my footing for a moment and found myself stalled in the middle of the deepest and fastest part of the stream. As I tried to get better footing the river current sweat feet from underneath me and I immediately fell face down into the river. I was immediately hit with a wave of cold from the water that had been ice nearly hours before I was swept downstream with my pack on. I was underwater and couldn’t preach. I tried unsuccessfully to get a toe hold on the river bottoms who would get on my feet. I realized I was in a very serious situation. No one knew where I was. I had no idea what was downstream. Was there a log or a pile of logs and rocks below me that I can get caught up in? Was my gear and my sleeping bag wet? Was I even going to be able to get out of this welcome 00:57 Welcome to the Adventure Travel Show podcast. I’m your host Kit Parks. The intro today was an excerpt I read from an article by the Pacific Crest Trail Association titled I was swept away crossing a river on the Pacific crest trail written by Charles Williams, who I did try to reach out to, but unfortunately it was not able to catch up with him prior to this recording. But I will put a link to his very fine article in the show notes and on the website for this episode. Today we’re going to be talking about the best practices to help you get across river safely. Believe it or not, that’s one of the most dangerous things that we do when we’re out in the wild. People might be afraid of heights or snakes or bites or the cold or the heat, but what gets us the most is crossing the rivers. So today we’re going to learn the best tips of how to do so safely. What we need to look out for ahead of time, what to do if something goes wrong and we slip and fall into the water and the things that we need to do to give us the best shot at getting to the other side quickly, efficiently, and safely. This is a super important episode that I hope you’ll share, so let’s get started. 02:07 Okay. 02:08 Like I said, many hikers are worried about bears, snakes, lightning, and why you should definitely need to know what to do when you encounter these. Your greatest risk of injury or worse is crossing rivers without a bridge. Did you know that the number one way that people die in the national parks in the U S is from drowning? It’s also one of the leading causes of death on the Pacific coast trail and to beat a dead horse, it is the number one way that we harm ourselves when we’re out in the wild. Before we begin, let’s talk a minute about rivers themselves. 02:41 Okay. 02:41 The river, think of the river. It’s something that striates into different horizontal currents. So try to picture a cake with different layers, several layers, and each layer instead of being cake is a moving current. The top layer or the icing is the fastest moving current. While the bottom layer where your feet are is the slowest. However, unlike the top icing, the side icing is also slower moving. And so what this means to you is that even though you might have your feet firmly planted on the riverbend, that stronger middle layer of the cake and even that top layer can still carry you away. And that’s what happened to Charles in the intro. 03:21 Okay? 03:22 And love you need to remember too, is because the sides are slower. You may not realize it until you’re out in the middle of the river, that it’s much faster and much stronger than you thought. Even with the tests that we’re going to be doing to see whether or not we think it’s safe to cross the river. 03:38 So the things we want to do, even before we even begin our hike is number one, let’s find out what the current water levels are. Were there any recent rains? How big is the snow melt runoff? You want to check with the parks of the Rangers, ask around with the locals. If you’re on the coastal areas, get a tide chart and when you’re deciding whether or not to cross a river, you need to consider the skill level and the comfort level of everyone in your group because the weakest member sets the tone and sometimes it’s just best to turn around or else wait until the water level subsides and conditions get better. 04:18 When we get to the river, what’s the next thing we want to look at? We want to consider hidden hazards. Submerge rocks and trees can be covered with moss and they’re really slippery, so you want to look, if you do slip, what is shortly downstream? Is there going to be a waterfall that you could possibly go over? I have a girlfriend that I and my hiking group, she lost one of her girlfriends that went over the fall. That’s the one that’s just after turtleback falls, which I have a great photo of me jumping up as a great fall. They have a little roped area. You’re not supposed to go past that. She was standing on the edge on the other side of that rope, slipped on a rock and over that waterfall she plunged to her death. So you want to see what’s further downstream. If things go wrong, what could happen to you? 05:02 Okay. 05:03 If you see there’s a waterfall, you may want to go further upstream or possibly even go past it, followed the river and go downstream and go across the river on the downside of the waterfall 05:14 [inaudible] 05:14 because if you fall and if you slip, you do not want to get carried over that fall. Look for big rapids and boulders. You don’t want to slip and get banged up or worse than there. What kind of river bed are you crossing? Are you looking at algae, cover rocks or sand? Obviously the algae rocks are going to add more risk, so you need to be especially cautious and you need to pay attention to where the river’s bending because if you slip and get carried downstream, look to see what’s down that corner because that’s where you’re liable to end up. Is it a pile of river debris? 05:51 Okay. 05:52 If you see a down tree or Bush in the stream, otherwise referred to as a strainer, you always want to stay downstream of that obstacle because if you should happen to fall in and hit the strainer, you’re going to find out why it’s called that it strains the water but not the people and makes you trapped and can suck you under. It’s an incredibly dangerous hazard. If you’re wearing convertible pants, you want to take off the lower legs, it’s going to give you less drag and it won’t be as cold when you do get across and if it’s really cold out, consider actually stripping down to your Andes so that you could have dry clothes to put on when you reach the other side, 06:33 if you have true hiking sandals, and by that I mean proper hiking sandals that are strapped securely around your foot and your ankle. You can put those on so your hiking shoes don’t get wet. Tie your hiking boots to the back of your pack or drip them around your neck. But remember they’re going to be clunking around and that can often make you a little bit off balance. Sometimes it’s safer just to walk through the water rather than boulder jump. You never want to cross a river and flip flops. The current can easily make them slip off your feet, causing you to slip and fall into the water. 07:05 And if you think, oh, I’ll just go barefoot, that’s not a good idea. Think again, you’re liable to cut your feet on the rocks. In the sticks, you’re better off to have what shoes and if you have to wear your hiking boots to cross the river, take out the soul so at least there’ll be dry on the other side. You can even take off your socks and keep those dry. You want to assess how deep is the river. You don’t want to forward any river with water higher than your knees. You might think to yourself, oh, I’m a great swimmer. Still it’s safer. Keep the water to your knees or below because the current can easily carry you away if you’re crossing waist deep or chest deep in the water. Remember that water levels are usually lower in the morning, especially before the sun is a chance to melt more snow if you’re in that kind of an environment. 07:53 Okay. 07:53 And also if you get up and hike earlier in the day, you’re going to be less likely to miss afternoon thunderstorms that can add more water to the rivers. 08:01 Yeah, 08:02 deeper water that’s less than the height of your knees is often safer than shallower, but faster moving water 08:09 [inaudible] 08:09 and you can often take your time more in the deeper water and counter-intuitively should you fall, you’re actually more buoyant in deeper water. Consider also the physics of moving water. Water is heavy and it weighs 62.4 pounds per cubic foot. Water pressure increases with the square of its velocity. Oh yeah, that’s really mathy. Mathy. What does that mean to us in everyday terms? That means that the shallow water is moving twice as fast as the deeper water. It’s exerting four times the force. If it’s 10 times faster than it’s a hundred times as forceful. Think about that, so that’s why the shallower, faster moving mortar can be more treacherous for rivers change and so sometimes the trail may not meet the river at the optimal place to cross. When you come to a river, you want to scout out the river up and down for the best place to cross avoid turns in the river as the water moves were quickly there. 09:12 See if there’s something risky shortly downstream that would indicate that you shouldn’t be crossing there at all. Say the waterfall we talked about that you could tumble over should you slip. Ideally you want to look for a vantage point above the river so you can get a bird’s eye view to make your assessment. Also, pay attention to places that you can get out of the river view. If you do happen to fall, you always want to try to have a backup plan. Be ahead of time because you’re not going to have time to think and all the chaos should you fall in. 09:39 Okay. 09:40 If there’s a bend in the river below, be sure to scout both sides of the river because if you fall, the water may carry you to the bank side that you didn’t plan on going to the water will most likely leave you on the outside of the bend. Remember, you can look to to see what is the river depositing at that bend because there’s a chance that you could end up there. You want to make sure you can get out wherever it is that you want to cross. Are there steep banks that you’re, they’re gonna be difficult to get out. You want to be very patient and choosing where to cross and even deciding whether you should indeed cross your life might very well depend on that decision and if you’re scouting the sides of the river off the trail for safer place to cross, you also need to be aware that this includes its own hazards of falling and injury. When you leave the trail, make a good mental note of the trail so you can find your way back. You don’t want to get lost and for that also refer you to episode number six of what to do if you get lost in the woods. 10:42 Don’t forget you’ve got a map. Look at your map. Are there any forks ahead that might have less water? Would they be a better place to cross? 10:49 Right? 10:49 You want to check to see how fast the water is moving. You can test the river current by tossing a stick and seeing how long it takes to move down the stream. The current can be really deceptive if you toss that stick in and that stick moves faster than your walking pace. The currents too strong, late spring and early summer or when current levels from snow melt are particularly strong. Remember the icing on the sides of the cake. What you see with your little test is the river at its slowest. Also, pay attention to what happens to the stick. If you’re stick, get snagged or pulled under, that’s liable to be what happens to you should you fall. You can tell the shallower water by indications, a little rippling water over boulders. Eddies are formed above larger boulders and they can slow down the water. Making for a good place to cross, however, do not cross downstream of large boulders as you can get caught in some dangerous swirling currents. Likewise, don’t cross just downstream of the waterfall as they’re all Scobey some currents that can pull you under. You want to choose an exit point on the other side of the stream. Avoid places that you’re going to have to scramble up. I remember you might be pretty tired, and because of that, you might slip and then fall back down to the river. 12:12 You also don’t want to try to climb up some undercut banks. 12:15 [inaudible] 12:16 so you’re gonna look for an exit point on the straight part of the river and not on the bend. And just while we’re talking about it too, as you’re crossing the river, you want to keep your eye on your exit point. So you’ve done all your scouting, you’ve done your prep work, you’ve done your little tests of the water. Now when you’re crossing the river, you’ve chosen a location, you’re going to choose a location where the river straight, not at the bend. So you’ve got a straight part of the river. Now what? Now? You want to look at the width of the river because actually the wider part of the river at the current is usually slower moving than the sh the skinnier part to the river. So you want to look for the wider section, even though that might look a little bit more intimidating, it’s often safer. 12:59 Yeah, 12:59 so you want to think straight, wide, shallow, so the straight are part of the river is going to be less movement. The wider part is less current and shallow below the knees, so straight, wide and shallow. Only cross it when it’s above your knees when there’s little to no current unless you plan on swimming across the river, which I’ll talk about that a little bit later. 13:23 [inaudible] 13:24 and the streets stretches to also offer the benefit. Usually have a consistent current 13:30 [inaudible] 13:31 be on the lookout for something. When the river breaks into channels, they call them braided channels. These channels often have debris, rock sandbars that you can rest on and on. The widest part often dissipate some of the force of the water I Breda channel could be a great place to cross. 13:47 Okay. 13:48 Also be on the lookout for sandbars where you might see some animal tracks. That’s usually a great indicator that that’s a good place to cross the animals know best, so you’ve chosen your location, you already scout out everything. Now make sure you unbuckle your pack, both the hip and the sternum straps. Because if you slip, you do not want your pack to drag you under or get caught and then help to drown you. However, now that it’s loose, it’s gonna make your pack a little bit more unstable as the weight shifts about while you’re crossing the river. You also want to loosen your shoulder straps a little bit to make it a little bit easier to remove. If you do fall, it’s better to lose your pack than your life. One option is you can tie your rope to your pack, so if you do fall in, do you have a better chance of recovering it, but you still need to be prepared to let go of the rope. If the current or snagged pack starts pulling you under, found your place, you’ve unbuckled your pack. Number three when you enter the water you want to up stream and then you shuffle your feet rather than stepping so you’re sliding your feet across the river bed rather than stepping in a slightly downstream manner at a roughly 45 degree angle shuffling rather than lifting your feet, it’s going to help prevent you from slipping on an algae covered rock or submerged tree trunk. This will also scoot away any underwater critters that you might accidentally step on and that could spook you causing you to fall. 15:22 Number four, you want to use a trekking pole. Poles are great not just for hiking, especially when going downhill, but they can turn your body into a more stable tripod when crossing a river. If you don’t want to carry poles, find a sturdy stick to use on crossing. My polls have saved me countless falls in and out of the water. If you use a hiking pole, then you will always have one foot firmly planted plus the pole firmly planted. As you shuffle the other foot you face up stream and plant the pole in the stream. The current’s going to lodge it into something. And if you find that that small tip keeps getting caught, a sturdy stick might be a better option for you. Remember to only move one foot at a time and don’t cross your legs so you can get tangled and tip over. 16:12 You’re shuffling was south, but placement sideways, facing upstream, moving about a 45 degree angle downstream, face up, move down, slight angle. Remember the tripod, keep the tripod and you want to have always two sod points of contact on the river floor before moving the third so you’ve got two feet and a stick do of those should always be firmly planted before you move the third [inaudible]. And if the current is not too strong, you might like using both poles or too sturdy sticks. But if it’s really strong, it’s probably gonna be all you can do to handle just keeping the one pole under control. And if that little trekking pole basket causes you some drag, you might want to take it off. 16:57 Number five. If you’re lucky enough to see the bottom of the river, you can look a few steps ahead for smoother bottoms. If the water is silty toss a rock, does it make that kerplunk sound? The water might be deeper than you think. And if your rock swims a little bit before it sinks, you might be about to enter some Kurt that’s much stronger than you think. Remember, the slower moving sides of our cake icing. As you get in the middle, you might find a much stronger current six if there’s more than one of you. Again, with your packs loosened, hug each other’s waist and form a line and cross the river together in a sideways shuffle. To do so, you want to put the strongest person in, position him or her towards the furthest upstream and secure their position with a sturdy pole when the leaders firmly established person number, hugs, leaders’ waist, and then person number three, et Cetera, et cetera. As you work on down the chain, this later is creating an eddy like the big boulder we talked about and it makes it easier for the others behind to follow. So the group working together shuffles across the stream. 