New flights to aid backpacking around Russia

Backpacking to the some of the more remote regions in Russia is likely to get easier this summer, with the unveiling of flights to 12 more cities by airline KD avia.

The Russian airline is to offer daily flights from its Kaliningrad hub during the summer of 2008, servicing locations including Moscow, St Petersburg, Perm, Samara, Ufa and Omsk.

Gap year travel looks set to get a lot easier for those heading off from the 14 cities the Russian airline services, including Berlin, Hamburg, Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Milan.

However, KD avia's UK sales manager, Loreta Durrell, noted that for many student travel enthusiasts and backpackers, there is little reason to explore beyond Kaliningrad itself.

She said: "We are seeing a growth in tourism to the fascinating city of Kaliningrad, historically called Konigsberg."

The city was recently the subject of media attention when treasure hunters claimed to have found two tonnes of looted Nazi gold, which was previously exhibited in Konigsberg castle during the war.

Gold Coast set to boost backpacking numbers

Tour operators are hoping to raise the profile of the Australian Gold Coast as a travel destination by emphasising its appeal for student travel, backpacking and young adventurers.

The Gold Coast Adventure Travel Group met on January 16th to discuss ways to increase its popularity among tourists once again, reports Queensland's ABC news.

Group president, Helen Redhead, noted that there is an increasing mindset among backpacking travelers and those embarking on gap year travel that there is little to do.

She explained that many coming to the Gold Coast are "not really sure what there is to do apart from the beach and the theme parks".

However, she is quick to add that "there's a lot more activities in Surfers Paradise itself, as well as outside of Surfers Paradise".

However, although the region is competing with other destinations such as Cairns and Whitsundays for the younger traveler in terms of hostels and youth hostels, few places compete in terms of waves in what has been daubed 'Surfers Paradise'.

Planning a backpacking holiday? Search and book online with HostelBookers

Survival Tips And More On Backpacking

Backpacking tips brings visitors all of the information they would need to know and have to go backpacking safely. Many people find themselves in trouble because they ran out of food, or get in contact with a wild animal. Many people do not know what to do in these situations. Backpacking Tips gives backpackers everything they need to know so they can have fun on a backpacking trip, but be prepared if anything should come up.

This website is everything anyone would need to know about backpacking, whether they are a beginner or a novice. Before going backpacking there is a lot of equipment one would need to have ready. It can be difficult to try to figure out what equipment would be the best for each individual or family. Backpacking Tips will show them the variety of equipment available, as well as which ones are the best for certain people. There are necessities for backpacking that needs to be known before someone goes on a trip. There are also luxury items that someone might want to take with them as well. Backpacking Tips goes over all of the necessary items, as well as luxury items a backpacker should have.

Someone who is planning a backpacking trip does not have to read through stuffy articles to get the information they need. Backpacking Tips has a very well organized website that puts them in control of the information they would need. Backpackers can also find recipes for backpacking food, essential foods a backpacker should have, a simple checklist so the backpacker can make sure they have everything they need before leaving, and a variety of backpacking tips to stay safe and prepared.

Backpacking Tips also goes over a popular place that people love to go backpacking - Europe. They tell readers all about the mysteries of backpacking through Europe with honesty that would grab anyone's attention.

Using Backpacking Tips and the information on their website could certainly save someone's life and make backpacking much more fun than it already is. All of the information they have is well organized so the backpacker can get right to the information they are looking for. They can even print out a checklist to make sure they have everything they need right before they leave.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release, contact

http://www.backpackingtips.net/contact-us.html

Or visit the website now at:

http://www.backpackingtips.net

Backpacking through college years

My Turn
By: Savannah Campbell
Posted: 10/11/07
I was walking across campus Thursday, struggling to carry the load I had gathered together for the day in my backpack, when I thought out loud, "It feels like I am carrying my entire life in this backpack."

I should clarify. By "entire life" I mean a collection of physical items that make me who I am.

My mind immediately replied to itself saying, "Well, if I were carrying my entire life in this backpack, I definitely wouldn't be carrying the items I had in it today."

My backpack is purple with seven zipped compartments, four small ones on the front and three larger ones behind those for books, notebooks, etc. There are also side areas for a cell phone or a drink bottle.

Usually, my load consists of no more than three books at a time and a notebook for each class. I always plan my schedule with at least an hour break for lunch around midday so I can eat and return some of the books (if possible) to my dorm room.

That day's load was especially heavy for two, specific reasons. One was I was going out of town to Columbus, Ohio, for the night and needed to bring my required daily toiletries and a change of clothes for the next morning.

The other was, in addition to these items, I packed the book and notebook I needed for my one Friday class.

With these two sets of items weighing my back down as I walked from Wallace to Powell to the library to Cammack, I continued to ponder my earlier thought.

What would I carry with me if I were carrying my entire life in the pack? Even more interesting is what would people I know carry if they were doing the same thing?

But, not to sound rude, other people are not the focus of this article; I am. For the next couple of paragraphs, it's all about my life backpack and me.

I think the first thing that makes me Savannah Campbell is my love for my family and friends. They are the people who are always there for me. They may not always be right on time, but they eventually come around.

I don't think I can fit my closest friends and family into my backpack though.

As a result, it's every photo I've ever had or taken of them that I choose to include in the bag first.

That way, when I meet a stranger on the street and begin to tell stories, they will have visuals to go with the details.

Friends and family aren't the only loved items in my life. I also love certain music bands and artists. To me, one of the greatest experiences in the world is hearing a favorite song on the radio.

I also like to spread this music to others, so at least they can say they've heard the song. I don't mind if they later tell me they don't like it (although if they said the opposite, I would be happier) as long as I at least played them a song they may not have heard otherwise.

So the next item to go into my backpack is my mp3 player, the same mp3 player I've been adding music to for almost six years now.

Over the last few years, I have also began to take pride in the two main talents I've been given in life. One of these is the one I recently decided I was destined to have.

It seems almost all of my life, people around me have been praising my writing ability, whether telling me I would write the great American novel or that they always saw me writing. I never seem to fully agree with the praising statements.

But I am weird because I still like to see what people think of what I call "crap writings." These stories, both news and creative fiction, are another set of items I would include in my backpack.

I do have a goal of one day publishing at least one novel-length book; maybe if I show these stories to the right stranger, I'll get into the publishing world.

My other semi-talent is photography, specifically 35 millimeter film photography. I know the world has turned from this to digital in a matter of mere years or less.

I don't care. I still love sending out film, getting back negatives and deciding which photo would make a good 8 by 10 print.

Not all my photos turn out spectacular, but that's OK. The ones that have are other items to be included in the Savannah Campbell backpack.

I would finally include a composition notebook I have been adding quotations to for years now.

These quotes range from sad to hilarious to famous to something a friend of mine might have said during a trivia game.

I love throwing a random quote from my collection or memory into a situation to help make it funnier or to help someone feel better.

It's just something that makes me the person I am today.

The items in my life backpack might not seem special, but I don't care.

They are the things that help to spell out the person who is Savannah Campbell.

Who knows? Maybe these items are similar to what makes you who you are. You never really know what you would carry in the backpack of your life until you stop and think about it. At least that's what happened with me last week.

Boomer backpackers prefer to stay off the beaten path

By Melissa Serraglio The Tri-City News

Sep 14 2007

For some people, a trip takes a lot of planning. Hotel reservations must be booked, suitcases packed and sightseeing must be scheduled.

For Port Coquitlam resident Bill Greenland, a retired Tri-City teacher and Terry Fox Theatre’s first manager, planning a trip is just the opposite.

“I definitely have a laissez faire attitude when it comes to travelling,” Bill said. “We like to leave ourselves and our schedules open and never make any reservations.”

Greenland and his wife, Karen, leave Sunday for an eight-week backpacking trip that will begin in Italy and lead them wherever else they feel like heading at the time.

“We’re definitely hitting Italy, the Greek Islands and Turkey, but we’re not sure where else yet,” he said. “If we find a place we like, we’ll spend more time there.”

There will be no schedules to follow and no rooms to book at any hotels, and the Greenlands wouldn’t want it any other way.

Bill, who’s 60 years old, and Karen, who’s 59, have travelled throughout their lives but took up backpacking once they retired.

They have been backpacking together for the past three years now, trading in four star hotels for hostels, and have never planned what they’re going to do or see next.

“The trick is to leave yourself really open for the experience, rather than checking your watch and saying ‘I have to be at this place right now,’” Bill said. “When we’re backpacking I find that my daily things here at home drift away, and we both live much more in the moment.”

While Bill has plenty of backpacking experience under his belt, his wife hasn’t always been quite as receptive to the idea of backpacking as she is now.

When they first started backpacking together, Bill said Karen had some reservations about the whole concept.

“She was concerned about safety issues and where we’d be staying when we first started backpacking,” he said. “But she’s definitely much more comfortable with it now than she was before.”

Bill, on the other hand, has always been a fan of backpacking. He prefers it to staying in a hotel or at a guest resort and said he wouldn’t be comfortable going on a trip any other way.

For him, it’s the freedom that gives him the most satisfaction.

“I don’t mean to dismiss all-inclusive trips or guided bus tours, but I feel trapped if I get on one of those,” he said. “I feel like I’m not a person anymore, I’m just a number where people see me as commission. Also, If I’m backpacking and I wind up in a place I don’t like, I don’t have to stay there, I can just leave.”

He said he sees himself more as a traveller rather than a tourist and has noticed a difference in the way people interact with him when he is backpacking.

“You’re treated differently if you’re on your own,” he said. “I think people sometimes see you as being more equal and more connected with them when you’re a backpacker.”

But backpacking can have its risks as well, such as showing up at a new town at night and having to find a place to stay in the dark.

There are also risks to travelling without a set schedule.

“You can’t expect things to always work out,” he said. “Sometimes you have no control over the situation, but you always have control over how you can react.”

Don't Go Hiking With Captain Pain

By Bill Croke
Published 8/17/2007 12:06:54 AM

This article appeared in the July/August 2007 issue of The American Spectator. To subscribe to our monthly print edition, click here.

HIGH COUNTRY HIKERS "hikes are "led" affairs. As many as a half dozen people have taken the responsibility to do the homework required to properly lead a hike. This means consulting a trail guide or the Internet to research a particular area. Two guys are especially good at this, and one is Kevin Lehman. The other guy is usually a stick-to-the-trail type, while Kevin, well, likes to wander. For this reason, I came up with a nickname for him: Captain Pain.

I named him thus because not only does Kevin tend to lead us "off-trail," but it always seems to be up. He likes a hike that will give us a couple of thousand feet of vertical elevation (and great views) during the course of a day. As we "switch back" -- huffing and puffing -- up rocky, windswept ridges, we sometimes call out: "Kevin, when are we going to run out of up?" It should be noted that Captain Pain's wife and two teenaged sons mostly refuse to hike with him.

He once led a group of us to the Copper Lakes near Sunlight Basin, climbing some 1,800 hundred feet in just a couple of miles on a steep grind of a trail without switchbacks through a long hot summer morning. Another time -- without a trail most of the way -- we scaled 12,348-foot Carter Mountain to its summit.

But most of Captain Pain's hikes that turn into mountaineering expeditions start out in an improvisational way. He gazes longingly up at extremely high ridges as if wanting to be immediately there. These scenic journeys are certainly worth the effort, but after some of them I swear to myself that I will never hike with Kevin Lehman again. And there's sometimes a participation attrition rate after a Captain Pain hike. One woman put it to me succinctly: "Kevin's hikes are hard." That's an understatement.

When "high country hikers" hikes, we meet at 8 a.m. on the designated weekend morning in the parking lot of the Cody Recreation Center, and we carpool from there. I always walk over -- pack on my back -- because it's only a couple of blocks from my house. Many times when Kevin leads a hike (remember: "Kevin's hikes are hard") his car is the only one there. Soon, I see his genial, optimistic, bespectacled Midwestern (he's originally from Minnesota) countenance beaming through the windshield. I approach, smile, wave, and think: "What am I doing here?" Because when Kevin has me as his sole hiking companion (captive audience?), those are the hikes where I say: I'll never hike with Kevin Lehman again.

He seems to love "bushwhacking," as if it's worth the struggle to slug your way through brush and over-and-under deadfall (large downed trees) to get to an interesting place or to see a nice view. There are variations of this theme.

Once, while searching for an interesting route back to the trailhead (Kevin hates to go back the same way that he came in) at Painter Creek in Sunlight Basin, Captain Pain led me down the west fork of the creek (neither of us had ever taken this route and were ignorant of the terrain) through a large blowdown (in this case, dead, fire-scorched trees felled by wind).

For two hours we made our way downhill (Thank God for that) through the old burn, a charred forest that reminded me of a carelessly tossed pile of black stick matches leaning on each other. We climbed over some trees, and crawled under others. Dead branches tormented us as they poked at head and body and snagged our clothes and backpacks. A couple of hours of this torture gained us maybe a mile.

In the middle of this Green Beret training exercise, I found a small, two-foot-long elk antler lying on a log. How the elk got there to shed it the previous spring is beyond me. For Captain Pain, my souvenir was justification for the rigors of a nightmarish hike. I was happy to find that elk horn, but despite it I swore that I would never hike with Kevin Lehman again.

Another hike found us a couple of miles up Boulder Creek (which drains into the South Fork of the Shoshone River) following a fading trail that crossed the creek about a dozen times, making us hopscotch across on rocks, sometimes precariously. The creek was bordered by thick willow brush and short-but-steeply-eroded cutbanks that lent a feeling of entrapment and made for slow progress. Captain Pain looked up and studied the adjacent high ridges, and I knew what was coming. "We can climb that ridge and follow it back down to the trailhead," he said.

Oh, well, it sounded better than going back the way we came, and after sweating the 500 or so vertical feet to the crest of the ridge, I followed the Captain as we carefully treaded its wind-scoured spine with the boulder-strewn creek far below.

For an hour or so we negotiated the ridge, frequently triggering talus (unstable rock fragments on a steep slope beneath a solid rock outcropping, and akin to walking ankle-deep in marbles on a steep incline) slides that threatened to carry us down too. Using my binoculars, I spotted a pair of gray bighorn sheep -- a ram and a ewe -- on the opposite ridge across the creek. They chewed their cud and seemed to be watching us as if they thought us to be complete idiots. The views were good from this lofty height, but after this difficult trek back I swore that I would never hike with Kevin Lehman again.

ONE SUNDAY LAST AUGUST, Kevin led eight of us up the Grinnell Creek Trail (named for author and ethnologist George Bird Grinnell, an outdoors crony of Theodore Roosevelt) from the North Fork of the Shoshone River. It was our typical middle-aged crowd of both sexes, with a few newcomers. The goal was a purported garden spot called Grinnell Meadows, but we weren't exactly sure how far it was because none of us had ever been there. According to the trail guide, the best guess was five or six miles.

The first four miles or so were quite steep, as the trail climbed steadily up the drainage through thick timber above the creek, and there was some grumbling back in the ranks. And the mosquitoes were troublesome, which is common in summer when hiking amongst the trees and sheltered from a breeze.

Later, when we stopped for lunch by the creek, a few of our number decided to turn back, having lost patience at not reaching Grinnell Meadows. One firm hiking club rule is that no one who turns back does so alone, but the consensus was fine with Kevin, as a group planned to return.

After further discussion, it was soon apparent that everybody but Kevin and I were turning back, and after lunch we bid our companions goodbye. Out of earshot I ribbed him: "Well, Captain Pain, you don't have to worry about those guys ever hiking with you again."

It wasn't long -- maybe a half mile through the pines as the trail hugged the creek -- before we came out of the trees and into Grinnell Meadows. There hadn't been much more of an elevation gain from our lunch spot, so the grumblers had almost got there anyway. Kevin and I had a good laugh about this.

We were immediately in awe of the place, and that's saying something, because both of us have lived in the Northern Rockies for years. Grinnell Meadows is the sort of location that the 19th-century fur trade era mountain men called a "Park" (as in North, Middle, and South Park in the Colorado Rockies) or a "Hole" (as in Jackson Hole and Pierre's Hole, both in the Yellowstone region). A place of ease and plenty: well watered, with abundant grass for horses, and wild game for the cookpot. A mountain man's summertime paradise.

It WAS HARD FOR US to estimate the size of Grinnell Meadows (100-200 acres?); it was just plain big, hundreds of yards by hundreds of yards. And it was a three-sided box, the sides being the towering mountains, stony and gashed with the remnants of the previous winter's snow. The waving grassland was spotted with clumps of trees, both hardwood and soft: cottonwood, willow, chalky white aspen, and pointy lodgepole pine. Grinnell Creek, here near its headwaters, threads the meadow with two separate channels that were easily forded across shiny, wet gravel bars.

August means the windblown grass was brown and the early summer wildflowers were gone, but Kevin and I still spent a couple of hours exploring the meadow and the timber lining its edges. We didn't see any elk (the middle of the day is a poor time to view wildlife), but small piles of brown "scat" were present here and there, the pellet droppings rather large, the size of acorns, as compared to deer scat, which is smaller. We also didn't see any moose, though the habitat was perfect for one or two to be hanging around. No sign of grizzlies either, though they're known to frequent the meadows earlier in the summer.

Afternoon thunderhead shadows drifted across the peaks and the meadows. There was always that sultry breeze, and the gurgling of the creek. Kevin and I continued to joke about out friends who gave up before the great payoff. No pain, no gain.

We sat on a smooth old gray cottonwood log by the creek, and I could imagine Jim Bridger himself sitting with us as his horse grazed contentedly nearby; his Hawken rifle leaning on the log next to him. Old Gabe smoked his pipe and watched the breeze-drifted clouds shadow the mountains. "I've always thought it as fair a place as any," he said.

And I swore to myself that I would hike with Kevin Lehman again.

