Two lucky outdoor bloggers will get the chance to visit Southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest this summer.

All they have to do is craft a winning essay on why this 17-million-acre temperate rainforest is considered America’s Salmon Forest and why conserving its prime but threatened salmon and trout habitat is vital to the regional economy, local culture and the nation’s sporting heritage.

For the third year in a row, Trout Unlimited and the Outdoor Blogger Network are joining forces to host an essay contest for the chance to visit some of the fishiest places in America. This year, Fishpond, Tenkara USA and RIO Products are sponsoring the essay contest and the tour, which will be based in Juneau July 15-21.

Bloggers can enter the contest by simply crafting an essay and posting the link to their essay via the Linky system below this announcement. Essays should be no longer than 700 words, and they should include a bit about TU’s efforts to protect the best of what’s left within the nation’s largest national forest, and why fly fishing in the rainforest would be a special experience for each blogger.

In addition to the two grand prizes–the trip to the Tongass, and some great gear from RIO, Fishpond and Tenkara USA–there will be runner-up prizes that will include complimentary TU memberships, some TU, Fishpond and RIO swag (hats, stickers, etc.) and a set of Redington Sonic-Pro waders. The complete list of prizes will be announced in the days leading up to the contest’s conclusion.

Entries must be submitted by midnight on May 22. Winning bloggers must be able to get to Juneau by July 15–TU and our sponsors will cover all expenses after that, including lodging, meals and transportation. Winning bloggers will have the opportunity to fish the southeast Alaskan rainforest for pink salmon, Dolly Varden, sea-run cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. Winners wiill be announced on May 24.

All entries must include the following paragraph, links included:

This is my submission to the Trout Unlimited 2013 Blogger Tour sponsored by Fishpond, Tenkara USA and RIO, and hosted by the Outdoor Blogger Network.

Please enter your EXACT URL Link to your entry below.



Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below and GOOD LUCK!!!

Feel Free to check out some of our past Blogger Tour Entries: 2011 Blogger Tour — 2012 Blogger Tour

We’d like to welcome the latest additions to the Outdoor Blogger Directory!

Homegrown & Healthy ~ Ideas and inspiration for living a simple, natural life. Gardening, DIY, fitness and food.

Geophilia ~ Where photography meets geography. Specializing in landscape and nature photography and national parks.

Sometimes Eventful ~ A blog about getting outside, travel and experiencing cool things with my family.

Camping Kiddos ~ We love to share our experiences with our kids to help promote successful family outdoor adventures for others.

Still Water Fly Fishing ~ Fly Fishing Lessons British Columbia, guided fly fishing classes held on a lake in B.C. With instructor Remco Coesel

Outdoorsy Mama ~ Honest, Adventurous, Positive Parenthood with an Outdoorsy & Humorous Twist!

Shock The Nation Outdoors ~ Central PA Hunting Group founded by a group of college kids from Williamsport PA who enjoy hunting, fishing, shooting,camping, Hiking

Fish Finder Source ~ Everything fish finders – tips, tricks, techniques, and how-to’s

Moosetique Musings ~ Chronicles of happenings in my life – birding and wildlife photography plus a bit of this and that thrown in.

Maine Outdoors ~ Maine Outdoors is here to help you create cherished memories of great times outdoors.

My Color Palette ~ My color palette is a view of life through my lens.

Friluftsliv 2.0 ~ På Friluftsliv 2.0 kommer Ni att få läsa om allt möjligt inom friluftsliv, jag är lite av en allätare

Ice Axe and Heels ~ An inspirational resource for active women (but not only for girls!). Stylish activewear, technical gear, reviews and more.

The Pod Cast ~ Join us as we are cast out into the great outdoors in our R-Pod 176t travel trailer.

Back_Beyond ~ Mad ramblings of an outdoor adventurer.

Florida Hikes! ~ Since 2006, Florida Hikes! has shared the latest news from Florida’s outdoors.

Darren M ~ Backcountry skiing, snowboarding, snowkiting, packrafting, canyoning, kayaking, hiking, mountain biking and more. 

Swingin’ In the Rain ~ Swingin’ in the Rain is about all things fly fishing in the Pacific Northwest. Swinging intruders for steelhead, casting streamers for rainbows, building rods, tying flies, and pointless thoughts of a fly fishing addict.

