H.A. Larson's Blog, page 24

Portland Vacation: Multnomah Falls

Last year, when I went to Portland, we missed the bus that travels to Multnomah Falls and back. This year, we made sure to catch the bus on time, and, so, Lisa and I finally made it to the Falls. 



Just as iconic and beautiful as the pictures you see in magazines, it was quite the sight to behold. The Falls themselves are crowded with tourists so it's hard - right up there at the iconic bridge - to get a good photo. I wasn't deterred though, and I got some great pictures. After this, we started off on the long trails that winds its way up to the top - what, you thought I wouldn't come here and not hike? 



The trail is paved and is a good 6 miles of switchbacks to reach the top.



The closer you get to the top, the better you can see the mouth of the Falls.






In this shot, you can see the parking lot below and the Columbia River behind it.






Portland is so lovely in October. It reminds me quite a bit of Ireland in a lot of ways, as you can still see greenery well past when you can see it in the Midwest. That's one of the benefits of being Coastal.






As there were other trails to explore, we didn't hike up the entire path but rather went up halfway then back down and over to a different trail.



This photo of a large, overhanging rock doesn't do it justice.



The big leaves of Oregon.



We were pretty excited that we decided to take this second trail as it was not only practically devoid of people, but it led to another waterfall: Wahkeena Falls. Here, you can see where it ends.






Approaching the mouth of Wahkeena Falls.



This was absolutely my favorite shot of the whole trip. While not as long nor as large as Multnomah Falls, Wahkeena Falls was impressive nonetheless, and the best part? No crowds...in fact, we were the only people there and we maybe saw three other people on the trail as we were making our way back to the lodge.



I wasn't scared! I did, however, make sure to keep a close eye on my surroundings.



We ended up hiking over seven miles so we decided to stop at the Lodge for a bite to eat and a beer. This sign hung over the big fireplace there, giving you information about the Falls.
This was a really great day. Not only did I get to spend time with one of my best friends, but I got to go hiking in one of the most beautiful areas of the country. Without a doubt, Oregon has quickly become one of my favorite vacation destinations. 
Have a great week my friends, and I'll be back this weekend for another vacation post.

Shocktober! 2019

Well, well, would you look at that? It's that time of the year again...yes, you guessed it...Shocktober! Shocktober is where I spent the month of October (Halloween month, obviously) watching scary movies and then sharing with you what I watched. It started in 2016 when I spent the month watching classic horror movies. We're talking 1940s classics, here, and, man, was that a lot of fun. I decided to make it a yearly thing and call it Shocktober! In the last few years (2017 and 2018) I watched modern horror films that I randomly picked. This year, I decided to go with modern classics...stuff that I watched in my own youth. So, without further ado, I present Shocktober! 2019.


A classic 80s horror movie, this was the movie that separated George Romero (who directed The Night of the Living Dead) from John Russo (who wrote the original stories). While George went on to direct others in the original series, starting with Dawn of the Dead, Russo's stories were carried on starting with this movie. Notable for its soundtrack, the movie is a dark comedy and it was a lot of fun watching this again after all these years.



Good old Motel Hell! When I was in high school, I spent many weekends with my dad's cousin, PJ, watching movies and eating junk food. We watched this one, one time and I remembered how campy it was, poking fun of the slasher genre at the time. A brother and sister run a motel and make good quality pork jerky....what is their secret ingredient?



American Gothic - starring the lovely Yvonne De Carlo who played Lily Munster on the old television series, the Munsters and Rod Steiger from the movie In the Heat of the Night - live an isolated existence on a remote American island. When a group of 30-somethings gets stranded there when their plane malfunctions, they find out that Ma and Pa aren't above doing anything to keep their lifestyle intact.



After the last three movies, I decided on a John Carpenter marathon. First up, They Live. When a drifter experiences a life-changing situation in a homeless camp, he stumbles across a pair of sunglasses that help him see certain people for who they truly are. Can he get the rest of the world to 'wake up' before it's too late?



Escape from New York, starring Kurt Russell, introduced the world to Snake Plissken, truly one badass. When the President's plane crash lands inside Manhattan, which is a walled-off prison that no one escapes from, Snake is offered a full pardon if he goes in and breaks him out. Will he succeed?



In a nondescript church, a secret hides in the basement. When the church caretaker dies, the church has it's first real Church visitors in years. Why? The secret is a container that is starting to change and has dire consequences for the entire world if it not stopped. The Church enlists the help of a group of various scientists and mathematicians in the hopes of stopping it. Do they?