Programs mentor at-risk teenagers on backpacking, canoeing trips

Article published Jul 1, 2007
BY KELLI LACKETT

When Greg Christensen's father took him on his first backpacking trip in Utah when he was 8 years old, it was the beginning of a lifetime love for the outdoors.
"It gave me an appreciation for the wilderness and mountains and helped bring the world into perspective. It instilled self-confidence," the 33-year-old Fort Collins resident said.
Christensen would like to give lower-income youth the chance to build their confidence through similar outdoor experiences. In August, he'll climb the 13,770-foot Grand Teton peak near Jackson Hole, Wyo., in order to raise $3,500 for a nonprofit organization Big City Mountaineers.
Big City Mountaineers is a Denver-based program that mentors at-risk teenagers through multiday backpacking and canoeing trips.
"I think it did have an impact on my life," Christensen said about hiking and backpacking as a boy.
"To be able to have kids do that and also be able to do a climb at the same time is a great opportunity."
Summit for Someone organizes benefit climbs
Christensen's brother, Mitch, who lives in Phoenix, found out about the benefit climb last year through Backpacker Magazine, who is the title sponsor of Big City Mountaineer's fundraising arm, Summit for Someone.
Summit for Someone's 350 volunteer climbers pledge to raise $3,500 each for BCM for the chance to climb one of North America's famous peaks with experienced guides. Fourteen climbs feature iconic peaks such as Mount Rainier, Mount Whitney, Mount Shasta, Mt. Hood, Longs Peak and the Grand Teton.
"The climbs are accessible to a lot of people," said Mark Godley, executive director of Big City Mountaineers. "It's open to new participants in mountaineering.
This year, the climbs sold out in three weeks, Godley said. Next year, Summit for Someone is expanding to include 800 participants.
Christensen and his brother are two of the nine people, plus guides, who will climb the Grand Teton during the August trip. The trip demands 7,000 feet of elevation gain and class 5.6 climbing.
"For an accomplished climber, it would not be challenging. But for the novice to intermediate climber like myself and my brother, it will be a challenge," said Christensen, who is a program manager for Intel.
He's raised $675 so far by hitting up friends, family members and businesses.
"Fundraising is ten times harder than the climb will be."
Denver nonprofit mentors teens through wilderness trips
Marcus Matthews was 16 last July when he set off with four other boys and five adult male leaders on his first backpacking trip with Big City Mountaineers.
"To be honest, I hated it. I was carrying a 50-pound backpack and walking for three miles straight," Matthews said. "When we made it to the top of the mountain to the lake, that's when we went fishing and started having fun."
The Denver teenager surprised himself by signing up for a BCM backpack this summer.
"I thought, 'Man, I am doing this again,' " Matthews said.
Existing youth organizations - such as after-school programs, foster care and Boys & Girls Clubs - recommend youth for BCM trips. The trips are same-gender and provide a one-to-one ratio between youths and adult volunteers and leaders.
"What I think is critical is the extended (eight) day trip and the large number of adults that go out with the kids," Godley said.
Over the eight days, the teenagers naturally go through a cycle of building trust, building endurance, achieving goals and making meaning out of the experience, Godley said.
"It is intended to be jarring emotionally. The youth go through self-doubt, loneliness, fear. Seeing a team of adults and peers react to them in a comforting fashion, they begin to relate to themselves differently."
"You could not create the same magic by chopping it up into weekends," Godley said. "It puts them by design in positions where they have to rely on others.
BCM has followed past participants to see whether the trips have a lasting effect on their development. Surveys show that there is a lasting improvement in positive identity and social competencies, Godley said.
Matthews was surprised at how his attitude changed once the boys on his BCM trip finished the climb to the Avalanche Lake in White River National Forest.
He knows what he's going to say to BCM participants who get discouraged or whiny on the trail.
"I'd say, 'I know how my experience went last year. ...Once you get to the end of the trail, it might change your opinion.' "

Question:
Hello, I've been thinking about getting an eVent outershell as..erm...I have been known to perspire the odd swimming pool or so when out trekking. I'm looking for one that has been strengthened in stress areas for backpacking though. Any advice? I've heard the Rab SuperDru is pretty good but that Rab come in tight fitting. I've got the Generator Smock xxl which is a perfect fit. Cheers muchly.

Answer:

Hi there,

Gear here, Richard Gear, queen of the eVent and breathability fanatic. First, I'd agree that eVent is a good choice - it's the most breathable waterproof fabric I've used and even though you can still overwhelm it, it's certainly better than other comparable fabrics I've tested.

There are two obvious jackets you should look at. One is Rab's Super Dru, which was recently reviewed on this site. It's one of the best lightweight mountain jackets we've used and has the reinforced areas you're after, however as you say, it is cut quite snugly and may not suit if you're less than svelte. The only real way to check though, is to try one on.

You should also take a look at the Montane Venture - right - it's a lightweight 4750-gramme eVent waterproof with hi-tenacity nylong reinforcement on shoulders and seat. I haven't used one, so I can't comment on cut, but it ticks your boxes and is also £50 cheaper than the Super Dru at £150.

Another possible candidate is Montane's SuperFly XT. It's deliberately cut slightly larger all round than the same company's SuperFly to accomodate extra clothing and like the Super Dru, it's has tougher fabric on shoulders and other stressed areas. It's heavier than the 400-gramme Rab jacket by around 240 grammes but is a tough, well-engineered jacket.

Rab's equivalent to the XT is probably the Suilven which is again a little heavy at 660 grammes, but is made entirely from a tougher grade eVent fabric, which should be up to anything you choose to throw at it.

April in Arizona: Backpacking the Superstition Wilderness with kids

By LIN WILDER
For the Coloradoan
Lin and Hanna Wilder and Michele and Emma Scheetz

When my friend Michele and I announced our intention to take our daughters Emma, 7, and Hanna, 8, backpacking in the Arizona desert, the response wasn't quite what we had expected. Sure, there were those who recognized our efforts to create character-building, nature-bonding opportunities for our daughters.

But the vast majority of responses ranged from shock (what about all the scorpions and snakes and spiders - oh my!) to disbelief (your daughters are going to be carrying packs?)

Well, as the saying goes - those who think it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it. And so it was that the four of us found ourselves heading into the Superstition Wilderness (about an hour east of Phoenix) in the early hours of April 13.

Because of a rare rain the evening before, the desert was crisp and shining and smelled of creosote bushes. The only nod we made to the ominous date was the panicked discovery of a leak in my Camelback that was quickly fixed with duct tape.

A bystander would have thought us an odd bunch on our first few hours on the trail. Our mouths hung open in awe, and we kept repeating, "This place is amazing!"

Indeed it was - clusters of hedgehog cacti popped their heads up in hot-pink splendor and whimsical ocotillo arched their red flags into the air. "What are THOSE?" the girls asked as they spotted the nearly leafless, green-trunked palo verde trees and the waxy yellow prickly pear blooms. Their excited cries of "lizard!" and "frog!" would punctuate our entire trip.

What seemed like many water-guzzling and sweaty hours later, at the glacial pace of a 7-year-old with a pack, we reached Garden Valley, a vast flat stretch of desert populated with "teddy-bear cholla" cacti that only look soft like a stuffed animal but will break off in small pieces and grab your leg without provocation.

Here, the girls spotted a cactus wren nest snuggled into a cholla, and we found an Indian ruin complete with pottery and tool fragments. On the return trip we would also find grinding holes in the rocks nearby.

We reached our camp at Second Water Spring just as the saguaro shadows began to grow. The girls had adjusted to the long miles by pretending to film and narrate their own show for children called "Arizona Desert Survival." The little desert tidbits and trivia I obnoxiously kept yammering on about were apparently sinking in. We listened happily as the girls told their "viewers" about how agave only blossom once after 10 to 30 years and then promptly die, and how saguaro swell up with water after a rain.

We settled into our sleeping bags early each night to listen to the conversations of pygmy owls and frogs and watch bats swoop through star-studded skies.

While Michele and Emma were snug in their tent, Hanna and I slept under a tarp. While not too concerned about poisonous bedfellows, I do admit to scattering lavender buds around our sleeping area after reading that scorpions don't like lavender. Did it work? I don't know, but I do believe in aromatherapy now, as I've never slept better.

In the middle of one night, though, I was startled awake by a strange sound. A quick flash of the headlamp revealed the hasty retreat of a desert spotted skunk that had been helping clean up some left-over chocolate pudding we'd been too tired to deal with after dinner.

The next day, a 7-mile day hike around the golden cliffs of Battleship Mountain found all of us floating without our heavy packs. A venomous lizard called a Gila monster surprised us on the trail, and then skulked into the leaf litter under a palo verde tree and glowered at us.

We pushed on, hopeful of finding a "secret" emerald swimming hole in the entrance of the LaBarge Box Canyon. Hours later, hot and dusty from bush-whacking over an inhospitable saddle, we shivered in its welcome waters.

During the last hour of the day our fatigue was lessened by another Gila monster visit, the discovery of a scorpion only inches from Hanna's fingers, ruins of the Indian Paint Gold Mine and a lethargic turtle.

The attractions came rapid-fire, distracting us from our fatigue. As we made our final push toward camp, my feet ached and I kept waiting for Hanna and Emma to complain. Instead, they harmonized in a rowdy refrain of "It's the best day ever ...!"

After dinner that night, two men hiked by our camp in the dark and stopped to chat. They regaled us with stories of old-time gold-miners and told us of petroglyphs right next to our camp.

They were so full of desert trivia and history that we joked about putting them in our back pockets for the remainder of our trip.

"Do you have a hiking guide to this area?" one asked. We told him we had planned our trip with the excellent "Hiker's Guide to the Superstition Wilderness."

"Yep, that's my book," he proudly stated, and we realized that he was Jack Carlson, author of our favorite guide. Turns out he was in our back pocket after all.

On our final day, we wished we had more time to explore the Superstitions, but as is true with every backpack trip no matter how wonderful, we all emerged from the desert ready to drop our packs, eat junk food and languish in long, hot showers.

We carried with us a couple of cactus spines we would discover in our legs days later and a sense of togetherness, adventure and accomplishment.

In our eyes, Hanna and Emma had grown up quite a bit. After all, they had truly learned about "Arizona desert survival," and as they told everyone upon their return, it had been "the best trip ever."

BagButton recruits the outdoor enthusiasts

Protect Gear, Save space for pennies
Date Released: 05/01/2007

Mossyrock, WA., May 01, 2007 – BagButton LLC. has a 10 year legacy of the most economical vacuum space saving home storage solution in the world. True to the legacy, BagButton is to launch an innovative ad campaign aimed towards the outdoor enthusiast

BagButton can take plastic garbage bags and make vacuum storage space bags that are ideal for all forms of outdoor recreation as well as travel and seasonal storage. The air tight garbage bags are manufactured from polyethylene and enable the user to compress and protect clothing and gear. Compacting compressible items like fleece, sweaters and sleeping bags in plastic bags can yield up to 100% more room in backpacks, suitcases, duffels and closets. BagButton and the vacuum space bags it creates are indispensable for recreational pursuits like camping, hiking, backpacking, boating, hunting, biking, golf – virtually any activity were the cost for space is at a premium and items must be protected from water and dirt. They’re also useful for travel, since packed items take up less space in suitcases and carry-ons.

BagButton enables the user to use plastic bags for both roll-up and vacuum seal. BagButton is used for both versions of compression and are resistant to water, moisture, mildew, dirt, insects and allergens.

In the roll-up version, air is manually squeezed from the bag through the opened port located on the BagButton. As the air is removed, the packed items compress, “shrink-wrapping” the contents and freeing up to twice as much room. BagButton space-savers are airtight and watertight, so packed items stay protected.

The roll-up version is perfect for backpacking, water sports, boating, canoeing, kayaking, day hiking and car camping. Plastic garbage bags come in virtually unlimited size and styles and a price range from 5 to 50 cents per bag, depending on the size, style and manufacture.

The vacuum-seal storage version uses an ordinary home or shop vacuum to remove air through the BagButton. This version is ideal for off-season, long term storage of bedding, sweaters and bulky outer-garments like parkas and cold-weather gear. Plastic bags come in some pretty amazing sizes so it’s left up to the user as to what can be vacuum sealed.

BagButtons are available at selected retail locations throughout the World and on the web at www.bagbutton.com. www.bagbutton-space-bags.com .

The BagButton is manufactured and distributed by BagButton LLC. Incorporated in 2004, BagButton is recognized as the global leader in the development and marketing of innovative, economical, space-saving storage solution. BagButton’s corporate offices and warehouse are located in Mossyrock Washington with support offices in Overland Park, KS. and Smyrna Beach, FL.

About BagButton LLC.
About The families and staff of BagButton.

We are Made in the United States.

BagButton, Global leader in economical space saving solutions, provides the highest quality and most economical portable vacuum space saving solutions in the World.

Our Links- www.bagbutton.co.uk www.bagbutton.com www.bagbutton-space-bags.com

BagButton LLC

BagButton LLC has been in business for 10 years designing the BagButton in order to bring the BagButton to the market place in February of 2004. We are deeply involved in the economical space saving industry. We were formed with the objective of becoming the major economical participant in the space saving industry, targeting all retail outlets and the massive market that exists with space saving technology. We have established a strong relationship with distributors World Wide. We have established a work ethic and pride in our new and innovative product at a very competitive price. We have been quite successful at this by concentrating on a relatively small number of products in our line. Financial results for our first, second and third year are well above the projected expectations.

Test Riding Or Paddling A Good Way To Pick Up A Summer Sport

Many people want to take up a summer sport, but stop short because they just are not sure where to start. According to staff at Downwind Sports in Houghton, buying a bike, a boat or backpacking gear is a large purchase.

They recommend test riding or paddling the equipment before purchasing it, so you know if it's the right item for you.

Arnie Konis, owner of Downwind says, "A great way for them to do that is to come on by. Usually starting mid-May, we have weekly kayak demos at the Houghton Beach and also in Marquette."

Custom road and mountain bikes average $500. Kayaks and canoes range from $300 to over $1000 a piece. While the cost of a bike includes everything but a helmet, the price tag on the kayaks only includes the boat.

'More Brits go backpacking'

An increasing number of Britons are going on a gap year, new research reveals.

According to a study by the Year Out Group, some 39,000 people went backpacking through the firm over the course of last year, a 3,000 increase from 2005, reports the Daily Telegraph.

The report also revealed that about a quarter of those going backpacking are over the age of 25.

Chief executive Richard Oliver claimed that a rising number of working adults were looking to take a 'gap month' or a sabbatical to go travelling.

He told the publication: "A lot of 28 to 35-year-olds, some who work in particularly high-pressure jobs and with the prospect of children, are deciding to do what they want to before they run out of time."

Africa was highlighted as a popular backpacker destination, particularly for those travelers wishing to carry out voluntary work abroad.

Research conducted by the One Life Live exhibition revealed that 54 per cent of working adults, about 7.5 million, said they would be interested in taking a career break to go backpacking or volunteer abroad.

Ladies, why not try beginner's backpacking?

By Linda Stahl
lstahl@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

By Linda Stahl
lstahl@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

Ladies, you're in luck. Natural Bridge State Resort Park, near Slade in Eastern Kentucky, has added a women-only "Beginner Backpacking" weekend to its list of offerings for 2007.

This guided overnight trip begins March 31 and ends April 1. It is for women 18 and older.

Natural Bridge staffers will provide instruction on how to plan an overnight backpacking trip and provide all the equipment needed for your training weekend.

You will hike approximately 8 to 10 miles total. Participants must be able to walk this distance carrying at least 30 pounds. The fee is $75 and includes equipment, instruction and meals. The outing is limited to eight participants, so hurry.

Call Noelle Theres, park naturalist, at (800) 325-1710 to make a reservation.

By the way, if you've never been to Natural Bridge State Resort Park, you're in for a treat. It is home to one of the largest natural arches in the state and is surrounded by the Daniel Boone National Forest.
Outdoors skills for her

Another special opportunity for women is a Becoming an Outdoors-Woman weekend at Ross Camp near West Lafayette, Ind., May 4-6.

The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program introduces women to more than 30 outdoor skills and sports in a safe, noncompetitive environment.

Hands-on classes promote confidence in women who are learning a skill for the first time or trying to improve existing skills.

You'll meet other women who enjoy outdoor sports, including hunting and fishing.

Registration is under way. The cost is $165 for the weekend, which covers lodging, meals and equipment. Regular tuition positions are filled but you can get on a waiting list. Cancellations often occur. About 10 positions for those who need partial scholarships remain available. They go to students, single parents and low-income, first-time participants.

You must be 18 or older to enroll.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Indiana Hunter Education Association sponsor the workshop. For more information or to register, go to www.bow.IN.gov or contact Dawn Krause at (317) 232-4095.
Forest forensics

Author and ecologist Tom Wessels, who is known for interpreting the landscape by taking a closer look at its scars and wounds -- a process that has been called forest forensics -- will speak Wednesday at The University Club at the University of Louisville.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin with a reception at 5 p.m. followed by Wessels' presentation at 5:45 p.m.

Although Wessels is a scientist, he loves teaching people how to "see the marvelous, large-scale patterns and processes that exist in the world around us."

His book, "The Myth of Progress: Toward a Sustainable Future" (University of Vermont Press, 2006), asks readers: Are we testing the resilience of nature's systems and challenging the very laws of sustainability?

Another of his books, "Reading the Forested Landscape: A Natural History of New England" (Countryman, 1997), has been said to have helped thousands of New Englanders understand their landscape as they look at stunted trees, old stone walls and other clues.

Wessels is professor of ecology and the founding director of the master's degree program in conservation biology at Antioch New England Graduate School in New Hampshire.

His appearance in Louisville is being sponsored by The 21st Century Parks and The Partnership for a Green City.

Learning to count on nature

By Paul Boerger
Published: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 4:06 PM CST

Tim Corcoran says he became a man at the age of 12 when he completed a three-month, 35-state backpacking adventure by making a solo climb of Mt. Shasta.

“I created my own personal code of honor on the mountain,” recalls Corcoran, founder of the local Headwaters Outdoor School. “I vowed I would dedicate my life to connecting boys and girls, men and women, all people, to the spirit of the natural world.”

After recently instructing an 11-day winter class during which 14 students learned a variety of survival skills, Corcoran said there is more to nature than simple survival.