18:08 When your group has the opportunity, you should practice this on shallower, safer stream so you get it down pat. When it comes to a little bit deeper, stronger stream. Another group crossing technique uses the people crossing, forming themselves into a tripod. The group forms a triangle facing each other with the strongest person entering the water first. They each hold their neighbors waste the weaker people away from the point of the triangle. So you want to put them in the middle of the sides and again, you’re usually going to be more stable holding each other’s waists rather than their shoulders. The strongest person takes the lead and as the front point of the tripod breaking the current, then he or she plants a pole or stick firmly in the ground and on the leader’s count, everyone takes a step together and once firmly establish the leader calls out another step and another step together, the group diminishes a lot of the current. If you’re in a group and people are crossing Solo, consider having somebody downstream ready to toss a rope if they fall in. But if the current is so swift that you actually expect people to fall in, perhaps you shouldn’t be crossing it in the first place. 19:21 Okay. 19:22 Sometimes a stronger, more experienced hiker can cross the river, secure a rope on the crossing bank, come back over and secure another road there so that the group can hold onto the rope for additional support. Strong person, of course, would then go back and collect the rope afterwards. If the rope is strong enough. You can also use the rope as kind of like a zip line to transfer your packs. 19:44 Okay. 19:45 But caution, caution, caution, do not tie people together with a rope. If somebody falls in, it could drag down others to a tragic end. If you use a rope, people are just to be holding onto it, not tied to it. 19:59 Right. 19:59 And don’t wrap your hands even around it. I actually had a girlfriend I grew up with was holding onto the waterski rope and she wrapped it around her hands and when she fell, it literally pulled off all of her fingers. So just grab onto it. Don’t wrap it around your hands. 20:16 Okay. 20:17 If you’re hiking solo and you’re a little dicey, you look twitchy about a river. Consider waiting until other hikers come along so that you can forge the river together. And that adds a higher safety level for all of you. If you’re crossing and now the water’s getting deeper than your knees, think about returning to the bank and trying either a better spot or waiting for the water levels to lower. 20:41 Yeah. 20:41 Some strong swimmers may consider swimming across a river while not recommended. If you choose to do so, you must choose a deep spot with minimal current, the little current that’s there, it’s still gonna feel pretty strong on the Appalachian trail. Folks used to have two Ford across the Kennebec River, but there was a tragedy there once when a woman did unfortunately drown. So now there’s a ferry system that runs, I believe it’s twice a day as I think a guy in a canoe comes in, carries you across the river and safety. But before that, for the most part, people had to swim across. The only time I ever had to swim in a river like that was when my sister Tara and I were in Costa Rica rafting, the Macquarie River. There was this big rock that we jumped off of and so our instructions were jump off the rock and then swim as fast as we could over to the left bank. 21:32 And I was shocked at how fast that river was moving here. We’d been rafting it all morning and you don’t realize the power of that river. And in fact it was funny. Fortunately Terry’s is fast swimmer because she forgot when she got out to swim to left bank and they fortunately threw a rope and all that cause apparently some rapids were coming up ahead, but everything was fine. But again, the main thing I want to emphasize is it didn’t look like it was moving that fast. But once I was in I was like, whoa. It was carrying us really fast. And when I got to that bank I was exhausted. Remember I had a life jacket on to help me. You can learn about that whole adventure is episode number 15 of the actor travel adventures podcast. And I’ll put links in the show notes and on the webpage and the webpage for this’ll be adventure travel show, podcast.com/river so if you decide you’re going to swim across the river, you must also be a very strong swimmer and have thoroughly scouted out the hazards ahead. 22:25 You’re going to need to remove your pack, consider inflating your mattress pad and using that as a raft for your backpack, your important stuff you already should have in dry sacks. And then I also line my whole interior of my pack with a heavy duty compactor trash bag that I’d twist up. And then I fold it over onto itself and then twist, tie that together. That keeps everything nice and dry, although probably not if it gets submerged. So if you’ve got your important gear, like your sleeping bag and all that, and dry bags and a compact bag, you gotta be in pretty good shape, particularly if you use your mattress pad raft. So if you’re swimming, you want to choose where you want to land on the other side and do a little bit of mental math to figure out the current and the distance. 23:06 So you cross aiming upstream. This is called ferring across a river. So let’s say your math calculations are really off. What’s the downside for you if you land away further downstream? Remember, look for the hazards. So regardless of whether you’re swimming or forging a river, you’ve gotta be mindful of Hyperthermia. If the water’s cold, you could be putting yourself at risk. You want to know the signs and treatments, which I’ll leave that for a separate episode. Oh, I’ve learned how to shuffle across a river and swim across a river. But one of my all time favorite ways to get across a stream. Very rarely a river, usually just a stream is taken advantage of the natural features that are available to me. This includes things like boulders and fallen trees when I think it’s safe to do so. I try to keep my feet dry. 23:55 Using the natural features is great. And like I said, I use it an awful lot, but the most important thing is is to think before you go, what is the downside? If you shimmy across that tree or walk across that tree or jump boulder to boulder to cross that stream, if you fall in just a quick second slip of the footwork, what could happen? Are there rocks you could hit your head on? Are there sticks that could impale you? How high above the water are you when you fall? Is there one of those nasty strainers downstream that you could get caught in? And let’s talk for a minute about tree bridges. Sometimes you’ll see a nice fallen tree going across that stream. You’re like sweet. If it’s got tree bark, that’s going to give you better traction than a Barclays tree, which could be slippery if you decide to walk across a tree. It’s recommended that you walk sideways and keep your eyes moving and not focused on a fixed point and that’ll help you prevent vertigo. And actually if I come to a tree bridge, I prefer to just scoot in my butt and just shimmy across. 24:58 If you see a log jam where a bunch of trees are all crammed together and think that that would be a great way to cross. Think again. All right. When multiple trees are locked together from flooding, let’s say flooding knocked down a whole bunch of dead trees or whatever, it looks stable but you don’t know for sure and if you jump on it and you put your weight in a tree that turns out it can move, you can slip between them and get stuck. Plus let’s say that the trees are appended so you see these large root balls, they could be another problem as you grab onto one to get a little bit of balancing all that, that can dislodge a whole bunch of dirt and rocks above you that can fall on top of you. So just avoid those just to be in the safe side. 25:36 They could be really treacherous. Boulder hopping, this is usually the way that I cross most streams. I go in and this is when you see the rocks on top of the stream and you just kind of tap dance the crown across the river. So this is what I probably use the most. But keep in mind, I have really good balance and I have really good decision making when it comes to foot placement. When I’m hiking, I just intuitively seem to know where to put my feet. Some people don’t. So when you’re going to boulder hop, pay attention, what’s the downside? If you misstep or lose your balance? Is it safer to boulder hop or just to slog through the river? Often slogging through is the safer option. And if they’re dissimilar heights, you’re in a try to jump up to a boulder rather than down because the momentum actually might be a little bit harder to control. 26:27 Think about it. Gravity might give you a little bit more quote unquote help than you need. So jumping up, you actually have a little bit more stability. And also when I’m doing the boulder hopping, I’m doing so on dry boulders that don’t have any allergy. I’d try to avoid stepping on submerged boulders because even if they look algae free, they’re usually still a little bit slippery since they’d been under water. And you’re already getting your feet wet. So you might as well just shuffle across the riverbed anyway. You think you’ve done everything right, everything’s gone great, and you step on this one boulder, but it moves and you fall. So what do you do in this or in any of the other things we’ve talked about today? What do you do if you fall in the river? Number one, you gotta be prepared to unload your pack. Yes, I know that hurts painfully. You’ve already unbuckled and loosened it, right? You do not want your pack to drag you under. 27:18 I’m sure you listened to episode number four about how to pack your backpack. And I know we’ve already covered how to keep everything all nice and waterproof. So I know you’ve done that, but let’s say you have to drop your pack. You can often find it at the next bend in the river. If not, you could be screwed. So what does that mean for you? Where are you if you lost your pack? Is that a life threatening situation? Consider that before you cross a river that you’re not sure about, but remember, always better your pack than your life. 27:52 Okay? 27:55 All right. Let’s say the worst happens, number two, there’s rapids and you’re swept downstream. So what do you do? You position yourself that your feet are taking the brunt of the initial impacts. Your feet are facing downstream. So you’ve got to protect your head. So you want to float on your back with your feet pointing downstream and then try to aim and use your arms and all that to aim for the shore or calm shallow area for you to catch your breath and to regroup and hopefully you’ll be able to recover your pack. And here’s something else I want you to think about. Let’s say you’re doing a hike and you’re doing an out and back, meaning you have to cross the same river back on your return mate, no to where you crossed and how long it took you to do so. So you allow plenty of time for your return hike. Don’t forget that the river levels and the currents, the speed can change base on the snow mount and rainfall. So what may have been a nice calm river you crossed today, a few days from now after a heavy rainfall or a lot of snow melt could be dangerously impassable upon your return. What’s your plan B in case you can’t save the crossing for a while? What if you have to stay there for a few days? Do you know where the nearest bridges and how far it is to get there? 29:08 The most important thing you need to pack whenever you head outdoors is your brain. So bubble carry your head with you and don’t hesitate to call it a hike and turn back or delay. The crossing perhaps will be calmer in the morning. My rule of thumb is if I’m not sure I should cross, that’s a pretty darn good indicator that I shouldn’t cross. It should be crystal clear to you that say for you to cross, if not either weighted out or turned back. I put together a checklist of what we talked about today that will be available in the monthly newsletter that goes out to anybody that subscribes and you can always find how to do that at adventure travel show, podcast.com or you can always email me@kittatactivetroubledventures.com some parting thoughts. I love the outdoors as much as you do, but we want to do it safely. 30:07 Have you ever fallen crossing a river? I’ve been lucky actually. I’d never have a fallen lots of times on the trail, but never in a river. So if you have, I’d like to hear what happened to you and, and do you think that what we’ve covered today was helpful or would have been helpful for you? Like I said, this is the most dangerous thing that we face when we’re out hiking in the wild. So if you have hiking buddies, please make sure that they get a copy of this podcast so that they know what to do. Even if they say, oh, I know everything wanted to do. There’s probably one or two tips here that they didn’t know that might be helpful for them in the future. Next up on the show is the big debate, hiking boots versus hiking shoes. What’s the difference? When do you wear what and how to pick the right shoe for you? And next up on the act of troubled ventures podcast, I have a very special episode covering a little visited range in the Rockies called the mummy range. And after looking at the photos and talking to our guests, I definitely put that on my list, so I’m looking forward to sharing that with you. 31:15 I appreciate you listening. Until next time, this is kit parks and venture on.
	04 Jul 2019	Nutrition for Outdoor Adventures	00:41:46
Eating Right For and On Your Outdoor Adventures Nutrition can be especially important when you are exerting so many calories hiking, biking or paddling! You are burning a ton of calories, so you need nutritious fuel from the food but you also need a lot of calories. The conundrum is you are no doubt trying to minimize pack weight. What to do? I asked nutrition expert, Lucy Hayhurst of Well Balanced Nutrition to join us on the show today. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE Meet Lucy Haywurst, Nutritionist and Founder Well Balanced Nutrition Lucy studied Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Dayton and completed her Dietetic Internship at West Virginia University Hospitals. After becoming a registered dietitian, she moved to Durham, NC and started Well Balanced Nutrition. With over 10 years of practicing nutrition and wellness coaching Lucy offers a unique perspective coming to the table as an expert in behavior change. She helps take what you know and turn it into lifestyle habits. Lucy combines her enthusiasm for fitness and playing in nature with her love for nutritious food and the result is a fun, interactive adventure for her clients. Lucy can light up a room and inspire a crowd. In addition to individual counseling, she is an author and motivational speaker.
