Max the Dog

Most trails in Massachusetts are dog friendly, but there are rules and common etiquette that must be followed.  Safety for you, your dog and others are number one. Read the sign at the trail head for any rules about the property you are hiking, many areas require dogs to be leashed, this is to protect the wildlife, your pet, and other hikers.  I think it is common courtesy to keep your dog leashed when hiking at even a slightly busy area. Not everyone likes dogs and not all dogs are friendly with other dogs these people and pets should be able to enjoy the trails too…

Prepping for a Safe Hike:

• Make sure your dog is up for the hike.  Not all dogs are built for a 12 mile day hike.
• Keep weather in mind.  Hot days are extra hard on dogs.
• Think about the wildlife in the area you will be hiking. Are there dangerous snakes? Maybe Bears or Mountain Lions.
• Learn about ticks and lyme disease.
• Bring plenty of fresh drinking water for your dog. Drinking out of streams or lakes has the risk of giardia and other bacteria that can cause disease.
• Your dog should wear an ID collar with not only your name and number but the vets name and number as well.
• During hunting season get an orange vest for your dog, they can be found at many hunting shops.

Hiking with a Dog Ediqutte:

• Always follow the rules at the trail head.
• Keep unleashed dogs within site and under strict voice command at all times. Strict voice command means the dog immediately heels when told, stays at heel, and refrains from barking.
• ALWAYS leash your dog when others are approaching. Not everyone likes dogs!
• Step to the side off the trail and allow others to pass.
• Keep dogs quite and from chasing wildlife.
• Clean up after your dog. Pack out the poop or bury it in a cathole.

Keeping everyone safe and happy on the trail is easy when you follow the rules.

You can find well made dog packs allowing your dog to carry water and food for itself.  Be sure not to exceed 1/3 of the pooches body weight in the pack.  You can also find all kinds of other outdoor products for your four legged friend like collapsible water bowls, booties, and even sun glasses.

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1. Just Roughin It – Adventure Hiking Vacations in the Southwest Just Roughin’ It is based out of Chandler, AZ and...

Just Roughin' It

Just Roughin’ It is based out of Chandler, AZ and offers fully equipped backpacking tours or day hikes for all abilities and skill levels. They are the premier provider of adventure tour vacations in the southwest offering trips throughout Arizona, Yosemite  and the Grand Canyon. You really get the opportunity to  make your own trip with these guys, want a bare bones trip they can do that, want a personal chef and a mule to carry your gear they can arrange that…

All the info you need to plan and book a trip can be found at their website www.justroughinit.com. They also have a YouTube Channel, a Flicker stream with some amazing trip photos, or you can follow them on Twitter or Facebook for the latest news and deals…

They supply top quality gear (like: Osprey Backpacks, Big Agnes sleeping bags and pads, Mountain Hardwear tents, and even top of the line gear for kids too!), experienced guides for your trek and  three tasty gourmet fully cooked on site meals a day.  Look forward to munching on Southwest Breakfast Burritos, Chicken Xanadu, or Pesto Pasta with Pine Nuts before or after a day of hiking the beautiful southwest. All guides have at least 80 hours of Wilderness First Responder of equivalent (this means we are trained to handle all kinds of emergencies in remote settings), First aid and CPR training, and are Food Handlers Certified most of all they are knowledgeable and friendly. Safety is their number one concern!

Arizona trips include: Grand Canyon, Phoenix/ Scottsdale, Tucson/ Sky Islands, Superstition Mountains, Mogollon Rim, Lake Mead, and White Mountains. Utah trips include: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, and Paria Canyon/ Buckskin Gulch. Other locations and custom trip info can be found on http://justroughinit.com.
Here is a sample itinerary for the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim 4 Day, North to South tour:

• Day 1 – We pick you up from your hotel and drive to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Once we arrive at the trailhead, we begin our 7-mile hike with a 4,000-foot elevation change to the Cottonwood Campground.

• Day 2 – We pack up and hike along Bright Angel Creek another 7 miles and 1,500 feet down to Bright Angel Camp. On the way, we drop our packs and do a side hike to Ribbon Falls, one of the most scenic areas along the North Kaibab Trail.

• Day 3 – We pack up and hike along Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden. This is a 5-mile hike, ascending 1,200 feet. After we set up camp, we can take a side hike to Plateau Point for some beautiful views of the inner canyon and the Colorado River.

• Day 4 – We hike out of the canyon along Bright Angel Trail. This is a 4.5-mile hike with a 3,000 foot increase in elevation.

So Find Them On: - Twitter - Facebook - YouTube - Flickr - Better Business Bereau – and have a great trip!!!

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1. Grip Your World Giveaway – Deadline June 18th The grand prize winner will receive a trip for two...

