The Zen of Perspective

It's a first take, it's rough, and it's imperfect. That's ok. I took a time out from all the article writing, the social media, the traveling and photography to just sit by the ocean after a hike and see what came to mind. I was reminded, as I often am when I'm surrounded by the big elements of nature, on a little thing I use to gain perspective.

This is a step out of the ordinary to post something so introspective and at this level of personal, but I've been hearing more people calling out for a mental break. Took my chances—maybe it'll be worthwhile for someone else.

The words I said:

Just finished hiking a trail in Schoodic, one of the parts of Acadia National Park in Maine. It’s an area I used to come to a lot as a kid with my family. I have a couple of aunts here and cousins and we used to come down here because it’s really close to their house. So it has a lot of special meaning to me.

I’m watching the fog roll in right now and there’s an island across the way. I can smell the salt air, see the different color blues and the whites; the golden color of the rocks. There are cliffs that come right down into the ocean and the waves crash up really high; really rocky beaches where you can hear the waves taking the rocks out and rolling them around, then pushing them back up onshore.

Sometimes I like to come down here, especially when I’m making a decision or faced with something difficult in my life, and watch the waves come in. It kinda reminds me that there is a power out there bigger than me. For me, that’s my Heavenly Father. People believe in many different forms and whatever that might be for you, sometimes it’s good just to remember that there are bigger powers out there than you.

It’s good to just go somewhere where you feel smaller. I discovered that first when I moved to Utah and I saw the mountains around me and how big they were. My idea was: If God can control these mountains and they obey, then He can take control of my life.

I feel the same way when I come down here to the ocean and think about how vast it is and how it shapes the earth and the coastline; that there are people on the other side of it. Sometimes you get really caught up in your life and forget that. It’s good to remember your significance and to remember that I’m small.

Bubbas and Backcountry: What Makes the East so Different

Trail blazes painted on the rocks & trees are common in New England hiking

The Northeast is different.

Here people have nicknames for everything and everyone, though the latter often falls back on the generic “Bubba” if you’re a guy. People use expletives where they don’t even make sense. And the accents: whoa.

The outdoor world is just as fascinating. Skiing in the east broke me in to its eccentricities and I learned to adapt quickly. As winter melted into spring, the Northeast’s rock climbing had me bushwacking into approaches and picking ticks off later.

And now it’s hiking season. The trails are rife with rivulets; where they don’t exist, large stones stack on top of one another, either naturally or by the hand of man. Throw in some tree roots and you’ll find that hiking in the Northeast is less a simple act of walking and more of scrambling and jumping.

Here your cardiovascular condition better be in tune; no sissy switchbacks exist to accommodate you. If you’re lucky, a ledge will crop up and provide you with a grand view of the surroundings—that is if you aren’t too busy trying to catch your breath while pretending to stop for the scenery.

But, as a Westerner, nothing stands out more to me than the shelters. They are everywhere—hike a trail that summits somewhere, and you will be greeted by one of these log structures.

Shelter view; includes 3-seated log bench

They vary in luxury: some are fully-decked out cabins with bunks and woodstoves, such as the Starks Nest shelter along the Long Trail at Mad River Glen. Some are more primitive—nothing more than a three-sided structure with a roof overhead. This is what I found at the top of the Swan Lake Trail near the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire a couple of nights ago.

The trail itself was pretty low-key for the east, actually more akin to what you’d find out west: rocks thrown in here and there and some hard packed dirt. The grade was a piece of cake and had it not been for the mud and little streams periodically cutting the trail, I could have easily placed it in the intermountain region.

The trail cut through tall stands of birch and maple until the grand finale: a beautiful lake surrounded by rolling peaks and a spectacular sunset in the making.

Get comfy

And a shelter. The log structure was accessorized by a rough-hewn three-seater bench and a metal firepit. Inside the shelter, visitors had carved their names into every space of wood available and a drab olive-colored fleece lay crumpled on the floor.

I turned my back on the shelter and claimed one of the spots on the bench. You’d be hard-pressed to find this much structure accompanying the backcountry trails of the west, or at least Utah.

I watched the colors of the sky turn from blue to gold and then pink. It was about that time when my hiking partner laughed behind me. I turned to see him crouched in the shadows of the shelter, a spot I had overlooked. He had donned the olive fleece and was lifting a bag filled with a dark liquid. I wrinkled my nose, thinking it was some putrid mix that had sat there for ages. Then he took a swig.

Leftover libations

“Red wine!” he smiled.

Seriously? I walked over to the spot where he was crouched and saw corner stuffed full of wine, little bottles of flavored vodka, scraps of folded paper (no notes written on them), and a red-dyed feather sticking out from the logs. It was like folks left these things behind for future hikers to enjoy.