	07 May 2020	Camping Sleep Systems: How to Choose the Best Sleeping Bag, Sleeping pad and Sleeping Bag Liner for You	00:40:03
A Camper’s Guide on How to Choose a Sleeping Bag, a Sleeping Pad and a Sleeping bag Liner! Learn how to maintain your gear to extend its life. Tips on buying camping gear for both car campers, backpackers, bike packers and those going on kayak or canoe tours. We cover: • How to choose a sleeping bag • Camping versus Backpacking sleeping bags • Sleeping bag Thermal Ratings • How to choose the right shaped sleeping bag • Female and children’s only sleeping bags • Best sleeping bag materials • Down versus synthetic fill pros and cons • Considering other sleeping bag materials like zippers, shell fabric and added features • Sleeping bag accessories: compression and storage bags • Sleeping bag liners: comparison of fabric choices • Liner special features available • How to choose a sleeping pad for car campers and backpackers, bike packers, or kayak and canoe touring • Air pads versus closed cell foam pads and accessories • Compare insulation, weight, size and construction • How to wash a sleeping bag, pad and liner • How to store your sleeping bag • And much more! Get complete details and download the FREE Camper’s Guide to Sleeping Bags, Sleeping Pads and Liners on the Show Notes page Subscribe to the Adventure Travel Show podcast – It’s Free Subscribe to the Active Travel Adventures podcast– It’s Free https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Email Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page
	26 Sep 2019	10 Tips for Choosing a Perfect Campsite	00:13:46
Ten Features of a Perfect Campsite *BEFORE you even head out, check with rangers or the website to determine the guidelines and regulations for the area you will be camping. It's no fun to get a ticket from a ranger or be forced to move because you aren't following the rules. Also check on camp fire restrictions as well. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE* Here are the ten features to look for when choosing a campsite. Full details below the checklist. Water availability and source : it's no fun to lug water The terrain : find a level spot so you don't feel like you are rolling down a hill A hazard free zone : look around for potential hazards like dead trees/branches or from flash floods, etc. A site suitable for the expected weather : don't pitch your tent in a low spot in case of rain, or on the ridge in a thunderstorm The proper size for your party : make sure you have enough room for all the tents, kitchen/dining area and play area Bonus amenities like stone or stump chairs and tables : are there any 'free' boulder or tree stump chairs to relax on? A perfect mix of sun and shade : open tent to morning sun, afternoon shade and a sunny clotheseline area Which minimizes negative impact on the land and the wildlife : use existing sites or try not to disturb the vegetation Is private : away from other campers and the trail Is pest free : use the wind to your advantage Links Mentioned in this Podcast: Portable Water Treatment ATSP Episode 003 What to Do if You Get Lost in the Woods ATSP Episode 006 Outdoor Etiquette ATSP Episode 010 Active Travel Adventures podcast Allow Enough Time to Find a Campsite: I start looking for a campsite about 4pm. If you are super tired and the terrain and water situation is not optimal, you may want to start looking earlier. Also if you are tired, you may want to hide you pack (and make note of where you put it)so you can scout ahead without carrying the weight. This way you’ll be more likely to seek out a good site instead of settling for the first adequate one. So what does a good campsite look like? Check before you head out: What are the regulationsfor the area you plan to camp? The national parks, national forests, BLM lands and state parks all have different rules and restrictions. Obviously honor the rules as they are trying to keep things nice for all of us. If you need a reservation, make one. If you need a permit, get one. You certainly don’t want to get a ticket from a ranger or be forced to move because your didn’t pay attention to the guideline. While you’re at it, find out the campfire rules, too. 1. Water A great campsite has a solid source of quality water nearby so you don’t have to haul it too far. You can learn about water treatment option on Episode 003. You’re going to need water to drink, cook, and clean up. My favorite water is a spring, then a stream. My least favorite is a lake. Lakes can collect bad things like E-coli and it's hard for the bad things to get out. Rivers also collect all the run off, and it was from the river at Linville Gorge that I got giardia, a most unpleasant experience. With a suitable portable water treatment system, you can drink from any of these source. There are few places I go that I don’t treat my water before drinking it. Remember that you want to camp at least 200’ from a water source, well off the trail and not in the path of the local wildlife’s worn path to the water’s edge. 2. Consider the terrain Unless you are using a hammock, you want to find a level site so you don’t feel like you are rolling down the hill when you lay down. Even a slight pitch is unnerving. Also make sure you don’t set you tent on an area where water can collect should it rain. 3. Look up and around for hazards Dead branches and trees can fall on you. If you see piles of rock and debris, you might be in a flash flood hazard area. Site selection is criticalif you are in a canyon and bad weather comes in quickly. You may not have time to escape a flash flood. This is a good thing to check with rangers beforehand. If you are camping on a beach, make sure you are well above the high tide mark, which you can see by the debris the waves leave behind. In winter, don’t camp in avalanche prone areas, or any time of year in rock slide areas. Don’t camp by the lone tree that welcomes a lightening strike. 4. Consider the weather If the forecast and your visuals indicate a pleasant evening, camp higher up in the mountains. You’ll have a better view, will see the sun earlier, will have more wind which means less bugs, and if it’s chilly out, the cold air collects in the valleys, so you’ll often be warmer. If there is a chance of thunderstorms, head down from the ridge and avoid the lone tree. 5. Campsite Size Needed If you are camping with others, is the site large enough not only for your group, but also for a gathering area, a kitchen AND an activity area? What do you want to do while you are out there? If you want to throw a frisbee, you’ll need to find a place with some room. 6. Look for Natural Amenities Can you use any natural features such as boulders or fallen trees as camp furniture? I don’t pack a camp chair, so I often like something to sit on or lean against. I carry a small piece of ripstop fabricto not only keep my butt dry, but it also acts as a barrier to chiggers and other unpleasant bugs you might sit on. 7. Best Tent Positioning When possible, face your camp door towards the morning sun. You can use your compass to get a reading. This will help you wake earlier and it is so much more pleasant. I prefer a shady spot that gets the morning sun, but has a sunny area nearly. And If you find a sunny place nearby, you can tie a rope to make a clothesline (I carry strong but lightweight parachute cord). Tie your rope across two trees to make a clothesline to help dry out some of your gear. With a little luck and a breeze, you can dry out anything that may have gotten wet from an afternoon shower or if you need to wash your 'delicates'. 8. Leave No Trace and Minimizing Negative Impact If you see a camp area that has been previously used, use it rather than hurting other vegetation. Obviously you don’t want to puncture your tent floor with rocks and sticks, so gently clear your little patch of heaven and then try to put it back the way you found it in the morning. In the winter, camp on top of the snow. Whenever possible, pitch your tent on the bare ground to minimize harm to vegetation. If you see animal footprints, remember to give them the 'rite of way' so you don't disturb their behavior. Animals stick to habits just as we do. And if they have a favorite path to the water’s edge, you want to make sure you’re not camping on it. Reminder: 200' from water. 9. Privacy If there are other campers nearby, respect each other’s privacy. If possible you want to camp where you can’t see or hear each other, and preferably where people on the trail can’t see you either. Don’t assume other campers want company. Many people head to the woods for solitude, so please respect that and don’t take it personally. Check out the Wilderness Etiqueete Episode 10. 10. Wind and Pest Control Take advantage of the wind as an organic pest control. A breeze will help keep away mosquitos and other pests. As will avoiding setting up your tent in damp areas or still water. However, if it’s really windy, you’ll want to look for a natural windbreak like large stable boulders or a block of trees. If you are lucky enough to check the box on all ten of these suggestions, you have found the perfect campsite! https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures
	23 Apr 2020	Foreign Language Learning Tips	00:47:13
How to Learn a Foreign Language Episode 029 In today’s show I interview Kerstin Cable of the Fluent Company about ways we can improve our language learning skills. We learn what works and what doesn’t in our quest of how to learn a new language. We cover: Why it’s smart to learn at least a few phrases of a foreign language before you visit a country that speaks it Why bumbling and massacring a language is a great way to learn The importance of +1 or ‘zone of proximal development’ is important How much time it usually takes to learn the key phrases of a new language before traveling Why it’s great to be in the ‘waffle’ stage of learning before going in country About trying to learn several new languages simultaneously Why motivation can mean more than aptitude How to deal with locals who switch to English on you Why grammar isn’t the most important thing Great ways to immerse yourself in a new language How to use the internet to speed language acquisition The most effective way to use flash cards and four great apps The importance of ‘pattern spotting’ when it comes to grammar The most effective way to spend your time when learning a new language And much more! Get complete details and download the FREE Language Learning Tips on the Show Notes page. Check out all destinations on the Directory Page. Subscribe to the podcast HERE. Want to learn about exciting adventure travel destinations around the world? Subscribe to the Active Travel Adventures podcast HERE. Connect with Kit: Email Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com
	19 Dec 2019	How to Plan a Walking Holiday	00:17:56
What is a Walking holiday? A walking holiday is one where you walk, usually from one village to another via beautiful countryside, have lodging at the end of the day, often you have luggage transfer so you don't have to backpack and thus just carry a daypack. In short, a walking holiday allows you to truly see the destination at a slow pace so that you can really understand the people and culture you encounter on your travels. It's a wonderful way to explore and have an authentic adventure! In today's episode we cover the six benefits of taking a walking holiday, plus the six decisions you need to make, including: how to choose a destination, pace, when to go, how long to go, what to pack and we discuss training for your hike. See the SHOW NOTES for complete details, photos and a list of some recommended holiday walks! Links Mentioned in Today's Show: Cotswold Way West Highland Way UK's Best Walking Holidays Get FREE Travel Planners for the companion, Active Travel Adventures podcast episodes (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spam - I promise!). Get the monthly newsletter here. Join the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group Follow ATA on Twitter Follow ATA on Instagram Follow ATA on Pinterest
	02 Jan 2020	How to Train for Adventure Travel Vacations	00:48:31
Kit interviews Marcus Shapiro from Fit For Trips on this important episode on how to train both your body and mind for your next big adventure. Proper training for your adventurecan determine whether you return home exhilarated and empowered, or miserable and in pain, or even injured. While it’s possible to speed up your training calendar, aim to ease in to building your body strength gradually so that you don’t inadvertently tweak your movements to accommodate a sudden new load. Marcus says that even if you are short on time to properly train, you will get the benefit of even some conditioning ahead of time so you won't be as sore when you start your adventure. Today you will learn: How to choose a personal trainer About online personal training - Yes! It's an economical alternative! How to develop your training plan It's OK to Dream Big! Whether you even need any special equipment - usually "NO"! And much more so that you will go on your adventure with confidence Save 10% off your customized online training program with Trailblazer Wellness - plus you'll be helping to support the program at no additional cost to you! Becki over at Trailblazer also gives ATA listeners a FREE Initial Phone Consultation to see if you are a good fit. This is an affordable way to make sure you are as ready as possible for your next big adventure - Thanks! Here’s the link to more details and photos about today’s episode and download the FREE Travel Planner for this adventure. Get FREE Travel Planners and downloads from both the Active Travel Adventures AND the Adventure Travel Show podcast when you get the no spam once a month email from Kit. Get the monthly newsletter here. Join the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group Follow ATA on Twitter Follow ATA on Instagram Follow ATA on Pinterest Note that this episode first appeared on the companion Active Travel Adventures* podcast in May of 2019.*
	18 Jul 2019	Sustainable Tourism, Ecotourism and Responsible Travel	00:23:16
Sustainable Travel and Ecotourism Our Guest today is Lauren Chu of the Ridgeline Report. As the world gets more crowded and the increase of the middle class around the world means that there are more folks touring the world, it becomes even more important to consider sustainability and our part. Sustainable travel means we seek to minimize any negative impacts on the local people and environment of the places we visit, so that tourism can continue long term with a neutral or better yet, a positive impact. Otherwise we risk damaging or ruining the very places we treasure. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE Links Mentioned in this Episode: Active Travel Adventures podcast episodes: Cassis France Whitewater Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon The Ridgeline Report (Lauren’s blog) Subscribe to the Active Travel Adventures podcast
	07 Nov 2019	Learn How to Backpack	00:26:09