“Through all the craziness in this world, the one constant you can count on for wonderment is nature,” he said. “The school helps people have a personal relationship with nature. It benefits all areas of life, relationships, health, mental health and fun.”

The class was held at numerous locations, including Headwaters land near Mt. Shasta, on the flanks of the 14,162 foot mountain, and at Lava Beds National Wildlife Refuge.

Students learned about winter shelters, fire making, hunting and trapping (with no animals harmed), winter travel and wildlife identification.

Headwaters offers year-round outdoor experiences including wilderness skills, vision quest, nature retreats, plant medicine, earth philosophy and a rite of passage experience for young boys.

Corcoran's recent class began with two and a half days living in bark tepees, then moved to the mountain for two nights in snow shelters. It concluded with four days at Lava Beds.

“With the world getting more crowded,” Corcoran said, “winter is a time in the wilderness you can always be alone. It's all yours.”

He said spending two nights in a snow cave can make class members wonder, “What did I get myself into?” But, “Almost every time, people don't want to leave the winter behind. The experience becomes winter appreciation.”

In the snow above Bunny Flat on a sunny day, Corcoran urges class members to get their snow shelter built before night falls; he knows it's going to get cold, and the weather could turn bad.

“I don't want to hear about fatigue,” Corcoran says. “Just get the shelters built.”

Corcoran said his interest in the wilderness began at a young age with his grandfather and uncle, who first took him into the woods when he was just six years old.

He said his backpacking trip at age 12 was a rite of passage, “my becoming a man trip,” he called it.

At age 17, Corcoran said he spent four months alone in the Canadian wilderness practicing earth skills.

“No matter how long you live, nature will never stop taking you deeper into itself,” Corcoran says. “Our ancestors lived closer to the land. The school helps you remember what you already know, what's in your blood.”

New Lowepro bags built for great outdoors

Sunday, January 14 2007

Lowepro has just introduced an extensive line of digital camera pouches, shoulder bags and photo viewer case designed for the outdoor and adventurous photographer. The Apex line is claimed by Lowepro to be the largest and most complete line of protective pouches and cases in the industry.

Apex AW shoulder bags and pouches lightweight and ruggedly built. The single-compartment design of the Apex AW bags offers is said to offer quick access and accommodates a pro compact camera or digital SLR plus accessories. Apex AW pouches also have the single-compartment design and accommodate a camera, memory card and battery or small accessories.

Soft brushed-tricot lining and interior dividers guard against scratches. Lowepro's patented All Weather Cover protects against weather, dust and sand. In addition, the new Apex PV AW pouch is designed to protect and carry a variety of digital media playback devices including photo viewers, digital storage devices and PDAs.

Other features designed into the entire line of Apex pouches and shoulder bags include a built-in memory card pocket for quick access; reversed zipper with silent zipper pulls resist sand and dirt and rubber molded bumper for additional protection. The Apex-series camera pouches will be available in Black/Gray and Arctic Blue/Black in the January and are priced from $19.99 to $49.99.

Making the most of a backpacking trip through Europe

By Brian Wooddell
McClatchy Newspapers
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:12/23/2006 01:13:47 PM MST

After months of planning and saving, there we were: Seven of us, three women and four men between 19 and 21, got off the planes and found our packs in the underbelly of Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino airport. For two weeks, we would travel and learn and explore Europe.
Right after a nap. Jet lag, it seemed, could temporarily kill any and all vacation excitement.
We were there to ''do Europe,'' and ''do'' it we did. Five cities in two weeks meant seeing everything as quickly as possible. When we flew home, we brought more than dirty laundry and sore feet. We realized why young adults have been backpacking across Europe for decades.
We had stories about swimming in the (frigid) Mediterranean Sea and being cursed at by an irate Italian man on the streets of Rome. We learned that tourists should always be ready to ''drop some euro'' for the W.C. and that chocolate cereal, which can be found in almost any grocery store, makes a great meal any time of the day. And we figured out that in Europe, ''old'' means something completely different from what it does in the United States.
Everywhere we stayed was clean and safe, and in several hostels, we managed to get a room of seven beds to ourselves. One night in a hostel, or a hotel with several bunk beds in each room, will cost about $20 a person. It's not private, but it provides a way to meet other backpackers.
Here's a taste of our trip to help like-minded travelers plan - if you want to go next summer, now is the time to start.

Rome, days 1-3:
* Where we stayed: M&J Hostel
* What we did right: We made ourselves get up early to see the city, even though we were tired, and we spent the extra 11 euros each to see Palatine Hill.
* What we did wrong: Food. We didn't know where to go or how much to spend, so our meals weren't very good, except for the one time we tried authentic Italian pizza. ''Molto bene!''
* What we saw: The Vatican, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, the Forum, the Spanish Steps, Villa Borghese
* Don't miss: Gelato (ice cream) in front of the Spanish Steps at dusk.
* Avoid: The metro. Downtown is small enough that walking isn't a problem, and the subway is way too crowded.

Venice, days 4-6:
* Where we stayed: Villa Dori (an inexpensive hotel)
* What we did right: We stayed outside the touristy part of Venice, so we were able to see typical Italian life.
* What we did wrong: This city is a huge tourist trap. Spend a day and a half at the most. We were there too long.
* What we saw: Islands of Torcello, Murano and Burano; the Grand Canal; San Michele Cemetery
* Don't miss: Torcello and its ancient church. It's one of the least-spoiled parts.
* Avoid: Gondolas. They're a rip-off at $80 plus tip.

Paris, days 7-9:
* Where we stayed: A church in central Paris
* What we did right: By staying in a church, we saved about $20 a person each night. Talk to your place of worship for contacts abroad.
* What we did wrong: We weren't there long enough to see Versailles and a few more museums. In addition, we didn't check to see when things were closed. The Musée d'Orsay (with its Monets and Renoirs), for example, wasn't open the day we tried to visit.
* What we saw: The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Le Centre Pompidou, La Sainte-Chapelle, Sacré Coeur Basilica, Notre Dame Cathedral, La Grande Arche de la Defense
* Don't miss: The Eiffel Tower at night, La Sainte-Chapelle (near Notre Dame) or La Grande Arche at the far northwest end of the Champs- lysées.
* Avoid: The elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. If you take the stairs, you save money and time by avoiding the huge line.

Barcelona, days 10-11:
* Where we stayed: Sea Point Youth Hostel
* What we did right: We had been going nonstop, so we took time to relax on the beach.
* What we did wrong: We relaxed too much and didn't plan enough time to see parts of this great city, including the former Olympic venues.
* What we saw: The Mediterranean Sea, Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell
* Don't miss: Parc Guell, an extensive park designed by Antoni Gaudi that sits on a hill. It provides an awesome view of the city.
* Avoid: Certain beachgoers. Beaches in Barcelona are clearly top-optional, and that isn't always a pleasant sight.

Madrid, days 12-14:
* Where we stayed: Hostal Metropol
* What we did right: Visited during the prince's wedding, so the whole city was clean and decorated to the hilt.
* What we did wrong: Visited the city during the prince's wedding, so security was extra tight, and the streets were clogged with tourists.
* What we saw: Parque del Buen Retiro, the Royal Palace, Museo del Prado
* Don't miss: Churros con chocolate. There's a shop near Plaza Mayor that sells this traditional Spanish snack of sweet bread sticks dipped in a mug of thick hot chocolate. Go there, and go often.
* Avoid: Having your passport stolen, missing your flight home and sitting for three hours in Madrid's American Embassy (true story).
In retrospect, my friends and I did nothing perfectly, and there are many things we'd change if we could go back. But because this was the first time any of us had been to Europe without Mom and Dad, we figure we did a pretty good job.
Planning your trip can be fun, and the Internet makes it a breeze.
* Many hostels have Web sites or are listed on sites such as www.hostels.com, which often includes prices, photos and online reservations. It's not a big deal, though, if you don't have reservations or don't know where to stay. Hostels are built for tourists, so they are usually well marked. You can always ask other groups of young travelers as well.
* Information on trains can be found through Rail Europe at www.raileurope.com. And you can always check out blogs and personal Web sites from people who've traveled Europe extensively and know the best ways to get around.
* As far as money, watch the exchange rates before your trip and budget accordingly. Almost everything costs more in Europe. Plan to spend $20-$30 a day for basic necessities, not including a fancy meal.
* If you plan early, things will go more smoothly. Remember: You're probably not coming back for a long time, so make the best of it.

On the Backpacking Trail

Sounds like bad news for all travel agencies. Just when they thought the whole country is on a booking spree for eight-day package tours, there is a new breed of Indian globetrotters packing their rucksacks to march on unexplored trails. The outcome — these not so well heeled travellers know every nook and corner of Rome, where to shop for edgy fashion in New York, the royal castles of Scotland, lesser-known exquisite cafes of Paris, the unexplored islands of Australia and, mysterious facts about the Dark Continent!

No doubt, they consider themselves explorers rather than travellers or tourists. These 21st century pathfinders are all set to redefine the traditional ways of Indian tourism. And excursionists like Reena Grewal, Dharmesh K, Mehar Mann, Minali Tolani and many others, share a firm belief that being a backpacker is the best way to travel. The idea of being a backpacker traveller may sound a bit odd since they all opted for it when they could have easily afforded a stay in a luxurious hotel, a 17-course menu and champagne cocktails to go with it all.

Reasons, Minali Tokani, a senior manger with Kotak Mahindra, “You can stay in a luxurious hotel, enjoy a spa, pop some champagne and do all that kind off stuff in your own country. But if you do the same at a foreign locale, then what’s the big deal?” And this thought prodded her, to throw a pair of jeans, some cheques, most importantly her passport into a bag and head of for Europe.

According to, Vaishali, a software developer, she was never a package-tour type of person, and always opted for the more challenging option, “Being a backpacker means, you don’t have to stick to any schedule. The world is yours, so just go and explore it!” she says. Concurs Dharmesh, who is into the restaurant business, “The thing I hate most about package tours is their promise about providing Indian food. Now, come on, when you’re visiting a foreign destination, the natural choice is to relish the local specialities.”

The idea of being a free spirit made Mehar Mann scout the streets of Rome, with only a Lonely Planet map for company. He stresses that meeting girls was also an underlying thought, which made him walk the same streets twice over. Adds Reena Grewal, who quit a cushy job in the United States to travel, “Being a backpacker means you get to see the small towns. Meet the local people and the best part is flexibility. I extended my stay for three days in a small hamlet in Ireland. Had I been on a package tour, I would have never got to enjoy these small things.”

Most backpackers do not have a fixed schedule or a budget, per say. They explore destinations at their own sweet pace. Nevertheless, Vaishali emphasises that one should chalk out a basic plan, “You should know what really interests you. Otherwise you’ll get lost, for everything is more exquisite than the previous attraction.”

Mehar points out the elemental prerequisite to be a backpacker, “Before you leave for any destination, do some research. This really helps because once you are there, you will be on your own.” That may sound a bit risky, but most backpackers live in hostels, dorms or sometimes at a hospitable native’s place. Dharmesh recalls, “I went to buy the local ingredients at a supermarket in Rome as we were preparing food on our own. There were other backpackers from across the globe and we shared a lot about food and business.”

Minali believes that the exposure she gets from such travels is incomparable. “You get to speak to strangers, not only
do you learn to rely on them you also realise the value of independence. It’s a bonhomie feeling.” For Reena, who did a backpacking trip Down Under, the high point was the thrill of swimming with dolphins. “The experience was worth it, had I been on a package tour, I would have got to see more of mankind than those lovely creatures,” she chuckles.

However, all backpackers have a piece of advice. Travelling light and living it up, will make your trip a success believes Dharmesh. Being not fussy and open about everything is the key, thinks Reena. “Back at home you may be used to having the whole house to yourself but at a dorm, you have to share bathrooms, food and perhaps everything. Being fussy will take you nowhere,” she adds.

Mehar insists that one should be friendly but alert, “In Rome, I’ve seen gypsies lifting people’s wallets. And with no interpreters things can go out of hand.” Vaishali dismiss such incidents as rare. “Life is an adventure and one should not miss the fact, that you get to interact with the whole world. Also at such times, you get to realise what your strengths and weaknesses are.”

Yogesh M Shah, a backpacker who has now set his own company Bacpackerco says, “ When I opted to be a backpacker, I could not find anyone to guide me. So when I came back, I thought we need to get organised and that is how the company came into existence.” He insists that this is more a passion than business for him. Today places like Cafe Mocha Backpackers Club and backpackerco.com provide a platform for like-minded travellers. Dharmesh adds, “I believe that all those who are doing their MBA’s from lesser known institutes should opt for such travels. I’m sure this will broaden their horizons.”

These urban nomads share a free spirit and the nerve to take the road less travelled. Minali sums it aptly, “For being a roadie you need a tough state of mind, otherwise check out some package tours.” So now that you know what the highs and lows of backpacking are, you could possibly consider doing at least one such trip in your lifetime and cherish that experience forever.

Backpacking 18 miles? No problem

By GARRET MATHEWS
Courier & Press columnist
Originally published 12:00 a.m., November 19, 2006
Updated 10:49 p.m., November 18, 2006

Weary stragglers plodded Saturday past grain fields along the Copperline Road in rural Posey County toward the end of an 18-mile course.

Some limped. Others shivered.

But not retired Lt. Col. Nick Chessman.

The 52-year-old stood straight and tall as if he was just back from a stroll around the neighborhood, his uniform still freshly starched. He finished the march in a little more than four hours, coming in well ahead of men and women half his age.

"I do a lot of jogging, so that helps. I put in 12 miles out here today before my legs started to get sore. Some of the young ones think they can just head out the front door and make it that far. They soon find out otherwise."

Chessman, who teaches ROTC at Owensboro, Ky., High School, looked down the gravel road.

"I brought three kids with me, and they're still out on the course. I guess they'll get here when they get here."

On Saturday, the ROTC program at the University of Southern Indiana hosted the fifth annual Norwegian Road March. Participants were required to dress in military uniforms and carry 25-pound packs.

Eighty-seven men and women entered the event, including 22 cadets from USI. Also represented were members of the 163rd Field Artillery Battalion of the Indiana National Guard in Evansville.

A time of four hours, 30 minutes was good enough to win an award.

The idea for the march originated with Dr. Nils Johansen, an academic advisor at USI and a one-time second lieutenant in the Norwegian army.

"In my country, soldiers earn a badge for an 18-mile hike with pack. Not everybody gets it, but everybody tries. I thought it would be something good to do here."

Johansen was in the Norwegian service from 1960 until 1964, when he came to the United States to study at Purdue.

"I'm not in the best shape shape right now because of my back, but I did six of these road marches when I was in field artillery," the 65-year-old said.

Sgt. 1st Class Ken Suratt, an ROTC instructor at USI, helped coordinate the event.

"Starting in September, our cadets trained three times a week for this," Suratt said.

"Participation wasn't required, but it was strongly encouraged, if you know what I mean."

Many families who live along the course provided Gatorade, water and apples to the marchers.

"It was nice to see all that support," the 35-year-old Suratt said. "You don't feel like you're out there by yourself."

A member of the Army since 1988, he was trained as an MP.

"I haven't been to Iraq, but I was part of the team that went to Panama on the Noriega mission."

In March, Suratt will take some of his cadets to northern Michigan for a 25-mile hike with packs, called the Frozen Chosen.

"I won't have to map the course or worry about water stops, so I'll join the guys for that one."

When Suratt musters out of the service in two years, he hopes to be a golf pro.

"My second life will definitely be different from my first," he said.

The Backpacking Theory

Mark Zimmer
The Backpacking Theory

Every time this thought of lecturing about how good someone has it enters my mind, I get the same feeling that I imagine an elderly person gets when they remember the speech they just gave that started with, “When I was your age…” Although I am younger than many of the people that I explain my basic theory to, I can’t help but realize that I have a rather unusual look on not just making money but life overall.

The “theory” that I am talking about is one that I coined while trudging though some hot, stagnant aired forest with mosquitoes the size of small birds sucking blood out of me faster you could say, “Oh my God, I hope I don’t get West Nile Virus!” It was during this exhilarating experience that I came up with my “How to enjoy life: Appreciation through Deprivation” thesis.

The whole basis for this “theory,” if you can call it that, is that the best way someone can learn to enjoy their surroundings and learn to be patient while being persistent, is to take themselves out of their comfort zone, and go for total misery. And the quickest, cheapest, and easiest path that I know of to leave your comfort zone and give you a healthy dose of deprivation is: backpacking.

Now, before anyone jumps to conclusions, I want to make it clear that although I enjoy pointing some of the lesser attributes of backpacking, it is an activity that I enjoy. After reading this some may wonder WHY I enjoy it, and the best justification that I can give is to tell them to give it a try. With that being said, I will get back to backpacking.

At the basis of this theory, there are two main principles that are separate issues; but they work together to address one main “problem” that many people feel that they face. The first problem addressed is the feeling of not having enough material possessions, and the second is the annoying habit of feeling sorry for oneself.

Addressing the first principle of not having enough material possessions happens almost the moment a backpacker steps on the trail. Since everything that the individual brought along is on their back, it becomes instantly obvious that more is not better. The mind suddenly starts to run through the pile of unnecessary junk on your back, and begin to wonder why that pillow, extra shirt, or toothbrush handle (no joke) is being lugged around. This thought process rapidly accelerates when walking on inclines, and jumps exponentially when pushing yourself back up after face planting down a hill. It usually doesn’t take long for the mind to reach the conclusion that although most stuff in life is nice, it sure isn’t necessary.

