Thursday, December 29, 2016
New Years Resolutions – 2017
I find it helpful to write a set of New Year's resolutions each year about the things I want to learn and accomplish during the next 12 months. Since my life and work revolve around hiking, backpacking, camping, and writing, I get to set goals that are both fun and which I think will be fun to write about.
Looking back, 2016 was a mixed year, but I did accomplish many of the goals I set for myself. Family obligations and travel took a big bite out of my trip time, I suffered from a foot injury most of the year, and the New England drought made it impossible to do much fly fishing. I still managed to finish big with a lot of remote backpacking trips and hikes, finishing 24% of the White Mountain Guide trail system before winter put an end to my efforts. It was still a good year, but not as laid back as I wanted.
In 2017, I plan to keep working on my long-term hiking goals and lead more hiking and backpacking trips, while becoming a better fisherman and backcountry skier. But I'm going to go easy on big new goals, finish up a few outstanding "projects", and leave more time for myself to enjoy some spontaneous adventures.
1. Finish Redlining the White Mountain Guide
Finish the remaining 6% of the 1440 trails in the White Mountain Guide that I've never hiked. This is harder than it sounds since the trails are not continuous and some require long hike-ins to access. A lot of my remaining trails are challenging above-treeline hikes and climbs in the Northern Presidentials, but they should be a grand way to finish off the list.
2. Finish hiking the Maine Appalachian Trail
I have a 50 mile section of the Maine AT left from Grafton Notch to Rangely and it's time to wrap it up. I want to do some more hiking and fishing in the Maine backcountry, so I might drag out this goal and make a few longer trips from it instead of finishing it off in one hike.
3. Learn how to cook a trout
Yep. The time has come to learn how to clean and cook some of the trout I catch. This requires catching some that are large enough to eat, of course, grills, campfires, and maybe even a titanium frying pan!
4. Lead three off-trail practice hikes
Get back to leading off-trail practice hikes for hikers who want to practice their compass navigation skills. I have about 60 peaks left on my NH200 list and most are up in northern New Hampshire, so these should be fun trips.
5. Stretch goal: map the Sawyer Pond Trail System
Ski and hike all of the ski trails, snowmobile trails, bike trails, hiking trails, and logging roads in the area bounded by the Sawyer Pond Trail, Bear Notch Road, Rt 302 and Rt 122 and publish a combined map of the trail system.
What are your hiking resolutions for 2017?
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2io7u0X
How Natalie Replaced Her Day Job Income in 8 Months With Location Rebel
One of my goals, when we moved Location 180 over to Location Rebel, was to highlight the community more.
So far I haven't done a very good job with that – but no time like the present, right?
After saving up for a couple of years, last year Natalie Stickel left her job to take the trip of a lifetime.
She backpacked and camped through the US for a few months before heading to Australia, Thailand, and Bali for another three months.
The trip exceeded all expectations, but when she got back and returned to a day job she was left with more wanderlust and a burning desire to figure out how to make it on her own.
Enter Location Rebel Academy.
She joined in April of this year after first hearing about the site while traveling.
Within her first month in LRA she made her money for the course back.
Within eight months she had nearly replaced her income from her day job through freelance writing and other online work.
I had the opportunity to talk with Natalie about her story and how Location Rebel Academy helped with that journey – and found the conversation to be really inspiring.
You can check it out here:
Our biggest promotion of the year for Location Rebel Academy goes live for 72 hours on January 1st at 10 am, so if you've been thinking about making a change and starting your own business, I encourage you to join us!
Sign up below to get all the details, or shoot me an email with any questions Sean(@)locationrebel.com
The post How Natalie Replaced Her Day Job Income in 8 Months With Location Rebel appeared first on Location Rebel.
from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2iIEkGg
How Natalie Replaced Her Day Job Income in 8 Months With Location Rebel
One of my goals, when we moved Location 180 over to Location Rebel, was to highlight the community more.
So far I haven’t done a very good job with that – but no time like the present, right?
After saving up for a couple of years, last year Natalie Stickel left her job to take the trip of a lifetime.
She backpacked and camped through the US for a few months before heading to Australia, Thailand, and Bali for another three months.
The trip exceeded all expectations, but when she got back and returned to a day job she was left with more wanderlust and a burning desire to figure out how to make it on her own.
Enter Location Rebel Academy.
She joined in April of this year after first hearing about the site while traveling.
Within her first month in LRA she made her money for the course back.
Within eight months she had nearly replaced her income from her day job through freelance writing and other online work.
I had the opportunity to talk with Natalie about her story and how Location Rebel Academy helped with that journey – and found the conversation to be really inspiring.
You can check it out here:
Our biggest promotion of the year for Location Rebel Academy goes live for 72 hours on January 1st at 10 am, so if you’ve been thinking about making a change and starting your own business, I encourage you to join us!
Sign up below to get all the details, or shoot me an email with any questions Sean(@)locationrebel.com
The post How Natalie Replaced Her Day Job Income in 8 Months With Location Rebel appeared first on Location Rebel.
from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2iIEkGg
IndieView with Melleny Smith, reviewer at Abooktropolis
People read to escape the world they are in. Whether it be through contemporaries or fantasies. I read because I love seeing a movie play in front of my eyes. Reading is no longer just a pasttime to move time faster. It’s become escapism.
Melleny Smith – 29 December 2016
About Reviewing
How did you get started?
It was last year. I was asked to do a review as part of a school assignment and when I finished the review I realized something. I realized that this was something that I wanted to do when ever I could
How do you review a book? Is it a read first, and then make notes, or do you make notes as you go along?
Honestly it depends. If it is a book that I read for pleasure then I only write my notes afterwards. But when it comes to reviewing a book I have requested or have been given then I take notes whilst reading because it allows for my opinions to be accurate.
What are you looking for?
I’m not really picky. But it does depend on the book that I am reading and what it has advertised through the blurb. If it is an author that I am familiar with then I have certain expectations. But if they are new to me then I kind of look at what other people say. So for example. If you advertise a kickass story then that’s something that I will look for. If you say the book contains an epic romance then it needs to have an epic romance.
If a book has a great plot, great characters, but the grammar is less than perfect, how do you deal with that?
I am a huge grammar police person. If the entire book doesn’t make sense I wont read it and it will probably get a bad review from me but if there is a specific reason as to why. For example, if a book has been translated, then I will be conscious of this and won’t look too closely at the grammar. But if there are only a few problems then I might just add that in my review, depending on the extent of it.
How long does it take you to get through, say, an eighty thousand-word book?
Okay… Umm… About 3-5 hours.. If I were to guess. I am an incredibly fast reader when it comes to books I enjoy. I read about one hundred pages in an hour.
How did you come up with your rating system, and could you explain more about the rating system?