Let’s all welcome this latest round of Outdoor Blogs to the Directory! 

The NOCO Nympher ~ Dedicated to the spirit of nymph fishing

Mountain Mom and Tots ~ Outdoor adventures with a preschooler and toddler. 

Camp Roxx- Adventure Camp Blog ~ the adventure blog is about outdoor camping, weekend getaway & camping sites in India & other countries.

Dustin Hardage – Living Life Outdoors ~  insights about Colorado big game hunting and fishing, places to explore the Colorado outdoors, and highlight deals and reviews of gear.

Musings On The Outdoors ~ Musings On the Outdoors-a blog from the UK discussing assorted outdoor topics.

Steve Galea Outdoors ~ Hunting, fishing and the great outdoors

 on a path with heart ~ Ramblings on hiking, tomfoolery, and folly in New England

Andy’s Kayak Fishing Adventures ~ Kayak bass fishing in Northern Virginia

Predator Fly Outfitters ~ Big Flies for Big Fish

Chasqui Mom ~ Loving nature through hiking, back packing and anything outdoors as a family.

Hillbilly Bonez ~ Fishin’, Muddin’, Motorcycles, custom cars trucks , food, Hat’s, T shirts, graphics, web design You name it Were Waste Deep in it. 

Mommy Loves Trees ~ Join me as I bring together my two great loves: family and the great outdoors. 

Riseforms Fly Fishing ~ Pennsylvania Fly Fishing, Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Guides, Fly Fishing, PA Stream Reports,Fly Tying, Entomology,

JCXC ~ Hiking based cross country trip to tackle some of the best hikes the US and Canada have to offer. 

The Driftless Chronicles ~ Fly fishing in the Driftless Area and other parts of the Upper Midwest for both cold and warm water species.

Backpacking Review ~ backpacking adventure blog to find awesome outdoor product review and helpful backpacking tips to encourage new people to get outside!

No Maps Needed ~ A blog for travelers and adventurers seeking new trips and travel ideas.

Black Trout River ~ Fly fishing, Tenkara, Fly tying, Toc, Ardeche, France

Gundogs And… ~ Adventures in raising and training my springer spaniel gundogs.

Sadler is a lifelong outdoorsman and has worked for years in both the conservation and outdoor recreation arenas. A former U.S. Navy Reserve officer and an avid angler and hunter, he lives in Verona, Va., in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. Sadler replaces Robin Giner, who left OWAA at the end of 2012.

“OWAA is fortunate to find someone of Tom’s caliber to lead our organization into a demanding new era,” said Mark Taylor, OWAA president and outdoor writer for The Roanoke Times. “This era requires that we adapt to an ever-changing media landscape in order to best serve our existing membership and attract new members. Tom is more than equal to the task at hand.

“We had a number of excellent candidates, but Tom’s experience in the outdoor and conservation arenas — complemented by his vast professional network — best positions him to lead the OWAA,” continued Taylor. “I believe he will guide our group to new heights.”

Sadler owns and runs a consulting firm, The Middle River Group, where he focuses on advocating for outdoor recreation and conservation. He launched the company in 2008 after moving to Verona from Washington, D.C. Prior to that, Sadler was the director of program development for the Trust for Public Land. He also served as the conservation director for the Izaak Walton League of America and was president of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation.

Sadler has worked as an outdoor columnist for the New Virginian in Waynesboro and writes about the outdoors and conservation on his blog, Dispatches from Middle River (middleriverdispatch.com). He also works occasionally as a fly-fishing guide for Mossy Creek Fly Fishing in Harrisonburg, Va.

Sadler serves on the boards of the American Fly Fishing Trade Association and the National Fisheries Friends Partnership. He also is a member of the steering committee of the Eastern Brook Trout Joint Venture, a National Fish Habitat Partnership.

“My passion for the outdoors and conservation are exceeded only by my desire to share those passions with others,” Sadler said. “OWAA members are the best communicators of those passions. To be able to help OWAA do more of that by growing the membership, increasing our supporter base and helping our members and supporters become successful is really an exciting opportunity.”