Learn How to Backpack Get the information and learn the skills you need to start backpacking! Complete SHOW NOTES HERE. Also be sure to check out the episode on how to choose and fit a backpack HERE. NOTE:Below is a machine transcription. I am traveling off grid when this podcast episode is released and I didn’t have time to do the webpage before I left. If you email me, I can write you back when this page is up. Otherwise, please check back. Thanks for your patience and understanding! Kit 00:04 Welcome to the venture travel show podcast. I’m your host Keith Parks. About 10 years ago, I was wandering the stacks in my local library, one of my favorite restful things to do, and I’m one of the end caps. There’s a book on the history of the Appalachian trail. Now mind you, this is before the release of the movies, a walk in the woods and wild and I’d heard of the Appalachian trail, but I didn’t really know a whole lot about it. So I checked out the book and brought it home to read and I discovered that the Appalachian trail runs right through my home state in North Carolina. And not only that, that some of the people actually hiked the entire 2000 plus miles all at one time. I couldn’t believe it. I was fascinated by this and I decided that while I didn’t want to spend several months in my life walking the trail at one time, that I would like to do what they call section hiking, the Appalachian trail. 00:53 And so over the last oh 10 years or so, I’ve been doing little chunks as I have time. But I figured if I want to learn how to backpack first, I’m going to have to learn how to hike. This is before I did any of these outdoors with vendors at all. But this is what actually got me into this whole path of adventure travel. So happily with the help of the Internet, I googled hiking clubs and that’s when I discovered meetup. Another key find that also opened tremendous doors for me because I was relatively new to the triangle area and really hadn’t met anybody. So that not only helped me meet hiking friends, I met friends that have become lifelong friends. Just do that one clicking, try to find a hiking club. So that was a, a really key thing that actually really changed my life. So on the meetups, I found a group called [inaudible], which stands for triangle hiking and outdoor club. So I signed up for t hawk and at my first event, which was a multi mile hike in Umstead state park in Raleigh, I told the leader, Casey, what I wanted to do, that I wanted to do a little section Hank of the Appalachian trail. And gratefully he didn’t laugh at me and he was very encouraging and in many ways took me under his wing 01:59 Yet another t hog leader, Sherry was running a backpack conditioning series of hikes. So I signed up for that as well. We were instructed to bring our backpack and at this time I still had no idea what a backpack even was. I’d knew nothing, absolutely nothing like totally 100% clueless. And the only thing I could rustle up was I borrowed a book bag from somebody and I showed up with some books in this bag. I am sure that Sherry was inwardly rolling her eyes, but she was very sweet but she had to be wondering what on earth is this little princess doing here? 02:32 Okay. 02:32 And happily enough, I have to report later. Cher and I are also very good friends cause gratefully once Sherry found out that have a serious that I just was ignorant. She was very, very helpful and very encouraging of helping me figuring out this whole hiking and backpacking thing. And one really important thing that I’m really grateful for is the sound gear backpacking gear advice I got from the folks in this group. They saved me hundreds of dollars in potential bad purchases and this is something I’m really trying to help you with myself on this podcast is my way of paying it forward to all the helpful things that my t hog friends did for me because a t heart I was able to pull all the more experienced hikers and all the pros and cons of all the different gear and people are big gearheads. Everybody’s got their opinions and so this way I was able to make some wise decisions because the year can get really expensive. 03:26 So after my initial meeting with Casey, hanging out with Sherry and doing the conditioning things, we fast forward about three months and I set up my very first backpacking weekend with t hog and we went to Grayson highlands on the Appalachian trail in Virginia. It was absolutely gorgeous and Sherry planned it pretty well because this was a pretty easy backpacking trip, not an overly ambitious hike. I think we only did like six miles in the day before we set up camp. It was a challenging, but also encouraging in that we’re like, oh yeah, we could, we got this, we got it, we can do this. So that was a really smart thing that she did when she set that up. 04:01 Okay. 04:01 The next, I don’t know, maybe it was a weekend or two after that, I went out with Casey and four others really experienced backpackers and he let me just kind of tag along with them. And we went to Lynnville gorge now that was a hard backpacking hike and that last day, I swear don’t remember the name of the trail, but it was straight up, totally exposed, no trees. And it was hot, so I earned my stripes on that trip and then I think it was the following month after that that I did my very first long distance backpacking trip with my girlfriends, Jane and Jerry, and we went out for two weeks on the Appalachian trail and that was quite the backpacking adventure. I was so proud of myself. That was a really tough thing to do. It was a really tough hike. I think we did maybe 170 miles. The distance escapes me now and my body because I was doing the things I’m going to teach you today. I was super trained, I was super prepared. My gear was exactly right and I plan my food pretty well. 04:57 Yeah. 04:58 After that trip I was like, I could really call myself a backpacker. So what I’m going to hope to help you with today is to teach you via this podcast what my t hog hiking buddies taught me. We’re going to look at choosing your destination conditioning, your body planning, getting and testing your gear. 05:17 Okay. 05:18 How to plan your food. We’re going to deal with the logistics and the things that are encompassing along that as far as making sure you know how to use your map and your compass and leave no trace, all that kind of good stuff. So to begin with, you’ve got to choose your destination and what’s your adventure going to be about? What are you going to do? So for your first backpacking adventure, I’m going to suggest that you choose a place like Sherry did for us where we backpacked integration highlands only about six miles. So it wasn’t, we’re not trying to do the Bataan death march. All right. You’re gonna test your gear in that true adventure situation. Different than like when you’re practicing at home. 05:52 Yeah. 05:53 So at Grayson highlands, we had the ranger station was nearby. There’s lots of people. So it was a good way for us to, to get our feet wet in this whole backpack and experience. And we’re just doing it in baby steps. So for your first actual backpacking adventure, pick a relatively easy weekend trip, but you don’t want to do the actual backpack until after you conditioned yourself. We’re going to get to that in just a little bit. So if your easy destination goes well, then you step it up. Remember all, we’re always trying to plus one. So you do easy ones. Now you do a little harder one or maybe a little longer, one or multiple days because the body changes over a couple of days. So adding more days might be the way it did plus one. And then each time you go out, keep building on your experience, build the duration, build the difficulty until you feel fully comfortable that you’ve got your groove on. So let’s get our growth and how are we going to condition our bodies? 06:48 Okay? 06:49 Most people can teach their body to safely carry about 20% more weight than they are on their backs. My base weight of my pack of my gear, and that’s not including food and water, is about 18 pounds. My Hiking Buddy John, however likes to go, super lightweight and his base weight is down to about 10 pounds. But you’re gonna find it’s a trade off between comfort at night and comfort during the day, carrying all that weight. So if you want to be really comfortable at night, you’re going to be carrying a lot of weight during the day for that comfort. 07:19 Okay. 07:19 There’s also a monetary trade-off as it costs usually about at least a hundred bucks. I think even more these days. For every pound you want to try to reduce your pack weight. So if you want to get more high tech gear, every pound that you shave off is going to cost you about a hundred bucks. When I get my pack fully loaded up with food and water, it can weigh as much as 30 pounds. So let’s do a little bit of the math. Oh, a little under 150 pounds. Let’s use a 150 so 20% of 150 pounds is 30 pounds. Now, since I live in such a flat area, I generally try to train to about 35 36 pounds in hopes of trying to make up the difference of the fact that I don’t have the elevation practice as much as that as you might where you live. 08:02 Okay? 08:03 And they’ll also add in some practice on steps at the, at my local hospital just so I can stretch out those muscles and get them used to going up and down, up and down. But in any regards, you should try to never, never carry more than 25% of your body weight. There’s going to be times that you might have to start the trip off more if there’s no resupply stops on a lengthy trip. And at least on those, it’s the food weight and gradually that will go down. So how are you going to get your body used to carrying all this weight 08:32 If possible? You want to try to begin your training at least 12 weeks in advance. My friend Casey stays in condition constantly by carrying his backpack every single time he walks her hikes. So he never needs to retrain. I keep saying I want to do that, but in the current training, I’m turning for a trip that I’m gonna be taking next month. I’ve been training on the pavement around where I live now and it’s just brutal on my knees and my hips. So I’ve abandoned that. And now have to do a longer hike at the beach on the weekends so that way I can take my time, I’ll do like three hours with my pack and I’m not just killing my joints. 09:08 So when you beginning to condition your body, you just simply start out with a low weight and then you’re gradually each week working your way up to your target backpack weight and you’re going to add no more than 10% new weight each week. So we’re going to use me as an example. If I put on my pack and I put some weight in there, I can barely feel about 15 pounds cause my back is somewhat conditioned and all the time anyway, you might find that you need to start out lighter if you’ve never carried any way to new back before. So you put on a pack and then just take some water bottles and keep adding a water bottle until you say, okay, I feel like I’ve got weight on it. But you don’t want it to feel heavy. You just want to feel like you’ve got some weight on there. That’s your starting weight. And so again, I just to add my weight, I just, I saved some Gatorade bottles, which are nice and sturdy or you can use milk jugs or regular water bottles and just add a little bit each time until you’re adding your 10% each week. 10:02 So you start with your starting weight whenever you figured out where it just feels like you’ve got weight but it’s not too heavy. You feel like a piece of cake, you know, I noticed it, but it’s not a big deal. So for me, that’s around 15 pounds. So if I want to add 10% each week, that means it can be adding in the beginning about a pound and a half getting up to two pounds and eventually up to three pounds as that 10% kind of accumulates, Kinda like compound interest. So for me to train, I need at least 10 weeks to do this at the right pace of the 10% dish in each week. So the first week I’m 15 pounds. If I add 10% that’s one and a half pounds. So week two I’m 16 and a half pounds and I’m 18 pounds, 20 pounds, 22242720930 two finally ending at week number 10 at 35 pounds. 10:47 I’ve also found that putting a bath towel in my pack helps kind of keep the water bottles from banging into me and hit me a little bit in the back. So play around with that. Or you may find just putting heavier things in their bags, a little sand bags or whatever. It might be helpful as well. Whatever works for you. I also encourage you to listen to episode 46 of the act of travel adventures podcast where I interviewed Marcus Shapiro from fit for trips. He’s a personal trainer and one of my affiliates and he offers a custom online training company. So this episode will go into more details on how to prepare your body for all kinds of adventures and he’ll teach you about the balance and flexibility and strength and conditioning your muscles, et cetera. And he’s able to even custom design a program for you. 11:28 And if you decide to use him, make sure you use the coupon code at Tech Kit 10 88 kit 10 and you’ll get a 10% discount and you’ll also be helping to support the show as you do anytime you use any of my links on either this podcast website or actor travel adventures website does. I appreciate that. So anyhow, so over the next couple of months you’re going to be conditioning your body to get ready to backpack. So during this time, what else do you need to be doing? Really important. Number three, you gotta plan your gear. The first thing I want to tell you is you do not, you do not need all the junk that the outfitters save. You have to have this that’s garbage. When it comes to carrying urine, you’re back less is definitely more and it’s a lot cheaper too. I get it that you want to make sure you have everything you need. 12:14 I get that, I get that. But you’ve got to remember that trade off of being comfortable during the day or comfortable at night. So what I mean, what does this mean to you? Okay, do you want to have this elegant sleeping, really fat, lush sleeping pad, really big sleeping bag, a pillow, the more comfort you want at night. Do you want a camp chair? All those things weigh and you’re going to be feeling that weight all the way during the day. So you’ve got to make that trade off. And frankly for me, at the end of the day, I’m so tired I could probably sleep on a rock. So as much as possible, I choose comfort during the day. I have put together what I think is for me the perfect packing list. That’s, you’ll find that on episode number four of this podcast, I find it’s not too much and not too little. 13:02 I use every single thing in that pack virtually every day except for hopefully not the emergency kit. But remember my packing list, I’m in warm season, temperate climate. I don’t expect to be dealing with any freezes. I can get down to like 40 degrees Fahrenheit and be fine, but I don’t, I, I’m not set up for freezing temperatures and all that. So if you do more rugged things, you’re gonna need more gear than my list. But just for basic backpacking, this summer, temperate weather, my list is a pretty darn good list. I’m going to put the list on this page as well. So you’ll have that checklist on both webpages. And remember too, you don’t have to buy gear all the time. Sometimes you can rent gear and often you can borrow gear from your friends. Remember, usually at least once a year, all gear goes on sale. 13:52 If you’ve got the time to wait, wait for the sales at the Rei, 20% off coupons or wherever it is that you’re shopping. That way you can get the best possible quality, lightweight gear at the least possible price. And to me, your most important gear purchases are your hiking boots or shoes. Check out episode 16 for some advice on that. Your tent or your tarp, whatever your sleeping cover, your you’re backpacking home. See episode 11 for that. And then I haven’t put it out yet, but I’m going to do an episode on choosing the proper sleepy bag and pad. Hopefully I’ll have that out and it’s gotta be awhile, but be on the lookout for that. When that does come out, those three items are your three most important purchases in my mind and there also tend to be the most expensive, but they’re gonna make the most difference in the comfort that you have on your trip. So if you don’t want to make a buying booboo, you want to take your time when you’re picking your footwear, your attend to your tarp and your sleeping and pad. I’ve got a couple other episodes that might be helpful for you that’ll help you figure out what goes in your pack and that is the all important emergency kit, episode number two, and how to treat your water episode number three. You need both, but the brands of what you choose aren’t as critical as other three items we just discussed. 