I’d never seen anything like it. I thought back to geocaching and how folks hike to spots where treasures lay hidden. This was like a giant geocache haul except without GPS coordinates. I am not a drinker, but I still found the remains incredible.

I sat on the edge of the shelter and swung my feet. Here in the east, I’d seen so much evidence of man’s interference with the wilderness—interference meant to make trails more hospitable for humans. There were shelters, rock-hewn stairs, colored blazes on rocks and trees instead of cairns like we have out west. These accommodations gave the outdoor experience a softness, a potentially false sense of “all-is-well” while navigating the backcountry.

It wasn’t that easterners were not hardcore. On the contrary, these were some of the hardiest people I’d met. What ultimately differed was the history of outdoorsmanship in this area. It was a land of our forefathers who explored their surroundings long before the west was “tamed.” It was a land of the Civilian Conservation Corps, an organization developed to employ men during the Great Depression. It is a region that the Appalachian Mountain Club, from 1876 to present, has worked to protect and maintain. It is part of historic trail systems that set the example for through-hikes around the nation.

I have heard that newer trails are less structured than their predecessors. For those who believe the outdoor experience should be as wild as possible, this might be welcome news. However, the hiking in the Northeast is all the more charming for those old shelters and its distinctive trail design. Its unique features separate it from other regions’ hikes, making it simultaneously a great place to experience something new and to hike back into history.

View of Swan Lake and the beginning of a beautiful sunset

The Ultimate Guide to Living on the Road PT III: 13 Tips for Fitness, Health & Nutrition

Whether you are planning a shorter-term road trip on a shoestring budget or out on the road for an extended period of time, there are ways to make your experience all the better. After having lived on the road for two years next month, this is what I’ve come up with. Enjoy Part III of this installment (and don’t miss out on the 30 tips so far in Part I and II!).

Heads up: some links lead back to product pages where you can purchase or research more about a product I recommend. Of those, a portion provide compensation if you like what you see and decide to purchase. I recommend those products only if I find them beneficial and use them myself.  

Stay Fit

Staying in shape can be one of the most difficult things to maintain when you are on the road for long stretches of time. Even if the focus of your fieldtrip is adventure, you can run into periods where it’s difficult to find it—especially if you run into inclement weather or if you call your car “home.”

Screenshot from Under Armour's "What's Beautiful" Challenge (see tip #3)

Below are additions to the fitness tips found in Part I of the Ultimate Guide. Check ‘em out after you read these.

1. An Apple a day:  iTunes to the rescue. On the days when playing outdoors is out of the question (or even just to supplement your adventures), grab a fitness podcast or video and play it right from your computer or iPod.  It’s like having a personal trainer but without the heavy pricetag.

My pick: “20 min. Yoga Sessions from YogaDownload.com.”

2. There’s an app for that: to keep on the tech tip, try a fitness app. Fits right on your phone (you’re lugging it around anyway, right?) making this option ultra-convenient. Gympact even keeps you accountable by making you set a goal and back it up with a dollar amount. For every day you miss, you give a portion of your money to someone who stuck to their goal and exercised. If you work out, you get paid. Interesting concept, eh?

Do a search for “fitness” on your phone to find one that makes sense for you. My pick: “Daily Yoga.” The free version has 11 different video sessions with great music and a 12-day yoga plan that will send you a reminder when it’s time to workout. Upgrade to Pro for a fee if you want more.

3. Get challenged: I recently found a few friends on Twitter were doing a month-long  #SquatChallenge. It was something I could easily participate from my car (or anywhere). The great thing about this is there’s a schedule and you’re accountable to friends, so it keeps you motivated and moving. Want to participate? Join @clymberchick, @wigirl4ever, @stonewear (who all rock at outdoor fitness) and me (@ginabegin: the newbie) for motivation.

There are plenty of great challenges out there. There are even specific ones for women, such as Under Armour’s “What’s Beautiful” challenge. Set a goal and keep a video/photo log of your progress on their site. You can even join a team with other women to keep each other pushing forward. And yes, there’s a payoff: a yoga and surf-filled trip to Costa Rica for three women who pushed the hardest.

4. Look around you: Yes, that’s the name of a hilarious UK video series online. But it’s also a great way to get creative with your fitness. In the city? Look for a playground. Monkey bars (you might have to bend your knees since you’re likely not 4’5” anymore) work the upper body and hand strength, swings work the core, use the bottom rungs of the slide stairs to do calf raises and elevated lunges. Or climb up them and slide down. It’s more fun.

City bonus: lots of urban parks have trails with fitness circuits—stations with equipment and instructions—interspersed along the way. Take a trail run and stop at each station for a full body workout.

5. Use your weight: I recently asked a question on Google+ if anyone had tips about exercising while on the road. I got a great reply from my friend Bret W., who linked back to 50 bodyweight exercises you can do anywhere. Can’t get more perfect than that! Check out the post for more ideas.