Okay. I have to be honest. I have never really considered this closely but I have thought about it loosely. Basically 1 star means I couldn’t even get through the first 10 pages. 2 stars means that I managed to get past at least 50 pages but I hated every second of it. 3 stars means I have finished the book but it was pretty mediocre and not something that I would read again. 3.5 stars means that there was a moment or two where it was pretty good. 4 stars means that this is just amazing. The book was well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5 stars means it is in my top books for the year. 5 stars means that it will probably be a book that I reread every year and I recommend it to everyone, every day.
What advice could you give to authors looking to get their books reviewed?
Make sure your book sounds incredible. Look at books that are trending on Amazon and on the different book platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, etc). Look at what makes them unique. An amazing cover can go a long way. Put a little more effort into it than you actually want. I can’t even count how many times I have bought a book just for its cover.
Do you get readers emailing you and thanking you for a review?
No… But I do get a bigger response on Instagram when I feature a book. A lot people want to know what my thoughts were and so on.
My advice to authors on getting a ‘bad’ review (hasten to add that might mean a perfectly honest, well written, fair review – just bad from the author’s point of view) is to take what you can from it and move on. Under no circumstances to ‘argue’ with the reviewer – would you agree with that?
Yes I agree with that. The reviewer is more than likely to say exactly what they don’t like about it whilst saying what they found to be better points. If the author does want to ‘argue’, don’t. Instead ask the reader what you can do to better on your book or what you can look out for next time.
About Reading
We talk a lot about writing here on the blog, and possibly not enough about reading, which is after all why we’re all here. Why do you think people love reading? We’re seeing lots of statistics that say reading as a pastime is dying – do you think that’s the case?
Oh my gosh no. I think reading is evolving. Audiobooks have allowed more people to get into reading. They are now able to pick a book whilst they drive or are doing mindless work.
People read to escape the world they are in. Whether it be through contemporaries or fantasies. I read because I love seeing a movie play in front of my eyes. Reading is no longer just a pasttime to move time faster. It’s become escapism.
About Writing
What are the most common mistakes that you see authors making?
Not sticking to the arc of their story. It’s not that often however but its something I notice the most when it comes to indie authors. You will have this amazing intro and couple of chapters and then the story will die down in middle. Then the part that is supposed to be climatic isn’t.
Another one is the love triangle trope. Like stop. If it doesn’t aid the story in any way other than making the main character conflicted, then cut it.
We’re told that the first page, paragraph, chapter, is absolutely key in making or breaking a book. Agents typically request only the first five pages of a novel; what do you think about that? If a book hasn’t grabbed you by the first five pages, do you put it down?
Not always. I do believe that that statement is true but not for every book. Sometimes its the feeling that is super important. Because if an author falls flat halfway then they will lose the attention that the reader had.
Is there anything you will not review?
New Adult contemporaries that rely so much on sex to keep the book interesting. Like I get it. You don’t have your parents around every corner, judging you but damn calm your rabbit instincts.
About Publishing
Do you think attitudes are changing with respect to indie or self-published titles?
Yes! There is way more appreciation for indie/self-published authors. From experience, one of my favorite books ever is an indie book. I think people have stopped thinking that indie/self-published authors are those who couldn’t make it.
Do you have any ideas or comments on how the industry can ‘filter’ good from bad, aside from reviews?
Look at what kind of writing style/development the author has. If it’s visible that the person doesn’t have any room for improvement then it might not be a good thing. I also think that looking at the actual story is important. There is a huge market for YA anything. You’ll probably find that there are a lot of “bad” books and “good” books in that genre. Whilst someone who is writing a classic, will be refined and probably really good.
End of Interview:
To read Melleny’s reviews, visit Abooktropolis.
from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2ilgPqf
IndieView with Melleny Smith, reviewer at Abooktropolis
People read to escape the world they are in. Whether it be through contemporaries or fantasies. I read because I love seeing a movie play in front of my eyes. Reading is no longer just a pasttime to move time faster. It's become escapism.
Melleny Smith – 29 December 2016
About Reviewing
How did you get started?
It was last year. I was asked to do a review as part of a school assignment and when I finished the review I realized something. I realized that this was something that I wanted to do when ever I could
How do you review a book? Is it a read first, and then make notes, or do you make notes as you go along?
Honestly it depends. If it is a book that I read for pleasure then I only write my notes afterwards. But when it comes to reviewing a book I have requested or have been given then I take notes whilst reading because it allows for my opinions to be accurate.
What are you looking for?
I'm not really picky. But it does depend on the book that I am reading and what it has advertised through the blurb. If it is an author that I am familiar with then I have certain expectations. But if they are new to me then I kind of look at what other people say. So for example. If you advertise a kickass story then that's something that I will look for. If you say the book contains an epic romance then it needs to have an epic romance.
If a book has a great plot, great characters, but the grammar is less than perfect, how do you deal with that?
I am a huge grammar police person. If the entire book doesn't make sense I wont read it and it will probably get a bad review from me but if there is a specific reason as to why. For example, if a book has been translated, then I will be conscious of this and won't look too closely at the grammar. But if there are only a few problems then I might just add that in my review, depending on the extent of it.
How long does it take you to get through, say, an eighty thousand-word book?
Okay… Umm… About 3-5 hours.. If I were to guess. I am an incredibly fast reader when it comes to books I enjoy. I read about one hundred pages in an hour.
How did you come up with your rating system, and could you explain more about the rating system?
Okay. I have to be honest. I have never really considered this closely but I have thought about it loosely. Basically 1 star means I couldn't even get through the first 10 pages. 2 stars means that I managed to get past at least 50 pages but I hated every second of it. 3 stars means I have finished the book but it was pretty mediocre and not something that I would read again. 3.5 stars means that there was a moment or two where it was pretty good. 4 stars means that this is just amazing. The book was well written and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 4.5 stars means it is in my top books for the year. 5 stars means that it will probably be a book that I reread every year and I recommend it to everyone, every day.
What advice could you give to authors looking to get their books reviewed?
Make sure your book sounds incredible. Look at books that are trending on Amazon and on the different book platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Youtube, etc). Look at what makes them unique. An amazing cover can go a long way. Put a little more effort into it than you actually want. I can't even count how many times I have bought a book just for its cover.
Do you get readers emailing you and thanking you for a review?
No… But I do get a bigger response on Instagram when I feature a book. A lot people want to know what my thoughts were and so on.
My advice to authors on getting a 'bad' review (hasten to add that might mean a perfectly honest, well written, fair review – just bad from the author's point of view) is to take what you can from it and move on. Under no circumstances to 'argue' with the reviewer – would you agree with that?
Yes I agree with that. The reviewer is more than likely to say exactly what they don't like about it whilst saying what they found to be better points. If the author does want to 'argue', don't. Instead ask the reader what you can do to better on your book or what you can look out for next time.
About Reading
We talk a lot about writing here on the blog, and possibly not enough about reading, which is after all why we're all here. Why do you think people love reading? We're seeing lots of statistics that say reading as a pastime is dying – do you think that's the case?