OWAA is The Voice of the Outdoors®. The Outdoor Writers Association of America is the oldest and largest association of professional outdoor communicators in the United States. It was organized in 1927 by members of the Izaak Walton League of America and includes professional communicators dedicated to sharing the outdoor experience. OWAA’s professionals include writers, photographers, outdoors radio- and television-show hosts, book authors, videographers, lecturers and artists. The association is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For more information, contact Outdoor Writers Association of America, 615 Oak St., Ste. 201, Missoula, Mont. 59801; 406-728-7434, info@owaa.org; www.owaa.org.

I come from a big family that all liked to camp together which made our camps a bit like a large compound. Or a circled up tent train.

There was lots of watchful Parents, Grandparents, Aunts & Uncles and a big passel of kids that ran free during the day and at night, everyone would settle in around a huge bonfire where the memories and stories of the adults were shared.

As a kid I would sit mesmerized and listen to the stories my elders would recant and I can remember asking my Dad on several occasions, “Did that really happen?” to which he’d usually reply “A good part of it…” 

I still love a good campfire story and every once in awhile I’ll come across a writer who can capture via the written word the type of stories I grew up listening to. Today I wanted to share a fellow Outdoor Blogger/Author that has done just that.

Quill Gordon has already been entertaining us all with his outstanding writing on the blog:
The View from Fish in a Barrel Pond

And now his short stories can be found on Amazon and downloaded to your favorite digital reading device.

I bought all three and my guess is there is some tall tales, folklore, fiction and truth behind these stories about the Neverwas Nonesuch Angling Society. These stories are all entertaining, humorous and just a bit outrageous. Just as any campfire story should be…

Well done Quill Gordon!!

Be sure to visit: The View from a Fish Barrel Pond

I have the perfect distraction.

New Outdoor Blogs!

 FRETWATER ~ 14 year journal of a seasonal park ranger.

Pocket Ranger® Apps Blog ~ We connect with nature lovers, park goers & outdoor enthusiasts to promote free, state-sanctioned State Park

Line and Leader ~ Fly fishing Central Oregon and many surrounding states I ramble around (i.e. Montana, Idaho, Wyoming…etc)

The World According to Ross ~ Kayak Fishing, Bass Fishing, Crappie, Kayaking

Daily Carry ~ features in-depth product reviews, expert wilderness survival tips, and other information relating to the Daily Carry of essential items

 Adventures of Piglet Scooter ~ Adventures on a Scooter

Rifles and Flies ~ California fly fishing.

Anglerz Connection ~ Multi-Species industry news, tackle and gear reviews, articles, video, multi-media, and more.

Armatus ~ Shooting | Hunting | Guns | Knives | 2nd Amendment | Survival | EDC | Bushcraft

Prairie Birder ~ Blogging and photographing birds on the Alberta prairies!

Naturally Digital ~ birding across the country and the world

SheyWicklund Photos ~ outdoors, nature, photography

Adventures Midwest ~ Adventures Midwest covers fishing and hunting in the Midwest and beyond. 

Pack Adventure ~ A large selection of all the products that you require for any adventure or outdoor camping

Mark Corder Digital Arts ~ Nature & Landscape photographer/artist who mostly creates images of my native woods and rural areas of Arkansas.

 West Slope Tight Lines ~ Fly fishing blog in North Idaho.  Fish stories, fly tying and tales of other adventures centered around the sport of fly fishing

The Barbless Angler ~ I am far from being an expert fly fisherman. You may find my information useless, so, ENJOY!

Big Grey Rocks ~ Big Grey Rocks is the unofficial blog of kids hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing, rafting and more in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and beyond.

Boom Holsters ~  makers of custom and semi-custom Kydex holsters, pouches, and sheathes

TENKARA EN LAS SIERRAS ~Pesca con mosca y devolución en modalidad Tenkara en Uruguay-Sudamérica

The Walking Cave Man ~ Walking The East Riding of Yorkshire and The Yorkshire Wolds

Scott Messenger Outdoors ~ Writing about and photographing the great outdoors in Northwest Pennsylvania.

TrailHaven ~ Gear Reviews, advice and more Because the worst day on the trail is still better than a day in the office

MuddyWaterFly ~ about warmwater flyfishing and all that comes with it.

Life with Llewellins ~ Adventures of our life with the amazing Llewellin Setters–hunting, training, life with bird dog puppies and more!

Note: I still have 18 more Outdoor Blogs to approve for the directory.
I’m getting there! If you are still waiting to see your blog on the directory
have patience for a few more days. Thanks Everyone! 