Health & Nutrition

Living in a car often equates to living on a budget. If you’re among the crowd without health insurance, you’ll know it’s pretty important to keep your immune system boosted and avoid expensive doctor’s fees. While fitness (above) is one big component of keeping healthy, there’s a host of other steps you can take on the road to keep all systems go.

Try these to boost your health & nutrition on the road

Nutrition

6. Probiotics: These little guys work hard to keep you balanced internally. Help them out by including yogurt in your diet. During the upcoming summer months, you may need to invest in a little cooler for this, or if you can’t afford the space but can afford the extra cost, grab an individual serving a few times a week. Dairy not your thing? Probiotics also come in scoopable (add to water) or pill form.

7. Craisins: Not only do these little gems taste amazing and are one of the best things to chomp on when you’re driving late at night, but they also contain antioxidants and keep bacteria at bay.  

8. Stomach this: Over the miles, I’ve come to rely on a few raw foods that don’t need refrigeration and help keep me well. Because I so often eat meals of nuts, peanut butter and protein powder shakes; these add robust flavors of freshness: 

• Grapefruit has been a favorite for me if I’ve eaten a meal that doesn’t necessarily sit well. I’m not sure if it’s the Florida girl in me, but intuition says that the acidic nature of this fruit helps to cut through any excess fat in meals. I try to eat one a day for the vitamin C it offers as well.
• Ginger can help with many stomach problems, including nausea. If you can’t handle it raw, try it candied (often available in bulk from the grocery store). It also is rumored to help with inflammation.
• Tomatoes are another great source of vitamin C. Grab a box of cherry tomatoes for ease of traveling. They make great snacks, have the bonus of being good for the skin and are one type of fresh food that doesn’t need to be refrigerated. 

9. Get your greens: This is a little more difficult on the road. In the winter, I can pick up a bottle of green juice from the store because the car stays cool enough to keep it fresh. In the summer, my alternative are the sheets of seaweed used for rolling sushi. These contain fiber, protein, minerals and up to 20% of your daily recommended dose of vitamin A, needed to synthesize vitamin D (see tip 10 & 13). No need to prepare; they’re pretty good as is.

10. Yabba-dabba-do: Remember the Flinstones vitamins you got as a kid? Your mom was onto something. In our day, food is so altered that it’s difficult to get all the vitamins and minerals our body needs and it’s even trickier on the road. In addition, getting the right balance of vitamins is a science: vitamin D needs vitamin A & K to be absorbed, calcium needs vitamin D, etc. A good multivitamin will have the correct balances so your body can absorb it.

By the way, this is not the time to skimp with savings. Cheap multi-vitamins are often synthetic and may even use fillers which are toxic. This is especially prominent in fish oil supplements which can contain PCBs, mercury or even be spoiled. Inexpensive versions aren’t worth the potential harm they can cause; invest in quality and you’ll reap some incredible rewards.

My pick: ViSalus’ multivitamin pack: they separate daily doses of vitamins and fish oil supplements into a convenient pack and hold some of the highest standards in the world of nutritional supplements. You can order the Vi-pak online.

Health

Ditch the sunblock on sunny days (see tip 13)

11. Air it out: Just like you open up the windows in the house to keep fresh air moving through (you do, don’t you?) it’s a good idea to freshen up your mobile house by cracking the windows as much as possible—even in the winter. If you’re gonna be in your car longer than a couple of weeks, it’s important to empty the car out to vacuum and wipe it down to rid it of dust and dirt.  While you’re cleaning the interior, open up any blankets or sleeping bags, towels, etc. and hang them on the car doors to air out. Your space will feel amazing after this.

12. So Fresh & So Clean: You and I are about to get personal here. Are you turning your underwear inside out to wear it an extra day? C’mon kids; you don’t think bacteria have it figured out? Change you unmentionables on the regular; underclothes collect everything from skin cells to sweat as they are right next to your body. Bacteria love that.

Along the same lines, personal hygiene is a must. Use wipes or showers as often as you can to get harmful bacteria rinsed away. Brush & floss to keep plague and cavities at bay. Clean under the finger & toenails and keep ‘em clipped. You know, all the stuff your mom told you to do. In this environment, it’s even more important.

13. Sunny delight: This might be a bit controversial, but ditch the sunblock. In recent years studies have found a growing deficiency of vitamin D—an agent found to help prevent many diseases and crucial for calcium absorption—in the U.S.. This deficiency can be attributed to several factors, one being the use of sunblock whenever we are outdoors. And while sunblock is great for extended periods of time, a 10-20 minute (depending on skin color) step into the sun sans sunblock is the easiest way for our bodies to produce vitamin D.