How to Hike Comfortably Without Sweating or Chafing

August 21, 2018 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

The Vacation of a Lifetime – For This Year, Anyway

How to Hike Comfortably Without Sweating or Chafing

The mountains had been calling. The dream of hiking the mountains and camping along the way had been a dream for years. Finally, the time, money and the equipment were all in hand. Let’s go!

Where to Go?

While hiking in the mountains, any mountains, it is important to plan your trip. The dream is to hike in the Andes. This year the route is through the Appalachians, instead. Let’s call it a test run, since so far all the hikes have been within a mile of the house.

What to Take?

Sure, preparing to go hiking sounds easy, but you need to take specific things. Hiking things. For me, I add one more thing. I take my extra strength antiperspirant. Why? Because if I don’t, I am miserable. It’s not like I am public speaking and dealing with clammy hands and ruining my good shirt (that happens at work!).

When I am out in the wilds I need to keep the sweat from in my eyes by swiping my forehead with one of the specialized cloths. That way, since it works for 4 to 7 days I can see clearly and not worry about painful, salty sweat blurring my vision. Once I forgot and went for a bike ride. I actually had to walk my bike home because I got sweat in my eyes. I never forget now.

What Might Happen?

It might rain. It really might. It might really, really rain. How does one prepare for the rain? The advice I have is to take my tent, set it up in the shower at the local YMCA and then sit inside it for several hours while all the shower heads are turned on and pointed straight at it. I called and asked, but they said no.

So, the plan now is to take the tent outside in the back yard and sit inside it while my best friend stands with the hose pointed at it for an hour or so. That’s what friends are for. Maybe we should take turns. I’m still not sure which is the worse part of that job.

Somehow, the tent needs to be tested. I have slept before in a flooded tent. Granted, I was 10 at the time and it was at summer camp, but I still remember the feeling of those nasty damp pjs and I am not looking for a repeat performance.

What Will I Eat?

Either very short hikes will have to be planned or food has to be carried along. And bears. Bears live in the Appalachians and bears like food. Especially people food. I mean food that belongs to people. Don’t go there. It could be a bear problem, or just a raccoon problem, but either way, if you don’t hang your food up out of the reach of critters then you will be hungry.

Chafing is Problematic

The short hikes around the parks near the house have been short enough that I have managed to test out my hiking hoots well enough to know they don’t give me blisters. The trails around home are not long enough for me to know if, or maybe where, my body will decide to chafe.

Every bit of advice I have about hiking says to bring diaper cream for the chafing. I don’t know if there is something else better for it or not, but diaper cream is easily available. I bought some. Mrs. Carmela from down the street saw me buy it. I believe the explanation, “No, we are not having another baby, we are going hiking.” may have left her a bit confused.

Plan for Everything and Anything

This planning process is harder than it looks. You might find that planning a hike is more work than the hike itself, but probably not if you are going to the Appalachians. The Appalachian Trail is actually the longest footpath designed only for hiking in all of America. There are 2,187 miles of paths, which I do not plan to travel all at once. The overall elevation increase is equivalent to going up Mount Everest up to 16 times over those miles. The plan we have is just to take 4 days and hike a bit of it, with no sweat in my eyes, and as little chafing as possible.

Prepare To Go Hiking: What You Should Never Leave Home Without

July 20, 2018 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Prepare for Your Hiking: What You Should Never Leave Home Without

Hiking is a great way to get exercise, breathe in that fresh air, and see the beauty that nature holds. It’s a fun way to spend time with your friends, family, or even just your dog. Regardless of how many times you have been on a trail, however, what you need to bring with you never changes. For those who are new to the challenges of hiking, you will need to put together a hiking kit so that you are ready to go and ready to face any challenge you encounter on your hike.

Shoes That Support You

The first thing you need to ensure that you have are appropriate shoes. What this means will depend on your foot. For instance, regular running shoes might be good enough for some people, but if you have a wide foot, they can end up feeling very cramped, hot and uncomfortable before you know it. That is why you need new wide width shoes for women. They can be difficult to find in store, which is why you should always look online for shoes that can support your feet.

Appropriate Clothing

Appropriate clothing is also a must when it comes to hiking. Weather can change very quickly, which means you can go from overheating to freezing before you know it. That is why thermal or breathable fabrics are so important. You want clothes that will not absorb your sweat so that you can both cool off and stay warm better as the day changes.

Bug Spray

If you have never been on a hike before, the number of mosquitoes and other blood-sucking insects might shock you, especially if the temperature is humid or you are hiking near water. Always carry bug spray and never assume you can go without it. Bugs can completely ruin your journey and cause a lot of stress when they come at you in swarms if you aren’t careful.

Water and Provisions

You should never go on a hike without enough water and snacks to keep you going. To make the walk easier, of course, you might want to consider back-pack water bottles that allow you to carry more than enough water with ease. Similarly, you won’t want to pack bulky snacks. Instead opt for dried meat and fruit, as well as power bars and snacks to keep you going.

A Map and Signal

Unless you are hiking on a very well-trodden path that is not only obvious but marked with signs, then you should never leave without a map, or a means to contact help if required. It could mean having a satellite phone if you are planning a challenging hike, regardless of whether you need to camp or not. Difficult hiking or off-trail hiking can be dangerous, but if you always know where you are and have a means to contact help, you can rest assured that in the worst case scenario you have options.