A John Carpenter film that most people aren't aware of, it's a great underrated movie. James Woods stars as a take-no-shit vampire hunter who runs into his greatest opponent, Vlad Orlok - the very top of the vampire chain. Lots of bloodsheds happen along the way, and I wouldn't want it any other way. 


So, there you have it. Another Shocktober! in the books. I really enjoyed my walk down Memory Lane and having a John Carpenter marathon was a lot of fun. Now, I won't wait until next year to watch scary movies, but there's only one Shocktober! every year. I'll have to decide what I'd like to do for next year, so if you have any suggestions, I'll gladly take them in the comments. 
Have a great rest of your week, and stay tuned for more Portland fun on Saturday!

Portland Vacation: My Yearly Trip

A shot of Portland's skyline from a vantage point in Washington Park
Recently, I spent a long weekend in Portland, Oregon. This isn't the first time I've gone as I spent a long weekend there last October as well. I went to visit one of my best friends, Lisa, who had moved out there a few years prior. We both enjoyed the visit so much that we decided to make it a yearly thing. 
This time I made it to Multnomah Falls, a place I had wanted to go to last year but missed the bus that goes out that way. I won't go into detail about my time there as I have a separate post about the Falls that I'll be posting this week. Needless to say, it surpassed my expectations and I had a good time.


Mt Hood peeks out over the trees as we waited for the bus
This year, I had clung onto the fateful idea that I'd be able to climb Mt Hood. Since I joined the Highpointers Club this summer, climbing the high point in each state has now become something of a priority. Mt Hood is mainly a snow and ice-covered summit so there's only a limited amount of time during the year where hiking up to the top - as opposed to technical climbing with equipment - is possible. I'm not a technical climber, or a climber at all really. Hiking, yes, climbing, now. I'm a hiker, not a climber. Anyway, there was no way I was going to be able to hike up in late October so I had to shelve that idea. I would like to go in the summer one day and reach the summit, but it's going to have to wait a few years.



Speaking of the Highpointers Club, I received my first quarterly club magazine. Called Apex to Zenith, fittingly, it has interesting stories, photos, and a list of new members - myself and the kids were included. Right now, my plans involve hiking two high points next year, but, until then, I'm doing Nebraska County high points. I'm keeping track of all of them as well.
One thing I realized during my trip to Portland was how badly I had neglected my travel diary. I had completely forgotten about it and had missed a good five entries. Ugh So disappointing but I made a short note of the ones I missed and am working on the South Dakota entries from this summer while it's still somewhat fresh in my mind.
I hope you have a great finish to your weekend. I had a relaxing day yesterday, so today it's time to get busy. Until next week, H.A.

Latest Libations: 13th Edition

It's been a hot minute since I've done a Latest Libations post. The reason for this is largely because 2017-2018 was financially hard years so I mainly drank cheap light beer. Not that I don't appreciate a cheap beer but making a post with several photos of Keystone light probably isn't going to pack much of a punch. haha
This year has been kinder financially, so I can afford to get some quality brews once in a while. I snagged this Cucumber Sour by 10Barrel Brewing Co. one warm day on a whim. I'm not typically a cucumber fan but this was a surprisingly tasty, light, and refreshing sour. Sours are pretty much was the name implies: it's acidic and sour to taste. I do like sours so I would recommend this. 



Southern Prohibition Brewing makes this tasty Strawberry Saison. Saisons are a pale ale that are fruity and spicy. The fruit in this instance was, obviously, strawberry. Not overly sweet (I've mentioned plenty of times that I don't like super-sweet beers) this extra-carbonated ale was tasty. You could really taste the fruit and the spice. I enjoyed this beer quite a bit.



I like weisse beers, in fact, my favorite beer ever is a weisse variation. This weisse, Tropical Lover Berliner Weisse from Sweet Water Brewing Co. was a decent one. With tropical fruit notes, while not being sweet, this was a decent sipping beer. I've had better weisse, but this one was all right.



Ahh, Boulevard. Rarely does this brewery ever brew a beer I dislike. This particular one, Flora Obscura is a dry-hopped porter, a porter that is hoppy, if you will. This means you get all the dark, deep, and rich notes of a porter with the bitterness of an IPA. Quite frankly, I hate it. I'm not fond of IPAs and I'm kinda tired of seeing every brewer sticking loads of hops in their other offerings. Just stop it! Keep IPAs hoppy and leave the rest of the beers unscathed!



I love cider and I love anything blackberry flavored, so Made Marion by 2 Towns Ciderhouse should theoretically be right up my alley, right? Right! It actually was. It was a good tasting drink. I don't think I'd like their plain cider as much as this flavored one byt this one was good.



