Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of lightweight backpacking. His tips, photos, gear recommendations, and a free book can be found at .
Strange But True Story My strange but true story starts twenty-five years ago, when I was sixteen. I had just hitched a ride back out to Interstate 90 as the sun was setting. The previous night I had been caught alone in the back country on the northern edge of Yellowstone National Park, in a freak May blizzard. A grizzly bear pawed the ground outside my tent in the middle of the night, scaring me half to death. That,...... Similar Editorial : by Jesse S. Somer. | Source : Travel Agent Hong Kong
Finding Secret Swimming Holes Swimming holes have a certain nostalgic feel about them. Long before swimming pools were common and in areas where there weren't many beaches, kids had to go to a wide spot in a stream, or to an old rock quarry to swim. Perhaps you did this as a child. Well, these spots are still out there, and they are not just for the kids.Searching For A Swimming HoleWhen we recently moved from Arizona to Canon...... Similar Editorial : by peterhutch. | Source : Travel Agent Hong Kong
39 Miles In The Smoky Mountains The Smoky Mountains can be hard on the ankles, and it rains a lot. I learned this on the first day of my hike, both through experience and from the stories of the other hikers. This was good, though, because hiking this stretch of the Appalachian Trail would be a good test for my new lightweight backpacking gear.I was hiking in light running shoes, with a frameless fourteen-ounce backpack. My down...... Similar Editorial : by Vivek Kuriyal. | Source : Adventure Travel
Ghost Towns - Two Examples When you think of ghost towns, you may have the image of a town that is completely empty of people. On the other hand, definitions vary. When I read a book on Michigan ghost towns I remember thinking "Hey, didn't I stop in a convenience store there once?" This author's definition was any town that had lost 30% of its population. I think Detroit might qualify.Then one day, I discovered that there...... Source : Association Of Travel Agents
Bivy Sacks - Make Them For A Dollar If you have ever looked at bivy sacks in catalogs or online, you know they can be claustrophobic and expensive. I can't help you much with the first, except to say that you'll get used to it. The expensive part, though, I have a solution for. I didn't want to spend $200 for a nice bivy, so I bought an "emergency bivy" for $20. It was basically a large plastic bag. I tested it on a rainy night,...... Source : Association Of Travel Agents
Trekking Poles And Walking Sticks Are walking sticks longer than trekking poles? What about hiking staffs and hiking sticks? Whatever you call them, and whatever their differences, they are supposed to help your knees more than anything. This they do very well, at least when you're going downhill.What else are they good for? They help you keep your balance. You can use them as defense against wild animals as well. I use a walking...... Similar Editorial : by Daniel Eggertsen. | Source : Adventure Travel
Tom Sawyer Day - Floating Down The River There were four of us on that first Tom Sawyer Day. I promised my friends an adventure-disaster, sure to get them wet and cold. Three of them took the bait. In a small daypack, we took snacks, water, a hatchet, a small saw, and whatever scraps of rope we could find.We parked and hiked up the Manistee river a few miles. The plan was to build a raft, using dead trees and scraps of rope. Then...... Source : Association Of Travel Agents
My Five-Ounce Sleeping Bag Okay, it wasn't quite a sleeping bag. However, it was only five ounces, and it kept me warm as the temperature dropped to the low forties on the bank of the Manistee River in Michigan. The secret was the fifteen minutes we spent gathering dead, dry bracken ferns to build a two-foot thick mattress. We set the tent on that. Then, with all my clothes on, I was fine.In fact, I've rarely slept as well...... Source : Association Of Travel Agents
Ultralight Sleeping Bags - How Light Are They? Why ultralight sleeping bags? Because ultralight backpacking is only made possible by cutting the weight of the "big three;" the backpack, shelter and sleeping bag. The days of five-pound summer bags are gone - at least for those of us who prefer to go light.One Pound Ultralight Sleeping BagsThere are several one-pound ultralight sleeping bags on the market now. My own is 17 ounces. It actually...... Similar Editorial : by Morgan Hamilton. | Source : Association Of Travel Agents
Survival Clothing For Outdoor Emergencies Maybe you don't need to learn about survival clothing. Maybe you always hike with a spare jacket. Perhaps you never go out into the wilderness overnight, but just for day hikes. Or you bring lots of warm clothing when you do go backpacking.Nonetheless, hundreds of people die or come close to dying every year from exposure. They thought they were prepared. They didn't expect their clothes to get...... Similar Editorial : by sayush. | Source : Travel Agent Program
Coughing Our Way Across The Country As we drove from Traverse City, Michigan to Tucson, Arizona, I wrote a series of letters, and photocopied them to send to family and friends. This was the first of the three.Travel Letter #1Saturday, 12/13/03 - Good morning. Welcome to our vacation form letter. We're in Arizona now. The sun is shining and it will be in the sixties today, which should melt the ice on the windows soon. Ana's foot...... Similar Editorial : by kevinp. | Source : Travel Agent Program
Dont Drink The Water - Or Eat It Definitely don't drink the water if the locals don't. Aside from this travel guideline, it's tough to judge when it is safe to drink the water in another country. It is often best to rely on bottled water, which is available almost everywhere now, and is cheaper in other countries than in the United States. Are you safe if you just drink bottled water? Well, was the salad you ate washed in the...... Similar Editorial : by Gary Gresham. | Source : Australian Passports
Toothache In A Foreign Land Getting a toothache while traveling overseas can be more than just annoying and inconvenient. It can ruin a good vacation. Here are some tips for preventing a toothache before you get on that plane, and for treating it if you get one anyhow.Traveler's Dental CareFirst of all, don't ever go on a long trip if you have an unresolved tooth problem, or even the hint of a toothache starting. Get it...... Similar Editorial : by matth02. | Source : Australian Passports
Scenic Train Rides Around The World I'm not sure why on scenic train rides you can have a beer, but you can't on a bus. In any case, this is one of the reasons to take a train ride. Another reason is that they go where the roads don't, so you'll see scenery you miss when driving. Trains don't have to stop at traffic lights, and you can get up and walk around. Finally, trains are relaxing for all the reasons above AND the rythym of...... Similar Editorial : by Christa Kowalczyk. | Source : Australian Passports
Romantic Weekend Getaways Romantic weekend getaways can be a second honeymoon or your first vacation together. When you don't have the time or money for a long trip, try one of the following.Luxuriate TogetherSpending time at a nice hotel is the most obvious and common romantic weekend getaway, and with good reason. It is wonderful to be waited on and relax in a hot tub together. The best hotels for this will have a pool,...... Similar Editorial : by Paris Permenter & John Bigley. | Source : Australian Passports