GUTR Sweatband

When I felt the headband I was surprised at how soft the PVC material is. It is super flexible and light weight, the side that is against your head is very smooth and if fitted properly will not leave any marks on your head after it is removed.  It works by channeling the sweat away from your eyes to the sides of your face via the channel in the gutter. Fitting was easy, the sweatband comes with three elastic bands for sizing and velcro for fine fit adjustments. You want a snug fit, not tight,  just enough not to move.

I used it on a couple 5 mile hikes in 90 degree plus weather and humid, this summer in New England was been brutal.  It really works I don’t care if I look like a dork… No more burning eyes, no more trying to find a dry spot of shirt to wipe my eyes. Awesome! I have tried hats, bandannas, cloth headbands, they all make me feel hotter and I end up just taking them off… Not once have I felt like I needed to remove the GUTR. It is a great feeling to have sweat pouring down the sides of your face but not in your eyes.  No matter how filthy it gets a simple wash in soap in water cleans it right up.

If you are a sweater like me I highly recommend the Sweat GUTR Headband, Husky Hiker seal of approval!

Even if you hate it Sweat GUTR will let you return it for a full refund as long as you let them know why… so don’t sweat it…

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Photo by Gerry Gosselin

Guest post by Gerry Gosselin
Want to be a guest poster on HuskyHiker.com?  E-mail me

Every hiker should have a compass right? Eventually I got around to picking one out, not because I felt I needed it, but because I’m a gadget whore and that itch needed to be scratched. A Suunto A-10 found it’s way into my possession for about $15 US. Then it sat in my bag for 2 years barely getting any use. I’m a novice day trip hiker who usually sticks to marked trails. Every now and then I get turned around but the areas I hike in Western MA don’t usually extend more than 10 miles in any direction before hitting a road. Getting truly lost was never a concern, only a minor nuisance.

This last Saturday June 12, 2010 I took a Compass, Map, Survival Course offered free by the State of Massachusetts. It’s a 10 hour course, half classroom and half in the field. The course was light on survival but very detailed on the map and compass work. If I took anything away from the course it’s that you will never ever use the ‘L’ word (lost) again as long as you have your trusty compass and map. The course really changed the way I think about hiking in the woods. Here are a few benefits I can see to truly knowing and practicing map and compass navigation.

1. Who needs it when everyone has a GPS? The obvious answer is GPS batteries die, GPS units die, and GPS reception will probably be flaky when you need it the most. A compass is a non-electronic analog device powered by the Earth itself. You can submerge it in water and it will likely outlive you. No one is saying throw out your GPS in favor of a compass. Having a backup for a critical tool is good survival planning. Backup your GPS with a solid compass and detailed map and you’ll never be lost again.

2. GPS units point you in a straight line to your destination. But a good 1/24,000 scale contour map will show you the terrain. Observe the contour of the land. Perhaps you’d rather go around a mountain, or avoid scrambling up a cliff, or cross a river at a bridge. Good map skills can get you where you need to go safer and easier. That is, until Google starts mapping major hiking trails with traffic data, routing based on elevation, weather patterns, average pace, and Calorie efficiency. You know it’s coming.
3. The biggest danger to you when you are turned around in the woods is your own head. You need to keep cool, come up with a plan, and execute it. A map and a compass in hand will instantly reduce your stress level because you aren’t really lost! Your first job is to find where you are on the map. In heavily wooded areas this can be a challenge. But once you hike that peak or find that vista where you can get a good idea of the layout of the land you should be able to find your location. Now you plot your course and make for it. Constantly checking up on your progress with your map and compass is a reassuring thing that will keep you cool and levelheaded. It’s easy for your head to make you believe you need to go in a certain direction. Some may call it intuition, direction sense, or a dangerously over-inflated ego. It can be unnerving when the compass tells you the opposite. After a quick check of your compass to ensure it’s not pointing at your cell phone or wind-up flashlight, you need to put your flawless direction sense aside and trust the compass. Your head can be in a weird place when you’re lost, trust your tools instead.

4. How did you get lost in the first place? Another important thing I learned from the course. Didn’t you plot out where you started and where you were going before you headed into the woods? Did you check your compass and map all along the way? If you fail to use your map and compass from the get-go, your job is much harder. Before you head out study the map, mark it up, plot your course and return trip. If you do these things, use your map, and compass along the way you’ll never get lost in the first place. Everyone likes to be told periodically that they are doing a good job when they are engaged in a difficult task. Your map and compass will be that calm and confident nod of approval every step of the way.