Oh my gosh no. I think reading is evolving. Audiobooks have allowed more people to get into reading. They are now able to pick a book whilst they drive or are doing mindless work.
People read to escape the world they are in. Whether it be through contemporaries or fantasies. I read because I love seeing a movie play in front of my eyes. Reading is no longer just a pasttime to move time faster. It's become escapism.
About Writing
What are the most common mistakes that you see authors making?
Not sticking to the arc of their story. It's not that often however but its something I notice the most when it comes to indie authors. You will have this amazing intro and couple of chapters and then the story will die down in middle. Then the part that is supposed to be climatic isn't.
Another one is the love triangle trope. Like stop. If it doesn't aid the story in any way other than making the main character conflicted, then cut it.
We're told that the first page, paragraph, chapter, is absolutely key in making or breaking a book. Agents typically request only the first five pages of a novel; what do you think about that? If a book hasn't grabbed you by the first five pages, do you put it down?
Not always. I do believe that that statement is true but not for every book. Sometimes its the feeling that is super important. Because if an author falls flat halfway then they will lose the attention that the reader had.
Is there anything you will not review?
New Adult contemporaries that rely so much on sex to keep the book interesting. Like I get it. You don't have your parents around every corner, judging you but damn calm your rabbit instincts.
About Publishing
Do you think attitudes are changing with respect to indie or self-published titles?
Yes! There is way more appreciation for indie/self-published authors. From experience, one of my favorite books ever is an indie book. I think people have stopped thinking that indie/self-published authors are those who couldn't make it.
Do you have any ideas or comments on how the industry can 'filter' good from bad, aside from reviews?
Look at what kind of writing style/development the author has. If it's visible that the person doesn't have any room for improvement then it might not be a good thing. I also think that looking at the actual story is important. There is a huge market for YA anything. You'll probably find that there are a lot of "bad" books and "good" books in that genre. Whilst someone who is writing a classic, will be refined and probably really good.
End of Interview:
To read Melleny's reviews, visit Abooktropolis.
from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2ilgPqf
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
In Memory Of Good Hiking Friends We’ve Lost Along the Way – 2016
Before we turn the page on another year and start the clock again afresh in 2017, I wanted to take a moment to remember some of the hiking friends that I lost this year. While my memories of them still remain fresh and vivid, they will be missed by those who walked with them in the hills.
If you'd like to mention a hiking friend you've lost this year, please leave a remembrance in a comment below.
Jane Eggleston
I first met Jane outside of Fort Augustus in Scotland as we searched for the start of the track over the Corrieyairack Pass. She lent me some gas that night to cook a beef stew at the bothy. She was a hard charging, gruff, suffer no fools kind of person, but she had a soft spot if you spent some time getting to know her. She could cuss like a sailor and drink like one too, but was a dependable companion in fair weather and foul.
Rick Libby
Rick was a bushwhacko, one my off-trail hiking companions in New Hampshire. A quiet man, he was a skilled outdoorsman and navigator, with a rye sense of humor that would peak out when you were least expecting it. When Rick was along, you always knew he had your back…the best kind of hiking companion.
Graham Lewis
Graham was another dear friend I met hiking in Scotland on the 2010 TGO and we kept in touch by email afterwards. We first met in the mist on the way to Lochnagar and walked a few days together on the way to the coast.
I can remember standing in ankle-deep ice-melt marveling at the fact that all his gear was from REI, despite the fact that he lived in the UK. Graham was very keen on practicing his pacing navigation skills when we met, dragging me around the gullies of Tarfside looking for the bothy. We met again on the 2013 Challenge when he crossed with his partner Tina. I feel his loss deeply still. He understood my desire to learn new things, something which cemented our bond as friends.
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2iGTa4d
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Weekend Warrior Backpacking Guide
Do you love to backpack, but can't take off six months at a time for a thru-hike? There's no shame in becoming a weekend warrior and backpacking once a week or once a month for a few days. After all, it's how the majority of us get out for our backpacking and wilderness fix.
Here are some tips and tricks to make your adventures great:
1. Drive to your destination on Friday night.
- Keep your driving time under three hours.
- Pack up your car the night before so you're ready to go.
- Get on the road and out of urban areas before rush "hour."
- Better yet. Take a three day weekend and leave Thursday night.
2. Car camp near the trailhead.
- Find free campsites near your trailhead where you can crash for the night.
- Buy the Delorme Gazetteer for your State. It lists many campsites/resources you never knew existed on back roads and state recreation areas.
- Eat dinner in the car before you arrive to eliminate meal prep.
- Use a tent or hammock that is very fast to set up and take down.
- Bring an easy breakfast.
3. Work a list.
- Section hike a trail, climb all the mountains in the same park, or backpack all of the hiking trails in a forest or wilderness area over the course of many trips to the same area.
- Driving, hiking, and camping in the same area reduces the amount of planning it takes to go backpacking without a loss of variety or novelty.
- Meet other people working the same list and build community
4. Get off the grid.
- Turn off your cell phone. Really. No email, no news, no movies, no Kindle.
- Make a campfire and hang out
- So down at night, even if you hike hard all day.
5. Go alone sometimes.
- Going alone minimizes planning and logistics.
- It's ok to go on a trip by yourself. You might discover that you like it.
- Get a dog. They'll follow you anywhere and never complain.
I've been backpacking for years like this, just a few days a week, more or less every weekend and it's a great way to escape the grind. If you have a love interest, it does help to have a sympathetic partner who comes with you or stays at home. If the latter (especially if you've been married for a while), you may find that they may look forward your absences and homecomings as much as you do.
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2hmGJ8x
Wilderness Navigation and Route Planning
Wilderness navigation requires planning routes across terrain that doesn't have pre-defined trails or roads to follow. While following a route using a map and compass, GPS, map-to-terrain association or just dead reckoning is required, those tools and techniques don't provide you with the skills to plan good cross-country routes. Part art and part experience, learning how to plan new routes that are efficient to travel, safe, and fast is a skill that is only mastered after you've spent a fair amount of time roaming off-trail and learned the kind of terrain and vegetation to avoid.
Three Principles
There are three principles of wilderness navigation that you want to keep in mind when planning wilderness routes: energy efficiency, safety, and speed.
Energy Efficiency
Hiking cross-country is considerably more difficult than hiking on a cleared and well-defined trails. One of the first things you'll notice is that the ground is littered with rock and organic debris that you need to hike over or around. Tall grass, bushes, trees, bogs, and boulders may block your way. The hills will be steeper than you're used to encountering on trails and your normal hiking pace will be much slower.
Careful study of a topographic map will reveal routes that are easier to walk than others, with gentler gradients and detours around difficult obstacles. For example, cliffs are best hiked around rather than tackled head-on and the sides of streams are best avoided because they're often filled with dense vegetation and flood debris.