15:14 Hey, you want to pick up some cheap use gear, make a road trip down to Neil’s gap in Georgia. That’s the first real trail town heading northbound on the Appalachian trail. So many of the backpackers that are doing the 80 through hiking, the 80 after trekking, just that first challenging 30 or so miles, they realize that maybe they didn’t need that camp chair. Maybe these boots are a little heavy and I can get away with hiking shoes and maybe I get rid of the pillow. I mean their ship of backstop, they’re depositing stuff. They realize, ah, I didn’t really need it after all. Now did it make an exception? In my age, I take this little small baby down pillow as my luxury item, but literally there’s nothing else in my pack that I don’t need. Like I said, with the hurtful exception of my emergency kit. 16:02 Yeah. 16:02 Once you have assembled all your gear, it’s really important that you test it out and know how to use it. You do not want to be beat tired. At the end of the day it’s dark and now you’re trying to set up your 10 for the first time and you can’t figure out how to do it. You’re going to be exhausted, frustrated and in tears. So you want to practice this at home and ideally even sleep in it. That way you can learn some patterns. Before my very first backpacking trip, every Tuesday night, I think it was for like six weeks, rain or shine, hot or cold. I set up my tarp in my backyard and slept in it this way. I knew where I stored my headlamp. I knew where I kept the toilet paper. I knew where all my little house, my chapstick, really important to me. I’m chapstick addict, but I knew in the dark I could reach out to know exactly where the things were cause I developed habits and that made all my future decision making about what goes where. When I set up camp, so simple, you also wanna make sure you know how to use your stove, Cook some meals on it and if you think you’re just going to eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning, I’m going to suggest that you try this at home first for a week and see how quickly you get sick of that same food. Particularly if you don’t have the luxury of adding tasty but heavy fresh fruits to your oatmeal. 17:15 I personally don’t even use a stove. I use a little plan card size. Well I guess I call it a stove is the EBIT pocket stove. It looks like a metal deck of cards that opens up in the middle and then there’s a little fuel cube that I liked that on fire and that takes about 15 minutes for it to burn out. But that’s enough time for me to boil some water to heat up my dinner, make some tea or hot chocolate. So that works great for me. There’s nothing to break. All I have to do is light the little cube. So I like that. I don’t think I’m the only one I know that uses that most everybody I know uses a gas sto, so check those out and see what works for you. But make sure you know whatever you’re using, you know how to use it and if it’s something that can break in, how to fix it. 17:55 I also want to refer you to Lucy and episode number eight where she shares some tips on nutrition in outdoor adventures. I recommend taking a re listen to that and you’re going to need some nutritious food to shore up your body for all the demands that you’re making of it, but you also want to add some fluff foods like candy corn in Lucy’s case, those are going to give you that little burst of energy. Let’s say you have a steep climb and you’ve got to get up there. Having some simple carbs are going to just fuel your energy levels just to help you get up to the top of the hill and let’s face it, if you’re going to be out for a long time backpacking, you’re going to need a lot of calories and junk food packs the most calories for the least amount of weight and it’s all about the weight baby. 18:34 When it comes to backpacking, the first few days you’re out, your appetite is not gonna change that much over normal. I made that mistake on that first section hike of the 80 I brought way too much food for that first section because I hadn’t developed my appetite yet. It takes usually for me about three days before I start getting that ravenous where I’m really churning through the calories and really burning the calories and my metabolism just goes into high gear. I find even when I’m backpacking that are not really that hungry during the day it says dinner time and get ravenous, but during the day I have to almost force myself to snack a little, just a little bit during the day just to keep my energy levels up. 19:13 The general rule of thumb is about two pounds of food per day. I said the first couple of days for me, I can usually get away with around a pound and a half and then after three or four days I need that two pounds. So your goal is going to be to take what you actually need hopefully with variety and then maybe bring an emergency days worth of food just to be on the safe side. Here’s a typical menu for me for a day breakfast. I like instant mashed potatoes and I chop up some pieces of beef jerky and a cup of tea lunch. I’ll spread a whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter sprinkled with raisins and roll that up. That can last for days without going bad on you for snacks, trail mix, but at least for me, I’ve got to bring different flavors because that two week trip, that first two week trip I had the same kind I got so sick of trail mix. I’ll bet you it was five years before I could eat it again. For breaks, I like some powdered hot chocolate or tea, maybe a snickers bar or some peanut butter crackers and dinner. I like to eat a good quality freeze dried meal, so I will splurge a little bit on that. 20:19 And again, I want to emphasize you want to give yourself as much variety as possible even though you think, oh, it’s easy, I’ll just pack the same thing. You’re going to get so sick of it. Give yourself a righty, do yourself a favor there and bring spices. They don’t weigh a whole lot and they could make the same thing tastes differently. 20:35 And there’s one great thing about backpacking your dinner, no matter how crummy looking it is, is going to be the best tasting meal that you can remember. I don’t know what it is about backpacking, but dinner tastes fabulous, so we’ve got our gear or food or planned, everything’s good. Now we’ve got to deal with the logistics and what do I mean by that? All right, you’re training, you’re preparing and all that, but you’ve got to lay out and plan all the things that go into the hike. There’s few questions you need to ask yourself. Number one, are you doing an out and back loop or do you need to figure out how to get back to your car? How are you going to do it? Is there a shuttle service available? Can you take a bus or do you have to backtrack? Number two, have you checked the weather to make sure a, you should still go and B, you had the proper gear for this adventure. If the weather is as forecasted and allow for the worst on the downside. Three. Have you notified your loved ones for your plans and I mean detailed plans like the trail names? Do they know when to expect you back and if they don’t hear from you by a certain time, when do they need to sound the alarm and to whom? 21:45 Four have you learned how to read your map and properly use a compass in case you get lost? I want you to listen to episode number six of what to do if you do get lost in the woods. My friend Jerry, the one I mentioned earlier in the story, she happened to get lost on the Appalachian trail and unfortunately she didn’t know what to do and it cost her her life. I don’t want that happening to you. 22:06 Okay? 22:06 The time to learn all these skills is before you actually head out into the wild. 22:11 Yeah. 22:11 Number five, do you know outdoor etiquette? What are you supposed to do with your use toilet paper? What are the campfire rules? How do you store your food? Be sure to listen to episode number 10 for refresher and leave no trace and other important matters that we all need to be practicing when we’re out enjoying the wild, it’s getting really crowded and so we all need to do our part. 22:32 Okay, 22:33 And finally number six, have you checked with the Rangers or whoever’s in charge of wherever it is that you’re going to see if you need any permits? What are the current fire restrictions? Are there any wildlife issues or other issues you need to be aware of? If bears are a concern, you want to check out episode number five on how to hike safely and bear country and before you head out, make sure you check in with the rangers or whomever to let the local people know what your plans are. 23:03 So now you’ve got your body ready and I’m sure you’re excited about your trip, but you need to make sure you’re also mentally ready. Remember that at some parts of many of the days you’re going to experiencing what we refer to as type two fun. If you’re not familiar with this phrase, type two fun is when it’s quite miserable at the time. But when you’re nice and safe and warm, talk back at home, reminiscing about it becomes one of your favorite memories and one of your favorite stories to tell. It could be something like climbing a brutal assent or some kind of a mishap. You know the saying the adventure really begins when something goes wrong. Are you mentally prepared to deal with the things that might go wrong? Do you know? Basic first aid. And I know you learned how to use your compass, right? So when you set out on a backpack and adventure, it’s often a fun mix of type one fun, meaning that you’re loving it that whole time. But there’s also going to be a sprinkling of type two fun, which for many of us is that last slug at the end of the day until you find that good campsite tear. Are you listing right? Remember those last three miles that come down? Shitty pole and Costa Rica, that was type two fun, right? But we were so proud of ourselves when we finally made it down that mountain. 24:18 If you follow these guidelines and have chosen inappropriate destination for your skill level, you get your body and your mind ready, your gear’s ready. It’s all tested. Your food is planned out, you’ve organized all the logistics. You were finally ready to go out in the woods and backpack and I’m so excited for you. I do believe that unplugging and spending several days in the wild is one of my favorite mental therapies and does wonders for my figure too. Once you learned to backpack, you’re going to have access to some views that you can only see if you backpack and they can be extraordinary. You’ll go to places that few people get to see in this world because it will take a new days to get there with no motor support. If you ever considered backpacking but weren’t sure that you could do it, I promise you, if you follow these steps, little by little, you’re going to be able to do it and you’re going to feel so rewarded for your efforts. 25:12 Okay? 25:12 Please share this episode with your friends that you think might want to expand their hiking repertoire by adding backpack into the mix. And as always, let me know what you think. You can always reach me@kittatactivetraveladventures.com. Next up on the companion active travel adventures podcast or destination podcast. We’re going to Bolivia, and this is a really cool episode. We were having so much fun. We went long, so I actually turned into two episodes. Can’t wait to share that one with you. And then the following week we’ll be back on the show, the adventure travel show podcast. I’m going to talk about the different ways to start a fire, another key skill that you need to know whenever you’re in the outdoors. So until then, thanks again for listening. This is kit parks adventure on.
	27 Feb 2020	How to Save Money WHILE traveling : Part II	00:46:09
In Part II of our series on How To Save Money On Travel, we focus on ways you can save money on transportation, one of the biggest expenses of travel, ways flexibility can save you money and much more! We also cover the Bonus Tip that will ensure you get the most satisfaction from your vacation dollars. Get complete details and download the FREE 69 Ways to Save Money on Travel Checklist on the Show Notes. https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Get complete details and download the FREE 69 Ways to Save Money on Travel Checklist on the Show Notes. https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page
	04 Feb 2021	Bikepacking and Bike Touring Adventures	00:24:20
Bikepacking and Bike Touring Adventures Today we discuss bike packing and bike touring (and the difference between the two). We'll cover: The difference between bike packing and bike touring Panniers versus bike bags for carrying your gear What kind of bags you'll need The six main cross country USA bike trails Rails to Trails - over 25,000 miles of bike paths Europe and Asia long distance bike holiday resources On the corresponding website, you'll see a detailed packing list as well as important links for planning your long distance cycling adventure. Get the complete SHOW NOTES HERE. Email me here. Get the FREE monthly newsletter with the free checklists and also the Active Travel Adventure Travel Planners - all free. No spam promise - unsubscribe anytime. The Podcasts: https://activetraveladventures.com https://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Subscribe to the Podcasts: Active Travel Adventures Adventure Travel Show CONNECT WITH ME! Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter YouTube
	16 Jan 2020	How to Choose a Travel Tour Company	00:49:09
Learn my 12 point system to make sure that you choose the right travel tour company for you and your expectations. In today’s show we will learn how to: Find and evaluate the different tour companies What to look for in the itinerary so you don’t get any unpleasant or expensive surprises How to find ‘your people’ so that you are traveling with fun people you like What questions to ask potential travel companies before you buy How to evaluate the lodging and meals How to judge the activity level and pace of the tour How to evaluate the guides, safety, equipment, eco-friendliness and impact of your tour on the local economy Why cost shouldn't be the main deciding factor The importance of special experiences Special tips to make sure you choose the tour company that best matches your expectations and wishes Visit the website for complete details and show notes here: Be sure to check out both of Kit Parks' adventure travel podcasts: https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Instagram parks.kit Twitter@Kit_Parks Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page Email Kit
	02 Dec 2021	Bikepacking the Erie Canal	00:31:16
Bike Pack the Erie Canal from Buffalo to Albany Learn how to bike pack the 360 mile Erie Canal Trail : what you'll see, when to go, how many miles per day, where to sleep, and what gear to take. Learn how to plan your epic multi-day biking adventure and much more. Get insights into general bike packing from an experienced bike packer. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links for planning your adventure, photos, videos and more cool info about hiking, backpacking, and paddle packing Isle Royale National Park. Get FREE Travel Planners for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spam promise!). Get the monthly newsletter here. CONTACT KIT Resources Promo Codes and Recommended Tour Companies Travel Insurance: Quickly and easily compare rates and policies from different companies Amazon Kit's Picks Please use my Amazon link to access your Amazon account. Even if you don’t purchase any of my recommendations, I get credit for anything you DO purchase - at no additional cost to you, you’ll be helping to support the show and keeping it AD FREE:) SUBSCRIBE to the Adventure Travel Show (the “How to’s of adventure travel) SUBSCRIBE to Active Travel Adventures (fantastic adventure destinations) Join the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group Follow ATA on Twitter Follow ATA on Instagram Follow ATA on Pinterest
	05 Jun 2019	What to do if you get lost in the woods	00:24:33
What to Do If You Get Lost in the WoodsWhat to Do If You Get Lost in the Woods COMPLETE SHOW NOTES LINKS MENTIONED Backpack Emergency Kit Hiker’s Guide to Portable Water Treatment Safety Tips for Hiking in Bear Country Active Travel Adventures podcast Many of you are familiar with the disappearance of Gerry Largay, trail name Inchworm. In 2013, Gerry went missing near Stratton Maine on her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. After Maine’s most extensive search in their history, she was not found. In fact, it wasn’t until more than two years later that a surveyor found her remains. So while you may be familiar with the story as it made international news, you probably don’t know that Gerry was my friend and hiking buddy. Gerry stepped off the trail to go to the bathroom, and then got disoriented. Once she found herself lost in the woods, she didn’t know what to do. Today, if you’ll spare me a few minutes, I’ll teach you what you are supposed to do if YOU get lost in the woods. This episode is in honor of my friend, Geradine Largay. In honor of Gerry, I produced this episode in hopes that it may help a fellow hiker who gets lost in the woods.
	29 Apr 2019	Hiker's Guide to Preventing and Treating Sprained Ankles	00:41:09