5. Know your pace and keep track of it. I had never thought about this unexpected gem. In the course, we measured how many paces it took to walk 100 feet. A pace is every time your left foot hits the ground. I believe mine was about 21. If the map tells us we need to travel 1500 feet to our next destination, and I’m counting my paces, I will know roughly when I’m in the right area. If I go 2000 feet and still haven’t found my destination then I know perhaps I was too far left or right and went by it, time to backtrack. Smart map and compass users carry rangers beads or pace count beads to keep track of how far they’ve gone. My instructor was nice enough to give me his to keep after the course. It’s some shoe lace and beads but it meant a lot and I’ll never go into the woods without it.

In closing, I’ve read a bit more about this subject in the last two days and there seems to be a bitter distaste for GPS users in this community. I’m an all inclusive kind of guy so if I have a GPS unit AS WELL AS a map and compass I’m going to be a lot happier than having only one or none. I can see the point that a GPS can make you lazy in that you never practice your map and compass skills, and that’s a valid concern. Hell I’ve been hiking for decades and this is the first time I’ve seriously respected the old map and compass combo. I strongly encourage you to get a Sylva style compass (with that transparent internal dial), read a good book or take a course on map and compass use, then practice. Not only can it save your life, it’s pretty fun and rewarding as well. And when the zombie apocalypse comes, you’ll be a survivor!

By the way, I like my Suunto A-10 but the class gave me an appreciation for compasses with a sighting mirror. This Brunton 15TDCL appears to be the bee’s knees. Reviewers have suggested that there are cheap knock-offs of this compass but this model is the original and maintains a high standard of quality. It’s definitely on my list to become my primary compass with my A-10 as a backup.

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Photo by: Darren Lone Fight

Guest post by Darren Lone Fight
Want to be a guest poster on HuskyHiker.com?  E-mail me

Day Hiking, Multi-Day Hiking, and Weight

Getting outside and enjoying the outdoors is a great way to maintain and increase fitness levels, burn calories, and has the potential to be a very enjoyable hobby. Nevertheless, the enjoyment can be quickly lost when you’re lugging a pack, pouring sweat, and trying to remember why it is you’re on a trail in the first place. Lowering pack weight, then, becomes a very important component to maximizing your enjoyment of the outdoors and create a positive, healthy experience that you’ll want to repeat in the future. Hiking with a backpack falls very generally into two categories: day hiking and multi-day hiking.

Day hikers don’t need to carry such items as a tent or a sleeping bag, but the pack itself and whatever other supplies that are brought along with the hiker might weigh anywhere from 2-10+ pounds. While this weight is not negligible, it is nevertheless a significantly lighter weight than the average multi-day pack. This article will focus primarily on reducing weight in the larger packs of a multi-day hiker, but most of the general points made here can apply to a lesser degree to the day hiker as well.

For a multi-day hike, one has to carry many supplies for daily use. I’ll be speaking here of a weekend trip, since this is the kind of backpacking trip most of us are able to fit into our schedule (not to exclude the bearded and smelly Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and other multi-week and multi-month hikers). This means a half-day Friday, Saturday, and half-day Sunday (or roughly two full days of supplies). A Base-pack weight for a multi-day hike of this nature includes the “Big Three” of backpacking: the pack itself, sleeping system (sleeping pad/bag), and shelter system (tent, tarp, etc.).

The (Other) Things We Carry

On top of this base-pack, a backpacker will often carry: a first-aid kit, food, water, a compass, whistle, GPS, knife, cooking system, map, clothes, water purification system, light (headlamp/flashlight/lanterns), camera/electronics, etc., etc. Obviously this list grows quite long very quickly, and it is not uncommon to see multi-day pack weigh 30 pounds or more, even for such a short trip. The “best” equipment in each of these categories is fiercely debated, but this post will take simplicity and utility as a guiding principle to organize and revise how we plan for a multi-day hike. In this scenario, we’re looking for our pack to be 20 pounds or less fully packed including food (excluding water). 20 pounds is the ceiling, but 10-15 pounds should be readily attainable. This process of winnowing pack and equipment weight in order to decrease overall weight and increase enjoyment is known as lightweight backpacking or ultra-light backpacking depending on how “ultra” you get about cutting weight: If you’re counting half-ounces when weighing your individual pieces of equipment and sawing the bottom half off of your toothbrush to save weight, it’s safe to say you’re “ultra.”

Perhaps the most common mistake made by hikers who are preparing for a short -weekend trip in the middle of summer is that they pack like they’re going on a two-week trek in the middle of winter. Bring only what you need and prepare for what you can reasonably expect! I’ve seen a fellow backpacker, bent at the waist and red-faced, hauling enough equipment, food, and water to feed and shelter himself and everyone in our crew for at least a week! He had an enormous tent, food for miles, and he was paying for it with every trembling, labored step he took on the trail.