The latest craze in the drinking world are hard seltzers...and I'm all on board! I don't care what anyone thinks of these, I think they're awesome. They're light, they're refreshing, and brewers are starting to take them more seriously. This Key Lime Hard Seltzer by Pacific Sparkling is one of the craft seltzers that are starting to hit the market and I loved it.



Goses are heavy on the wheat and usually brewed with some acidity like lemon. Lighter than a porter but stronger than a lager, I tend to like these on summer nights that have just a bite in the air. This one, by Anderson Valley Brewing Company, is a Framboise Rose Gose. I've drunk enough Lindemann's to know that Framboise is raspberry. This was okay. It wasn't as raspberry as I had hoped and the gose itself was just okay.

And there you have it, another installment of LL. What kinds of beers or drinks have you been enjoying lately? Let me know in the comments.

Hiking Brent's Trail

The map of Brent's Trail. See the elevation in the lower right-hand corner?
Recently, in an attempt to find long hiking trails in my area, I did a Google search at work one slow day. What I found was the recently (June 2019) dedicated Brent's Trail. It's an eight-mile trail that connects Gleason-Hubel Wildlife Area, Loess Hills State Forest, and Murray Hill Scenic Overlook. While I've never hiked the Gleason-Hubel Wildlife Area - honestly, I didn't even know it existed - I have hiked in the Loess Hills State Forest and Murray Hill Overlook. In fact, I've posted about both of those places here.
Apparently, it was the dream child of a long-time state forester, Brent Olson. While he passed away before he saw his dream become a reality, the project was completed via a joint effort by the Harrison County Conservation Board and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Reading about it piqued my interest pretty high so I emailed the trail map (top) to my Dad - my favorite hiking partner - and asked him if he'd like to try it. Of course, he was totally on board with the idea.

We chose Saturday, October 19th as our day to hike this. One, because of weekend commitments on both of our parts, but mainly because neither one of us likes to take difficult hikes on warm days. The cooler the better for me and Dad both! We met up at Murray Hill Overlook where I picked up my Dad and left his car there. We drove over to Gleason-Hubel where we left my car to be retrieved after the hike. We saw three sets of people during our hike, and they were all doing the half route of starting at one end-point and hiking halfway through and back, or starting mid-point, going to an end-point and then back. This is exactly why we left one car at one end-point: so we could hike the entire trail. It's long enough at 8 miles that 16 miles would've been ridiculous. Maybe someday, though...






Right from the start, we had to take a steep incline from the bottom of the Hills to the top of the Hills. In fact, this is a pattern that repeats itself four more times! 



These metal oak leaf signs mark Brent's trail. Unfortunately, they are not always where they should be. For instance, at the top of our first hill in Gleason-Hubel, there was an intersection that wasn't marked. One would assume you'd take the left when you actually go to the right. We knew for sure after we had gone aways to the right and finally saw the sign. Luckily, Dad and I both carry maps, compasses, and trails maps. 



A shot up the first hill. It's hard to tell the incline from a photo, but, trust me, it was a toughie.



After we got to the top of the first hill, we walked along the ridgeline, which gently waves up and down. The Fall colors were showing off up here and we enjoyed the hike.



Our first unobstructed view of the landscape from the top of the ridges! Isn't it gorgeous? The small field below is planted with saplings. This is something I've seen before in the Loess Hills State Forest.



A shot of my Dad climbing up a hill.



After you journey for away, you come to Fulton Ave, a dirt road that you walk in as a trail connector.



Walking along Fulton Ave.



Another dirt "road" along the trail. 



We stopped along the trail for a snack and a water break a few times. One of my favorite snacks - and it's keto, too - are mixed nuts. This combo was premade and contained cashews, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts, and pepitas. I've learned, the hard way, that you need to eat very light on tough hikes. If you eat very much, your body is going to slow down to digest food and that is the worst. A handful of nuts a few times and 5 bottles of water is what I consumed on the trail.



Forest trail. It was an incredible trail in that we saw a variety of landscapes in different settings: valleys, ridgelines, forests, and old dirt roads. 



This is the part of the trail that led into the Loess Hills State Forest section of Brent's Trail. It was my favorite section, with good reason. This just looked and felt like what a Saturday in Autumn should look and feel like. Truly stunning.



My favorite part of hiking the trail was spending time with my Dad. We both enjoy that a lot.



Just look at that view. I could've sat there all day...if it weren't for the Japanese beetles. An invasive species that likes to bite, they were a real nuisance for a few miles.






