In this episode, I train for my fastpacking trip with some trail running and get to witness the Columbia River Gorge in full bloom. Then I got to model for the outdoor clothing and contemplation brand that is forever doing the most in the best way @earth_studies_
Photos from inside Haleakala crater (actually an erosional valley).
📸 Pictures by me (unless they’re of me, then @isachristensen took them)
Previewing our route for @camp.yoshi
I’m training to run 170 miles, but today I did not run, did not go to the gym, and did not rest. Instead, I rucked. What is rucking you ask? Here is today’s definition: Rucking is just weighted hiking. So when me and and my friend went on this 9-mile hike-I brought a 45 lb plate with me in my backpack
Rucking has many benefits.
1. It’s great zone 2 cardio work— it builds endurance and my VO2 max
2. It’s great functional strength training. It’s no surprise that carrying an extra 45 lbs up a 3000 ft incline builds strength, but all of the micro-balancing moments that happen when you need to stabilize yourself on uneven terrain is super functional.
3. Low Impact on Joints: Compared to running, which can exert eight times your body weight on your joints, rucking exerts only about three times, making it a safer alternative for joint longevity
And lastly, Bone Density: Rucking is a weight-bearing exercise that stimulates bone growth and can help prevent osteoporosis or age-related bone loss
As the weather gets nicer and it gets harder to convince myself to go to the gym, rucking is a great alternative that gets me outside while still building strength.
Cowboy camping is when you sleep without a tent. For some people this is the whole reason to go camping. This is my setup for car camping — it’s not as lightweight (mainly because of this sleeping pad), but it’s simple and comfortable.
Would you go camping without a tent?
My third run of my training to trail run the Tahoe rim trail. Fastpacking is the intersection of ultralight backpacking and trail running (or ultra marathons).
Some people also fastpack in more of a hut-to-hut style!
Had a really nice time leading a wildflower walk with @birdallianceoforegon at Camassia Nature Preserve today. We talked about Oregon White Oak savannah, fire ecology, indigenous land stewardship, and how those patterns/practices shapes what grows here. We spent a lot of time with common camas, the preserve’s namesake. It has a long relationship with the Kalapuya of the Willamette valley and has been part of life here for thousands of years. Its bulbs are an important spring food, and careful tending and burning helped keep these meadows open and healthy for generations. That burning also benefits the land by reducing encroaching shrubs/trees, returning nutrients to the soil, and creating the conditions camas and other native plants depend on.
After that, we hung out in the meadow and did some botanical sketching, which is my favorite way to get to know a new plant. Really grateful for everyone who showed up and shared the space. And big thanks to @griffsc for the photos on the Ricoh GRIIIx and @allie.yacina her artwork for the field guide/zine!