The relationship between food and packing can actually make hiking even more useful for weight-loss; it’s good exercise, yes, but it can also teach us important lessons about portion sizing and the relationship between calories and exercise. Before a trip, you’ll need to determine the amount of miles that will be hiked and calculate the food necessary for the trip. If you’re going to cover five miles a day (10mi.), depending on weight, one would burn at least 4,000 calories a day in hiking alone (not including basal metabolism). This means the amount of food one would need to bring to replace every calorie would easily be close to 7,000! To calculate for weight loss, one would adjust the replacement calories down from these totals, and when you’ve got to pack each of those calories into a backpack and wear it on your back, you will begin to get a better sense of how much food that really is and make decisions on what and how much to bring accordingly! Even more, when you’ve got to be sure to portion your foods out correctly because you can’t run to the grocery store if you eat it too quickly, you’ll begin to necessarily harden your resolve about portioning.

While monitoring and portioning food may sound like a less-than-fun part of hiking, I’ve found that when out hiking trails, food becomes less of a central concern and more of a functional activity: we eat because we need fuel to keep walking and enjoying our hike. This doesn’t mean that good, warm, and healthy food shouldn’t be enjoyed on the trail, but that hiking holds entertaining or interesting wildlife, incredible vistas, and other beautiful flora and fauna that you’ll (hopefully) be too excited about what’s around the next bend to be too worried about food other than to refuel the tank!

Dropping Weight and the Lightweight Pack

So, aside from the more psychological components of food portioning and its relationship to physical activity, calorie burn, etc., there is the basic equipment list of a lightweight pack that will allow you to spend more time enjoying your hike and less time wishing your back and shoulders weren’t screaming at you. Examine the following suggestions as you take a look at your own pack and see where you might be able to make cuts. I have provided some links to places where you can buy ultralight or lightweight gear, but don’t feel as though this is an activity that you should “buy” your way into: paring down backpack weight in order to have a more enjoyable outdoor experience is about finding ways to do more with less. Sometimes this can best be attained by purchasing something, but very often what is needed is some DIY trimming, sewing, or construction or an honest appraisal of what is really needed in the backcountry.

The Big Three—This is the place to find the biggest/easiest weight savings. Right now, I’m using an old Swiss Gear backpack that I had for school. It had a waist strap, so I hand-stitched more straps to lash a sleeping bag, tent, etc. to the pack, and I use this for most of my weekend multi-day hikes. It weighs in fully packed with tent, pad, bag, food, etc. (minus water) at about 15 pounds. My wife uses a canvas, no-frame pack we found at a garage sale for $2 (it does have a waist/chest strap). Her whole pack weighs about 11 pounds, and the knee pain she used to suffer from lugging a 30+ pound pack around has gone away. Whatever you get, make it light and comfortable. Gossamer Gear (http://www.gossamergear.com/) makes a wide selection of very light gear, including packs, bags, and tents. Most major pack brands (Osprey, Gregory, etc.) all have ultra-light and lightweight models as well that you should look into for your next pack purchase. Ideally you’d like a pack that weighs in at under two pounds. Nevertheless, go with what you’re familiar with and what is most comfortable, just be sure you pay special attention to weight.

A sleeping bag can be replaced by a good, lightweight quilt (you really only use the insulation on the top part of the sleeping bag anyway when you sleep on a pad). I still use a bag, but I have cut out the stuffing on the bottom side of my sleeping bag and sewn back up the cells. This allows my sleeping bag to pack down to a very small and light size. Finally, I use an old, A-frame, single-wall tent which, with poles and stakes, weighs less than 3 pounds. This sleeps me and my wife (and very little else) and is basically a glorified bivy. Speaking of Bivy’s, they’re actually a good option for a tent as well. All-in-one hammocks, such as the Hennessy Hammock (http://hennessyhammock.com/), are a good third-way option (tent/bag/pad all in one!).

The Other Stuff— Look into getting an alcohol stove (http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm) and using it as your primary cooking system. Keep your food simple: lots of gorp/jerky/trail-food, couscous, freeze-dried foods, and other add-boiling-water foods. Be prepared to purify and treat water rather than attempt to haul 2-3 gallons (this will add 25 pounds to your weight alone). For purification I would suggest a combination of the AquaMira Frontier Pro (http://www.aquamira.com/) and a chemical treatment, either iodine or chlorine dioxide (I prefer the latter). Bring one LED headlamp for light. It will be more than enough (you should be sleeping at night anyway!). Lightweight multi-compass/ruler/etc.. Skip the non-essential electronics. Use only a closed-cell, ¾-length sleeping pad rather than an inflatable system. One small pot, one large mug-bowl, and one spoon. Buy a small, waterproof first-aid kit appropriate for your trips. Use light-weight and small containers (I like Platypus Bottles: http://www.cascadedesigns.com/platypus) to hold your water.

These suggestions certainly aren’t all-encompassing, but they should get you started towards a lighter weight pack and a better experience on the trails.