As part of a”Spring cleaning” announcement, listed are changes Google is making, one is in regards to the widely used Google Reader:

“We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.”

The announcement left many angry, upset, with more questions than answers and scrambling for solutions.

So first and foremost, to be clear:

This ONLY applies to readers who use the Google Reader.

So let’s look at the change from two perspectives:

1. A user/reader of blogs via the Google RSS reader
2. An Outdoor Blogger who has readers subscribed to their blog via a Google Reader.

User of the Google Reader:  

It’s going to be ok! There’s comfort in familiarity and it’s always painful when things change and I know you’re thinking of all the blogs you’ve collected up over time and added to your Google Reader.

You don’t want to lose your blog collection and you don’t have too…

Google Takeout  is your escape.

You just need to export your RSS Feeds from the Google reader and add them to a New Sparkly reader. You have a lot of options out there and instead of re-writing the information others have compiled, I suggest visiting these links:

• Google Reader is Shutting Down; Here are the best alternatives
• Google Reader Alternatives

Once you’ve exported your RSS feeds and imported them into a new reader, you’re all set and you haven’t lost a single RSS feed/blog.

Look for your new RSS feed home now. Don’t wait until the last minute and risk losing your information.

As an Outdoor Blogger who publishes an RSS Feed:

The first concern anyone who writes a blog should ask in regards to this change is… How will it affect my readership?

I believe everyone will lose a small percentage of readers based on this change, namely the people who rarely check their Google Reader or those who ignore the impending change and don’t export their feeds from their Google Reader to a new one in time.

BUT…with some proactive measures, we can preserve the majority of our readers that see our content via the Google Reader by letting them know what to do.

Let’s help our readers out! They read our blogs via the Google RSS Reader, so what better way to let them know about the changes than by writing a post in our blogs alerting them to the change and how they can fix it. The helpful post you write will pop up in their Google reader and then it’s up to them to take action.

Feel free to copy and paste any of the above information I’ve wrote in a blog post of your own. Readership is hard earned and here at the OBN, we don’t want any of you to lose a single reader!

Rebecca

Time to welcome and discover another group of
Outdoor Blogs to the directory! 

Door County Outdoor Guides ~ Kayaking, Zip Lining, Kitesurfing, Standup Paddle boarding the outdoors in Door County Wisconsin

Gravity Trails ~ Outdoor Adventure in Door County Wisconsin zip lines, kayaking!

Gary’s Outdoor Wanderings2 ~ Wildlife photography, camping, dogs, outdoor wilderness camping, animals, canoeing, motorcycles

The Great Outdoors Blog ~ Share your experiences in the great outdoors and read about others who have shared theirs.

The River Story ~ A gathering of reflections on modern life through outdoor experiences, namely: fly fishing, back packing, paddling, and hiking.  

Seek Outside ~ Lightweight backpacking and outdoor skills for hunting and fishing 

Nature Fed Project ~ Nature Fed Project is a challenge for you to live life with more health and adventure. 

Living Idaho Outdoors ~ Everyday guy living and loving the outdoors of Idaho. From hunting, to fishing to camping with the family.

Hardtack Outfitter ~ A blog for the Fashionable outdoors man.

Fair Game Hunting ~ sharing hunting with guns and bows in New Zealand and North America with great people just like you.

Mountain Lessons ~ Knowledge articles, gear reviews, stories, and photographs gathered by traveling the mountains. Lessons learned the hard way and taught the easy way.

Rasher Quivers Archery ~ Rasher Quivers is dedicated to the education and promotion of archery in all of it’s forms and styles.

Fly Fish Arizona and Beyond ~ All about fly fishing the great state of Arizona with a few other locations mixed in. 

Fish Mount Creation ~ MTFC Fish Mount Updates &; Customer Spotlights

Fishin’ with the RedneckAngler ~ Fishing reports from the Long Island Sound and Southern New England. Local bass updates. Video Reports.

The World According to Ross ~ Kayak Fishing, Kayaking, Kayak Exploration

The Barbless Angler ~ to chronicle my fishing trips/adventures. Also, to share information, pictures, videos, and whatever else. By no means am I an expert fisherman or fly tier

Trail The Outdoors ~ The outdoors is my passion. Fishing and hunting gets my blood pumping. I love to share my experiences, gear selection, and anything I feel will help others in the game of fishing and hunting

Outdoors with Kids ~   will feature my experience in the outdoors with my kids. Whether it is Hunting, Fishing, Farm Activites or Sports.