Hiking is a very fun and rewarding activity, but that doesn’t mean you can go in without respecting nature and how dangerous it can be. Wear proper footwear and clothing to minimize injury and discomfort, always pack provisions, and know where you are at all times. Once you have prepared, you can start enjoying the beauty of nature.

Top Amazing Hikes You Can Take With Your Children

September 15, 2017 by dadofdivas Leave a Comment

Top Amazing Hikes You Can Take With Your Children

When you are planning your vacation, first you have to find the perfect place that will offer relaxation and cool activities.

If you are an active person, who can’t stand in one place for too long, I recommend hiking. The view from up the trail and the fresh air is all you need to feel in full connection with Mother Nature. But is this the type of vacation you can do when you have kids? Of course! I’m sure the kids will appreciate getting out of town and into an adventure. However, it’s best to look for places with easy hikes so everyone will have fun.

Below I listed some of the most impressive trails in the world where children are more than welcome.

Lighthouse Park

If you are going in West Vancouver you must visit this park. It has a lot of hiking trails – some are a little bit difficult to hike but most are perfect for kids who can learn a lot about nature and see amazing views.

If you are looking for a picturesque location, you can just follow the path that goes right by the picnic tables and up onto a rocky outcrop (you’ll see the lighthouse over the tree line). But if you just want a short walk, there is a wide trail that goes towards the lighthouse – this is an excellent place for a picnic with the family.

Bluestone Turnpike Trail

This is a moderate historic trail that is very popular in the Bluestone National River Park. It follows the path of an old river bank road that was timbered and farmed until 1940. While hiking, your children will observe remains of the human history from that area and will discover a lot of different plants and river wildlife.

Capilano Regional Park aka Capilano Canyon

In this location you can find a lot of points of interest for you and your kids, like Cleveland Dam and Salmon Hatchery. Even better, there are trails that go through the forests of the park then cross the pipe bridge over the canyon.

The view of the river below is breath taking! Some of the trails might be a little hard for the kids but with patience and a lot of encouragement they might make it the end.

Brandywine Falls

If you are planning a vacation to Whistler and you want a short hike for your family then Brandywine Falls is the perfect spot. You only have to walk about 15 minutes from the parking lot before reaching the viewing platform where you can see the wonderful waterfall from above. If you want more, with another short walk, you can go to the end viewpoint where you can see Daisy Lake. Not only that the view is amazing, but you can also see a hydroelectric dam that generates electricity for BC Hydro.

Othello Tunnels

These tunnels just north of Hope were built for a railway line. The hiking trail goes across the steep cliffs of the Coquihalla River and through several of these old train tunnels. I’m sure that the little ones will enjoy this hike while their minds will be with the trains that passed through the area some time ago.

CCC Snipe Trail

Kanawha State Forest near Charleston is the perfect place to feed the curiosity of your kids. It has a great diversity of plants and wildlife. A lot of trails have a difficulty from easy to moderate, but for people traveling with toddlers, there may be too many hills. But the CCC Snipe trail is a 3-4 mile flat trail, and I think toddlers will do just fine. Only make sure to remember to buy those special hiking shoes for toddlers – you’ll congratulate yourself on the trail for this smart decision!

This hike allows you to discover a historic sealed mine and tourists have the chance to learn more about it on guided hikes with the park rangers.

Gold Creek Falls

This waterfall is located in Golden Ears Provincial Park and it’s a pretty easy hike. The round-trip takes 2 to 3 hours and there is a stop along the river’s edge where the kids can take a break. But if you are the one that needs to take a break then the kids can play there. From start to end you’ll find several campsites that are perfect for families with or without children.

Rice Lake

This Lake is located in Lynn Headwater Regional Park and is the perfect place to teach the youngsters how to fish. The lake is full of rainbow trout and the dock area is big.

You also have a 3 km trail that goes around the lake. It’s easy to hike and it offers some interesting views. This is a perfect place to teach your kids two of your passions: hiking and fishing.

Shoreline Trail

This trail is a 6km round-trip hike that begins at Rocky Point Park and ends at the Old Orchard Park. Both parks have playgrounds and there are a few places to explore on the trail as well. Out of all the available stops, I’m sure that the most popular one will be back to Rocky Point Park buying your kids ice cream. For all the effort they put in, I’m sure they deserve a reward!

Whytecliff Park

There is a rocky beach area along the shores of Howe Sound in West Vancouver that your kids will definitely love to explore! There is also a large rocky outcrop just off the shore, perfect for an easy hike.

In the end, I’m hoping you’ll have a lot of fun with the kids on these trails! Just keep in mind to make things easier for them and get them excited about the thrill of discovering and learning new things.

Author Bio

Rebecca lives in USA, but loves hiking all over the world. Her favorite is Everest Base Camp Trek in Nepal. It usually takes 16 days, but she likes to slow down, enjoy mountains, company of other adventurers and take more pictures, so it took her 28 days last time. Another of her passion is the ocean, so all short and long hikes along the ocean shore bring a lot of joy. She also writes for HikingMastery.com.