Safety
The need to hike across avalanche terrain, scree-covered slopes, and river crossings all increase the danger of getting hurt when you step off trails and head out into open country. It's also best to avoid steep ravines as they are often catchments for ankle-busting boulders, fallen trees, and vegetation. While many of these hazards can be anticipated by learning to analyze topographic maps, you'll also want to make real-time detours around dangerous terrain that you can't anticipate based on the information provided by maps or other planning resources.
Speed
Despite the difficulty of wilderness travel, there are land features that you can follow that make cross-country travel faster and easier. For example, hiking above treeline is often faster than below it, provided you have good weather. Hiking along gravel river bars is also much faster since there is no impeding vegetation. But there are also many types of terrain that will significantly slow you down because they're boulder or vegetation traps such as steep hillsides or ravines.
A Route Planning Example
Learning how to plan a route that is energy-efficient, safe, and fast to hike is the essence of wilderness navigation. Let's look at an example to illustrate the process.
Assume we're standing on top of heavily forested Mt Martha (on the map above) and want to hike over to a feature that's 9/10 of a mile away, as the crow flies, called The Humps. If you have a GPS, it's perfectly conceivable that you'd plug in the lat/lon location of The Humps, plot the shortest route to it, and set off to follow it. But that wouldn't be such a great idea, since that direct route isn't energy-efficient, safe, or fast to hike.
Notice that the route descends very steeply down the face of Mt Martha into a steep valley, before crossing what is likely some sort of drainage, before climbing uphill to The Humps.
- The descent down the east side of Mt Martha is 774′ in 0.4 mile, which is quite precipitous, and there's a very good chance that its covered with boulders and trees that have eroded or fallen over and been swept down the hillside. Picking your way through that crap will take an enormous amount of energy, you can easily twist an ankle or break a leg in the process, and it'd probably be pretty slow going. Crossing the drainage (the "V" at the bottom of the valley) and climbing out of it is also likely to be a horrendous slog, since all of the debris from the slopes overhead will collect at that point.
- While the climb from the drainage to the highpoint of The Humps is only 250′ over 0.5 miles, you'd be side-hilling, or hiking up the slope at an angle. You could do it in a pinch in this context, but it's usually more efficient to hike perpendicular to the contour line to distribute the work equally between your legs. Side-hilling can be exhausting because one leg is always higher than the other and doing more work.
A Better Route
The blue route (above) from Mt Martha to The Humps can be broken down into two legs: a 0.4 mile leg which crosses the saddle to the unnamed peak south of Mt Martha, and the second leg, an 0.8 walk down the ridge to The Humps.
- The first leg drops 164 feet to a flat area called a saddle before climbing just 108′ to the unnamed peak. The saddle is probably covered with trees, including some blown over trees on the ground, but easy to cross because there's so little gradient.
- The second leg gradually drops 550′ feet down the ridgeline to The Humps over the course of 0.8 miles. I would expect spruce above 3000′ then turning to open hardwoods which are faster to hike through.
While the blue route requires about 50% less elevation gain than the red route, the biggest energy savings between the two is avoiding the debris below Mt Martha's eastern slope that you'd have to hike through. That could be a complete nightmare in terms of effort, safety, and speed. There's none of that on the blue route, even though it's 0.2 miles longer, making it a better off trail route.
Wilderness Route Planning
The essence of Wilderness Navigation is learning how to make decisions about the best cross-country routes across unfamiliar terrain in terms of energy expensive, safety, and speed. While learning how to follow a bearing using a compass, GPS, or smart phone app is an important perquisite to following a wilderness route, the most important route planning skill to develop is learning how to read a topographic map and making inferences about the landscape it depicts.
While there are an abundance of excellent route planning tools available, including Caltopo.com which was used to generate the examples in the article, the only way to learn the implications that different landforms shown on maps have is to get out and hike off-trail as much as you can, preferably with a partner, because discussing different route alternatives hastens the learning process. When you can look at a map and quickly decide the best off-trail route to take, you'll have internalized the three principles of wilderness navigation route planning: energy efficiency, safety and speed.
Imagine, being able to hike anywhere your two legs can take you. That's when you'll experience the true freedom of the hills!
//
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/1NK0fYs
How to Be a Successful Blogger
Clearly due to the title of this post, I'm going to share with you all the secrets you need to know in order to be a successful blogger.
Things like the perfect posting schedule, the absolute best way to guest post, how to fill your site with content upgrades that will have readers begging you to take their email address.
Well, guess what?
None of that matters.
In fact, there's only one secret to becoming a successful blogger, and the sooner you embrace it, the better off you'll be.
Here it is:
There is no one right way to become a successful blogger.
It's simple, obvious, and probably something you've heard quite a few times already.
You know what? Me too.
But if I'm being honest, it's taken me 8 years to understand it, and more importantly, 8 years to believe it.
And the sooner you do the same, the better off your blog is going to be.
Most new bloggers are always looking for the next tip, trick, tactic, or magic bullet.
But what works for me, might not work for you.
Hell, what works for me, doesn't necessarily work for me.
When I started Breaking Eighty I spent two years trying to emulate exactly what I did to grow Location Rebel – and I was perplexed when it didn't work.
Every single blog is different, but more importantly, every single audience is different.
To grow a successful blog (which is harder than ever these days), you have to truly understand your audience and what they want.
My readers here at Location Rebel want step by step help starting a lifestyle business. Trying to provide step by step help didn't work on Breaking Eighty – all people really wanted were honest reviews and pretty pictures.
But it took a lot of trial and error and experimentation to get there.
The common thread was me. I'm what makes each site unique and unlike any other out there.
When I focus on doing me, things work well.
When I'm constantly searching for the next best thing, they don't.
It's that simple.
Don't get me wrong, all that blogging advice you hear from the "experts?" Try it, because some of the tactics will work for you.
But don't do so blindly.
Your success lies in your ability to think for yourself, experiment with as many different strategies as possible (and pay attention to what works and doesn't), and to know your audience better than anyone else.
If you do those things? You'll be a force.
If you don't? You'll be like the majority of other bloggers out there who never quite get it – and give up before they do.
If you're interested in making 2017 the year you finally start pursuing the life you really want to be living and building a lifestyle business to help you get there, then consider joining us at Location Rebel Academy.
On January 1st, we'll be doing our biggest promotion of the year and I'm throwing in every resource I could possibly think of to make it as easy as possible for you to be successful starting your new business.
Do I guarantee it will work for you? Nope, this is just what I personally did to make the transition, and what hundreds of other members have had success with. But I'd love for you to check it out and see if it is the right fit for your goals.
The post How to Be a Successful Blogger appeared first on Location Rebel.
from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2htuPP3
How to Be a Successful Blogger
Clearly due to the title of this post, I’m going to share with you all the secrets you need to know in order to be a successful blogger.
Things like the perfect posting schedule, the absolute best way to guest post, how to fill your site with content upgrades that will have readers begging you to take their email address.
Well, guess what?
