todays find

I found a brand new pair of "bull head" dark denim, 29 X 30 pair of jeans at the trift store for $6.99. yes I am very proud of myself :3

this year I have spent around $50 on presents, though it did take twice as long. the hunt was worth it :)

Announcement.

with the new year coming up, with it come some changes. I have decided as part of my goal for excellence, this blog will only post pictures from original sources such as myself or anyone else who is working with me.

This being said, many of the post already published with be edited for the sake of this new policy (as soon as I can afford a camera that is).

Rock climbing

When I rock climb, I feels like I am taking back my life. I am defying my fear, weakness, & I feel like this fallure can accomplish something for the first time in his life. Like nothing is out of my grasp. If I shall fall, I will try & try again until I have fought my way up to the top. And once there, I look down at something I once thought impossible & say "what's next". That my friends is being grisly alive.

This weeks thrift store finds

I found this size medium bell helmet for 24.99, normally helmets go for far more anywhere from a cheap helmet for 80 dollars to a great one for a thousand  it had just been put on the shelf. I guess that's what you get for going to the thrift store early on a Monday. It's going to be my brother's christmas present.

the 2nd helmet was found next to the first for 19.99. this helmet is a bit of a rarity, it's more of a trendy helmet. these tend to cost more, and are harder to find; which makes them that more valuable.

                                                     Happy hunting.

Hi-Tec boots Gear review

On my last hike I decided to leave behind my ever faithful Vasique hiking booes & try out a new brand of Hi-Tec hiking boots. 

beofre I rate this pair of hiking boot, I probably should day a quick word about using off brands like colman, ozark trail, & Hi-Tec. These brands are not meant for maximum performance that you would expect from brands like North face, OR, & Vasaque. Though these brands will not get you up a mountain, for every day hiking they'll do the job.

As far as trail use goes this pair held up surprisingly well. they're pretty sturdy, though a little lacking in the comfort department. I decided to put some gel sols & that help make things a little more comfortable. theses boot support your ankle very well, it is still possible to roll your ankle; just a little less likely. there is one unfortunate down side, there is a ankle support that digs into you as you go up inclines.

I would recommend this pair of hiking boot for a day hikes or possible multi-day trip. I would not recommend these for more then 2-3 days in the back country. 

Dugualla bay state park trail review

Today I went on a hike at Dugualla bay state park located at the end of sleeper rd, Oak harbor, Wa. Dugualla has a lot of small trails connecting to equal 2 large main trails. 

To the beach

This trail can be described as an "romantic" trail, I recommend bringing a lady friend with you. 4 trails that connect lead down to a beautiful beach. The way down to the beach is a beautiful terrain, well preserved trail, & easy going stroll. 2/3 of the trail is pretty much a slight down ward slope, until you reach a few downward switch backs that lead to the beach. I have spotted a few young eagles on a regular basses.

the down side is that a nice downward slope, is a constant incline on the way back.      

Down for a loop

If decide to follow the wetland trail down to the loop. You will find that it's a nice scenic rout that leads absolutely no where. It's a bit deeper forest than the beach trail. if you do how ever decide to take this trail you should come prepared for mud, and a little rockier terrain. 

The dugalla bay state park is hardly maned, I have never seen a single forest ranger. The park is hardly a park, it's more like a local back woods. With that said, the privacy is quite nice; it is extremely rare to see anyone else on a trail. Best part of of this trail is, that it still does not require a discovery pass.

getting the car ready for winter trips

When winter comes it brings with it some dangers, The most dangerous being the cold. Wither it be going out to town or going up to the slope, chances are that you'll be venturing onto the icy roads. With some preparation a lot of issues & some dangers can be avoided. 

The first thing you need to do is put away any sports cars, motorcycles, fancy do dads, & anything that doesn't have 4 wheel drive or all wheel drive. my preferred vehicle is an a jeep or 4x4 truck. anything less is not snow worthy. 

  

now that you have a vehicle worthy of snow travel there are somethings you should carry incase of emergencies.

even if you have 4WD or AWD you still should carry with you some chains, even the best vehicles can get stuck. Even in the best circumstantial  Icy roads can still be treacherous. The little extra traction a good pair of chains can provide, could be the difference between a cold night stuck in a car; waiting for a tow truck to come or a good time on the slopes. 

You would be surprised how many batteries get drained in the cold. It is always a good idea to carry jumper cables in your car, wither it's your car or theirs stranded; it's just plain ol' common courtesy.  

In the event that you do get stranded some where & have to wait for assistance, a sleeping bag could make the wait a lot more comfortable. Usually it's a good Idea to bring, 1 per person. If you don't plan on getting your bags we, then a down bag would preferred, though if they get wet.... well it's not going to end well. If you happen to for some reason to get a bag wet on a regular basses, a synthetic would be to your liking; they dry far faster. 

In the cold you will burn a lot of calories in order for body to  make heat. It's a good Idea to carry something containing some substance such as:

a cliff bar, candy bar, or anything else you can think of. bring enough to share, you could be there a while

Carry some water with you, as you create heat to warm your body; you will get dehydrated. even though it is cold, it's important to keep well hydrated. carry enough to sustain yourself for a few hours. A nalgene or two usually does the trick.

lastly carry a first aid kit. You could get stuck hours away from help and a minor injury in the cold could cause a lot of heat loss & further harm that could be prevented with a little first aid.

Be safe out there!