May 2020: A Note From Diane

Let’s dig into a motley collection of hiking related things I’ve discovered for you this month!

To Make You Guffaw

Without further ado, here are the winners of the "Best Squirrel Photos" contest. You've got to see the squirrel impersonating a unicorn head or your day just won't be complete.

Squirrel Celebs

Here's your second chance to smile, or more like marvel at how a photographer manages to bring the outdoors inside, using everyday objects.

She calls it her Great Indoors series.

My fave destination? Paper Bag Canyon, although Jello Lake is a contender.

See if you agree!

Almost Like Being There

To Support Your Health

I'm a big fan of their jerky, trail bars and soup mixes.

Explore Patagonia Provisions

There’s a new tool you can use to plan future backpacking & camping meals at AlpenFuel.

This nifty tool makes it easy to be both healthy and satisfied on the trail when you're pulling together menus from their full line of delicious food! Here it is: Meal Planner Tool

American Mountain Guides Association created an interesting chart for dealing with the psychological impact of the pandemic.

It’s based on their training for the stress around natural disasters and other unpredictable events. Might be useful for you as a planning or coping tool.

Stress Resilience Tool

To Make Your Hiking Boots Jealous

These video camera recordings are culled from a 2018 PCT journey.

Here’s the fun part: You can click and drag anywhere along the trail to see the complete 360 view. Uh huh, pretty darn amazing.

PCT 360

Pick out a new pair of socks and watch your boots pout.

Not really! That's not nice ;)

But if you put a jacket over your boots, they'll never know you are exploring the universe of hiking socks with my guide to 11 different types of socks: Best Hiking Sock Options

To Experience Vivid Sonic Landscapes

Composed by Jeffrey Derus, the The Sound Of The PCT is scored for chorus, vocal soloists, cello, and crystal singing bowls.

It was inspired by places along the Pacific Crest Trail, and also features inspiring quotes from John Muir, Lucy Eddy, Rumi, and others.

The work is structured in five major movements to represent these sections of the trail: Southern California, Central California, Northern California, Oregon and Washington.

Soothing Sounds

To Test Your Luck

Wrapping yourself in a blanket at the end of a chilly hike (or on a bench at the ballgame) sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Here’s my thorough review of this wearable blanket that blends coziness & mobility:

Cozy Mozy Review

And here's the link to the page where you can sign up for a chance to win your very own wearable blanket:

Hiking For Her May Giveaway

But why stop there? Here's another opportunity to test your luck as well as your observation skills.

Have you noticed that REI Co-op is celebrating 82 years of service to the outdoors community? Their “origin story” (to use the fancy lingo) is quite remarkable.

I’m one of their 82Memories, stories from co-op members that they’ve been sharing on social media (IG, FB, Twitter).

If you can tell me which number I was (out of 82) & name the place I share in my memory by June 1, I’ll send you some Hiking For Her stickers. Hit reply & be sure to include your snail mail (nuthin' gets past me in the lingo department).

To Savor The Best Gear Deals

Backcountry

Moosejaw

They just introduced a new gear brand they call LITHIC: affordable, well designed gear in lightweight high performance materials.

I am amazed at the low prices paired with quality features in these tents, sleeping bags, backpacks and cookware: LITHIC gear savings

REI Co-op annual sale

They also run "peak deals", up to 50%, but you have to check back often to see all the outdoor gear they feature. Wow, that's gonna be painful, right?

Another way to save: enjoy 20% off already deeply discounted stuff in REI Outlet.

Not a member yet? You can join on the spot and enjoy the savings: REI May Sale

How are you doing?

In our Over Forty Hiker community, we've been sharing what it's like in this new landscape we're all trying to navigate.

And it's been tough on so many levels, beginning with first responders and rippling out to encompass all of us.

So if you need a friendly ear, or just want to say hi, I'm as close as the Reply button.

Or consider joining our community. The "Over 40" part is not strictly enforced - any hiking woman who enjoys a sense of "these people really get what a love of hiking means" is welcome :)

Happy Trails wherever your day takes you,

Diane a.k.a. Happy Hiker

diane@hiking-for-her.com

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