Finally, Philosophy.

Backpacking provides an enjoyable and healthy pastime for people who enjoy the outdoors, and is made all the more enjoyable the less weight we have to carry around. More than this, the process of stripping weight down is done most effectively by looking to get rid of extraneous or unnecessary items and by maximizing the utility of our equipment. In the first move, we must examine our own mental categories of “necessity” and “luxury.” It can be difficult to let go of the three-room tent and blow-up air mattress, but remember that the glory of the trail is found on the trail; when you’re attempting to be out in nature and enjoy a good long hike, it’s important to remember that we’re there to enjoy the raw natural beauty of the environment and not attempt to import the necessities of our daily lives (obviously in the “real world” my pillow-top bed is a necessity. It simply is.) into the great outdoors. Necessities have to shift when we’re on the trail. What is a necessity at home (refrigerator, toilet, infinite water, etc.) can be impossible in the backcountry. This shift will help you trim down and simplify your backpacking experience, but it will also heighten your appreciation of your daily-life luxuries when you get back from a hike. No hot shower and short nap in a comfy bed has ever felt better than after a multi-day hike.

The second philosophy of utility is about finding ways to get the most out of equipment. I know hikers that use only a tarp for a tent system, which also doubles as a poncho in a pinch. We don’t have to be quite as radical as that: using a spoon for most all utensil needs instead of bringing a full compliment is one example of this sort of utility; using a stuff-sack with your clothes in it as a pillow instead of bringing a separate pillow is another: these little tricks are simply ways of getting more out of less equipment by removing redundancy where you may not have realized it was present. Such small tweaks often help save significant space and/or weight by allowing for items to be used for multiple purposes. Small changes in how we perceive the functionality of our gear can lead to large savings in both weight and space, and the smartest cuts/utility uses/modifications of your gear will come from your own examination and reflection on the role your gear plays in your backpacking excursions. Look for redundancies in your gear that can be remedied with increasing the scope or role of another piece of similar (or modified) gear.

Finally, this is really all about locating an aesthetic which treasures non-excess, simplicity, and utility. This often flies in the face of how we live our daily lives, and yet there are important lessons to be learned from this outdoors paradigm. These reorientations run through the heart of the lightweight and ultra-lightweight backpacking philosophies, and they can also inform weight-loss strategy as well. As I’ve mentioned previously, the relationship such backpacking creates between a hiker, his body, his “fuel,” and his activity is invaluable in creating an awareness of the interdependence at the heart of any endeavor to lose weight, and is a necessary awareness to truly begin to manage calorie intake and exercise/physical activity in a meaningful manner. When you can translate a bag of chips into the several miles/hours of hiking it contains in energy in a meaningful sense, you’ll hopefully begin to have a better sense of the relationship between energy/calories and what, say, 1,000 calories translates to in real, physical terms.

Ultimately, weight loss works best when it comes while doing something you enjoy. I hope that some of these tips and ideas help make your next hiking trip more about enjoying your beautiful surroundings and less about enduring the physical pain of an unnecessarily large and/or heavy pack. Stripping your gear and pack down to the essentials and focusing on the enjoyment of the experience itself will help you not only enjoy your hike, but enjoy the pounds you’ve shed off your body because of the pounds you’ve shed off your pack!

Darren is a Youth Conservation Corps supervisor for the Trustees of Reservations (http://www.thetrustees.org/), a PhD student in the humanities at UMass, and a free-lance writer and reporter. He hikes primarily in Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont and is preparing for a hike across the state of Massachusetts (north-south) at the end of the summer. He can be reached at: darrenlonefight@gmail.com Please put “Huskyhiker.com” in the subject line.

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With spring comes ticks… It seems to be worse and worse every year. On an average hike I can pick at least 3-4 ticks off me and if I have the dog with me double that off him. Ticks carry lyme disease and rocky mountain spotted fever. The risk of contacting lyme disease increases after 24-72 hours after the tick attaches. It can take 1-4 months for lyme symptoms to show up, symptoms are flu like. If you find an attached tick watch the site after removal for a few weeks for a rash, if a rash appears see your doctor.  At least with pets you have the availability of Revolution, Advantage, Advantix, and the like. For us two legged folks we are not so lucky… We don’t have any magic topical drops to repel ticks. In this post I will go over some ways to help keep you tick free.

The most important thing is keeping the ticks off you to start with.

Here are some simple things you can do to keep ticks from biting:

• Wear long pants, long sleeve shirt, socks, and a hat when you can. Also it helps to keep your shirt tucked in to your pants.
• Stay on groomed trails, avoid bushwhacking.
• Spray exposed skin and areas like bottom of pants with a replant containing deet. The more deet % the better.