The second issue of feeling sorry for yourself really never actually goes away; it is just magnified so much that once you reach society again, feeling sorry for yourself doesn’t make sense, since you are excited almost to a childish level. I will give a few examples that may seem ridiculous but are actually true. Take something as basic as a real meal. Quickly jumping back to our first issue, we remember that less is better, and this goes for food as well both in weight and quantity (and usually quality). After a week of rice, beans, dried fruit, and oatmeal; a cheeseburger is a real Godsend. On a more basic level, running water is a truly exciting thing upon your return to the real world. After a week of drinking warm, fishy tasting water that has been flavored with iodine to kill any viruses that the water filter missed, a simple glass of cold water is better than can be imagined. The list of examples goes on and on from sleeping with a pine cone you forgot to move jabbing you in the back all night; to trying to bathe in water that is so cold it does disturbing things to certain parts of the male’s anatomy and makes breathing while bathing, next to impossible. The point of realizing that, “Hey, I don’t have it so bad,” sets in real quick when you hop back into your vehicle and drive to a motel for the night.

The best thing, however, that I feel backpacking offers is the chance to think. Backpacking is physically tiring but mentally stimulating. There is very little noise, and the mind gets a chance to just relax and wander.

So there you have it; the next time you feel that you have it SO hard, and that you NEED that new suit, car, gold-plated harmonica, or whatever; remember that a little bit of serious deprivation can end up making your everyday world pretty rosy. And from that foundation, one can go out and happily achieve their goals while never feeling like they HAVE to get to a certain point to be successful.

What’s the difference between all these two-person backpacking tents?

October 16, 2006
What’s the difference between all these two-person backpacking tents?

Question: There are so many backpacking tents out there; can they all be that different? What is a solid two-person tent for $250 or less that best combines light weight with durability?

— Bill
Columbia, Missouri

Answer: Indeed, there are many, many two-person backpacking tents on the market. But if you look carefully, you’ll see that most of them are remarkably similar. They typically have three poles, usually two that run from corner to corner, and one that is mounted transversely to help balloon out the fly. They usually have two doors, placed either at the centerpoint of each side, or toward the “head” of the tent. Materials tend to be very similar, although higher-end tents may use some of the newer alloys in the poles.

So what to look for? If I were to go out and buy a new tent tomorrow, my considerations would be, in order of importance:
Weight: I’d want it to be under five pounds.
Door placement: I like two doors, toward the head of the tent.
Ease of setup: If I need the directions, it’s too complicated. I prefer clips to sleeves for holding up the canopy.
Size: I’m of average height so all tents fit me and most of the people I hike and bike with.
Price: Within reason, which is somewhere around $300.

Based on those parameters, what would I buy? Probably Black Diamond’s Firstlight (www.bdel.com), one of a new generation of single-wall tents that use coated Epic fabric to create a tent that’s light (three pounds, three ounces), tough, and rainproof in all but heavy, extended downpours. It does, however, cost $300, so that’s outside of your announced budget. And the Firstlight isn’t for everyone. Because it lacks a fly, you’re going to get wet when you open the door in the rain. And two sleepers under certain conditions are probably going to create a helluva lot of condensation.

My second choice would be Marmot’s Nyx (www.marmot.com), a traditional canopy-and-fly tent with lots of mesh, light and tough DAC poles, and a very reasonable trail weight of just under five pounds. It’s $275, but if you move RIGHT NOW you can find it on a couple of different websites for $240. It’s a good tent with state-of-the-art technology—and a little more conservative pick than the Firstlight.

In the absence of sales, and with budget a genuine constraint, then REI’s Quarter Dome (www.rei.com) likely is the winner. It’s light (just over four pounds), has a weather-resistant canopy-and-fly design, and uses good-quality materials. It’s a tad small (28 square feet), so not ideal for big campers. But it’s a great buy at $209.

Days abroad blend into everyday life

Words, customs, flavors linger upon the return home.

By Terry Ward
Columnist
Posted October 1 2006

I can't say if it's jetlag or some form of post-travel blues, but for the first few days after returning from a long trip abroad, I am always slightly disoriented stateside.

It could be my tendency to operate on autopilot when I revert to the comfortable surrounds of home. That heightened sense of awareness I experience while traveling sometimes adapts blinders in my day-to-day life.

On the Indonesian island of Sumbawa, maneuvering a car required the attention of an air traffic controller. The roadside, even the road itself, doubled as everything from a convenience store and a neighborhood gathering spot to a makeshift mosque. I often felt like the frog trying to cross the road in Frogger -- even inside my car.

But back in Orlando, marginally aware that I am operating a motorized vehicle, I will find myself idly flipping through familiar radio stations while cruising through electronic tollbooths on super smooth highways.

Often, it's English that finally jolts me with a loop of reverse culture shock.

Last year, the day after I returned from a summer in France, I found myself eagerly turning into the parking lot of a chiropractor's office after spotting a large sign labeled "Pain?" Yeah, I wanted some pain. I could almost smell the pain au chocolat baking, flaking off in sweet papery layers. My brain, still stuck overseas, had misread the sign as the French word for "bread."

Another time, after a year living among low-key New Zealanders and backpacking around Southeast Asia, I spent my first weekend home at a bachelorette party in South Beach. The Southern sorority girls gabbed about people I had never heard of transitioning from B-list to A-list (celebrities climbing the tabloid fame ladder, it turned out) and a new Oprah Winfrey-inspired diet involving "bad whites." After a few puzzling moments, I realized they were preaching against eating white-hued foods, such as pasta, potatoes and rice. "I'd like to see Oprah try that sort of anti-rice proselytizing in Vietnam or Laos," I said with a laugh.

Alone.

It is always fun to come home to new slang. Learning new words -- "peeps," "deets" and "bling" after one trip -- feels like a crash course in cool.

Even my gut instincts take a while to adjust, especially when it comes to the rules of the road. And in America, as opposed to many racetrack countries, there are many.

Recently, after two months in Indonesia, I was pulled over by a state trooper on I-95. As he sidled up to my car in that slow, deliberate, I've-got-all-day manner, I was thinking this: "In Bali it would take about $5 to get this guy off my back. Factor in America's higher cost of living and the current exchange rate, and what should I slide this dude -- a $50, perhaps?" Fortunately, I snapped back to where I was before I could pull my wallet from my purse and attempt bribing an officer.

After spending weeks touring Vietnam on a scooter, I had to make a conscious effort to lay off the horn when I returned home. In Ho Chi Minh City, there is nothing rude or aggressive implied in incessantly tapping one's horn. Knowing how to manipulate the little button coaxing long brooding beeps or short insistent toots, depending on the situation, is essential to surviving the death-defying insanity that passes for driving in the former Saigon.

American food usually takes some adjusting to again as well -- particularly the SUV-sized portions -- though you'll never find me complaining about free refills and safe tap water that arrives tableside automatically. Whenever I am outside of America, it is margaritas, Tex-Mex and fresh Florida sushi that I miss most.

Nevertheless, after returning from France, I refused to shop anywhere but the cheese case at Whole Foods for a week. Just the smell of imported stinky brie and oozing epoisse brought me back to languorous lunchtimes in my Toulouse flat in a way that Kraft Cracker Barrel just can't.

Following travels in India, I boiled milk, Assam tea and cardamom buds for chai in the mornings, temporarily abandoning my a.m. coffee habit. And when I returned home from Vietnam, I sweetened my morning java with condensed milk instead of sugar, often lobbing in a few ice cubes (yet stifling the urge to sip the coffee from a plastic bag, as is the handy to-go custom on the streets of Hanoi).

Before long, however, such attempts at sustained cultural immersion become impractical and I revert to my American staples: Publix subs, takeout sushi, copious amounts of chips and salsa, and drip-style caffeine injections that come in large foam cups.

As easily as my tastes adjust to being home, it seems, so do I. But just the chance to return to a familiar place and see it in a new light is already worth the journey away.

Gearing Up for Autumn Backpacking

By Seabury Blair Jr., For Kitsap Sun
August 29, 2006

If you’ve got a spare weekend this fall and want a little adventure, try an autumn backpack.

Carrying the house on your back is a bit different in the fall. It’s a mite colder and perhaps a little wetter, but autumn backpacking has its advantages, as well. For example:

There’s hardly a better time, especially in our neighboring Olympic backcountry, to see wildlife. Roosevelt elk bugle in the high meadows while black bear stuff themselves with huckleberries, oblivious to everything but the food that will sustain them through the long winter ahead.

Cooler weather keeps the crowds to a minimum. A campsite likely full in the summer could be all yours in the fall.

Autumn not only keeps crowds of people down, it eliminates the nasty bugs of summer with the first frost. You can leave your bug juice at home.

Almost all trails, even in the high country, are free of snow and volunteers and trails crews have been putting them into the best shape they’ll be in all year long.

Autumn backpacking doesn’t demand a whole bunch of new gear, but you might want to supplement your summer gear with a few items you may not tote in the summer. The added weight might not be as great as you think, since you can leave some of your summer stuff at home.

You might want to add some long underwear and carry an extra layer of wool or polyester fleece. And a good set of raingear is essential in the autumn, but you might take the bug juice and suntan lotion out of your pack.

Additional clothing can double for sleepwear, so you might save some weight there. Longies are usually enough to keep the chill out of your summer-weight sleeping bag.

Some equipment might be considered essential for comfortable autumn backpacking. Check out the items below.

Gloves or mittens. Choose mittens if you want the most warmth for weight; gloves for greater versatility. In the chill of an autumn morning, you’ll feel a whole lot toastier if there’s a glove between you and your hiking staff.

Check out the Denali gloves from North Face: heavyweight polyester fleece with textured grip pads on fingers and palms and nylon inserts for durability. Expect to pay about $25.

A wool or fleece hat. You’ve heard that old mountaineer’s saying: "When the feet are cold, put on the hat."

You might choose a lightweight model like the Novo Watch Cap by Seattle’s own Outdoor Research. It’s designed to keep the noggin warm on cool mornings or wear as a nightcap or under a helmet. You’ll find it for around $16.

A headlamp. If your hike is a long one, you may find yourself making camp before dark and cooking at night. Nothing works as good as a headlamp, unless you enjoy holding a flashlight with your teeth while stirring the stew.

With the advent of Light Emitting Diodes, or LED’s, headlamps are lightweight and burn much longer on smaller batteries. Check out Black Diamond’s Moxie Headlamp, a four-LED light designed for women.

Using three AAA batteries, the headlamp will burn at maximum brightness for more than 9 hours. Cost is about $30.

If you don’t already have one, consider adding a candle lantern to your pack. It gets dark early in the autumn and a candle can make a cheery glow in the tent. Candles can also warm up the tent on a chilly night.

Looking for a bit of class? Try the brass candle lantern from Uco. The holder is spring-loaded so the candle stays at the same height as it burns, and the wax is non-dripping. Cost is about $23.

Finally, just about any three-season tent will serve you well in the autumn. But if your soft home is older and you’re in the market for a new shelter, you’ll find some excellent new tents out there.

You’ll be more comfortable if your tent has at least one vestibule where you can store gear or cook if the weather really sucks. Tents that allow warmer air to escape through mesh and condense on the fly make it easier to pack in the morning — just make sure to shake the frost off before it melts and drips on you.

One of the nicest and lightest two-person tents on the market these days is the MSR Hubba Hubba. It was a Backpacker Magazine Editor’s Choice last year and offers two doors and two vestibules.

The tent weighs slightly more than 4 pounds and is a nice warm color, especially for autumn. You pay about $300 for that light weight and two-door, two-vestibule convenience.

Copyright 2006, kitsapsun.com. All Rights Reserved.

Backpacking operations take major shift with new company merger

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Leading backpacker companies ACB Group Holdings Limited, known locally as Beyond Backpackers, and base Backpackers have announced their merger, the entity will now operate under the brand name “base brand.”

Both companies bring top industry standards to the merger, with Beyond Backpackers a two-time NZ Tourism Awards winner and base named one of the world’s top 10 ‘Hip Hostels’ in Lonely Planet’s recently released Blue List.

The new company will now be the leading operator of quality backpacker accommodation, bars, travel outlets and job placement services in Australia and New Zealand, offering over 3000 beds, 10 bars and 34 travel outlets.

The new organisation will operate in major cities, including Auckland, Christchurch Sydney and Melbourne, with a total of eight backpacker hostels in New Zealand and three in Australia.

“This merger is a natural progression for both businesses. We have been pursuing similar business models and have complementary physical and human resources. Together we can deliver an even better experience for our travelers and this, in turn, will assist to grow the industry as a whole,” said Campbell Shepherd, New Zealand CEO, and John Osborne, Group CEO in a joint statement. “Growth in the backpacker market is a global trend driven by the increasing popularity of backpacking across a wider range of nationalities and age groups and we are committed to realising this opportunity," continued Shepherd.

“[we are] delighted with the merger, which creates a market leader in Australasian backpacker accommodation and delivers a wealth of opportunities for travellers, staff, suppliers and business partners,” said major investors including Ironbridge Capital, Accor Asia Pacific Hotels and Ivany Investments.

Now with the merger underway, the new company will work to expand, with Australia being the first market focus.

Active outdoors: Backpacking in high gear

By Tim Jones
Thursday, July 13, 2006

Backpacking season is in full swing. Across the region, blackfly populations are disappearing and mosquitoes will settle down as the days get warmer and (please!) drier. This is definitely the time of year to get away from the road.
Long-distance backpacking requires a serious commitment of time, energy and money. If you're already a serious backpacker, you know what I mean. There's a definite magic to being out on your own for a week, a month, or more, but the farther you go and the longer you stay, the more you have to pay attention to every detail of the adventure.
Most of us just don't have the time to plan, prepare for and execute a truly long-distance hike like Vermont's Long Trail or the 2,000-mile Appalachian Trail. However, one-, two- or three-night adventures are doable and still rewarding in their own way. But you still have to plan and prepare.
Even short trips in good weather go smoother if you've thought through what you're doing ahead of time. People get into trouble when they just jump in ill-prepared. The best equipment in the world doesn't do you any good if you don't know how to use it.
If you've never backpacked before, the place to begin is your backyard or a roadside tent site (there are many in state parks and national forests across the region). Spend one night getting used to the gear before you trust your safety to it.
If you need help getting started, the Appalachian Mountain Club (www.outdoors.org) and its various regional affiliates, the Green Mountain Club (www.greenmountainclub.org) and the Adirondack Mountain Club (www.adk.org) all offer education courses. Savvy outdoor retailers like L.L. Bean, Eastern Mountain Sports and Kittery Trading Post, among others, all offer seminars and quality rental equipment, and they offer better service and better quality equipment than the camping department at a big box store.
The first mistake most beginning backpackers make is overloading their packs with too much stuff. The second mistake they make, usually after having suffered through the first one, is not bringing enough stuff for safety and comfort. It takes awhile to find the correct balance.
You start with the basics you always carry when you leave the road: A way to supply safe drinking water (purifying tablets or a filter); adequate clothing for the possible weather including rain and chilly nights (cotton clothing is never appropriate for backcountry use); food for the duration, plus a little extra; basic hygiene equipment (toothbrush, toilet paper, baby wipes) and emergency gear (insect repellent, knife, firestarters, first aid and medical kit, maps, compass).
Then you add the stuff you need for comfort: a tarp to keep the rain off or, better yet, a lightweight tent; a pad to rest on and a light sleeping bag, sleep sack or even just a lightweight fleece blanket. If you don't get a good night's sleep, you won't enjoy your days.
If you want hot food and beverages, bring a lightweight stove and minimal cook gear and utensils.
Add a small light source (the nights are short in summer), a paperback book or a deck of cards.
Those are the basics. Remember, everything you add is more to carry.
From now through the end of October, throwing a pack on your back with everything you need to live and walking away from the road is kind of the ultimate Active Outdoor sport. You are living the dream 24 hours a day for as many days as you choose.
How much weight?
At the AMC's Joe Dodge Lodge in Pinkham Notch, N.H., there's a scale where hikers can weigh their packs before heading off into the Presidential Range. I've seen folks stagger off on an overnight adventure with packs that weighed 80 pounds. I've also seen fanatics who can do a two- or three-night trip with a pack that weighs 20 pounds.
While it's generally more comfortable to carry less weight, there are tradeoffs involved.
For example, my humongous old MountainSmith (www.mountainsmith.com) internal frame pack weighs over six pounds and holds 6,000-plus cubic inches of gear. That's huge. And heavy. But winter or summer, long walk or short, everything I ever want to take fits in or on it. By contrast, I also have a new Gregory (www.gregorypacks.com) Z-Pack that weighs 3 1/2 pounds and holds 3,500 cubic inches. The smaller size definitely forces me to pack more carefully, but I've saved almost three pounds before I start to pack.
My basic summer sleeping bag is a Coleman Exponent Canyon 32 with synthetic fill. It weighs under three pounds and has kept me warm in an Arctic summer snowstorm. My buddy has a Mountain Hardwear (www.mountainhardwear.com) Phantom down bag that's half the weight, even warmer, but three times the price and useless if it gets wet. Tradeoffs.
My four-pound Coleman Exponent Inyo tent offers a whole lot more protection than a 12-ounce tarp. There are lighter tents, but they are either smaller, more expensive or less durable.
I usually choose reliable and practical over super-light. If you absolutely need to shave ounces, you can -- for a price. But, for most of us, total pack weight of about 30 to 35 pounds, which is easily achievable, will take us comfortably down the trail for several nights.
Rain gear review
A longtime reader wrote recently to complain about the failure of his Gore-tex and other waterproof and breathable outerwear and boots in this year's constant rainstorms. He accused a couple of well-known companies of producing gear that didn't keep him or his companions dry.
My raingear, on the other hand, has been working perfectly. Footwear is another issue entirely.
This has been an unusually wet year. Has your rain gear and "waterproof" footwear kept you dry or leaked like a sieve? Send me your stories, name the brands. If there's a pattern, I'll share the results in a future column.
Freelance writer Tim Jones covers travel and outdoor sports. Contact him at timjones@active-outdoors.com.

Backpacking Europe: Rail Passes vs. Tickets

As part of a series on planning your European backpacking trip, we're taking a look at a few things you need to know, do and get before you go and when you get there.

European train travel is a very easy way to see several countries abroad this summer, and savvy backpackers planning multi-country travel save money by buying European train passes from the US over single tickets in Europe. The cheapest Eurail Select pass covers train travel in three bordering countries of your choice (out of 22) for $249 and you can't buy it in Europe; one ticket from Paris to Rome is $140 if bought from the US and $141-$160 if purchased in France at the current exchange rate (and that's with a student discount). With the pass, you can go from Paris to Rome to Munich to France again, or whatever suits your fancy.