None of that matters.
In fact, there’s only one secret to becoming a successful blogger, and the sooner you embrace it, the better off you’ll be.
Here it is:
There is no one right way to become a successful blogger.
It’s simple, obvious, and probably something you’ve heard quite a few times already.
You know what? Me too.
But if I’m being honest, it’s taken me 8 years to understand it, and more importantly, 8 years to believe it.
And the sooner you do the same, the better off your blog is going to be.
Most new bloggers are always looking for the next tip, trick, tactic, or magic bullet.
But what works for me, might not work for you.
Hell, what works for me, doesn’t necessarily work for me.
When I started Breaking Eighty I spent two years trying to emulate exactly what I did to grow Location Rebel – and I was perplexed when it didn’t work.
Every single blog is different, but more importantly, every single audience is different.
To grow a successful blog (which is harder than ever these days), you have to truly understand your audience and what they want.
My readers here at Location Rebel want step by step help starting a lifestyle business. Trying to provide step by step help didn’t work on Breaking Eighty – all people really wanted were honest reviews and pretty pictures.
But it took a lot of trial and error and experimentation to get there.
The common thread was me. I’m what makes each site unique and unlike any other out there.
When I focus on doing me, things work well.
When I’m constantly searching for the next best thing, they don’t.
It’s that simple.
Don’t get me wrong, all that blogging advice you hear from the “experts?” Try it, because some of the tactics will work for you.
But don’t do so blindly.
Your success lies in your ability to think for yourself, experiment with as many different strategies as possible (and pay attention to what works and doesn’t), and to know your audience better than anyone else.
If you do those things? You’ll be a force.
If you don’t? You’ll be like the majority of other bloggers out there who never quite get it – and give up before they do.
If you’re interested in making 2017 the year you finally start pursuing the life you really want to be living and building a lifestyle business to help you get there, then consider joining us at Location Rebel Academy.
On January 1st, we’ll be doing our biggest promotion of the year and I’m throwing in every resource I could possibly think of to make it as easy as possible for you to be successful starting your new business.
Do I guarantee it will work for you? Nope, this is just what I personally did to make the transition, and what hundreds of other members have had success with. But I’d love for you to check it out and see if it is the right fit for your goals.
The post How to Be a Successful Blogger appeared first on Location Rebel.
from Location Rebel http://ift.tt/2htuPP3
Monday, December 26, 2016
Guide to Hammock Styles and Designs by Derek Hansen
Single. Double. Triple. Bridge. Gathered end. Spreader bar. With all the different styles and designs of hammocks available, choosing the right one can be confusing, particularly if you're intending that hammock for a specific purpose, such as a thru hike on the AT. I've tested and seen just about every type of hammock and I hope this quick overview will help you satisfactorily sift through the silt.
Hammock Styles
While there are many styles, designs, and options that differentiate hammocks, I first classify hammocks into two main styles: open and jungle.
An open hammock is your basic, everyday style and refers to any design that has no bug netting and is open to its surroundings. A jungle hammock, in contrast, is any design that has an integrated, encapsulating bug net.
Hammock Designs
In terms of hammock design, there are a few common categories such as gathered-end, bridge, spreader bar, single-point, multi-point, and hybrid. Hammock designs can be either open or jungle style. For example, you can have an open gathered-end hammock or a jungle-style gathered-end hammock. There are open bridge hammocks and jungle bridge hammocks as well as multi-point jungle hammocks. Open hammocks are more common indoors and for basic recreation at a city park or a backyard. Jungle hammocks are more convenient and prevalent for camping.
A gathered-end design is the most common and is often identified by big brands such as ENO, Grand Trunk, and Kammok. A gathered-end design is about as simple as hammocks get, with a rectangular shaped fabric bunched up along the short ends and hung between two anchor points.
A gathered-end design can defy logic in how to properly hang and lay in one, but they are so simple to use and inexpensive to buy that most folks ignore the learning curve and use them just about any way they want. When properly hung, a gathered-end hammock has a relaxed, catenary curve that allows the occupant to lay across the fabric in a recumbent, ergonomic lay. The center of gravity is low, making this a very secure, non-tippy design.
The terms "single," "double," and even "triple" are most often associated with gathered-end hammocks and refer not to occupancy but width. Nearly all brands who sell "single" and "double" variations use the same fabric and construction techniques so each hammock has the same weight limit.
Spreader bar hammocks are often seen on picture postcards showing exotic hotels or secluded tropical beaches and the obligatory swimsuit model. The identifying characteristic is a pole, or wooden bar, that spreads the hammock out on the short ends to flatten the fabric out.
Spreader bars raise the center of gravity, making this design very tippy. Spreader bar hammocks tend to be heavier and bulkier designs because of the added hardware and accessories required. A popular jungle style is the Lawson Blue Ridge hammock.
A bridge design is a more modern entrant into the hammock universe. It also uses spreader bars, but the hammock is engineered like a suspension bridge (hence the name) allowing the occupant to have a true head-to-foot flat lay while the fabric curves above them. This hammock is more stable than a spreader bar hammock but can be a little wobbly.
Depending on the catenary cuts on the fabric and the length of the spreader bars, a bridge design can look a lot like a barrel cut in half. This design can contribute to a slight shoulder squeeze. Like spreader bar hammocks, bridge designs are typically heavier than gathered-end designs although there are a few ways to get to a "trail" weight by substituting multi-use items like trekking poles for the spreader bars.
Single-point designs, as the name suggests, are hung from a single overhead anchor point. Portaledges, aerial yoga hammocks, and bat hammocks all fit into this category. Single-point hammocks require a little more engineering to not only reinforce the anchor point, but to allow enough room for the occupant and provide enough stability during movement.
Multi-point designs have become more popular with brands like Tentsile firing the imagination. Multi-point hammocks often span large spaces and use three or more anchor points to create a platform for two or more occupants. Multi-point hammocks tend to be the heaviest and most robust of all designs due to their increase load capacity and hanging requirements.
Hybrid designs include the rest of the wild and wonderful variations, but are typically a smaller subset of other design categories. The Clark Vertex two-person hammock is a popular variation, but we've recently seen hot tub hammocks and alpine convertible hammocks as well.
Derek's Buying Advice
If you're looking for a hammock, first ask yourself how you intend to use it, most of the time.
• For all-around, everyday use — In most cases, get an open, gathered-end design. A spreader bar hammock can look nostalgic, but can often be more tippy than useful.
• For 3-season car camping — Any design would work well if weight and bulk are of little concern, but be mindful about multi-point hammocks that may not work in most state parks.
• For backpacking and thru-hiking — Focus on gathered-end, jungle style hammocks. These hammocks will be the lightest and most convenient for every-day camping use.
About the Author
Derek Hansen is a lightweight backpacker, former Scoutmaster, and "hammock enthusiast" who enjoyed his first hammock hang at age 14 at the BSA Beaver High Adventure base in Utah. He is the author and illustrator of The Ultimate Hang: an illustrated guide to hammock camping.