What to do if you sprain your ankle while hiking in the wild Today we learn what to do if you sprain your ankle while in the wild, how to prevent injury, how to test the strength of your ankles, and what small item should be packed in both your day pack and backpack. Sprained ankles are one of the most common injuries we have while out in the wild. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE The Adventure Travel Show Podcast is a companion podcast to the Active Travel Adventures podcast (ATA). On ATA, you learn the who, what, where and when of the world’s best adventure travel vacations. However on this podcast, the Adventure Travel Show Podcast, you’ll learn the HOW!
	21 May 2020	How to Build Resilience and Grit	00:57:18
20 Strategies to Build Resilience and Grit Learn how to improve your resilience and grit to better handle all the setbacks life throws at you. Find out the eleven traits of resilient people, why resilience is important and learn twenty workable strategies you can work on to bounce back quicker when faced with tough times. Get complete details and download the 20 Strategies to Build Resilience and Grit Guide on the Show Notes page https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Subscribe to the Adventure Travel Show Podcast Subscribe to the Active Travel Adventures Podcast Connect with Kit: Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page # howtobuildresilience #howtoimproveresilience #buildingresilienceinadults #resilienceskills #buildingconfidence #resilient #L
	29 Apr 2019	Backpack Emergency Kit Essentials	00:16:31
Wilderness Emergency Backpack and Day Pack Survival Kit Emergencies can happen while you are in the wilderness. Improve your odds of getting back home safely and with minimal discomfort by packing this emergency backpack kit. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE Unpleasant emergencies can be brought about by: Sudden change in weather Getting injured Getting lost Getting delayed and unexpectedly having to spend the night in the wild Running out of water Before you head out, assess your situation to determine how extensive your emergency kit should be. There is always a trade off between weight and necessity. Get the scoop on what to pack for your outdoor adventures on today's show.
	12 Mar 2020	12 Ways to Avoid Solo Supplements	00:21:52
Today we learn how to avoid the dreaded solo supplements that can add up to as much as 100% of the cost of your adventure! Discover the 12 ways to waive or reduce the dreaded single supplement add on fees. We cover: What is a solo supplement anyway and why do I have to pay them? How to find companies that waive single supplements and/or offer roommate matching services Why when you book matters when it comes to paying solo supplement charges How to use Search and Google Alerts to help you reduce single supplement fees Why you may want to consider alternative types of lodging which don’t charge solo fees Travel partner matching services How to find and track solo deals Why it’s important to consider the entire cost of a trip, including any solo supplement charges And much more! Get complete details and download the FREE 12 Ways to Save on Solo Supplements Checklist on the Show Notes page https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page
	30 Jan 2020	How to Save Money for Travel	00:59:20
Today's episode teaches you areas that you can tap into to build your travel savings account (or any saving account for that matter). You'll learn ways to spend less, save more and earn more, and do so in way that work for YOU and your lifestyle and values. Complete SHOW NOTES HERE. In the SPEND LESS area, you'll learn easy ways to cut costs on: Food and Drug Entertainment Coffee Shop Transportation Housing Utilities and Insurance Memberships ans Subscriptions Stuff You'll learn: How to save thousands with the 30 DAY RULE. Two easy exercises to help you cut costs that align with your values The importance of paying yourself first Two important things you'll discover once you start saving The benefits of a visual savings jug Easy ways to tweak your spending Six ways to earn more money Two psychological tricks to make saving fun Download the logbook and get more details on the website. Be sure to check out the companion podcast on adventure travel destinations for inspiration and ideas for your next adventure!https://activetraveladventures.com Connect with Kit: Instagram parks.kit Twitter@Kit_Parks Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page
	01 Aug 2019	Outdoor Etiquette plus Leave No Trace	00:24:54
Outdoor Etiquette and Leave No Trace Principles Complete Show Notes HERE There are three main areas to consider when we talk about minding our manners in outdoor environments. We will discuss proper behavior in regards to the landscape, wildlife and other people we encounter. Links Mentioned in this episode: Active Travel Adventures podcast (the companion podcast to this one that focuses on destinations) Hiking in Bear Country Episode 5 of the Adventure Travel Show podcast What to do if you get lost in the woods Episode 6 of the Adventure Travel Show podcast American Hiking Society Etiquette Tips National Park Service Safe Wildlife Viewing Guidelines Contact Kit Subscribe to the Active Travel Adventures Podcast APPEARANCE Leave No Trace. Use trash cans when provided, otherwise pack out any trash or belongings. In some areas, if you litter or leave things behind, someone literally has to helicopter it out or else you are asking someone else to pack out your trash - not cool! This includes biodegradable food scraps. What’s the problem, you think? Native animals will smell human scents on the scraps and learn to associate humans with food and you might contribute to them becoming pests. Plus you could be messing with their digestion or they might eat rotted food and get sick and/or die. Worse, in the case of bears, you could be responsible for giving that bear a death sentence if they have to put it down. This also includes toilet paper. I keep a labeled gallon trash bag in my pack to collect all of my used TP, wrappers, etc. Be a Hero and instead of Leave No Trace, practice Negative Trace, meaning pack out trash you see that others have left behind. If you have to go to the bathroom in the wild, choose a spot at least 200’ from water, a trail or a campsite. Dig a hole about 6”- 8” deep, and then do your business. If there’s a stick handy, stir your waste with the soil and leaf mold and then cover your hole - remember your TP goes in your trash zip bag. If you are in a camping area, it’s also considerate to leave your stick vertically to alert others that you have used that spot. In some areas that are particularly overused and/or especially fragile, you may be required to pack out your fecal waste. This is truly brown bagging. Other areas that don’t get a lot of rain, the rangers may ask you to spread your waste over the rocks so that it speeds up decomposition. Check with rangers or the visitor’s center to see what they would like you to do. In addition to Leave No Trace, leave everything you find behind. This means don’t bring back souvenier rocks, flowers, seed pods, etc. I have been guilty of this in the past, but finally realize that we should just bring back photographs and memories. Unless it is encouraged, do not make cairns with rocks. Cairns are piles of rocks used sometimes to mark trails. They are pretty and are necessary on some trails. Likewise do not knock over any trail marking cairns. Let Rangers and trail maintenance folks decide what cairns and trail markings need to be there. In the same vein, try not to disturb things and leave items in their natural condition, whether it’s rocks or vegetation. Don’t mess around with cultural or historic artifacts, including pencil rubbings of gravestones or markers. In one alpine area I was hiking, they said that the tiny tiny lichen on the rocks took a DECADE to get the size of a quarter! That said, on non-trail tundra, it is better to spread out so as minimize impact. Trail Sustainability: If you come to a puddle, walk or bike through it rather than forming a new trail around it. This is considered keeping trails and maintenance sustainable. Likewise, when you come to a switchback, don’t cut corners - literally. This is super bad as you may be creating a channel for rain runoff that can truly hurt the trail. WILDLIFE DO NOT feed wildlife. Not only are you teaching them to beg, you are creating a pest. If animals become dependant on humans feeding them, when tourist season is over, the animals may have difficulty learning how to fend for themselves. You are hurting not helping wild animals when you feed them. This also includes picking local food such as berries or apples and feeding them. You are emboldening the animals and making them comfortable approaching humans - not cool! Clean up your camp area and picnic table. Even crumbs can turn small wildlife into pests. Don’t get too close to wildlife. If the animals starts changing its behavior, you are too close. For your safety, keep certain distances. It is not worth getting hurt or worse to capture that perfect shot of a moose or bear. The rule of thumb is, actually using your thumb: close one eye and then if you hold your thumb up to your open eye and can cover the animal with your thumb, you are at a safe distance. This works out to about 100 yards for large animals like bears and moose, and 25 yards for most medium-sized wildlife. Check with the Ranger about requirements where you are visiting. For example, Olympic National Park has even more strict requirements. You can use binoculars or the zoom on your camera to get a closer look. Put yourelbow on your ribcage or knees to steady your camera. Be quiet and still so as not to startle or scare the animal. Quick movements and noises can make wildlife feel threatened. A threatened animal can behave unpredictably. DOGS: If you are bringing your dog, keep it on a leash. Most places require a 6’ leash. This is not only considerate, it is also safer for your pet, especially in bear territory. You do not want a bear confrontation. On a leash, you will also be able to see when your dog goes to the bathroom so you can pick up and pack out its waste. HORSES: Horses and livestock have the right of way - ALWAYS! And speaking of who yields to whom, bikers yield to hikers, and both yield to horses and livestock. Be Considerate to Others & Mind Your Manners Be quiet! If you want to listen to music or podcasts, use earbuds so that your audio doesn’t interfere with the enjoyment of nature by others Don’t block the trail if you stop to take a break, Get over to the side. Obviously don’t camp directly on a trail. I have always been taught that the hiker going uphill yields to the person heading downhill. However the American Hiking Society says the opposite. What this tells me is that different areas have different etiquette, so pay attention to what the locals do and adapt accordingly. Usually what I do is act to yield and I make eye contact with the oncoming hiker and that, with gestures, it all gets sorted out. Usually you see each other with enough time for someone to find a good place to step aside. Basically, be polite, kind and generous. Observe group size limits, if any, requested by sites. Often ten or less. If you are in a group, don’t take over the whole width of the trail. This makes it easier for others to pass. As much as possible, hike and bike when you’re on natural trails in single file, or no more than double file. When YOU pass, pass on the left and announce yourself, “Passing on the left”. On a bike, ring your bell so you don’t scare folks. Bikers yield to hikers (although I find it no problem to let them by) Try to choose times to hike or bike when it is less crowded. More pleasant for you and others. Be considerate and informed: Know the weather forecast before you head out and bring appropriate gear. Know the terrain and what will be expected of you so you are capable of doing your activity without assistance or rescue. Train for your activity so that you do not hold up your group. It is up to YOU to bring the proper gear, have the proper fitness and be prepared to self rescue. Bring a map and know how to navigate [See ATSP: What to Do if your get lost in the woods]. Let someone know where you are going, when you expect to return, and when to sound an alarm. Be nice when others are inconsiderate. It’s ok to NICELY ask others to tone it down, or pack out their trash, etc., but keep your voice down and polite. Give people the benefit of the doubt and assume that they didn’t intend to bother you. CAMPING AND CAMPFIRES When choosing a campsite: Use pads when provided. Otherwise, try to choose durable surfaces that are resilient, such as sand, gravel, rock, dry grass or snow. These surfaces are better able to recover from heavy use. Allow space, meaning don’t set up your camp right next to another camper unless the campground is packed. Try to find a site where you can’t see or hear each other for privacy and so that you can both enjoy the nature you are out seeking. Don’t assume other campers or even hikers want to hang out with you. Some people go into the wild for solitude, so don’t take it personally. Look for verbal and physical cues and act accordingly. Keep noise level at your campsite such that only those in the campsite can hear it. This includes not just music and children, but the adults, especially after they’ve had an adult beverage or two. Be considerate of other campers. Cleaning: Use only biodegradable soaps. Wash yourself with baby wipes or a bandana rather than bathing in a stream or pond and getting your sunscreen and bug spray in the water. THEN jump in the water! Ditto for washing dishes. I just use boiling water to sterilize and clean and don’t bother with any dish soap at all. Strain your food scraps and then pack it out. I use a small square of cotton fabric as my dishrag. I then strain my pot and dish water through it. I keep it clean with boiling water. Brushing your teeth: Smells attract critters and bears. Spit your toothpaste into the campfire. Campfires are being discouraged more and more these days. You do not want to be the one to start a wildfire. Some campfire thoughts: Keep it small or go without. If it has been really dry, go without. If it is windy, go without. Remember that embers can travel a mile, so be sure to control your fires. Know what the fire danger is in the area you are camping. If frie restrictions are in place, honor them! Use fire rings if provided. If not, use existing campfire areas instead of making a new one. Use only fallen branches. Do not mess with fallen trees as they can be home to critters. Obviously don’t mess with live trees. Buy firewood locally so you don’t inadvertently introduce a pest to the area. This is mandatory in most areas. Not as fun or romantic, but camp stoves are more efficient and safer than campfires for cooking, plus they leave no trace. Do not burn any garbage in your fire. Some people would except paper, and I personally don’t have a problem with non-coated paper. It never fails to amaze me how many cans and bottles I see in old campfires. Surely these folks know that metal and glass don’t burn. Shame on them! Make sure your fire is always attended and then COMPLETELY OUT before you go to bed or leave the campsite. Store Your Food Properly: This is critical in bear country! Use bear bins, cages or poles when provided. Listen/see ATSP Safety in Bear Country for proper food storage in the wild. RANGERS If you see something, say something. Rangers want to know about large animal sightings, carcasses and even improper behavior of others. Check with Rangers about the Do’s and Don’ts in the area you are visiting.
	21 Nov 2019	How To Start a Camp Fire Even When it's Wet	00:14:48