Eurail Select three-country pass prices (days indicate how many calendar dates you can actually spend on the train; an overnight trip uses up two days):

* 5 days in 2 months: $249.00
* 6 days in 2 months: $275.00
* 8 days in 2 months: $325.00
* 10 days in 2 months: $375.00

You can also buy passes for four or five bordering countries at additional cost.

Some backpackers plan travel so that they spend nights on the train, too; taking the night train from Rome to Amsterdam, for instance, transports you there in one go (18-22 hours) and saves the cost of a hostel or two in transit. And Rail Europe has a special happening on Eurail Select passes, too.

* Go straight to purchasing a Eurail Select Pass at a student discount
* Learn more about Eurail passes and see other passes

Team plans 600-mile Alaska trek without extra support

Team plans 600-mile Alaska trek without extra support

BILLINGS Two Alaska adventurers and one from Montana are planning a 600-mile hike over some of the wildest land in the United States.
The three plan to start a 20-day journey across northern Alaska on June 11th, with no support other than what they can carry in their packs.

Roman Dial and Jason Geck are professors at Alaska Pacific University and veterans of endurance races such as the Alaska Mountain Wilderness Classic. Jason Geck of Bozeman is publisher of Backpacking Light Magazine.

Plans call for no hunting, fishing or foraging during the trip. Food will be high-calorie fare such as chocolate bars, chips and almond butter.

Dial says they plan to cover 20 to 50 miles a day, with fewer miles at the start when packs will be heaviest.

They expect to lose weight, and expect to encounter bears and mosquitoes.

They plan to post the team's progress on a Web site using a satellite phone.

Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Backpacking in Bangalore?

Kanak Hirani Nautiyal

Relax maadi. It's safer than other cities, say tourists here, who nevertheless take a few precautions.

Blonde, blue-eyed and holidaying in Bangalore? Do it without a worry. The news of a Japanese tourist being raped in Pushkar on April 2 hasn't raised the panic levels for tourists in the city yet.

But with Bangalore attracting a huge population of foreigners, here on either work or leisure, BT asked if they ever felt unsafe while walking around the city.

For Jantine Van Herwijnen from Holland, this is her third visit to Bangalore. "The first time, I stayed at a hotel on MG Road.

I'd walk around at night and it was okay."This time around, Jantine is staying near the city bus stand. "They had a TV and the sheets were clean so I thought okay.

But I dare not step out at night in that area."Jantine's never felt afraid for her safety in Bangalore, although she was followed once. "I turned around and yelled at the guy following me. Now I only walk on the bigger, more crowded streets."

Jasmine and Gaby Landes have been in Bangalore for four years now, and things, they say, have changed. "Four years ago, it used to be safer at night,"says Jasmine, a student at a city school.

The Pushkar rape hasn't worried them though. "It can happen anywhere in the world,"says Gaby. Yet, there's no taking chances. "If I wasn't with a guy, I wouldn't walk down these streets at night. I don't even feel comfy going clubbing anymore,"says Jasmine.

Most people here feel Bangalore's safer than any other city. French national Jezebel Bernard has been in Ahmedabad for the last six months, and finds Bangalore better in comparison.

"I'm more comfortable here. People look more open - I guess they're used to seeing foreigners. But I still wouldn't go out alone at night."Jezebel admits she isn't even prepared if something happens during the day. "I don't carry anything with me for self defence,"she says.

Daniela Ferrante has been here five weeks and plans to stay in Bangalore for the next six months. The girl from Switzerland was taken aback by the city's violent behaviour after the death of Dr Rajkumar. "I stayed at home that day. But India is dangerous anyway. The precautions I take? I try not to travel alone, especially at night."

But Thomas G, a doctor in computer science from France, would recommend Bangalore as a holiday spot to all his lady friends.

"Bangalore's safer when compared to any other city. The South is different from north India. You can come here and never have to worry about your safety."

Pioneer hiker bringing inpsiring story to Lodi

By News-Sentinel Staff
Last updated: Thursday, Mar 30, 2006 - 07:23:26 am PST

During his senior year at Duke University in 2003, Andrew Skurka was struggling with what he wanted to do after graduation.

An economics and political science major from Seekonk, Mass., Skurka knew he didn't want to be an investment banker, or to follow any conventional Duke track, for that matter.

It was while reading a backpacking magazine that the avid hiker and cross country runner finally found his post-graduation inspiration — to become the first person to complete the Transcontinental Sea-to-Sea trail.

In August of 2004, Skurka, 24, set out from Cape Gaspe, Quebec at the Atlantic Ocean. He scaled the high peaks of Canada and the Northeast, trudged through the freezing winter temperatures and deep snow of Minnesota, and spent pleasant days on the northern prairies before encountering snow again in the Rockies.

But after enduring three weeks of snow in the high Rockies, Skurka says it was smooth sailing once he reached Washington. Last July, almost a year and 7,778 miles later, Skurka completed his historic hike when he reached Cape Alva, Wash., on the Pacific Ocean.

Skurka will share his inspirational journey and recount the highlights from his odyssey — the people, the landscapes and wildlife — when he visits Sierra Adventure Outfitter in Lodi next Tuesday at 7 p.m.

A question-and-answer session will follow Skurka's presentation.

North Campus to Offer Classes for Outdoor Enthusiasts

Mar. 14, 2006, 5:39 a.m.

If you like the outdoors and want to learn how to backpack or rock-climb, Pennsylvania College of Technology’s North Campus has classes for you.

The noncredit Introduction to Backpacking and Rock Climbing 101 will be offered this spring at the North Campus, located three miles east of Wellsboro on Route 6.

Introduction to Backpacking is a fun, six-week course geared toward the novice. It covers basic equipment and skills for two- to five-day trips in the backcountry. Classes will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, April 4 through May 9. No previous knowledge or experience is needed. Some of the course will be held outside on the grounds of the North Campus. Students should wear appropriate outerwear and footwear.

Rock Climbing 101 is for those who are interested in vertical adventures but don’t know where to start. The workshop is an introduction to the basic components and safety measures used in the sport. Instructor Ben Nevin is a certified rock-climbing specialist and brings much experience in the increasingly popular sport. Classes will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Mondays, April 3 through May 15.

The cost for each course is $49, and pre-registration is required at least a week before classes begin.

For more information, or to register, contact the North Campus at (570) 724-7703.

Backpacking In The Sleeping Bear Dunes

February 28, 2006

by Steven Gillman

I was backpacking in the Sleeping Bear Dunes. It was March, so when I made it through the woods and over the dunes, I'd have miles of beach to myself. It was an over-nighter, a chance to test new ultralight backpacking equipment. I hiked the wooded hills quickly, enjoying the cold air.

Halfway through the forest, I stopped to cook noodles. The cheap 3-ounce pot was from a dollar store, and it worked fine. I was happy, because from the catalog descriptions, the expensive titanium pots are all heavier, probably because they're too thick and with too many gadgets.

I had to use a small twig-fire when my homemade alcohol stove didn't provide enough heat. I later learned that isopropyl alcohol doesn't burn as hot as the alcohol used for a gas additive, but the twigs worked in any case.

Backpacking On The Beach

After eating, I hiked to Lake Michigan, and sat up on a large sand dune. I watched the waves push ice up onto the empty beach. Coyotes began to howl in the distance, and the clouds rolled in. I was on the beach looking for petoskey stones when the snow began. Backpacking in March has its risks.

I was in running shoes, and it would be below freezing that night. In northern Michigan, March is definitely part of winter. My feet stayed warm while I hiked, but I hadn't planned on them getting wet. At least I had a pair of warm, dry socks for sleeping.

Ultralight Backpacking Equipment

It was the first time I used my GoLite Breeze backpack, which weighed only 13 ounces. I was hiking with about nine pounds on my back, and that only because I threw in some canned food. I was going light, but I knew the forests here and felt comfortable with my abilities.

My down sleeping bag was a 17-ounce Western Mountaineering HighLite. It was the first time I would use it below freezing (It hit 25 degrees fahrenheit that night). Fortunately, it wasn't too windy.

At the edge of the forest, behind the dunes, I set up my small tarp. I piled pine needles and dead bracken ferns under it, finishing just as it became dark. This made a warm mattress, and I slept well, listening to the coyotes, and to the waves pushing ice around in the lake.

In the morning I was happy to see only a dusting of snow. My one-pound sleeping bag had been warmer than my three-pounder - and I thought that was light. I poured alcohol in the cut-off bottom of a pepsi can (my 1/2-ounce backpacking stove) and made tea. After some crackers I was soon hiking in my mostly-dry shoes, along the Lake Michigan shoreline.

Backpacking Lessons Learned

I ended my trip that afternoon, with a hike to the village of Empire, seven miles away. I was mostly satisfied. Only two problems: My tarp was too small, and the alcohol I brought was the wrong type.

After backpacking in Michigan for years, I know it well. I know where to find dead grass and bracken ferns, for example, to make a warm mattress in a few minutes. Knowledge, obviously, can be as valuable as expensive backpacking gear.

Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of ultralight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.TheBackpackingSite.com.

Backpacking meals take prep

By Mike Gale
Recreation

Backpacking into the backcountry doesn't give one the option of stopping at a restaurant for a quick meal when hunger hits.

Eating on the trail can be a challenge. And carrying pounds and pounds of gear doesn't leave much room for food.

But everyone has to eat.

So to eat and not take up much room in the pack there are some ways to make meal preparation easier.

One way is to begin preparing food before even heading out. Dehydrators are relatively inexpensive and can be used to make one's own beef jerky, as well as dehydrating fruits and vegetables. Pasta sauce and hamburger also can be dehydrated.

The advantage is you condense nutritious food down but keep all the nutrients and make it easier to pack and carry.

Instead of carrying ingredients in their original containers you can pre-mix ingredients and carry them in zip-lock freezer bags. This cuts down on weight, and trash.

To keep critters out of camp, keep food stored away and pick up spills. Never sleep with food or other attractive items like toothpaste or gum in your tent. Those critters have a nose for such things and can disrupt a peaceful night of sleep. Hang it in a bag from a high tree limb or put it in a bear-proof container stored away from camp.

Pack snacks for the trip. Be sure to bring foods such as the dehydrated fruits or the beef jerky or some trail mix to eat while hiking. That way, you won't be famished and impatient when it comes time to cook the real meal.

Don't underestimate how much food a hiking group will need. Hiking uphill all day with a 40-pound pack does wonders for the appetite.

SURVIVAL: Ready to rough it or learn preparedness for survival? The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) will hold a wilderness course in late February intended to equip participants with confidence and independence in the backwoods. The two-day Land Navigation and Wilderness Survival Clinic will be held from 9 a.m. on Feb. 25 until 4 p.m. on Feb. 26 at Fort Hunter Liggett in Monterey County.

The cost for participating is $50 and space is limited. Participants will learn how to effectively read and understand the different maps used in land navigation. They also will learn how to understand compass bearings and a global positioning satellite system.

The clinic will cover survival kits and first aid, as well as how to cross streams and rivers and build emergency shelters. Instructors also will teach different wilderness techniques to collect water, start fires, and signal for help. Accommodations for the weekend will be at the military barracks with two students to a room. Bathroom and shower facilities are available in the barracks. Meals cost $9 a day and are in the military dining hall. Individuals interested in attending clinics can print registration forms from DFG's Hunter Education Program web page at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntclinics. The deadline for registration and fees is Saturday.

Take risks, be safe

The murder of British backpacker Katherine Horton in Thailand has raised alarm about the potential perils of travel. But while some tragedies can't be avoided, there are ways of balancing adventure with caution, as Ingrid Marson explains

Wednesday January 25, 2006

"I think you're really sexy." These are not the words you want to hear when you're alone at night in a deserted part of the Australian outback with an eccentric man whom you thought was only interested in friendship. He became angry when I rejected him and, for the remainder of the long night, I slept fitfully, nervous that he would attack me.

I always feel slightly sheepish when I try to explain how I came to be in this position. I had decided to buy a car and had phoned up a guy that restored secondhand cars, whom I'd met in a pub a few weeks earlier. It turned out that he was selling one of his cars and invited me to visit him in Coober Pedy, the outback opal-mining town where he lived, so I could see the car for myself.

Nowadays, such a situation would set off alarm bells, but filled with the desire for adventure and comforted by the fact that he was a fundamentalist Christian, I ended up visiting him for a few days. On that particular night, he had persuaded me to go camping in the outback, claiming he wanted to prove that the car was ideal for backpacking.

Although the night passed uneventfully, I was shaken for a few days afterwards, even after I had put a few hundred miles between the two of us by catching a bus back to Adelaide. What particularly frightened me was that I hadn't even told anyone who I was planning to stay with, nor where, so if something had happened no one would have known where I was.

Neil Thompson, a director at security risk company red24, which has helped backpackers get out of some sticky situations in the past, says that if you go off with a stranger while backpacking it's important to tell someone back home that you're going with that person, and give them a description. "That way we have something to start with if you do go missing," he says.

Luckily, the majority of times, even when someone goes missing there is an innocuous explanation - backpackers are notoriously bad at keeping in contact and often do not hear about local events, such as bombs or riots, so do not think to contact their families.

But, with the recent murder of Katherine Horton on an idyllic beach in Thailand, the potential risks of travelling are in the forefront of people's minds.

"Since her murder, parents are terrified of their children going backpacking," says Tom Griffiths, founder and director of The Gapyear Company.

Caroline's Rainbow Foundation, a charity that was set up by the family of murdered backpacker Caroline Stuttle, has produced a video that raises awareness of backpacker safety. The foundation says it has been "inundated" with requests for the video since Katherine's murder.

But Griffiths points out that what happened to Katherine is rare. Nine British nationals have been murdered in Thailand since August 2004, while 35,000 Brits are resident there and another 750,000 visited the country last year, according to Foreign Office figures. The same figures show that illness and accidents are a more common cause of death in Thailand - at least 188 British people died in the country last year, "mostly from natural causes and road accidents", says the FCO.

Charlie McGrath, the director of Objective Travel Safety, which runs a backpacker safety course, says road traffic accidents are one of his main concerns. When you're catching a bus in London, you don't have to worry about the road-worthiness of the vehicle or the sobriety of the driver, but in developing countries this can be a problem. "Rather than just bumbling on to a bus in Africa, you should check the state of the bus and look at the driver - does he look drunk or tired? Sit near the front of the bus so you can keep an eye on the driver," he says.

McGrath maintains that being aware of what is going on around you is the best way to avoid getting in trouble, whether that means avoiding crime or getting involved in an accident, or staying healthy.

"The key thing for backpackers or young travellers is that they've got to think on their feet," he says. "In the UK, when you talk to a policeman you don't think, 'is he corrupt?' and you don't think, 'is this taxi going to take me to where I want to go'. You have to be more aware overseas."

Although being alert and confident can help you avoid becoming a victim of crime when travelling, there are also steps you can take to minimise the impact of crime. John Cummings, director of Safetrek, an alternative backpacker safety course, advises that you carry your valuables with you, rather than leaving them in a potentially insecure room, and distribute them about your person.

"Take a money belt, a day pack, a dummy wallet and a real wallet with you. A thief or mugger is not going to have a checklist - they just want something that is of value to them," he says.

If you do face a mugger, simply hand over your money, rather than risk your life, says David Marks, the co-founder of Caroline's Rainbow Foundation.

"If you are approached by a mugger, give your goods over - don't fight back and don't try to be brave," he says. "You've got to realise that in certain countries, life is a lot cheaper."

To prepare for the worst-case scenario in which you do lose everything, keep some local currency in a safe place, such as sewn into your clothes, or under the insole of your shoe. This money will allow you to travel to the nearest UK embassy, where they can issue an emergency passport and help you contact family or friends to get help with money or tickets.

While crime and road accidents are relatively rare, one area where backpackers take big risks is with travel insurance. One in three backpackers aged between 18 and 24 travels without insurance, according to a Gapyear Company survey in 2004. If these backpackers fell seriously ill they could end up facing steep medical bills, which the majority of parents could not afford to pay without taking out a loan. "It's very easy to rack up a bill of £50,000 to £100,000 with medical problems - for the majority of parents this would mean remortgaging their house," he says.

Although it is important to take care of yourself when travelling, it is equally important to remember that most tricky situations can be easily resolved by believing in yourself and treating people with respect. Go into situations with your eyes open, but also trust that people usually mean well. During the year I spent travelling, the majority of the people I met were genuine and hospitable - from the Malaysian woman who invited me to her home and fed me a sumptuous meal of freshly caught crabs; to the Burmese man who arranged for a car to take me back to Mandalay when I was too ill to catch a bus; to the backpacker who looked out for me while we travelled around Cambodia.

And it is these examples of human kindness that I remember much more clearly than any of the hiccups along the way.

Top five tips
1 Take out travel insurance before you go
2 Take any required vaccinations and if you're taking anti-malarial tablets always complete the course
3 Be aware of what is going on around you
4 Treat people and the local culture with respect
5 Don't put all your valuables in one place and sew some local currency into your clothes

Review: Backpacking loses its appeal in 'Hostel'

By DAVID CARRIER
Contributing Writer

Backpacking through Europe has never appealed to me. If Eli Roth, the director of "Hostel," has his way it may never appeal to anyone again.

Roth's sophomore effort presents viewers with three typically hormonal young men: Paxton (Jay Hernandez), the cargo-pant-wearing frat boy; Josh (Derek Richardson), the sensitive, would-be writer, whose idea of a pick-up line is mentioning Kafka to a Czech girl; and the token goofy foreigner, Icelandic Oli (Eythor Gudjonsson). Together they spend the first half of the movie roaming the streets of Amsterdam smoking pot and enjoying the women of the red light district.

Because they feel Amsterdam is too commercial, they are pleased when a shady Russian character turns them on to a remote hostel in eastern Europe (the first hint of trouble) where chesty blondes await young Americans, eager to do anything imaginable. Ever-seeking the next exotic thrill, the trio board a train bound for Bratislava.