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2ixUfLV
IndieView with Simon Chun Kwan Chui, author of Book of the Wonders of the Galaxy
I think my book works best for people who want to be challenged, who want to encounter new and unfamiliar ideas – the artist fascinated by science, the scientist curious about art, etc.
Simon Chun Kwan Chui – 26 December 2016
The Back Flap
Nourish your imagination with a science fiction journey to places both familiar and alien, throughout the inhabited galaxy and beyond. What will humanity become in a future of extrasolar colonies, unfathomable sapient AI, and strange exobiology? But this book is no mere fantasy, for we can only build what we can imagine, and each stop on the journey is a vision of a possible future we might build for ourselves.
About the book
What is the book about?
Book of the Wonders of the Galaxy is a fictional travel diary of a person who goes on a grand tour around the inhabited galaxy, in a future where humanity has developed interstellar travel and are rapidly expanding out to the stars. Inspired by The Travels of Marco Polo, each chapter of the book is a portrait of the character and essence of one planet or place, illustrating the interconnectedness of geography, astronomy, biology, economy, technology and society. While the science fiction is speculative, it is woven from threads drawn from our own diverse history and cultures, so everywhere you look in this future galaxy, you will find echoes and fragments of us.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing late in 2015. Seems long ago, now.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me about a year, although much of it was spent on research and thinking, in between regular bursts of writing.
Where did you get the idea from?
As I said, I was inspired by The Travels of Marco Polo. Most people don't get to travel very much, and some people not at all, but the sheer wonder and quantity of learning that one experiences from travelling is so remarkable. I know that every time I have travelled, I have learned things that have shaped who I am, memories that will stay with me my whole life. It is also convenient that the traveller's diary allows me to talk about a lot of different things by going to a lot of places in the story.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
No, but it also took me a long time to write this book. It took me a year to write, but many of the ideas in this book are things I've thought about for much longer. I wouldn't say I struggled, but I invested a lot of myself into this book.
What came easily?
The ambition was easy. Everything else was a lot of hours of research and thinking and writing.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The characters are fictitious, but I would say the unusual thing about this book is that the real characters are the places, not the people. This was deliberate – most of the places have names, most of the people don't. If you allow me to say that it is the places that have character in my book, then many of the places are inspired by real world places, or places from myth. I think you'll find it quite interesting if you manage to figure out where I got the inspirations from. The clues are in the text.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
When I was younger, books by Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov stood out as being influential, and later J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. I've found Neil Gaiman's The Sandman graphic novels to be both innovative and deeply meaningful. I also have a fondness for philosophy classics, such as works by Laozi, Marcus Aurelius, Sun Tzu, Michel Foucault – but I'll limit the name-dropping here. Believe it or not, I'm even into constitutional and legal documents, not necessarily because they're enjoyable reading, but because of their utter logic. Imaginative, thought-provoking, deep, precise, aspirational – that's what I strive for.
Do you have a target reader?
I think my book works best for people who want to be challenged, who want to encounter new and unfamiliar ideas – the artist fascinated by science, the scientist curious about art, etc.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
For me, the most important thing is to have time to think. Sometimes it's half a day, sometimes it's several days at a time. I juggle ideas and phrases in my head, make notes if necessary. Then, when I feel comfortable, I write until I run out of what I was thinking about, usually about one to two thousand words. I try to write regularly to keep myself on task, but I am very aware that the quality of my writing tends to be low if I'm forcing myself to write. I need time to think.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I definitely outline, starting with chapter headings. Then, depending on the chapter, sometimes a few sentences is enough of a brief, but sometimes the idea is almost as complex as the chapter itself. I outline as much as I need to, until I feel comfortable that I know what I'm doing.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?
Both. I edit two or three times whenever I get through a chapter, then two or three times again after the whole book. Hopefully, by the time I'm reviewing the whole book, the edits are minor.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I did not hire a professional editor, but I've had a lot of practice writing – a Master's thesis, a Doctoral thesis, multiple academic papers, other personal writing projects.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No music while writing. I already rely too much on juggling thoughts in my head instead of planning them out on paper, and I need my whole brain focused on that. When I'm done writing, I like to unwind to jazz, blues, trip hop, occasionally a little bit of metal.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No. Should I? I've got nothing against agents, and if any are interested I'm happy to get in touch.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Maybe I'm a bit idealistic, but in my mind I just want to write things that people find enjoyable or useful, and the shortest route to get there is self-publishing. I know there's stuff like marketing and publicity and access. But I really just want to write good stories.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I did it myself, but I have some experience with design, so it wasn't like I learned on the job.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Winging it. I have no experience with marketing. Someone help me out.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Work on your marketing and build hype for your book as you're writing it. Don't wait until you're done. But, I mean, that's the advice I got when I first started, and I ignored it, so who am I to preach? I've also heard it said that that something like a the first few books you write won't be very good, but there are ways to get around this without actually writing a few books. I wrote a Master's thesis and a Doctoral thesis, for example. The Master's, admittedly, wasn't very good, but I got past my early bad book and got a degree at the same time. So find ways to practice writing and also get other stuff done at the same time, before you actually try to be a "real author".
About You
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Hong Kong. I half grew up there, half grew up in New Zealand.
Where do you live now?
I live in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand is a great place, but it's not quite the same as the hype. A lot of people say, "Oh, it must be really beautiful there." Well, it's beautiful in places at least a day's drive outside Auckland, and mostly it's beautiful down in the South Island, at the other end of the country. So, close but not quite. Auckland is a rather ordinary city.
What would you like readers to know about you?
The things I want readers to know are in my book. The things readers would want to know would be that I studied architecture in university, not because I love architecture itself, but because it gave me the opportunity to do something that combined art and science and economics and history all at once. Then, because I didn't really want to become an architect, I continued with a Master's degree, then a Doctorate, so I can spend more time reading and writing about complicated and interesting ideas. And now I'm writing books, because I still want to read and write about interesting ideas. That's me. Always finding excuses to do more reading and writing.
What are you working on now?
My next book, provisionally titled Love Letter to our Future Robot Overlords. Some people think that intelligent AI will exterminate humanity. I think they'll be intelligent enough to know better. This book will be about why love is intelligent, and logical.
End of Interview:
For more from Simon, follow him on Twitter or like his Facebook page.
Get your copy of Book of the Wonders of the Galaxy from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2iwxEv5
IndieView with Simon Chun Kwan Chui, author of Book of the Wonders of the Galaxy
I think my book works best for people who want to be challenged, who want to encounter new and unfamiliar ideas – the artist fascinated by science, the scientist curious about art, etc.
Simon Chun Kwan Chui – 26 December 2016
The Back Flap
Nourish your imagination with a science fiction journey to places both familiar and alien, throughout the inhabited galaxy and beyond. What will humanity become in a future of extrasolar colonies, unfathomable sapient AI, and strange exobiology? But this book is no mere fantasy, for we can only build what we can imagine, and each stop on the journey is a vision of a possible future we might build for ourselves.