Always check yourself very carefully when coming in from an adventure in the woods or other tick hot spots. Ticks like to make a home in warm moist areas on your body like armpits, back of the knees, and the groin area. Check everywhere and check well, just taking a shower when you get home is not enough.

If you find a tick on you don’t panic if you take the right steps to remove it you will be on your way worry free. You can find a tool in just about every shape and color for tick removal. If you are lucky the tick will not have had a chance to bite and embed its head yet. If that is the case you can just pick it off… If the little bugger has got a chance to embed then removal is a bit trickier.

How to remove an embedded tick:

• If you have a tool follow the instructions that came with the tool.
• If not you can use tweezers the finer the point the better.
• Grasp the tick as close to the skin as you can.
• Pull the tick out by slowly pulling straight up. Do not twist or rock the tick out.
• Flush the tick down the toilet or place the tick in a cup of rubbing alcohol to kill it.
• Clean the area the tick was attached with rubbing alcohol.
• Never try to remove a tick with a hot match, peanut butter, or petroleum jelly. It just won’t work…

If you take some simple steps to protect yourself ticks are nothing to worry about…

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This Weeks Loss: 3 lbs
Total Loss:            10.6 lbs

6 gym days
0 miles hiked

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This Weeks Gain: 0.2lbs
Total Loss:             7.6lbs

6 gym days
0 miles hiked

I must admit I am a little annoyed with my slight gain.  I started back at the gym a few weeks ago and have still been eating pretty good and I can’t seem to loose.  I have a feeling that after my body adjusts to the new exercise amount  the weight will start coming off…  Or at least I hope…

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This Weeks Gain: 0.2lbs
Total Loss:             7.8lbs

4 gym days
4.5 miles hiked

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Healthy Eating Nightmare

Eating out is a part of life and when you are trying to loose weight it is a huge challenge to stay on track.   Here are some tips to help keep that meal out a little better on the belly…

1. Split your meal! Portions are HUGE, big enough for 2 in most cases.  Miss HuskyHiker and I have starting doing this a lot.  Not only are you saving calories your saving money too.  Heck, even the grilled chicken at chilli’s has 850 calories and 45 grams of fat!  That is without fries!   Even if you are not with someone who is willing to split order your meal with a to go box and split it right when you get it.  Enjoy the rest the next day for lunch…

2. Avoid sugary soda. Get water instead, you should drink more water anyway…   One regular soda packs about 160 calories.  Water zilch! and never mind free refills with water the first fill is free…

3. Don’t go blind and hungry. Do your research, look at the menu on line.  Plan your attack before you get there make a healthy choice and stick to it.  Most restaurants have nutritional info on line for download…  Keep looking it’s there somewhere, they hide it well they don’t want you to see that info.  Also have a healthy snack before you go it will help keep your mind on track and avoid appetizers.  The bloomin onion at outback has 1560 calories and 86 grams of fat.

4. Avoid the fat key words. Some things just sound so good… butter, cream sauce, creamy, oil breaded, alfredo, battered, gravy, smothered.  Stay clear,  as good as it sounds it is just not worth it…  The fettuccine alfredo at the olive garden has 1220 calories and 75 grams fat.  Keep that in mind when you see the fat key words.

5. Change how they serve it. That burger comes “smothered” in mayo ask for it with no mayo, or mayo on the side.  Salad or a vegetable side instead of fries most will do it…  Have them make it for YOU!  You are paying top dollar for this food so you should be happy with it…

So when heading out this weekend keep these tips in mind…

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This Weeks Loss: 4lbs
Total Loss:             8lbs

1.5 hours cardio last week
0 miles hiked

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Starting Weight: 298.6  – let the fun begin

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1. Weigh-in Week 2 Starting Weight:  302.6 Last Weight:          298.6 Current Weight:   294.6 This...

Then I was thinking about what I was like back then…  I had just lost about 70lbs and was full of confidence.  I lost a good deal of weight in a little over a year,  and ten years later it is all back plus some.  It is time to get serious about this.  I am starting all over Wednesday Weigh-in Week 1 this week!   Its time to get fit and meet the goals I have had for years!!!

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At first I found all the same companies that I found on my last search with some new ones that just didn’t seem to have the quality or look I wanted. So I turned to twitter, geoseaeye said I should check out www.adstuit.com. I checked out Fred’s site and was not sure what I thought, it was hard to tell the quality from the pictures on his site, but the prices are great… (100 for $30, 250 for $50 0r even 1000 for $100) Prices are for double sided with custom graphics.  I emailed Fred and asked about better pictures and he had none to offer.  Still unsure I sat on it for a while… One night I sent Fred my design and asked how he though it would print, he said that it looked like it would come out great and asked if I wanted to see a proof. Well 20 minutes later saw my proof and placed my order and I am glad I did.   Fred was awesome to work with and they got the wooden nickles to my door in under a week!  They came out great!!! Thanks Fred!   If you are in the market for wooden nickels (they are so neat) without a doubt see Fred at Ads-Tuit and tell him Husky Hiker sent you!!!