Plot to shanghai youth travelers

Better exchange rates, a hostel that looks like a four-star hotel and the most siliconed women on earth welcome the boys. But because this is a primarily a horror movie, all this good fortune can only foreshadow extreme trouble.

The whole operation is revealed as an elaborate plot to shanghai youth travelers. Kidnapees are brought to an abandoned warehouse where rich men pay large amounts of money to maim them with scalpels, blowtorches, chain saws, meat-hooks, kitchen sinks and, well, the point is that "Hostel" gets a little graphic with the fake blood and oozing appendages. It's definitely not for the kids, or the squeamish.

Like Roth's first feature, 2002's "Cabin Fever," the movie combines horror and comedy in a special way. Gags like the ones involving a roving band of vicious street kids who kill for bubble gum ease the tension the disturbing torture scenes create. It's a testament to Roth's enthusiasm for his craft that he can make his audience squirm as much as they laugh. There are even the gratuitous blood-splatterings that draw nervous chuckles.

Aside from its sometimes over-the-top gore, "Hostel" explores some mature themes. The premise of torture and sadism as sport is not anything new - Richard Connell's "The Most Dangerous Game" comes to mind most prominently - but by painting his heroes as immoral deviants themselves, Roth challenges us to feel sorry for them. Ironic, too, is the realization that the three boys become objects to be sold the same way the prostitutes they solicited were.

A large number of bizarre rumors are floating around the internet concerning "Hostel," and all of them are adding to its hype. Most involve viewers passing out or vomiting while watching it, or theaters calling ambulances. The strangest, however, recounts how Roth came up with the idea for the movie, but I'll leave that tidbit to the more interested readers to find.

"Hostel" was produced by Quentin Tarantino, an attribute that helped the film reach the top of the box office in its first weekend, collecting a respectable $19.5 million. But the movie should not be considered good based on Tarantino's name recognition. Rather, I feel "Hostel" is worthy of praise because of the of its gutsy quality. It does not pull its punches, and writer/director Eli Roth is one fellow to watch out for.

Climb The Highest Mountain

NOAH KORES
Special to ctnow.com

December 19 2005

I'm a fairly avid hiker, and I backpack four or five times a year. By far my favorite backpacking trip in the state is up Bear Mountain in scenic northwestern Connecticut's Berkshires.

This mountain makes for a great weekend trip in any season. And if you're looking for a short, challenging day hike, the walk up as far as the Lion's Head vista will give you a great view for your effort.

There are two ways to reach the Appalachian Trail before it crosses over Bear Mountain in Salisbury. The Undermountain Trail is shorter, but steeper. I prefer the route up Lion's Head Trail.

Late last February I hiked Bear Mountain with a few friends. We started on the Lion's Head Trail, at a parking area on Bunker Hill Road in Salisbury, and followed it up about half a mile to the Appalachian Trail. From there, it's about three miles to the summit of Bear Mountain.

I was carrying a 30-pound pack, dressed for the 25-degree temperatures in fleece and Thinsulate, with snowshoes, gloves and a winter hat.

A winter hiker needs to be careful about clothing. It's most important to avoid cotton because it soaks up sweat and water, which chills the skin.

It's also important to pack lots of water and to drink a lot while you hike. Remember that cold air soaks up the moisture as you exhale. Although it may seem counterintuitive, salty food can also help you retain water and stay more hydrated

The trail was relatively easy. We pushed our way up a few steep stretches by jamming the crampons attached to the bottom of our snowshoes into the snow and ice.

I find hills more rewarding than anything else on a winter hike. The sweat cools your face and you can see your breath as it warms the air as you hike upward. On the way down, you enjoy the rewards of the effort spent hiking up.

It's only about half a mile to Lion's Head vista, where the view is awesome. To one side we could see the Appalachian Trail wrap up and around Bear Mountain. Straight ahead, the view into Massachusetts seemed endless.

From Lion's Head we turned north on the Appalachian Trail and soon arrived at a lean-to, where we dropped off our packs. There is an enclosed toilet near the shelter, but no running water. We grabbed some water from the stream nearby, threw in some iodine to sanitize it and made the last pitch to the summit of Bear Mountain.

At the top of Bear Mountain is a pyramid with a flat, square top, about eight feet high, that offers a nice panoramic view to the north and west of mounts Race, Everett and Frissell and to the east of the Twin Lakes in Salisbury. At 2,316 feet, Bear Mountain's summit is the highest peak in Connecticut, but it's not the state's highest point. The highest point is on the south slope of Mt. Frissell, at 2,380 feet, on the way to its summit in Massachusetts.

Hikers are scarce on Bear Mountain in the winter, and we had the luxury of a lean-to to ourselves. We also had the pleasure of reading the lean-to logbook, where hikers share their stories. One highly dubious story concerned a man who claimed he came across a bear trying to attack a hiker who had climbed halfway up a tree. The man claimed he killed the bear with his trekking pole, skinned it and made bear burgers for himself and the hiker he had rescued.

The night we spent in the lean-to, the temperature got down to 10 or 15 degrees. With a 0-degree down sleeping bag, I was warm enough to sleep, though my face got a bit chilly.

Hikers returning on this route can head back down the Lion's Head Trail or push on to Sages Ravine in Massachusetts. Either way, it's downhill.

Gift ideas for outdoors folks

Posted on Sun, Dec. 04, 2005
Phil Bloom

You wonder sometimes when, or even whether, you will be touched by the Christmas spirit.

For me, it arrived in Wednesday’s mail with delivery of the L.L. Bean “holiday best” catalog. A quick flip through 88 pages of wishful thinking made me realize there are fewer than three weeks to get Santa Claus a list of all the new goodies I’d like to add to my growing collection of outdoor gear.

That means it’s time for the sixth annual Journal Gazette Outdoors page holiday gift guide, which is the same as saying staff artist Gregg Bender gets another shot at creating an illustration that makes me look like a fat guy in a red suit.

In previous years, the gift guide has highlighted such must-have items as Uncle Booger’s Bumper Dumper, an Indiana state park pass (which then cost $18 but next year will ring up at $36 – yikes!), a carbon-fiber canoe paddle weighing 12.5 ounces, a Kevin VanDam bobblehead, and my personal favorite – a Jetboil backpacking stove.

Now there’s never a shortage of creative ideas in the outdoor gear industry, and this year’s no different.

Take the aforementioned L.L. Bean catalog, for instance.

OK, so it includes pink, terrycloth bath robes and snowsuits for toddlers, but it’s got some really useful stuff, too. The kind of clever marketing tactics that make you slap yourself on the forehead and mutter, “Why didn’t I think of that!”

Like the Nalgene water bottles.

Perhaps you’ve seen them before. Made from hard plastic (actually polycarbonate), the 32-ounce bottles are essential equipment for backpackers because they are lightweight and durable – you can’t break ’em with a sledgehammer.

The ones in L.L. Bean come with added features. One is filled with a sampling of Toblerone chocolate and the other with an assortment of personal hygiene items – shower gel, shampoo, razor, shaving cream, toothpaste, mouthwash … and bath salts.

They’re priced at $19, which is what L.L. Bean also wants for an “ergonomically” shaped, 18-ounce water bottle that is stuffed with a pedometer, sunscreen, lip balm and first-aid kit.

Now, the options for finding nifty holiday gifts for your favorite outdoors man, woman, child or pet aren’t restricted to L.L. Bean. You can find a lot of the same products at local stores in the Fort Wayne area, but either way I’m here to help with a few suggestions.

I’ve not personally field tested every item. Who’d have the time or money to do that? Instead, the following list represents a sort of vicarious window shopping spree.

Required reading

If you’re buying for an avid reader, here are a couple of good reads I’ve stumbled onto:

•“Sowbelly: The Obsessive Quest for the World Record Largemouth Bass” by Monte Burke ( www.penguin.com, $23.95). Burke lives and works in New York City, where he writes for Forbes magazine. But don’t let that fool you. He loves fishing, and “Sowbelly” is his look at some of the people who have purposely tried catching a largemouth bass bigger than the recognized world record caught in 1932 by George Perry.

•“The Everlasting Stream: A True Story of Rabbits, Guns, Friendship and Family” by Walt Harrington ( www.groveatlantic.com, $23 hardback, $13 paperback). First released in 2002, “Everlasting Stream” is Harrington’s historical memoirs of hunting with his father-in-law and a group of elderly black men in rural Kentucky. What makes the story so compelling is how Harrington, a Washington Post reporter with an aversion to hunting, turns a decade of traditional Thanksgiving hunts into a commentary on life and friendship. Harrington now heads the journalism department at the University of Illinois.

Let there be light

How many times have you been in the dark only to find the batteries in your flashlight are dead as a doornail?

Fear no more, my fellow night owls.

The Max Burton Wind ’n Go Flashlight is the answer.

The Wind ’n Go weighs about a pound and is powered by a rechargeable lithium battery. When the light begins to dim, flip open the handle and crank it for a minute to provide a half-hour of fresh power.

It’s made by Athena Brands Inc., ( www.athenabrands.com) of Gardnerville, Nev., and sells for about $20.

Games people play

Who doesn’t know about Monopoly?

Who hasn’t burned an opponent on Park Place or been shipped off to jail without passing go and collecting $200?

There have been all sorts of spin-offs to the famous board game, but none quite like the one developed by two Ohio men – Dirk Gadd and Darin Overholser.

Whitetailopoly.

Based on the original game, Whitetailopoly pits hunters trying to acquire hunting ranches with game pieces shaped like bullets or deer antlers.

The game costs $29 and is available at www.whitetailopoly.com or through the Cabela’s catalog.

Hooked on fishing

When Terri MacKinnon’s sister was diagnosed with breast cancer, she decided to use her passion for fishing to try to make a difference.

So, she formed FisherGirl ( www.fishergirl.com), a Canadian company whose stated purpose is “to introduce the joys and benefits of fishing and the outdoors to women and children.”

FisherGirl offers fishing rod and reel sets designed for different age groups. The Mermaid, for women age 19 and older, made a splash at the ICAST fishing trade show this summer where it was judged the best new reel-and-rod combo.

The Mermaid comes in a 6-foot telescoping model ($47) or a two-piece combo ($59).

The company donates a portion of its sales proceeds to fight breast cancer.

Home away from home

The first rule of backpacking is to go light.

At 4 pounds, 4 ounces, the MSR Hubba Hubba ( www.msrcorp.com; $290) got the nod from Men’s Health magazine as its favorite backpacking tent.

Besides the Hubba Hubba’s easy-on-the-back weight, Men’s Health liked the two-door design and pole configuration that spread the tent enough to give the magazine’s reviewer plenty of room.

“I’m 6-foot-6 and didn’t touch at either end or bump into my tentmate while sleeping or sitting up,” he said.

Cool, clear water

If you’ve ever been on a wilderness trip and had to endlessly hand pump water through a filter, you’ve had to think, “There’s got to be a better way!”

There is, and it’s the SteriPEN – a portable water purifier that uses ultraviolet light to destroy all those yuckie things that will make you sick if you drink them.

And it’s fast. Dip one of those 32-ounce Nalgene bottles mentioned above into a mountain stream, insert the SteriPEN ( www.hydrophoton.com, $149.95), flip the switch, and the battery-powered device will give you safe drinking water in about 90 seconds.

Everything You Know About Backpacking in Europe is Outdated

Over the past 30 years, the classic post-college trip has changed considerably

Brooke Kosofsky Glassberg
May 2005 issue

Don't try to do it all

With cheap airfares to Europe and travelers happy to head over to Dublin or Geneva just for a weekend festival, the world is a lot smaller than it once was. Kids should not approach this as their only chance to see Europe, as some of their aunts and uncles did a generation ago. Instead of trying to experience everything in a single trip, it's far more sensible and fun to concentrate on a manageable two or three countries.

Skip the monster rail pass

In the past, backpackers opted for the big whopper of a Eurail pass, which covered travel in almost every country. A one-month youth ticket (valid if you're under 26) now costs $615, an expense only worth it if you take long trips on the train almost every day--which no one should do. Go for something more cost-effective and better suited to your needs, such as a France'n Italy Youth Pass, with 10 days of train travel in both countries during a two-month span for $337 (raileurope.com or railpass.com).

Search out low-fare carriers

Flying within Europe used to be far too expensive for the backpacker budget. Thanks to the growth of no-frills airlines such as Ryanair and EasyJet, hopping a flight is often quicker and cheaper than the train or bus. Now, if what you want to do is spend two weeks in Scotland and a month in Italy, there's no need to travel through France and England, wasting time on trains and ferries. Just fly direct from Glasgow to Pisa on Ryanair for about $70. Be warned that the no-frills carriers often fly into airports that are far from the city center, and they typically charge extra if you're checking a bag that weighs more than 40 pounds-trouble for backpackers in particular. For a roster of discount airlines and routes, consult lowcostairlineseurope.org.

Use the Internet for everything

The old way to reserve a bed in a hostel was to call or show up first thing in the morning and pray there was a spot for that night. If the place was full, you scrambled for alternatives and sometimes even had to leave town. The Internet has made this and other headaches disappear. Most hostels either accept bookings through their websites or are part of a network that takes online reservations.Hostelbookers.com offers free reservations at hundreds of hostels, gives prices in U.S. dollars, and supplies details on whether breakfast is included and if private rooms are available. If you want to know what the range of options are in town, from hostels to five-star hotels, visit cheapaccommodations.com. There are Internet stations all over Europe. Most hotels and hostels have free or pay-per-minute computers so you can e-mail parents and friends, upload pictures, update blogs, buy plane tickets, print maps, check train schedules, or reserve spots to see The Last Supper. There are also tons of online reviews and travelers' forums--bootsnall.com, thorntree.lonelyplanet.com, gapyear.com, hostelz.com--that give a sense of what's cool and what's overhyped. Word of mouth is always the best source for recommendations on where to stay and eat, as well as that undiscovered beach in Portugal or hip club in Berlin.

Think before calling collect

A few years ago, calling home from pay phones that took only coins and required complicated dialing codes was maddening and expensive. If e-mail doesn't meet your needs, buy an international calling card at a convenience store in Europe. You generally get better rates if you pick up one there, rather than bringing a card from home. For keeping in regular contact or trying to meet up with friends abroad (formerly a huge conundrum) rent a cell phone from Cellular Express ($15 per week plus $3.74 per minute to call the U.S.) or Roberts Rent-a-Phone (from $23 per week plus $2.25 per minute to call the U.S.). If you already use AT&T Wireless/Cingular, T-Mobile, or Nextel, ask about bringing your phone overseas, as well as about fees for calling the U.S. from the countries you're visiting.

Go with plastic

Trying to find a place with a good exchange rate for traveler's checks is a chore. Credit cards are universally accepted and offer up-to-the-minute rates. ATMs are everywhere, but you'll typically be hit with a fee for each withdrawal. Take out a decent sum every once in a while rather than a little here and there. Stuff a couple of $100 traveler's checks in a hidden sleeve of your backpack for when you run out of cash. Some things never change.

Prepare well for pleasant backpacking

Be sure to practice setting up tent and walking around with backpack before heading out.

By Ryan Bowling
FOR THE NEWS-LEADER

Backpacking is just you and nature, both moving along at your own leisurely paces. Don't worry if you don't know the first thing about picking out a pack, dressing for the outdoors or finding the right spot to take the picture for this year's Christmas cards — there are experts ready to help.

"The socks," Tammy Peelor of Springfield says. "That really helped me out. I hadn't thought about it."

She's referring to a piece of advice from Don Brink and Lance Carlson, both volunteers at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, who, like Peelor and husband Jeff, were beginning backpackers once. But time has passed and their knowledge has grown, so the two get together to lend their expertise in a yearly seminar for novices.

"We've backpacked a couple times, down in Arkansas," Tammy says. "But we really just wanted to pick up some pointers."

To help Tammy with her cold feet, Brink says, "You want a nonabsorbent sock, preferably two pairs of socks, and the other should be wool."

This is just a snippet of advice from the two pros — Brink has been backpacking for 31 years, and Carlson started as a Boy Scout. Here's a guide, in Brink and Carlson's words, to help rookie backpackers get a grip on the trials ahead.

THREE 'P'S'

To start, both Brink and Carlson preach the three "P's" of backpacking — practice, practice, practice.

"Do your homework," Brink says. "Break in those boots and set up your tent in the back yard. Just know what you're doing before you get there. Realize how prepared you should be. You should always practice before you get out there and do the real thing."

When trekking through the wilderness with your backpack, especially as a beginner, it's important to have a few things — like a backpack.

Brink and Carlson say there are basically two types out there — external frame packs and internal frame packs.

Both have advantages and disadvantages. For instance, internal frames don't vent air as well, so your back will stay hot — but external frames shift the weight of the pack around more. The choice comes down to personal preference.

Brink says he currently uses an internal frame pack, but has used the external before and been happy. You'll also want a waterproof cover for either.

While getting into backpacking can be relatively inexpensive, it's important to spend money on the things that matter most, the experts say. For instance, the boots are important.

"Try your boots on," Carlson says. "Have the socks you'll be actually wearing with you and try them on. Make sure they have some good, thick tread on the sole and fit just right."

With clothes, though, backpackers can cut some corners while still maintaining the quality they'll want.

Depending on the weather conditions for the place you're going (do your homework, the experts stress), discount stores or even thrift and surplus stores may carry what you need.

Fleece is good for keeping warm. Windbreaker pants and jackets help keep you dry. Bandannas help keep the sun off your neck and can be coupled with a hat to help shade your eyes. Backpackers need running shoes to wear when camping, and durable gloves, underwear and socks.

Brink and Carlson say you get what you pay for when it comes to tents, so be prepared to spend a little more on your shelter.

"You should purchase a tent that can handle the most extreme conditions you're likely to encounter," Carlson says. "You also want it to have enough space for the people sleeping in it."