About the book
What is the book about?
Book of the Wonders of the Galaxy is a fictional travel diary of a person who goes on a grand tour around the inhabited galaxy, in a future where humanity has developed interstellar travel and are rapidly expanding out to the stars. Inspired by The Travels of Marco Polo, each chapter of the book is a portrait of the character and essence of one planet or place, illustrating the interconnectedness of geography, astronomy, biology, economy, technology and society. While the science fiction is speculative, it is woven from threads drawn from our own diverse history and cultures, so everywhere you look in this future galaxy, you will find echoes and fragments of us.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing late in 2015. Seems long ago, now.
How long did it take you to write it?
It took me about a year, although much of it was spent on research and thinking, in between regular bursts of writing.
Where did you get the idea from?
As I said, I was inspired by The Travels of Marco Polo. Most people don’t get to travel very much, and some people not at all, but the sheer wonder and quantity of learning that one experiences from travelling is so remarkable. I know that every time I have travelled, I have learned things that have shaped who I am, memories that will stay with me my whole life. It is also convenient that the traveller’s diary allows me to talk about a lot of different things by going to a lot of places in the story.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
No, but it also took me a long time to write this book. It took me a year to write, but many of the ideas in this book are things I’ve thought about for much longer. I wouldn’t say I struggled, but I invested a lot of myself into this book.
What came easily?
The ambition was easy. Everything else was a lot of hours of research and thinking and writing.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
The characters are fictitious, but I would say the unusual thing about this book is that the real characters are the places, not the people. This was deliberate – most of the places have names, most of the people don’t. If you allow me to say that it is the places that have character in my book, then many of the places are inspired by real world places, or places from myth. I think you’ll find it quite interesting if you manage to figure out where I got the inspirations from. The clues are in the text.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
When I was younger, books by Arthur C. Clarke and Isaac Asimov stood out as being influential, and later J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. I’ve found Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman graphic novels to be both innovative and deeply meaningful. I also have a fondness for philosophy classics, such as works by Laozi, Marcus Aurelius, Sun Tzu, Michel Foucault – but I’ll limit the name-dropping here. Believe it or not, I’m even into constitutional and legal documents, not necessarily because they’re enjoyable reading, but because of their utter logic. Imaginative, thought-provoking, deep, precise, aspirational – that’s what I strive for.
Do you have a target reader?
I think my book works best for people who want to be challenged, who want to encounter new and unfamiliar ideas – the artist fascinated by science, the scientist curious about art, etc.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
For me, the most important thing is to have time to think. Sometimes it’s half a day, sometimes it’s several days at a time. I juggle ideas and phrases in my head, make notes if necessary. Then, when I feel comfortable, I write until I run out of what I was thinking about, usually about one to two thousand words. I try to write regularly to keep myself on task, but I am very aware that the quality of my writing tends to be low if I’m forcing myself to write. I need time to think.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
I definitely outline, starting with chapter headings. Then, depending on the chapter, sometimes a few sentences is enough of a brief, but sometimes the idea is almost as complex as the chapter itself. I outline as much as I need to, until I feel comfortable that I know what I’m doing.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
Both. I edit two or three times whenever I get through a chapter, then two or three times again after the whole book. Hopefully, by the time I’m reviewing the whole book, the edits are minor.
Did you hire a professional editor?
I did not hire a professional editor, but I’ve had a lot of practice writing – a Master’s thesis, a Doctoral thesis, multiple academic papers, other personal writing projects.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No music while writing. I already rely too much on juggling thoughts in my head instead of planning them out on paper, and I need my whole brain focused on that. When I’m done writing, I like to unwind to jazz, blues, trip hop, occasionally a little bit of metal.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No. Should I? I’ve got nothing against agents, and if any are interested I’m happy to get in touch.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
Maybe I’m a bit idealistic, but in my mind I just want to write things that people find enjoyable or useful, and the shortest route to get there is self-publishing. I know there’s stuff like marketing and publicity and access. But I really just want to write good stories.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
I did it myself, but I have some experience with design, so it wasn’t like I learned on the job.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Winging it. I have no experience with marketing. Someone help me out.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Work on your marketing and build hype for your book as you’re writing it. Don’t wait until you’re done. But, I mean, that’s the advice I got when I first started, and I ignored it, so who am I to preach? I’ve also heard it said that that something like a the first few books you write won’t be very good, but there are ways to get around this without actually writing a few books. I wrote a Master’s thesis and a Doctoral thesis, for example. The Master’s, admittedly, wasn’t very good, but I got past my early bad book and got a degree at the same time. So find ways to practice writing and also get other stuff done at the same time, before you actually try to be a “real author”.
About You
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Hong Kong. I half grew up there, half grew up in New Zealand.
Where do you live now?
I live in Auckland, New Zealand. New Zealand is a great place, but it’s not quite the same as the hype. A lot of people say, “Oh, it must be really beautiful there.” Well, it’s beautiful in places at least a day’s drive outside Auckland, and mostly it’s beautiful down in the South Island, at the other end of the country. So, close but not quite. Auckland is a rather ordinary city.
What would you like readers to know about you?
The things I want readers to know are in my book. The things readers would want to know would be that I studied architecture in university, not because I love architecture itself, but because it gave me the opportunity to do something that combined art and science and economics and history all at once. Then, because I didn’t really want to become an architect, I continued with a Master’s degree, then a Doctorate, so I can spend more time reading and writing about complicated and interesting ideas. And now I’m writing books, because I still want to read and write about interesting ideas. That’s me. Always finding excuses to do more reading and writing.
What are you working on now?
My next book, provisionally titled Love Letter to our Future Robot Overlords. Some people think that intelligent AI will exterminate humanity. I think they’ll be intelligent enough to know better. This book will be about why love is intelligent, and logical.
End of Interview:
For more from Simon, follow him on Twitter or like his Facebook page.
Get your copy of Book of the Wonders of the Galaxy from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2iwxEv5
Friday, December 23, 2016
Hiking to Georgiana Falls in Franconia Notch
The Georgiana Path leads to two waterfalls in Franconia Notch, the lower and the upper Georgiana Falls on Harvard Brook. The 60 ft upper falls are a worthy destination and quite impressive after a rain. It's located 1.3 miles up from the Georgiana Falls Path Trailhead off Rt 3, just outside of Lincoln, NH.
You will need a certain amount of perseverance to reach the upper falls however. The trail up is clear to the lower fall, but harder to follow as you hike higher upstream. Look for sporadic red blazes and stay within sight of the brook and you should be able to follow the many herd paths that lead up to the upper fall. The area is highly eroded and steep in places, but well worth the effort to climb, leading to a viewpoint directly across from the falls. Bushwhacking a bit higher, you can also climb to the point where the falls start their plummet over the drop.