So here are the nickels

My Nickel

P.S. Any geocachers want to trade wooden nickels please contact me…

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Goal Summery  for week 42:

I almost met all my goals, I didn’t get a chance to go for a hike…  I did track my Weight Watchers Points 4 days last week and rode my bike to work 3 days, and one day after work Miss HuskyHiker met me and we rode the bike trail about 12 or so miles.  So I think I did ok this week…

Goals for Week 43:

Ride my bike to work twice (I have a 4 day weekend)

Day 1
Day 2

Hike one time

Kayak one time

Go to the casino and come home with more money than I leave home with. wohoo!

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Week 40
Start Weight: 298 lbs
Current Weight: 294.8 lbs
Weeks Change: +4.4 lbs
Last Weight: 290.4 lbs
Total Change: -3.2 lbs

Week 41
Start Weight: 298 lbs
Current Weight: 293.4 lbs
Weeks Change: -1.4 lbs
Last Weight: 294.8 lbs
Total Change: -4.6 lbs

Goals for week 42:

Track my points for at least 3 FULL days
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

Hike one time this week

Ride my bike to work 2 days
Day 1
Day 2

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A Merry Life – http://amerrylife.com/
Mary’s history sounded a lot like mine, she too last weight after high school only to gain it back later in life.  Her blog focuses on weight loss, nutrition, fitness, and other health related topics, usually with a positive spin…

Andrew is Getting Fit – http://www.andrewisgettingfit.com
Andrew is on a journey to get fit, he has lost 97lbs so far. He did the Couch 2-5K program and has ran a 5, 10K race and a half marathon. Andrew should be an inspiration to all of us…

Fat Girl To Fit Girl – http://fatgirltofitgirl.wordpress.com
When Diane turned 49 she wanted to trade in her sedentary lifestyle for an active one. She is on Weight Watchers and doing great having lost 61lbs. she also has completed a duathlon & triathlon.

Fat Lazy Guy – http://thefatlazyguyslog.blogspot.com
The Fat Lazy Guy is from New Zealand, He is making great progress to meeting all his goals. He has lost 216.7 lbs to date (that is not a typo!) All I can say is WOW!

The Token Fat Girl - http://www.myallnaturalweightloss.com
Lorrie was 320lbs at her highest weight, she is doing her own thing, combining things she liked from the diffrent programs she has tried… Will that work? Seems like it is, she is doing great!

Losing a Hundredweight – http://losingcwt.blogspot.com/
“When I was a teenager I used to fantasize about having my own pair of breasts to play with. Now, as an overweight, middle-aged man, I seem to have them – and it’s not as much fun as I thought it would be.” – Kim Ayres.  Kim has lost 81lbs after realizing in a “midlife crisis” what he had been doing for the last 25 years…

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Headed out early with my brother Cory and his buddy Dave in hopes to beat the rain.  This summer in New England has

Hut and Herrin

proven to be a challenge, it seems to be raining almost every day.  We put in at the boat ramp off Quaboag St. in Brookfield, MA.  This paved parking lot has plenty of parking and a concrete boat ramp for launching. The lake was

Quaboag River

calm but the wind was picking up and Quaboag Pond gets choppy when the wind is blowing, so we headed for the river. The mouth of the Quaboag River is on the west side of the lake or head to the rear, right corner of the lake as you leave the ramp.

The Quabaog River is a relaxing flat water paddle.  This river has no current to speak of and can be paddled up or down stream easily.  The river is lined with mash and wet lands for most of the trip and great blue heron will be plentiful, also you will see a few beaver and muskrat huts along on the way to West Brookfield.  Luckily most of the river is protected land, part of the Quaboag Wildlife Management Area this make for a secluded trip down the river.  No houses along the river, mostly you will see fishermen and other

Quaboag River

kayakers. Due to the river being marsh edged they are not may places to get out for a break so make sure to take advantage of Whites Landing, They sell bait and some supplies.  If the kitchen is open you can even get some grub.  I think they might do canoe and kayak rentals too…   We too out in West Brookfield at Old Long Hill Rd. and carried the boats a few hundred yards to my folks house.

Great Blue Heron

You can continue on the river all the way to Warren (port over beaver dam) before you hit quick water.  It turns fast after the Old West Brookfield Rd. bridge.  We were going to continue on but hunger called and it looked like a storm was moving in. pizza seemed like a better idea than being on the river in a storm…

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From the Big MOE website:

A Brief History:
The Massachusetts Outdoor Expo, fondly referred to as The Big M.O.E., started out with a group of sportsmen and women who wanted to create an opportunity for kids of all ages to learn more about outdoor skills, wildlife and conservation. They approached the Hamilton Rod and Gun Club in Sturbridge to host the Mass. Outdoor Expo, due to its central location, facilities and the connections the group had to the club. An annual event was born!