On today's episode of the Adventure Travel Show podcast we learn how to build a campfire even in the rain. Yes it's hard, time consuming and tedious, but it's doable. You can learn how plus you'll learn how to make a fast fire when the weather cooperates! Here's what we cover today: Four ingredients to make a camp fire plus my favorite cheap fire starter that guarantees to light Tips for choosing WHERE to build your fire Three fire building techniques Camp fire management tips Putting out your fire and how to check to be sure it's out How to start a fire when it's wet Check out the SHOW NOTES for complete details. Other Helpful Links: Get the FREE Travel Planners and Checklists from Active Travel Adventures AND this, the Adventure Travel Show podcast by clicking HERE. I do not spam you or sell your name and only email you once per month. Subscribe and rate the Active Travel Adventures podcast HERE. We cover multi-day adventure holidays around the US and the world. Join the Facebook community of fellow adventure travelers and outdoor enthusiasts HERE. I love to hear from you with your feedback, questions, suggestions and just what you're up to! Email me at kit at Active Travel Adventures dot com (sorry for the format - you know those spammers:( Just type in the regular email format. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you! Directory of Active Travel Adventures podcast episodes Directory of the Adventure Travel Show podcast episodes
	05 Nov 2020	Altitude Training for Adventure Travel and Hiking	00:56:19
Kit interviews Certified Personal Trainer and Coach, Becki Rupp of Trailblazer Wellness about what we need to know, and how to prepare for our big mountain adventures. We discuss: Altitude or Mountain Sickness, and when it is serious The importance of training for your adventure Who gets altitude sickness (hint: anyone and it doesn't matter if you are fit) Symptoms of mountain sickness and when to turn back Tips to minimize discomfort The importance of hydration and carbs Breathing exercises and altitude training gear VO2 Max - what is it, and is it important How to get a 10% Discount on adventure training with Trailblazer Wellness Why Kit is moving the show to monthly See photos, watch FREE Training Videos and see the COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE! Subscribe to the companion podcast: Active Travel Adventures The Podcasts: https://activetraveladventures.com https://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com CONNECT WITH ME! Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter YouTube
	09 May 2019	How to Choose, Fit and Pack Your Backpack	00:17:18
How to properly Choose, Fit and Pack your Backpack COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE
	12 Sep 2019	Understanding and Buying Holiday Travel Insurance	00:52:37
Understanding and Buying Holiday Travel Insurance Learn the nuances of buying travel insurance so you're actually covered for unforeseen accidents, delays, sickness, theft and more. Many claims are denied because people don't understand their policy. Don't make that mistake and learn what to buy. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE Travel Insurance quote: Get a quick quote and compare policies and prices WITHOUT giving them any identifiable information unless you choose to buy. Why Buy Travel Insurance? You buy holiday insurance to help mitigate some of the lossesyou face when your holiday doesn’t go as planned, especially through no fault of your own. Without insurance, you can be out a significant amount of cash for bookings you are no longer able to use. Americans now spend close to $3 billion a year on travel insurance, and that’s up almost 20%! I buy holiday travel insurance for every trip I take. To me, it’s a small price to pay for piece of mind in case something goes wrong, plus I have 24 hour assistancewhen something does go wrong. It's super important to UNDERSTAND what travel insurance is and the types of things it can cover. It doesn't cover 'stupid' or negligence like being under the influence. And it's only to try to make you 'whole' not compensate you for your loss. So in an approved claim, you in effect, get back the money it cost you had the unfortunate event not taken place. In this podcast episode, I get to better understand travel insurance in my interview with Phil Sylvester ofWorld Nomads Links Mentioned: Active Travel Adventures podcast Travel Insurance quote Costa Rica podcast episode Tanzania safari podcast(Mickey faceplant!) The Best Travel insurance can cover things: Before your trip: You or an immediate family member gets sick or dies Your tour or cruise gets cancelled (in fact this just happened to me after I already bought my expensive plane tickets and some non-refundable Airbnb’s before and after my tour) Your flight gets delayed During Your trip: Your bags get lost, damaged or stolen You miss your connections due to other delays Something you booked gets cancelled You get sick or injured (or worse) Your destination experiences a natural disaster or terrorist attack HOW TO FILE A TRAVEL INSURANCE CLAIM Before you go: Put in the cloud a copy of your travel insurance policy. Make sure you know the 24 hour Assistance Contact number and your policy number. READ YOUR POLICYduring the grace periodto make sure that it will cover the risks you don't want to assume. Please don't ignore this! Something happened...What Do I Do? You will need to call the Assistance Hotline and have this information available: Your current contact phone number Your policy number Be able to describe the problem Be able to tell them your location INSURE MY TRIP is my 'Go To' insurance company when I travel because they let me compare prices and policies quickly from different companies, and I don't have to give them any identifying information unless I choose to buy. As my affiliate, whenever you use IMT, at no additioinal cost to you, you are helping to support the program and keeping it ad free - thanks! Kit
	29 Apr 2019	How to Choose the Best Water Filter and Purifier for Adventurers	00:18:42
How to Choose a Backpacking Portable Water Filtration and Purifier System Adventure travelers can’t always carry all the water they need to stay hydrated while hiking, biking or paddling. So you need to carry a way to safely treat water in the wild. And water is HEAVY! A gallon weighs over 8 pounds and a liter weighs 1 KG, so you want to carry what you need and maybe a tad bit more, but not much more. On today’s Adventure Travel Show podcast, we look at the ways to filter and purify water from springs, streams, creeks, rivers and lakes. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE
	15 Aug 2019	Camping Tent vs Tarp Pros and Cons	00:26:00
Camping Tents VS Tarps : How to Choose What is Best for YOU! Complete SHOW NOTES HERE
	13 Feb 2020	How To Save Money on Travel Part I	00:44:42
Save Money On Travel Part One of How to Save Money On Travel covers general savings tips, plus how to save money on food and going out to eat, learn about the many ways to save AND stay for free or little cost, and how to communicate with work and home without driving up your cell bill. Get complete details and download the FREE 69 Ways to Save Money on Travel Checklist on the Show Notes . https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page
	03 Sep 2020	The 'Summer of Kit' continues	00:03:33
The 'Summer of Kit' road trip in 'Sophie', Kit's new-to-her converted Sprinter camper van concludes, but she forgot about lack of internet access to produce new episodes while she traveled. Today we discuss the new schedule. Be sure to check in with Kit to let her know how YOUR summer went during this crazy time! CONNECT WITH ME! Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter The Podcasts: https://activetraveladventures.com https://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com
	23 May 2019	Safety Tips for Hiking in Bear Country	00:26:21
Hiking in Bear Country NOTE: The Adventure Travel Show podcast is part of the Active Travel Adventures podcast community. Learn how to hike safely in bear country plus how to determine whether a bear is a black bear or a brown (grizzly), and what to do if attacked by a bear. You'll learn about proper food storage and how to hang a bear bag, and why bear spray is best. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE
	20 Jun 2019	How To Get Cheap Flights	00:29:41
How To Get Cheap Flights *COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE* Subscribe to our MONTHLY newsletter to get a FREE download about How To Get Cheap Flights in an easy to use cheat sheet. Subscribe HERE - it's FREE! I don't spam you or sell your info - promise!
	29 Aug 2019	Solo Travel Tips and Advice	01:04:30
SOLO TRAVEL TIPS AND ADVICE Is Solo Travel for YOU??? Afraid to travel solo – especially solo adventure travel? Today's guests share their insights as to the Pro's and Con's of solo travel and share what they consider the benefits and challenges, plus their tips to make adventure travel solo safe and fun. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES HERE
	09 Apr 2020	Lightning Safety Guide	00:18:09
Learn what to do when you are threatened by lightning, especially if you are caught exposed outdoors including the proper safety position and what to do if someone gets hit by lightning. You’ll also learn what constitutes a safe shelter during a thunderstorm. We cover: What is lightning? The five types of lightning and typical strikes from them What position to take when lightning is striking nearby How to determine a safe shelter The three types of lightning injury and what you should do How groups should position themselves during a lightning storm And much more! Get complete details and download the FREE Lightning Safety Guide on the Show Notes page https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Email Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page 00000161 00000160 00002D2C 00002D2C 000113D0 000113D0 00007E12 00006683 00000000 000113D0
	07 Jan 2021	Boondocking : How to Camp for FREE!	00:33:02
Today we explore the wonderful world of boondocking, aka dry camping or dispersed camping. While mostly on the over 640 million UD federal lands, we also explore state public lands and even 'Wallydocking' in Walmart parking lots! Learn how to find sites, how to evaluate if a site is suitable for you and your rig, and assorted tips and the etiquette of boon docking. COMPLETE SHOW NOTES See important links to boondocking sites, photos and more cool info Get FREE Travel Planners for ATA adventures (and each month you will get an email from Kit with links to all future Travel Planners (no spam promise!). Get the monthly newsletter here. CONTACT KIT SUBSCRIBE to the Adventure Travel Show (the “How to’s of adventure travel) SUBSCRIBE to Active Travel Adventures (fantastic adventure destinations) Join the Active Travel Adventures Facebook Group Follow ATA on Twitter Follow ATA on Instagram Follow ATA on Pinterest
	24 Oct 2019	Hiking Boots vs Hiking Shoes	00:18:01
Hiking Boots versus Hiking Shoes versus Trail Runners Choose the right hiking footwear for YOU! Complete SHOW NOTES HERE. Below is a machine transcription of this episode (and there is bound to be loads of errors). I am currently traveling off grid and didn’t have a chance to work up the complete webpage before I left, so this is the best I could do in the meantime. Either check back later, or if you email me, I’ll write you back to let you know when I’ve got the post up. Thanks for your understanding! Kit 00:04 Going into an outfitter to divide new hiking boots or shoes can give you a migraine. You’ll see foot were labeled not just hiking boots or shoes, but also trail runners, ultra light boots, cross trainers, hiking sandals and walking boots to name a few in the hiking boot versus shoe battle. How do you determine which is the best hiking shoe for you and your feet? That’s what we’ll be discussing today. 00:27 Welcome to the venture trial show podcast. I’m your host kip parks and that’s why we’re going to be working on today. We’re going to try to figure out what is the best footwear for us to wear for our different hiking adventures and we not only have to worry about the type of shoe, we’ve got to consider the prices too cause the prices run the gamut as well and they can get really up there so it’s not something you want to make a booboo on the answer to what to wear and you knew this was coming is it depends. We’re going to look at the different features and then you can compare what the different features do for you against the general environment you’ll be hiking in, but regardless of the charts and the information that we’re going to discuss today, and I’ll have all this on the website at adventure travel show, podcast.com/shoes the key feature of any hiking shoe is comfort. 01:13 Every manufacturer’s mold is different. Some have wider widths than others, and so my own size eight in one brand might feel great but aren’t going to give me nearly enough tow room or with in another brand. If your budget permits, you might want to buy a couple of different boots or shoes so that you have the right gear for whatever your individual hike is going to be. For example, I use my boss or Wask, I’m not sure how he’s supposed to say it, my boss boots whenever I’m doing any serious hiking or on some challenging terrain, but the trails are well maintained. I’m usually gonna opt for my mural hiking shoes later on this month. I’m heading on a rafting and hiking trip in Idaho. And so for that trip I’m just going to be packing my hiking sandals that have a toe guard so I can use them both as my water shoe and my hiking shoe. 01:58 So in deciding what we’re going to wear, we need to actually consider a couple of different things. Let’s look at the different types. First. Number one, the heavy hiking boot back country trailblazers should consider a heavy boot. If your hike is gonna include some large bouldering and bushwhacking. The heavy hiking boots are going to have some serious tractions on the soul and they’ll sometimes even have a cramp on like tip. These boots are heavy, not just hiking, but they’re also heavy on the wallet. Often they’re made a leather and they will require a sizable breaking in period, but once they’ve molded to your feet, they’re going to protect your feet and all sorts of difficult terrain. But you can expect some blisters, especially in the beginning. Heavy hiking boot is going to offer you some excellent ankle support and their good grip is an asset on steep slopes and boulders. 02:49 Plus a heavy hiking boot is going to last the longest of all. The hiking, footwear, mud, snow, and water will slough off these boots the best, and they’re warmer. If you’re going to be hiking and cold climates than a hiking shoe would be hiking boots also provide the best ankle and underfoot support, but they’re going to feel weighty and clunky compared to the other options. The more rocks and debris you hike on, the more you’re going to appreciate wearing a hiking boot. However, depending on the material, they can take a long, long time to dry out leather, it seems to take forever. They’re also the hardest to pack. I’ve got some mid weight boots that I’m bringing on an upcoming trip and I’m going to have to wear them on the plane, otherwise they take up half of my suitcase. So you know, I’m gonna Look Trey Chic on that plane. Right? And if you hike in rainy or snowy conditions, a boot’s going to be preferable because they’re high tops combined with waterproof hiking pants can keep the water out of your boots and the higher ankle coverage can also be helpful when hiking among briers and other off trail treats. They can cut you up and bruise you. 03:53 You can also get a waterproof boot. Some hiking foot wear has gore-tex in it, which makes the boot waterproof. It’s great if you’re crossing puddles and streams, but they don’t breathe as well so that can make your feet sweat. I personally prefer to have my feet breathe. I swear they have lungs so I don’t do these, but other people swear by them. So again, this is going to be down to the comfort. What do your feet like? So next on the list after the heavy hiking boot is the mid weight boot, like the kind of mentioned and bringing on my upcoming hike. This is my go to when I’m going to be in a serious mountain. I don’t do the heavy rock climbing mountain, he kind of things. So for what I consider a difficult hike and the kinds that we cover on this show at the four and five level where they’re hard and challenging but not ever see hard. 04:35 This is usually a suitable shoe, but I consider these my backpacking boots so my boots have stiff souls that cover the ankle for a little bit more support. You can get them either in synthetic materials, which is lighter and breathe better, which is what I choose, or leather, but they’re still heavy and you’re going to feel the weight of them at the end of a long hiking day. And I would suggest you break these in at least a few days before taking them on a long hike just to be in the safe side. If you’re hiking in shallow slush, some snow, some small puddles or streams, choosing a waterproof boot is going to keep your feet dryer than with the shoes and the boots. Also going to provide you with a tad more protection if you’re hiking in snake territory, 05:19 plus you’re less likely to get pebbles in your boot than if you’re wearing a shoe. Although you can put some gators on which are these little cloth cover things that can cover over your shoes to help keep debris out of your shoes. So we’ll talk about that a little bit later. At the top of your boot there’s got to be a metal lacing hook that allows you to tighten your shoelaces even further for more strength and stability. The head on some really challenging terrain, so we’ve covered the boots. Another thing people are starting to see more and more on the trail are trail running shoes. These offers are usually a little bit more ankle support than a hiking shoe because people are actually running on the trails over rocks and roots strewn trails with them. You’re going to find a little bit more padding and a sturdier soul than a regular trail shoe. 06:04 [inaudible] 06:04 my recommendation is after my research is only by these, if you plan to actually run on the trails because they were great for running, but they’re really not designed for actual hiking and so actually they won’t work quite as well for you. A trail running shoe should feel great as soon as you put them on. 06:22 So unless you’re actually running and you don’t want something so heavy, then you want to look at getting a trail shoe or a hiking shoe. These have thicker soles than traditional running shoes, but they’re lighter and more comfortable than boots and make sure that you’re actually buying a trail shoe and not just some fashion shoe that looks like one. Otherwise you might find that on the quote unquote fashion one that the stitches in the souls are not going to hold up to the terrain and the job that you are going to be given them and like the trail running shoes. These should feel great as soon as you put them on, you’re going to find trail shoes cooler and warm weather as well. You also with the trail runners and hiking sandals and trail shoes and hiking shoes have more flexible souls so they bend more, make an easier to, if you’re trying to rock hop across the stream and the last choice is hiking sandals. 