OUTDOOR COOKING

Eating is also one of those things you'll find yourself wanting to do while backpacking, but keep in mind how important minimalism is to your overall well-being. Remember, you have to carry food and cooking supplies with you — all of it.

Stoves and stove fuel are fairly inexpensive and can be handy. You'll also want some utensils to eat and cook with as well as metal cups. Matches in a waterproof container are essential, as are plastic bags for food storage and disposal.

And don't forget the actual food. Brink and Carlson suggest bringing seasonings, cooking oil, dehydrated foods, trail mix and snacks, and Brink's favorite, ramen noodles, which are about as easy to prepare as it gets.

NECESSITIES

Medical necessities are important when you're cut off from the world. You'll absolutely need a first-aid kit, Carlson says.

It's also good to have allergy pills, lip balm, sunscreen, insect repellent and a water purification filter or tablets because, the experts say, the last thing you want when you're without a toilet is diarrhea.

Rounding out the items you'll be glad you brought are a topographical map, compass, flashlight with extra bulbs and batteries, knife, nylon cord, whistle, duct tape, toothbrush and paste, soap, toilet paper and a towel.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it will certainly help get you started, Carlson and Brink say. Both recommend going into stores that sell the things you need and trying them all out. Brink says if they won't let you test it all in the store — like actually packing a pack to feel its weight — go somewhere else.

Now that they're armed with a new set of tips and tricks, the Peelors are eager to get back outside.

"Just being out in nature, the privacy, living off what you can carry," Jeff Peelor says. "It's great."

Experiencing the Grand Tetons

Issue: 9/29/05
By Greg Roberts
Versus Magazine Online [Image based format]

I still don't know what the woman in the red dress wasdoing on the trail. She was fiftyish, blonde, and had white sneakers to go with her blazing red dress. It was not a modest red, but lipstick red, red enough to make her a garish eyesore in Grand Teton National Park's landscape of greens, grays and browns. But there she was, strolling along the hot, dusty trail to Taggart Lake. And the oddest thing about her was not that she was wearing a long red dress to hike on a hot summer day, but the fact that she did not think she was odd. She was oblivious, to me and to everyone else on the trail, oblivious to how she clashed so magnificently with her surroundings. She was clearly absorbed in her own world where it is normal to wear a long red dress and white sneakers to go for a ramble in the mountains.

But as I walked this last mile of my three-night backpacking trip, it became clear to me that she was an ambassador of sorts, sent to welcome me back from the wilderness. She was the ambassador of all the weird quirks in the human race, the ambassador of "civilized" society. I wanted to run away right then and there, off the trail and up into the mountains from which I had just emerged-back to the uncivilized, where there is nothing so absurd as this woman in a red dress, where everything makes sense and has order and is as it should be. But I did not run, and I walked on past her. She made me sad in an odd sort of way, because it was so apparent that she just doesn't know. She doesn't know, and neither does the family struggling to push their umbrella-shaded stroller down the bumpy trail, nor does the portly family that asked me between short breaths how much farther it was to the lake when they were only ten minutes removed from their car. Most of the tourists hiking that mile and a half to the lake simply don't know what is back there beyond Taggart Lake-the explosive fields of wildflowers, the snowfields that are still to be found in August, and the brilliant blue bowls of water nestled beneath the craggy spires. And it strikes me with a sort of melancholy that they do not know of these things.

I can say this because I know a thing or two about these summer vacationers. As a ranger, I stood in a booth at a park entrance station talking to them all summer. It was my duty to greet the endless stream of "visitors" (we weren't supposed to call them tourists) to Grand Teton, checking their passes, taking their money, and answering their questions. Brilliant questions, like, "Are the salmon spawning right now?" and, "Is that salt on the mountains?" and the perennial favorite, "Are we in Yellowstone?" Often I simply had to orient them on Grand Teton's complicated road map, which essentially consists of two highways. I have been a tourist numerous times in my life, and now that I have dealt with them as an insider, I never want to be one again.

So as I finished up this hike I was dreading the fact that I would be at work later that afternoon. It is hard to go from sleeping under the stars and seeing maybe a dozen people in the course of a day to confinement in a cramped booth and seeing a dozen consecutive carloads in the span of a few minutes. But I really can't complain, even if a thousand women in red dresses and white sneakers who could barely hike up a hill came through my gate each day, because that was my ticket to a summer of backpacking in the mountain paradise of northwestern Wyoming. And I had three nights worth of bliss to sustain me through the next five days of work before I would rejuvenate myself all over again the next weekend. It was a weekly cycle.

This trip in particular still stands out to me, not just because it was my first real off-trail adventure, but because it was punctuated quite unexpectedly at the end by the lady in the red dress. My buddy Stew and I planned to do this trip of 20 miles over three nights, starting the afternoon we got off from the 6:00 a.m. shift at work, and this really was not strenuous mileage considering that we had day-hiked 21 miles together earlier in the summer. But it was far better this way, because it allowed us time to stop and admire things, such as the black bear that wandered up the trail behind us that first evening on our way up Cascade Canyon. I enjoyed this black bear more than most of the others I saw that summer, because Stew and I had this one to ourselves. Not another hiker passed by on the trail while we watched him; that bear was ours and ours alone. He was not mine and forty other people's, as is usually the case during the massive bear jams that pile up along the highway when one is spotted. With such sightings, you have to share the bear with a bunch of frenzied families running around trying to get a picture and endangering their kids in the process. Out on the trail, you are completely free from such madness.

There was also the pair of moose munching away further up the trail on the grassy, willowy island in the middle of Cascade Creek. I must have seen a few dozen moose in the three months I spent out there, but I never became jaded enough to tire of watching them. And as much as I enjoy having an animal to myself, I pointed the moose out to passing hikers because it is a wonderful experience to sit and contemplate such whimsical creatures. We all may know what a moose is supposed to look like, but until you actually see one, you don't realize that it is basically an enormous deer with a very curious rack of antlers and facial features more like a camel's. A moose makes you realize that God or Mother Nature or whatever you believe in must have a sense of humor to make something so ridiculous seem so majestic at the same time. After two encounters with the local fauna in as many hours, I couldn't help wondering how many of the roadside tourists ever got to experience an animal in the wild with no one else around.

Before long, we decided to leave the moose alone because the sun was sinking lower behind the mountain skyline that surrounded us, and there is nothing worse than cooking and setting up camp in the dark. After all, in the wilderness, nightfall means night, not just a darker time of day when the street lamps come on. It is an inky darkness that makes you wonder where your feet are and makes a city-dweller appreciate for the first time the luminous brilliance of a full moon, when it is truly a second sun. Sure, we had headlamps, but that is only for when nature calls in the middle of the night; such artificial lights ruin the beauty and mystery of total darkness. I thought what a shame it is that most of the tourists who prefer their cozy log cabins will never know what it is like to immerse yourself in the utter darkness of the unknown.

That first night we landed somewhere right below the massive bulk of the mightiest mountain in the park, the Grand Teton. The more I stared at it, the more its 13,770 feet seemed to loom larger and larger, until I felt small and insignificant. Beneath such enormity, I was helpless to stop that sense of smallness from creeping into the very core of my being, until I soon accepted it as truth. Now acutely aware of our puniness, we pitched our tents at a site near the creek, amidst a landscape of rocks and stunted evergreens, with wildflowers strewn about. Our proximity to the water reminded me how wonderful it is to camp next to cascading water, and not just because it is easier to fetch our meals. Rather, the steady music of running water plays in your ears all night; it lulls you to sleep and courses through your dreams, washing over your soul without you ever knowing. I wished longingly that all the tourists who lined up at my gate could learn to take the time to appreciate small wonders such as this.

The next day we had to climb, but I no longer dreaded carrying a 30-lbs pack 2,000 feet up a mountain pass, because by now I could breathe deeply of the oxygen-depleted air as if I was back home at sea level in Florida. Such a climb only gave me a sense of well-being and accomplishment. On the way up to Hurricane Pass-as happens every so often on the trail-I was reminded of that dirty, crowded world outside the park boundaries. I was reminded by the sad face of Schoolroom Glacier. It was melting and dirty, and had a desperate look about it as it sat helpless beneath the noonday sun. The trail to the pass switchbacked right by it, allowing me to walk right up to the glacier and touch it. And it was almost like touching a dinosaur, because it is not only massive and ancient, but also almost extinct. It still clung to the mountainside, but when I looked at the hollowed bowl of turquoise water a few hundred feet beneath it, I thought of how it probably once extended all the way down into that rock-rimmed bowl, or even beyond. I was further saddened to think how Glacier National Park just 900 miles to the north is supposed to lose all of its remaining namesakes within the next 30 years. More importantly, I wondered then how many of the millions of people who visit these parks each year really care.

At the top of Hurricane Pass, however, it was impossible not to feel good, even giddy. You could look back and see a trinity of peaks-the Grand, Middle, and South Tetons-all lined up across from you, soaring above the surrounding landscape like a cathedral, and indeed they were my cathedral in that moment. From the pass you could look out into the distant farmlands of Idaho, and also spy the southern reaches of the Teton Range, with new peaks beckoning to be explored. And this is why I love mountain passes so much; they are the crossroads of the old and the new. They put everything into perspective, showing you both where you came from and where you are going. I could indeed see the splendor of where I was going, that big beautiful crater of contrasts called Alaska Basin. In late summer, all the space that is not occupied by lingering patches of snow or bare glaciated rock is filled by the most amazing displays of wildflower imaginable-more beautiful than any garden-and it is all encased by canyon-like walls of rock.

I could try to describe how amazing it was to camp there at Sunset Lake in such surroundings, but that wasn't even the highlight of the second night. The best part was talking with Stew after dinner, standing in an open meadow at sunset. We talked about things that mattered, like what we wanted to do with our lives and how we might find fulfillment. I found it infinitely refreshing to have a conversation of such substance, one that was thought-provoking and not merely idle chatter. I realized then that there is a dearth of such conversations in my life-and just about everyone else's. This made me even gladder to be on the trail, where you talk a lot less about useless things and fruitless gossip, because the beauty around you does all the talking. It is only worth interrupting if there is something that needs to be said. The clarity of the pristine environment enabled me to wrap myself in thought and make some sense of certain big questions that have long puzzled me. At the same time, my pensive mood led me to wonder if we have become so used to wrapping ourselves in mindless conversation that we are afraid to hear ourselves think.

It was not until the next day, however, that the real fun began, when we finally left the familiarity of the designated trail. Our planned off-trail route took us up a scree slope to the top of a shallow divide about 1,000 feet above us to the east. From there we would drop down to Snowdrift Lake in Avalanche Canyon, right below an awesome rock face simply known as the Wall. So we began climbing up towards the divide, slipping frequently along the way, because the slope was steep and scree by its very nature is quite loose. I distinctly remember at one point-about two-thirds of the way up-looking to my side and realizing that the slope angle was a solid 45 degrees or worse. It was unwise to be there when there were just loose rocks and gravel for footing, and I am forever indebted to my trekking poles for saving me from a long slide. Once we did make it to the divide, lo and behold, there was a huge, sheer chunk of ice awaiting, blocking our passage like a beached whale in a tiny lagoon. This was slightly disconcerting after our struggle to get there, but such concerns quickly took a backseat. We were simply too awestruck by the giant panorama of rock that is the Wall, and I was delighted by the brutal simplicity and accuracy of its name. I was also overcome with gratitude that I was not bound to the beaten path in the manner of most tourists-then I could never marvel at this awe-inspiring sight.

Since we certainly weren't going to turn back, we just went around the ice, skirting its edges and butt-sliding (I would call it glissading, but that is a term reserved for snow) down the loose rock. Our initial goal was the splendidly teal Snowdrift Lake, which glistened below us at 10,000 ft. Now the only thing worse than ascending a scree slope is descending one, and we quickly grew tired of feeling like we were going to start an avalanche with every step. So as soon as we reached a snowfield with a mellower grade we sat on our butts- packs and all-and glissaded down several hundred feet, letting our own barbaric yawp sound over the mountains. Stew had carried an ice axe all this way, so his glissading was nice and controlled, but I was without one. I flew down more like a kamikaze, having only my feet for brakes, and I wouldn't have it any other way. By the time I reached the bottom, there was snow in every crease of my pack and clothing, my butt was slightly numb, and I was laughing giddily from the rush.

Our final obstacle for the day was to scramble down the boulder fields to Taminah Lake, which lay 1,000 feet below Snowdrift. Boulders fields are one thing, but they are something else when most of the 1,000 feet is lost in a half-mile. I am convinced that if I had to negotiate that punishing drop-off everyday, I would need a knee replacement by the time I was 30. But we made it nonetheless, our wobbly legs the only sign of wear. We camped that night on the lip of Taminah Lake in the most torrential downpour I have ever weathered from inside a tent. It was a tempest complete with tropical storm-force winds and the kind of lightning that is so close it makes you jump out of your skin with each crack. The buffeting gales caused me the great inconvenience of having to leave the comfort of my sleeping bag and-in just boxer briefs and a shirt-re-stake my tent so that it wouldn't flap away in the wind. When I emerged from my flimsy shelter, the frigid drops were pelting me sideways, and as I went around securing each stake I envisioned myself as one of those sailors you see in movies, struggling with his ship's rigging in a fierce storm. When I got back in the tent, instead of feeling cold and wet, I found myself feeling alive as ever, invigorated by the fury of the alpine weather. I reflected then on my day and the joys of off-trail travel-how much fun it was to slide down snowfields without skis and how fortunate we were to have not taken any undesired tumbles. Then I thought of how most people were sleeping soundly in their lodgings while the storm raged around me, and I pitied them.

Yet there was also a bittersweet feeling in my heart because it was the last night of the trip and-despite my best efforts-visions of the long lines of cars at work kept creeping into my head. Fortunately, I had more to look forward to on the last day, including another marvelously daunting stretch of scree and boulder fields, which gave way to the unkempt trail leading out of Avalanche Canyon. After we were done having fun on the slopes, I found a new revel in tromping through the mud near the lower elevations. Our waterproof boots were unable to keep out the copious amounts of water that had pooled along the path and were clinging to the brush. We also had to duck and hop over fallen trees on the way back to the maintained trail, our feet squishing gleefully in our boots. I am not being facetious in calling these experiences the joys of hiking off trail-there were none of the tourist families and odd couples, with their bear bells and fanny packs, that I eventually found myself surrounded by on the Taggart Lake trail. I couldn't help but feel out of place carrying a heavy pack down this trail where a bottle of water is sufficient, smelling of three-and-a-half-days-worth of sweat while half the women on the trail were wearing makeup.

But I realized that I was not terribly out of place when the woman in the red dress confronted me. She jarred me back to the absurd reality of the world we live in, so that my fresh recollections of wildflowers and summer snowfields and towering peaks were pushed into the recesses of memory. This is always a depressing thing, but instead of resentment I felt a sort of compassion for this woman, because it was so clear that she didn't know what I had realized while backpacking. Now maybe she is not physically able or simply does not care to know, as is the case with so many of the people who visit the park-I am not foolish enough to think that everyone should like what I like. But she and all the other visitors to Grand Teton are there for a reason, and in most cases it is because they appreciate the beauty of the place. But they only look at this beauty, and this is the cause of my secret sadness at journey's end. I want to grab them, shake them and somehow impart to them what they are missing, so that they can know what I have experienced. There is such an enormous difference between venturing from your car for a few hours and immersing yourself in the totality of such beauty. And so I cannot help but lament the fact that more people do not choose to put aside their red dresses and allow themselves to be bruised and battered and fatigued and refreshed and nurtured all at the same time, in the way that only the mountains can do.

The ABCs of Backpacking

It's "back to school" time once again!! This fall, more than 40 million students will head off to class with backpacks slung over their shoulders; about 20 million of them will be carrying twice the recommended weight on their backs. Improperly used and overloaded backpacks can lead to painful neck and back problems that may last a lifetime.

According to a recent survey conducted by the North American Spine Society (NASS), www.spine.org in the past year 42.6% of NASS member physicians have treated children or teens suffering from back pain or spine trauma caused by overloaded or improperly used backpacks. The diagnoses range from cervical, thoracic and lumbar strain to spondylolysis, a stress fracture in one of the vertebrae that make up the spinal column.

The North American Spine Society offers the ABCs of Backpacking tips for parents and students in backpack injury prevention.

Allow wheels - 31.7%of those surveyed recommend using a backpack on wheels. This type of back pack is helpful if a child is already symptomatic or if parents anticipate that he/she will be carrying loads more than 25 lbs.

Back to basics - 20.8%of the spine specialists polled recommend the traditional style backpack. If you opt for this style, make sure the pack has two thick, padded straps along with a waist strap for added lumbar support.

Comfort counts - 30.7%of NASS members recommend that parents don 't buy the . rst back pack they see.It 's important to make sure the backpack feels comfortable to the child and the straps can be adjusted for a tight fit.

Don't overload - Whatever backpack style parents choose for their children, it 's important to remember that what 's inside that really counts! In fact,64%of those surveyed claim that overloading the pack is the number one way children and teens improperly use their backpacks. All of the doctors surveyed agreed that the size of the pack should be proportionate to the child, NOT to the size of the items he will be carrying.

Everything is too much - Pack only what you need! NASS members recommend that the pack should weigh no more than 10-15%of the child 's body weight.

Fit your frame --Always use both straps and adjust them snugly on your shoulders.

Get organized --Organize the pack so the heavy items are closest to your back. Use smaller compartments to help store loose items and distribute the weight evenly.

Heavy hurts!- Don 't carry more than you can handle. Make frequent stops to unload the pack. Encourage your child not to carry all the books they will need for the day.

NASS Vice President Dr.Joel Press, a leading physiatrist at the Chicago Rehabilitation Institute, says: "When used properly, backpacks are a great way for kids to carry their schoolbooks and supplies they need throughout the day. Parents should be sure and ask their children if they feel any pain in the back or the neck. And, if a child is experiencing discomfort, be sure and take it seriously and see a specialist." If parents are concerned about the heavy school loads children and teens are carrying on a daily basis, they can also:

# Contact the school and work with teachers to identify ways to lighten the load.
# Purchase two sets of books - one set for home and the other to be left at school ((another cost effective option is to make photocopies of the week 's book chapters at the library.
# Encourage children to be active and to strengthen the muscles in and around the back and neck to protect and aid in injury prevention.