A couple years later, members of the Mass. Outdoor Expo group approached FAWNS, (Facts About Wildlife & Nature Society) a non-profit group founded in 1998 to promote the connection of people to the outdoors. FAWNS was interested in promoting educational experiences focusing on the outdoors. A “natural” connection between the Expo group and FAWNS was obvious.  A partnership was formed and FAWNS became the organizing entity supporting the Big MOE.

Hope to see you there!
The Mass. Outdoor Expo is September 27, 2009 from 9am to 4pm at the Hamilton Rod & Gun Club in Sturbridge, MA (directions)

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Week 39
Start Weight: 298 lbs
Current Weight: 290.4 lbs
Weeks Change: -1.5 lbs
Last Weight: 292 lbs
Total Change: -7.6 lbs

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Crown Point, NY

Crown Point Public Campground is located at 784 Bridge Road, Crown Point, NY 12928. This campground is located on the southern edge of the 281,600 acre Lake Champlain and right on the New York / Vermont border.  Crown Point rests over battlefields and fort locations dating back to 1775, remnants of the old forts can still be seen.  In the campground you will also find a beautiful lighthouse and fishing pier, both seem to be the main draw of the campground. A boat launch ramp is also located inside the campground so, if boating is your thing, this is a great place to stay.  The rate to camp here is $17 a nite and reservations can be made through reserve america.

The Lighthouse

The Crown Point website shows many sites that you would think to be waterside or lake front camping, but only few sites even have water front views. Sites 1-10 are they only sites with a clear view to the water but a fence (and a steep hill) block access to the water from your site.

The other sites that look like they might be on the water are not and the view is blocked by heavy tree cover.  Most of the sites here seem better suited for RVs and campers more so than tents.  Most sites have water close by and no other hookups, The do have a waste dump station on the grounds.  If you seek seclusion from other campers this might not be the place for you.  The whole campground is essentially a field with enough trees to create mostly shaded sites, but you will have a full view of your neighbors site.  The lean-to site, site 48 is the only site that offers true privacy.  All sites are full grass with fireplaces and picnic tables. Sites 27-32 are very close together and I would rate them the worst sites in the campground, also 55-59 are very close to the main road (Bridge RD.) that sees a good amount of traffic.  Sites 42-47

Entrance Road

are the best group of sites in Crown Point in my opinion.

Bathrooms can make or break a campground and Crown Point didn’t excel nor fail here.  They had bathrooms with hot water and they were clean enough.  Nothing spectacular and nothing gross either. The showers near the check in station seemed to have a lower water pressure than the other shower but was usable.

Shopping for food and supplies can requie a bit of travel withing 10 min you have a great general store that has most things and a bait shop that seems well stocked, but it is a

Sites 27-31

20-30 min windy road drive to a grocery store, Super Walmart in Ticonderoga, NY

Conclusion: If you want a relaxing campground where you can fish, boat, and explore history this is a great place. If these things don’t interest you or you want a private site you might want to look elsewhere.  I would stay here again if I had a reason to be in the area buy would not go out of my way to stay here…

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Week 38
Start Weight: 298 lbs
Current Weight: 292 lbs
Weeks Change: -.2 lbs
Last Weight: 292.2 lbs
Total Change: -6.0 lbs

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Sunday Morning a couple friends and I headed out for a early morning kayak trip.  This was my first trip out on the kayak for the season, my kayak has been in storage and I figured it was about time that I go pick it up…

We met at the Oxbow boat launch for 7:30AM I was surprised to see how busy it was.  The launch has 2 parking spots for cars with roof top boats only but they seem to fill up fast, one was open when we got there.  The concrete launch is nice but you have to move quick and get out in the water because it is almost certain that a boat on a trailer is waiting for you.  The water in the Oxbow is murky brown and there is no current to speak of.  I figured we would run into more power boats but only a few on the way back.

Mill River Kayak

The real adventure starts when you pass under the low clearance bridge and into the Mill River.  The river is narrow and shallow in some parts and passes through the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, be on the lookout for submerged logs just under the surface.  There are a few downed trees you have to make your way around and under before you reach one that requires you to port over, this is where we turned around…  There is a medium current in the river and you really notice it when you start to head back. We saw a couple blue herrings on the trip back, but I am sure there is much more wildlife to be seen here. It was nice to be back on the water…

Most of the kayaking I have done was in Central Mass so I can’t wait to explore more waters in Western Mass…

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