07:13 This is what I’m taking on my rafting trip. They’re lightweight, they’re great for water crossings, they let your feet breathe, however, you’re going to get some rocks and some small sticks in them, so you’re gonna have to pause to remove them more often. Make sure you get one with a toe guard and don’t even think about wearing hiking sandals. If you’re climbing a screen strewn hill, you’re going to go nuts trying to get those pebbles out. So questions to ask yourself before buying a hiking boot or shoe number one, are you a hiking Newbie? If you’re just learning to hike and your eyes and your feet haven’t yet developed, great natural foot placement, consider getting a hiking shoe with a sturdier soul than you might normally need. This might help your ankles until you get your your eye foot coordination going worse. You don’t even have to think about it. Your foot just knows right where to go when it sees the train. Number two, consider the trail terrain that you think you’re gonna be hiking on. The smoother, more well-maintained the trails, the less important the sturdiness of the soul is. If you’re gonna be crossing shallow creeks, you might want to consider a waterproof one or if you do like I do get a breathable hiking shoe and they dry up pretty quickly. 08:25 Number three, ankle strength. You’ve got to consider your ankle streak, the weaker your ankles, the stronger ankle support you’re going to need. If you have ever, I mean, ever sprained your ankle even as a kid. Unfortunately it’s always going to be a little bit weaker than you’d like it to be, so you’re better off stepping up your ankle. Support on the adventure travel show podcast number one we talk about what to do if you do sprain your ankle in the wild and I’ve got a video that I’ll be posting on the site as well of how to test your ankle strength on your own. The fourth thing you want to think about is the pack. Wait, are you going to be carrying a light day pack? Are you going to be doing some heavy duty backpacking? If you’re going to be carrying significant weight, you need the added strength and support of a heavier boot. 09:13 Number five, how long are you going to be out in the trail? If you’re going to be hiking all day long, you’ve got two things to consider. The first one is weight. The sturdier, the hiking boot or shoe. The more it’s going away. So at the end of the day, your feet are gonna feel like lead weights. I’ve read that the weight on your feet takes four to six times the energy to lift in the same weight on your back. So for example, let’s say your boot weighs two and a half pounds, but your shoes weigh a pound, then your boots, you’re going to feel like you’re carrying an extra six to nine pounds on your back compared to just the shoes. Ouch. 09:49 However, at the end of the day, you’re going to be tired and you’re going to tend to make more mistakes, such as not lifting your feet high enough. That extra ankle strength is gonna come in handy. So you’re going to be trading off the heavy weight of the shoes that are gonna make your feet feel like lead with the strength that you get. If you do make the mistake at the end of the day, it’s going to give you that little bit of extra support that could make the difference between twisting your ankle or not. So again, it’s going to depend and it’s a trade off. The sixth thing we want to consider is our hiking pace. If you are truly trail running, you simply can not do this in a boat. Plus you’re gonna need the lighter weight for speed. Some trail runners have a grippy rubber compound that helps your feet stick better on wet rocks and roots. 10:36 And the final thing you want to think about is how long do you want your shoes to last? Most trail shoes and runners are going to give you about 500 miles of service. However, a good pair of sturdy boots might give you a thousand miles. So let’s go through this one more time. Heikki newbies want to beef up their ankle support. Number two, you want to consider the terrain the heavier the train, the Sturdier, the boot. Number three, consider your ankle strength. What is your particular ankle strength into the test on the website? Number four, consider your pack weight. The more weight, the Sturdier the boot, how long you’re going to be out in the trail. There’s a trade off between the weight of the boot versus the strength of them. Ankle support, depending on how tired you’re gonna be at the end of the day. And you want a number six, look at your hiking pace. If you need to go fast, you need to go light. And finally, number seven, how long do you want them to last? Your hiking boots or shoes or an investment? 11:33 Okay, now let’s look at what kind of fit you should get out of your hiking boot or your hiking shoe. Number one, whatever hiking footwear you choose, it should feel snug but not tight. Remember that your feet are going to swell as the day goes on. So some even recommend, if in doubt, go up a half a size. You know, some people say, oh, would get a size bigger. Don’t do that because your foot is going to slosh around too much in the shoe. And if your shoe is too loose, you’re more prone to twisting your ankle and you’re not going to have enough ankle support. So it should be snug but not tight and not to this number two, your toes should not be all the way to the top of the shoe unless you planning on losing all of your toenails whenever you descend down a mountain. 12:13 And that happened to my mother. Not Fun. It’s been 30 years and she still has ms form toenails. From that and while we’re talking about the, to keep your toenails clipped when you’re going to go hiking. Number three, every manufacturer uses a different mold. Does the shoe of a particular manufacturer give your particular arches to proper support? Are they wide enough? Do they cradle your heel comfortably? Can you wiggle your toes around? Do you have plenty of room for your toes to move around? A good outfitter will have some place in the store that you can practice the ascent and descent so you can see whether or not your toes are being jammed in the front when you’re going downhill. You don’t want to be like my mom and lose your tail nails going down because there’s just not enough room for your toes, so you want to wear them in the store or at home. 12:58 If you’re shopping online for at least 30 to 60 minutes and wear them with the socks you plan to use with them. Like I said, a good outfitter is going to have a practice hill somewhere in the store that you can practice going up and down. Take advantage of it. Try Rolling your foot to the side. See how does it feel? Is there any stitching that’s rubbing you the wrong way? If it’s bugging you in the store, it’s going to really bug you on the trail. At the end of the day, if your feet aren’t happy, you’re not happy. Number five, speaking of happy feet, many people swear by the happy feet inserts. Consider buying a quality insert and then try them on together with the inserts. When your shoes get wet, you can remove the inserts and the other two out separately and they should dry quicker. Number six, consider the brand. 13:44 I have favorite brands that work well with my feet. It’s sometimes when a manufacturer comes out with a new edition, the new shoe doesn’t work quite as well for me as the old. So whenever I find a pair that I really like, if I love them, I’ll go back and buy a second pair for that very reason. So when the first one wears out, I know I’ve got a winner. So even though I have certain brands that my feet like there’s still some variances within that brand. And since hiking footwear is one of the most important outdoor gear purchases that we make, it pays a try on the different brands to find the shoe that works best for your feet. Currently I’m wearing the Vasquez hiking boots and the Merrell hiking shoes and chuck us hiking sandals and I’m choosing what to wear. Depending on the training I’ll be hiking in and I tried to go at the lightest weight shoe that will best protect my feet and my ankles for my adventure. 14:34 The seventh consideration of course is quality. Good hiking boots and good hiking shoes are important and I wouldn’t necessarily buy cheap hiking boots. You want to look for quality stitching of materials. We foresee all, there’s almost everything goes on sale at least once during the year and get the best quality hiking shoes you can rather than buying cheap hiking shoes. So hiking shoes versus hiking boots. To me the best trail boat depends on what I’m going to be doing and where I got to think about how portable do I need my footwear to be if I’m traveling. Lots of people love waterproof walking boots, but I personally prefer this synthetic materials that breathe. I find they dry out quickly and I’d rather have cool feet most of the time in exchange for occasional wet feet. My trail hiking shoes seem to dry drought quickly once the rain stops and I’m always wearing wool socks year-round and just different thicknesses depending on the season. 15:26 So even if my feet are wet, there’s always still warm in the winter and they’re always breathing. Sometimes I worry that manufacturers just shrink their men’s hiking boots and call them hiking boots for women instead of making women’s hiking shoes specifically for women like me. That’s why it really is important for you to try before you buy or else buy from an online company that gives a great return policy. The bottom line is my favorite trekking shoes are whichever one I’m wearing on the trail because I follow the guidelines above and choose the right hiking gear for each particular adventure and when you’re in doubt, err on the side of extra support on the website. I’ve got a video that’ll help you test the strength of your own ankles. Plus links to my doc on the run interview where we talk about ankle strength and what to do if you sprain your ankle in the wild. 16:12 I consider that a must listen episode. You don’t think spray Nichols would be interesting. It’s a really interesting interview. He does a great job. I’ve also got links on the website to recommend and shoes, boots and gators, and if you use my links at no additional cost to you, you’re going to be helping to support this show. The costs do add up over time, so I appreciate that. And if you are going to get gators, gators like I said, or the little like fabric coverings that snap onto your shoes to make sure that debris or to try to keep the debris out of your shoes. One of the more popular brands is the dirty girl. But please use my link because if you just Google that, you’re liable to go to some websites you’d rather not see. So please use Manning’s instead on that. I’d appreciate that. 16:52 I’d like to know what you think. Where do you stand in the boot versus shooed debate, right? And tell me what shoes you prefer. I’d love to hear from you. You can always reach me at kit, at active traveled ventures.com and also just let me know what you think of the new show next week on the companion show, the act of travel adventures podcast, where we go to destinations. We’re going to be going to the little known mummy range. It’s in the rocky mountains. I just love learning about magnificent areas to explore that haven’t really been discovered. And then the following week on this show, the adventure travel show podcast, we’re going to look at what you need to learn in order to begin backpacking. I appreciate you listening. Until next time, this is kit parks at venture on.
	26 Mar 2020	Ultralight Backpacking Tips	00:36:35
Today we learn how why you often have to choose between comfort at night or comfort during the day when it comes to backpacking. Discover the four main ways to go ultralight when backpacking plus learn tips to reduce your base pack weight so you can be as comfortable as possible during the day AND the night the next time you go backpacking. We cover: What ultralight backpacking? What is the safe weight for YOU to carry on your back What does Base Pack Weight mean and how to calculate it How to determine how much food and water to carry Tips for choosing ultralight backpacks, tents and other shelters, sleeping bags and sleeping pads Why you should weigh and analyze everything you put in your pack And much more! Get complete details and download the FREE Ultralight Backpacking Tips AND a Backpacking Gear Checklist on the Show Notes page https://activetraveladventures.com http://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Connect with Kit: Get the FREE Monthly Newsletter Instagram parks.kit Twitter @Kit_Parks Pinterest Facebook Group: Active Travel Adventures ATA Facebook page
	03 Dec 2020	Wilderness First Aid	01:07:46
Kit speaks with certified Wilderness EMT expert Casey Marcum about things we need to think about BEFORE we head into the wild, and then what to do if something goes wrong and you or someone else gets sick or injured. You'll learn key things to make sure you put in your pack and some clever hacks when you have to make do when you don't have the ideal resources. Be sure to check out the SHOW NOTES for more detailed information, and be sure to sign up for the monthly (no spam guarantee!) NEWSLETTER so that you get the FREE Emergency Kit Checklist. The Podcasts: https://activetraveladventures.com https://adventuretravelshowpodcast.com Follow Casey on Instagram @WildNC Waterfalls CONNECT WITH ME! Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group Twitter YouTube

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4. Consider the weather

5. Campsite Size Needed

6. Look for Natural Amenities

7. Best Tent Positioning

8. Leave No Trace and Minimizing Negative Impact

9. Privacy

10. Wind and Pest Control

Sustainable Travel and Ecotourism

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Why Buy Travel Insurance?

Before your trip:

During Your trip:

HOW TO FILE A TRAVEL INSURANCE CLAIM

Something happened...What Do I Do?

Hiking Boots versus Hiking Shoes versus Trail Runners

Choose the right hiking footwear for YOU! Complete SHOW NOTES HERE.

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