Perhaps more difficult is sorting out the nomenclature for this area, which differs from source to source. The 29th edition of the White Mountain Guide states that the USGS designates the upper falls as the official Georgiana Falls, while New England Waterfalls, calls it Harvard Falls. Harvard Brook was named Bog Brook in the past, after Bog Pond presumably, which is the brook's upstream source. Different historical sources cite the height of the upper fall as high as 200 feet and the length of the trail varies widely depending on the source you use, including directions from local inns and B&Bs. My advice – use the White Mountain Guide's directions and you'll be able to find your way. It's directions are up to date with the existing trail system. No surprise there really.
While both the upper and lower falls are beautiful, the path of the brook as it tumbles down the boulder-choked brook-bed offer many opportunities for dipping your toes and admiring lesser cascades. I wouldn't be surprised if Harvard Brook contains brook trout, judging by the looks of it, and plan to visit it next spring to validate my suspicions.
All in, Georgiana Falls is a very nice destination for the entire family and well worth a half-day excursion trip on a hot day.
Total Distance: 2.6 miles Round trip, w/ 750 feet of elevation gain.
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2hQ3bLn
Enter for a Chance to Win a FREE Sierra Designs High Route Tent
The Sierra Designs High Route 1 FL Tent (MSRP $299) is a 2 pound 5 ounce, one-person trekking pole tent that's easy to set up and has a lot of interior space. A double-walled tent, it has an inner tent that is set up after the rainfly so it will never get wet in the pouring rain. While not unique to the High Route tent, it's a feature that you'll appreciate immensely if you've ever had to put up or take down a backpacking tent in the rain. For a complete review and more photos, click through to my review.
Deadline to Enter
The deadline to enter this raffle is Tuesday, December 27, 2016, at midnight PST.
- All raffle entrants will have one chance to win.
- A winner will be selected randomly from all valid entries.
- The winner will be listed on our Raffle Winners page.
- Please keep everything rated G.
- The prize winner can live anywhere that has postal service (including international.)
- If you have any questions, leave a comment.
To Enter
To enter this random raffle for a chance to win a Sierra Designs High Route 1 Person Tent, answer the following question:
Which of these features are a MUST-HAVE, a NICE-TO-HAVE, or a DON'T-WANT when buying a MULTI-DAY Backpack? Please only use these three values.
- a MUST-HAVE means that you wouldn't buy a backpack without it.
- a NICE-TO-HAVE means that the feature is not essential
- a DON'T-WANT means that you'd reject a backpack with the feature
The features:
- Adjustable torso length?
- Adjustable hip belt or different hip belt sizes available?
- Load lifters?
- Top lid (also called a brain) with at least one pocket?
- Floating lid (a top lid with adjustable length straps)?
- Side water bottle pockets?
- Trekking pole holders?
- Rear stretch pocket for storing loose or wet gear?
- Ventilated back to reduce sweating?
- Hip belt pockets?
Incomplete or unintelligible answers will be disqualified.
Example response
Which of these features are MUST-HAVES, NICE-TO-HAVES, or DON'T WANTS when buying a MULTI-DAY Backpack?
- Adjustable torso length? Must-Have
- Adjustable hip belt or different hip belt sizes available? Must-Have
- Load lifters? Must-Have
- Top lid (also called a brain) with at least one pocket? Don't Want
- Floating lid? Don't Want
- Side water bottle pockets? Must-Have
- Trekking pole holders? Nice-To-Have
- Rear stretch pocket for storing loose or wet gear? Must-Have
- Ventilated back to reduce sweating? Nice-to-Have
- Hip belt pockets? Must-Have
Please answer in a comment to Enter.
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Mid-Atlantic Mountain Works Marcy 20 Quilt Review
The Mid-Atlantic Mountain Works (MAMW) Marcy 20 is a 20 degree 850 fill power down top quilt with an innovative side cinching system that blocks side drafts without the awkward and easy-to-lose strap systems used by other quilt makers. Owned by Jared Bebee, MAMW makes a variety of quilts ranging from a 0-degree winter quilt up to a 50 degree summer quilt that can be used in tents or hammocks. All of their quilts are hand-made and customizable depending on your needs.
The Marcy 20 is filled with 850 fill power HyperDry Water Resistant Down and made with an ARGON 67 ripstop nylon shell, a highly breathable, ultralight, down proof fabric that has a silky feel to it and is ideal for making top quilts. MAMW also offers ARGON 90 if you want a bit more durability at the cost of a bit more weight.
The complete specs of the quilt I tested are shown below:
- ARGON 67 Forest Green Outer Shell
- ARGON 67 in Black Inner Shell
- 430 grams/~15 ounces of 850FP HyperDry Water Resistant Down
- 198cm/78in length
- 137cm/54in wide at head end
- Half Taper
- 112cm/44in wide at foot end
- Weight: 658 grams/23.2 oz
The Marcy 20 has a footbox that can be vented open with a drawstring so you can use it in warmer weather. The footbox is held closed with a 20 inch length of omni tape that provides a tight seal in colder weather that prevents warmth robbing drafts.
The footbox also comes with an attached "down plug" (so you can't lose it), that fits into the hole at the end of the footbox to prevent any drafts from leaking in – a pretty unique feature – that rocks!
But what sets the Marcy 20 apart from other top quilts is the unique shock cord system that runs along the long sides of the quilt, starting at the footbox and running up a side channel to the top corner where it shares a toggle with the neck drawstring. When this side shock cord is tensioned it pulls the sides of the quilt in towards your sides, snug against your body and minimizing side drafts, especially when you lie on a sleeping pad.
For example, if you're a side sleeper and you roll on your side under your quilt, the shock cord pulls the edges of quilt up around your sides to conform to your body shape and prevent any drafts from entering between the quilt and your sleeping pad. Jared has a good video of the side shock cord system in action (better than I can make) that I recommend you check out here.
As a side sleeper myself, I can verify that the side cinch works nicely in cold weather, especially when you're on a sleeping pad in a tent. (It's less necessary in a hammock when sleeping with a underquilt, which will insulate your sides.) I also like the fact that the cinch system is a permanent part of the quilt and not an easy-to-misplace adjunct strap, especially since I frequently switch between tent and hammock shelter systems.
If you can only afford one backpacking quilt, I'd recommend getting one rated for 20 degrees like the Mid Atlantic Mountain Works Marcy 20. Whether you sleep on the ground or in a hammock, a good rule of thumb is to get a quilt that's rated for 10 degrees colder than the lowest temperature you can expect since quilt temperature ratings are not as standardized or uniform across quilt producers as sleeping bags. I've taken the Marcy down to 20 degrees myself and feel it could go lower, but your metabolism and mileage may vary.
Disclosure: Mid-Atlantic Mountain Works loaned Philip Werner a Marcy 20 quilt for this review, but he had to send it back. :-(
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