NOTE: I still have another 35 Outdoor Blogs waiting approval so if you haven’t seen your Outdoor Blog come up…I promise, I’m getting there! To explain: It isn’t as simple as clicking an approve button for every blog. It takes a lot of time to open a submission, scan the copy to make sure it’s ok, visit the prospective website, click around, go back, approve on our system and then add the information over on this post. Hang in there with me!

Beyond things like a month long stay in Texas (pure work) and you know, life…I’ve been neglectful of the OBN. For that, I apologize.

Here’s a bit of an admission…every year I struggle keeping focused and forward moving during the small space of time between Winter and Spring.

To be honest, this year the transition has really demotivated me from just about everything I usually enjoy.

I often wonder how other people, especially outdoor people who hate being stuck indoors throughout the winter, are feeling this time of the year.

With old sayings like Cabin Fever, Spring Fever, Stir Crazy, Winter Blues, etc, etc out there, I know I’m not the first one to feel the blahs at the tail end of Winter.

I take daily walks and currently my quest is finding tiny little signs of Spring outside. The above photo I got the other day was my first proof here in Idaho that the tide is turning and life is renewing in view. It gave me a huge smile.

I’d love to get the wheels turning back on here at the OBN and I’m working on some ideas that will prevent ‘quiet times’ in the future.

In the meantime, I’d love it if everyone would share their thoughts on keeping uplifted during the Winter/Spring transition.

And….if you’ve captured any signs of Spring photos lately and posted them on your blog, I’d love to see them! I bet others would love to see them as well, so share the link to your post below:

Spring is Coming!! 
(repeat as necessary)

Shawn E. Bell ~ Shawn Bell is an American author, screenwriter, publisher, naturalist, and software designer currently living in Southern California.

Line and Leader ~ Fly fishing around Central Oregon speckled periodically by excursions to other places and driblets of conservation issues. 

Keith Foskett ~ Hiker, writer and blogger. Lover of the great outdoors, a sucker for a good Paella, fond of a good bottle of Rioja and wool underwear.

JPK’s Inxpot ~ I’m an Entrepreneur, Adventurer, Mountaineer, Author, Avid Golfer & Tennis Player, Motivational Speaker, Amateur Photographer, Pilot and Student of Tai Chi.

Kayak Fishing Country ~ Kayak Fishing Country – A kayak fisherman’s blog on fishing in New England and beyond!

Redwoods Homeschool ~ Homeschooling in the outdoors.

Paddling South ~ Kayaking and bike riding the southern areas of Australia

Dead Drift Anglers ~ Fly Fishing Blog

Free Spirit Kite ~ Exploring the World of Kites And Kite Flying

Sub-10 ~ a blog to help lighten my base weight

Tom Hikes the Whites ~ A blog that follows me as I attempt to climb all of the 4000′+ mountains in New England.

HikeVentures ~ everyday outdoor adventures

Lone Star Chronicles ~ Life, liberty and the pursuit of fish in the Lone Star state. Stories, photos, video and articles about fishing and the outdoors

A Case of Wildlife Fever ~ Wildlife banter through stories, camera trap pictures, and personal accounts of nature in Northern Virginia.

Deepsixdad ~ Father of six on a North Carolina farm trying to get the kids outside.

Bun on the Run ~ Semi-professional distance running, pregnancy, geology PhD student explores new motherhood!

PB&J Adventures ~ Places to go and things to do…

2SergeantsFlyFishing ~  As well as the sergeants we have a bunch of guys dedicated to fly fishing.

Beaut-Tree ~ The adventure blog of one Michigander living with Yosemite National Park as her backyard!

Bug Eric ~ About everything related to insects, spiders, and other arthropods that the outdoorsperson is likely to find in North America.

Squiggleroundtheworld ~ long distance cycle touring, hiking, backpacking, camping, outdoors, adventure

El Camino Blues ~ Trips and travels from an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker, fly fisherman, paddler, catamaran sailor, diver, and outdoorsman. 

NOTE: I still have A LOT of new blogs to approve for the Directory. If you’ve submitted yours recently and don’t see it above on this list, I promise, it’ll be approved soon! Thank you for your patience ~ Rebecca