The North American Spine Society (NASS)is a multidisciplinary organization that advances quality spine care through education, research and advocacy. NASS members are MDs,DOs and PhDs in 22 spine-related specialties including orthopedics, neurosurgery, physiatry, pain management and other disciplines. Nurse practitioners, physician's assistants, chiropractors, physical therapists, practice administrators and other allied health care professionals involved in spine care are also represented in NASS as af .liate members.

More Safety Tips from Lands End

After finding the perfect backpack, observing a few basic "pack and carry" guidelines can eliminate even the smallest safety woes parents may have. Following are some helpful tips for kids from the American Physical Therapy Association:
# Loading the pack - Pack heavier objects toward the bottom and near the back of the pack. Also, make sure any pointy objects are packed away from the area that will rest on the child's back.
# Don't overpack - Make sure the child's backpack weighs no more than 12% of his or her body weight. If a child is leaning forward from the weight of the backpack, he or she should lighten the load and re-evaluate the contents of the pack.
# Wear both shoulder straps - The positioning and wearing of both shoulder straps of a backpack are essential to ensure safety and comfort. By wearing both shoulder straps, the weight of the pack is evenly distributed and the stronger torso muscles "carry" the weight of the pack. Wearing both shoulder straps enhances proper spine alignment.
# Perfect positioning - Physical therapists suggest that shoulder straps fit comfortably on the shoulder and under the arms. The bottom of the pack should rest in the contour of the lower back. The pack should also "sit" evenly in the middle of the back, not up toward the shoulders or "sagging down" toward the buttocks.
# No names, please - If you're considering a monogram for your child's backpack, don't use full names. This prevents strangers from addressing your child by name, which can give kids a false sense of security.

For more information visit www.landsend.com

Joel M. Press, MD. Dr. Press graduated from the University of Michigan in 1980 with a B.S. Degree-with distinction, Microbiology. He received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 1984, and did his Internship at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University Medical School in 1984-85. He completed his Residency at Northwestern University Medical School, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago in 1988. He has been an attending physician at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago since 1988 and in 1989 he founded and directed the Sports Rehabilitation Program at Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. In December of 1994, Dr. Press was instrumental in the opening of the Center for Spine, Sports, and Occupational Rehabilitation, with Dr. Press as its Medical Director. He has published numerous articles, edited a textbook, chaired numerous courses, and been invited to lecture many times. Dr. Press is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Medical School.

Dr. Press is a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and board certified by The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine. He is the current Vice President of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, past President of The Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation, been an Oral Board Examiner and Written Board Examination-item writer. He is currently the 1st Vice President of the North American Spine Society.

For more information visit www.spine.org.

Hiking lighter, hiking smarter: Taking the trail to backpacking enlightenment

By BRETT FRENCH
Gazette Outdoor Writer

I felt exposed. With my motley collection of backpacking gear laid out for criticism, I was sure Ryan Jordan would laugh out loud. After all, the founder of BackpackingLight.com is the guru of all things new and lightweight - a high-end gear aficionado.

But he took the discussion of my hand-me-down external frame pack and its jumbled contents very seriously. He carefully assessed the contents and pointed out how I could save weight and loaned me several items to test. The only time he showed emotion was when he came across my old blue Gerry down vest, circa 1973.

"That's cool," he said. "That's a relic. You could probably sell it for $200 on eBay."

Mentor needed

Conversion to a new belief system takes a mentor, someone who can point out the enlightenment in a new way of thinking. That's how I ended up talking to Jordan. Hoping to trim the weight off my traditional backpacking gear, I appealed to him for a critique and a piece-by-piece examination of my gear.

Many backpackers are probably in the same boat, I reasoned, loaded down with old, heavy gear and unsure about the best places to make an investment to substantially lighten their load.

"Our mission is to educate people how to use a lightweight product safely and comfortably," Jordan said. "Our philosophy is you can carry lightweight gear and you don't have to suffer."

He stressed, however, that "You can't send a neophyte into the wilderness with a one-pound tarp. You can do this, but you need some skills."

Paring it down

Shaving weight off my oddball collection of gear was relatively easy. Without food or water, my basic kit weighed in at 31 pounds, 4 ounces. With some modifications from Jordan, I was able to get my entire pack weight, with food, down to 26 pounds.

The food alone for the three-day outing I planned weighed in at 7 pounds. And since I had plenty left over when I reached the trailhead, I probably could shave my food weight down to around 4 pounds. My goal on my next outing is to carry 20 pounds or less.

But what's the best way to achieve such a weight loss? It's a question as difficult as dieting.

"Take less stuff," Jordan said simply. "It doesn't cost a dime."

My miscellaneous gear is a good case in point. It weighed in at 4 pounds, 12 ounces. Here's some of what I had planned to take along: mosquito headnet, fuel bottle, binoculars, Leatherman multitool, lighter, matches, first-aid kit, pen and paper, patch kit for Therma Rest, sun and bug lotion, trowel, bullion cubes, toothbrush, toothpaste, bear spray, garbage sack, whistle, compass, firestarter, flashlight, extra batteries, clothespin, clothesline, ear plugs, aluminum foil and toilet paper.

"Unless I'm fishing, I don't ever take a knife," Jordan said. Instead, he'll take along a small pair of scissors to cut tape for patching up blisters.

So my large Leatherman multitool was overkill, he said. For those people who have to have a knife, Jordan recommended the smaller Leatherman Micra or Swiss Army Classic.

Hot plate lightweight

"The stove is probably one of the biggest areas where you can invest a little money and save a lot of weight," he said.

Jordan set me up with a Vargo Titanium Jet-Ti Stove (2.7 oz.-$65). The stove requires an isobutane canister ($7), one of which will last about four days depending on how much you use it. The Jet-Ti has an output of 9,000 BTUs an hour and quickly heated enough water for a dehydrated meal and drink. Also, it was nice to not have to mess around with filling a stove with fuel, pumping and fiddling to get the flame just right. Unfortunately, the canisters are not refillable.

By comparison, my old white gas Coleman Peak One stove weighed in at 2 pounds, 8 ounces, not counting the extra fuel that might be required.

The big 3

The backpack, tent and sleeping bag are the big three places to save weight, but they are also the most expensive, Jordan noted.

"The sleeping bag is probably the most expensive," Jordan said. "Most people carry a lot of weight because the bags are synthetic or durable."

Jordan let me borrow a Nunatak Arc Alpinist bag. With a detached down hood, it weighed in at 1 pound, 9 ounces compared to my old Goose Bay Down bag with fleece liner that weighed 4 pounds, 7 ounces.

The Arc Alpinist has 800 fill down, meaning there are 800 cubic inches of down per ounce of fill. Unique to this bag's design is that it has no bottom. Instead, nylon webbing crosses from one side of the bag to the other. The idea is that when down is compressed, it loses its heating capability. So the down you're sleeping on doesn't do much good anyway, so why not remove it. The straps can be slid around your pad, which will provide insulation from the ground.

"I've taken it into the teens," Jordan said.

The bag was more than warm enough on cool summer nights. The stuff sack, made out of spinnaker sail material, weighed a half ounce. Stuffed, the bag measures about 7 by 11 inches.

"That's down's best quality, its ability to occupy small spaces," Jordan said.

Rated to 20 degrees, the Arc Alpinist's medium bag (5 foot, 10 inches) costs $260.

For a pad, I left my 2-pound, 6-ounce Therm-A-Rest self-inflating mattress at home. This was a difficult choice. I love my pad, especially since I sleep on my side a lot and lesser pads leave my hips hurting.

But in the interest of experimenting, I opted instead for a closed cell foam pad ($14) that weighed in at about 14 ounces. (One good thing about foam pads is that there's no risk of popping them.) It's nowhere near as comfortable as my Therm-A-Rest, but for a couple of nights, it was no big deal. In the future, however, I might look to shave weight elsewhere just to take it along.

Home on the mountainside

"One of the biggest things people are paranoid about is that they invest a lot of money in a tent," Jordan said. And because it's a big investment, they feel the need to take it along, even if the weather doesn't merit such protection from the elements.

For my trip, I planned on taking my Crazy Creek Crib LEX that comes with a tarp. The neat thing about this 4-pound hammock is that it can also be used as a bivy sack when no trees are around. Aluminum poles prop the crib's canopy up to avoid a claustrophobic feeling and it's covered with mosquito netting. The tarp provides protection from rain.

With an Integral Designs Siltarp 3 ($135, 8 x 10 feet), some hiking poles, guy lines and tent stakes, Jordan was able to drop that weight to about 1 pound.

I've got to admit, setting up the tarp in the front yard to try alternate layouts is much different than erecting the same shelter in the middle of a rainstorm. I was a bit frustrated with my first design, trying to get enough headroom to feel comfortable without letting the rain in. And I was too chicken to try it in the traditional pup-tent style, with a pole at each end, for fear of the rain getting in. Instead, I set it up in a lean-to style to shed water and wind. I stayed dry and, on this trip, mosquitoes were no problem. I also had a huge window for viewing the stars at night.

I've tarp-camped before with mixed results. One night I spent worrying about my bag getting wet. Another time mosquitoes buzzing in my ear kept waking me up. So I would recommend a mosquito head net and ear plugs for tarp campers.

Lighter packs

For a backpack, I've got a hand-me-down Alaskan Frame Pack from Cabelas that weighs 6 pounds, 6 ounces. This is a beefy, external frame setup that has lots of pockets and strap loops.

Jordan could have been describing me when he said, "So many people when they started out bought heavy, durable gear."

But if most of your trips are in the summer, such heavyweight items aren't necessary, Jordan said.

He recommended I keep my frame pack until I got my weight down. But I opted to shave 2 pounds by borrowing my son's internal frame backpack. Its smaller size also meant I had to shave some gear to ensure it all fit.

Jordan took me by ProLite Gear's shop in Bozeman to show me some of the lighter alternatives to my external frame pack. The Granite Gear Vapor Trail ($145) won Backpacker magazine's Editor's Choice award. It can carry 30 pounds and weighs just under 2 pounds.

GoLite's Infinity pack ($200) was another Jordan choice. It's a top seller, weighing 2 pounds, 7 ounces and accommodating 2550 cubic inches of gear. The Gregory Z ($180) was another recommendation. It weighs 3 pounds, and holds 3550 cubic inches of gear.

"What this really highlights is that there's a huge range of stuff that you can get into at a wide range of costs," Jordan said.

He noted that for about $300 to $550, anyone could significantly shave weight off their basic backpacking kit.

Lightweight backpacking is here to stay, Jordan noted. All of the larger outdoor gear manufacturers have jumped on the bandwagon.

"We're riding a wave," he said. "That's something we've never seen before - the mass marketing of products directly at lightweight users."

Backpacking Makes Traveling Abroad Affordable and Fun

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

Baek Seung-ok, a 22-year-old college student, has been waiting for summer for about a year.

Last year she took a break from university, got a part-time job and saved enough money to get ready for the season. She says she is now really excited about going backpacking with her friends in Europe.

``I know it will cost me a lot of money and it's going to be very tough. But I believe that the trip will be a good opportunity to refresh myself and take a moment to think about my life, as well as experience new things,'' Baek said.

She will travel to a couple of European countries for about a month within a total budget of two to three million won including the price of airplane tickets, and she is now planning her trip in more detail based on the information she has collected.

As the summer vacation season has started, there are a number of people like Baek who seek summer getaways in foreign countries. Most flights to favorite holiday spots are already booked.

``Most people want to go to western European countries, but some choose Southeast Asian countries as well,'' said Joo Sang-hyun, assistant manager of the travel agency Tour 365. ``There are various cheap tour packages offering flight tickets, meals, lodgings as well as tour tips and guides, but many people also want to go backpacking by themselves.''

Most backpackers are college students but these days even high school students and senior company employees go backpacking during their vacations, and their trips vary from the usual tour of famous tourists attractions to long stays in comparatively unknown places, Joo said.

`Scooter Diary' in Japan
``I have traveled all over Korea on my scooter and one day it occurred to me `why not in Japan' as it is so close,'' Kim Tae-kyu, 30, president of small design company told The Korea Times. ``And I took my scooter to Japan by ferry and I traveled right into the cities. I had so much fun there.''

Kim traveled in Japan for a month on his scooter last year, carrying a tent. In May this year, he went there again with his small car modified to fit a bed. Each trip only cost him around one million won.

``It's like a short deviation from your mundane life, and as a designer I sometimes need inspiration and this independent travel gives me that sort of freedom. And actually, when you are far from the familiar, you will miss such things and realize how important they are,'' Kim said.

Kim said the other attractions of backpacking are independence, impromptu situations and meeting with interesting people on the way as well as the low cost. ``When you wake up in the morning, you can go anywhere you want depending on however you feel.''

He has now posted his photos and stories from his journeys on his web site (www.t9play.com) to share his experiences with visitors. And he is now planning to travel in South America next year by motorcycle.

``Next time, I will travel to Cuba and other South American countries like the hero does in the film ``Motorcycle Diaries.'' Actually, traveling by car is more comfortable, but I prefer the tough journey since it's more interesting and fun,'' Kim said jokingly.

Cafe for Backpackers
Rhee In-sik, 28, has recently opened a cafe, named Yeon Travelers' Hangout (02-734-3009), for backpackers in Samchong-dong, Seoul to share his experience of backpacking in various countries.

The adventurous traveler has visited more than 30 countries in just over two years in total but he has traveled abroad since 1996 when he first went backpacking after entering university.

He thinks that the first-hand experience in other cultures and meeting different people is the most precious thing about backpacking.

``When I went to Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, I realized that I had misunderstood the people and culture there and found there was a big gap between reality and what I leant from reports by local media,'' Rhee said.

As he believes that sharing is another merit of backpacking, he hopes that his cafe can be a good place where people can communicate freely with each other on the subject of traveling.

``I've met many travelers and I have found they enjoyed their trips more when they knew more about the countries and their cultures they traveled to. So I advise people that they should at least be aware of cultural differences and respect them when they stay in different countries, and not just focus on the freedom they have,'' Rhee said.

Backpack Gets Digital Touch
One of the trickiest things about backpacking is choosing what to bring. The simple rule is that the lighter your backpack, the easier your trip will be, and the most important items backpackers carry are small and portable digital gadgets.

Many backpackers believe that things such as digital cameras, electronic dictionaries and MP3 players are so handy that they make their journey more enjoyable and memorable.

``I took about 1,200 photos of myself and my friends with my digital camera, which would have been impossible with a film camera,'' said Koh Ju-hee, 22-year-old graduate school student, who has recently traveled in Europe for two weeks.

With the popularization of digital cameras, many young travelers like Koh post their photos with a brief explanation for each on their blog, or online journal, immediately after returning from the trip.

Two days after she arrived in Seoul, Koh posted her photos on her blog to share those photos with her friends and talk about her experiences in her trip, Koh said.

According to Koh, there are also some people who had their mobile phones equipped with an international roaming service so that they could keep in touch with people home while they were abroad visiting big international cities.

Make plans before backpacking excursions

Article published Jul 9, 2005

CODY FORD
For the Cooperative Extension Service
LITTLE ROCK — When embarking upon a journey, the trip is often more fun than arriving at the destination. Nowhere is this more evident than while backpacking.

However, backpacking requires more than just picking a trail and grabbing supplies. It's a detailed activity that requires careful planning.

The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service offers many tips for having an enjoyable and safe backpacking trip.

First, create a trip plan. Questions to ask include: Who is going? What are you doing? When are you going? Why are you going?

Also, find out the name and phone number of the local hospital. Compile a list of emergency contact numbers and create an emergency evacuation plan. Be sure and check for any shelters along your path and places to find water along the way.

If you're traveling in a designated wilderness area, forest service land or national state park, be sure and check the guidelines of where you are traveling. Some of these places have restrictions such as required permits, limits on group size and prohibition of motor vehicle use.

Be sure you know your route. Mike Klumpp, associate professor of 4-H Youth Development, suggests you learn how to use a compass and read a topographic map.

"Knowing how to use a compass and read a map will keep you from getting lost," said Klumpp, "and it will add to your enjoyment by making it fun to be able to identify various landmark features on your route."

The most important aspect of any backpacking trip is the gear.

There are a few tips to remember when selecting the proper backpack. First, measure your torso length. Although pack brands may differ in size, generally you'll need a small pack if your torso measures less than 18 inches, medium if you measure between 18 and 20 inches, and large if you measure longer than 20 inches.

To measure your torso, use a soft tape measure and follow the curve of your spine from the bony bump at the back of your neck to the low space between your hip bones. Consider the load of equipment you will be carrying and the environment you will be hiking.

Before heading out on the trail, make a list of group gear you will need such as tents, sleeping bags, or first-aid kids. Discuss the list with each member of your group to make sure everything is in order.

Food is the fuel that keeps every hiker going. Reduce the weight of your food items by repackaging them in plastic zip bags. Make sure you bring easy to prepare meals that are healthy and non-perishable.

In addition, make a list of anticipated camp chores, and who will be responsible.

One of the most important things to do before heading out is make sure you are in shape. Backpacking for long distances can take its toll on anyone — especially those who are not in good condition. It's best to take a physical exam and develop an exercise program at least three months before going on your trip.

Practicing backpacking is another good way to train.

Klumpp suggests starting early by exercising and hiking short distances with a light pack, then increasing the length of your walk — as well as the weight of your pack.

Charting your progress can be useful in preparing for a backpacking trip. Aerobic exercise such as swimming, bicycling, walking, jogging and hiking uphill, or walking a flight of stairs, are other good ways to get in shape.

By following these tips, you can have a safe and fun backpacking trip.

"Following these few conditioning trips will get you where you plan to go without taking a toil on your body," said Klumpp, "and make your backcountry trip more fun and enjoyable."

Contact your county extension agent for more information.

The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.