After a while, we came down the hills again and made our way towards the gravel road that one can drive up to the Loess Hills State Forest on. We had to walk on that for aways, take a left into the parking area there, then make our way up the hill for the second half of Brent's Trail.



Right around mile 4, according to the map.



Somewhere between mile 4 and 5, we were treated to more beautiful, expansive views of the terrain below.



My Dad stops to admire the scenery.



Back into the forest!



You can take a cut-around between mile 5 and 6 to skip one of the last two hills before Murray Hill Overlook, which we did. 
After this point, I was completely whooped and stopped taking pictures. It was the most grueling hike I've ever taken. According to my fitness watch, we climbed the equivalent of 84 flights of stairs and descended 79. For comparison, when we hiked up Black Elk Peak - the highest point in South Dakota - which stands at 7,244 feet, we ascended 50 flights of stairs and descended 22 flights of stairs. This means, of course, that Brent's Trail was significantly more difficult to hike than that mountain. 
This trail, dedicated in June, is also rough. What I mean by this is that it's not in a maintained state and is difficult to see and/or find at times. For this reason, and the aforementioned difficulty level, I would NOT recommend this hike for anyone who's not a seasoned hiker. Not only do you need to be in great shape, but you also need to have some ability to scout and look for trails in rough terrain. Dad and I discussed ourselves how better in shape we need to be, so this was a good hike in terms of figuring out where we can improve. We're going to hike this again next month.
Having said all that, if you are a seasoned hiker looking for beautiful terrain in a challenging hike, then this trail is definitely for you. It's amazing to have a hike like this here, but not surprising. The Loess Hills, which I lovingly call the Iowa Mountains, are really quite high and rival - in many ways - smaller mountains like the Ozarks. Whoever thinks this area of the country is flat would be dead wrong. So, if you're ready for a challenge, and you live in my neck of the woods, get out there before the snow hits.

Healthy Life: Getting Real with Myself

After I tackled all of the mental health stuff in my life, I realized that my physical health was starting to take a back seat. Of course, this means I had to take one of those much-needed, long, hard looks at myself in the mirror and give myself a reality check. 
One of the things I tend to do when times get tough is to placate myself with food. I had been doing this with the end result being that I was starting to eat and munch on food more than necessary. When I stepped on the scale in September, I was upset to see that I had gained back seven pounds. This gain followed several months of plateau, which was also bothersome, so I figured I'd better give myself the aforementioned reality check.
I was at work one day, looking through articles and YouTube videos, trying to find a good diet plan that would work for me. I knew I wanted something that would force me to eat right and watch my calories. Sometime during that day, I was in my boss's office talking to him when we started talking about dieting. He had been limiting his food intake and had lost some weight. He was planning on giving the keto diet a try for a month and he asked me if I wanted to do it with him...be a diet buddy. 
Now, three things about this were attractive to me. One, his office is within my office so we literally can tell what the other is doing all day, two, I did keto last year for a month with really great results, and three, I was already quite familiar with it from that month last year, so it would be easy for me to know what I could and couldn't eat. Learning how to eat keto can be a challenge, so this last point was important, as it meant I wouldn't have to do any research.
So, I've been doing keto this month - three weeks so far - and my strategy has been to largely eat the same things. I spend a week eating the same lunch and dinner, then switch it up the next week. It's easy for me to do this because I can prep everything on the weekend and then just take my lunch with me and warm up my dinner when I get home. The added bonus of this is that it also means I have my calories tightly controlled. The thing about keto that is just like any other diet is that one still has to restrict their calorie intake. 
Well, I got on the scale this morning and I'm happy to report that I've lost the weight I've gained. This means I'm back down to my lowest weight-loss weight. I'm super excited about that and energized for sticking with the keto diet. I'm going to continue the diet this time until I get down to my goal weight. 
As far as the other half of my healthy life goes, the exercise, well, let's just say that I'm in perpetual training. I'm still walking 4.5 miles every workday, on average, and taking at least one good hike on the weekends. This morning, in fact, I'm meeting up with my Dad in my beloved Iowa Mountains to hike a new, long trail that opened up there in June. I can't wait, and I'll be posting all about it very soon.
I hope you are inspired by my journey to a healthy life. I'm always honest with myself, and you, about my accomplishments but I'm also honest about my setbacks. Because, truthfully, setbacks are normal! You're always going to have setbacks, but it's how you deal with those that make a difference. Let me tell you something about that real quick. Last weekend, we went to the KC Renaissance Festival. I always pack our own food because it's economical, but I forgot to pack food for myself, so I ended up eating pretty much nothing but carbs for a few days. I got right back on that wagon on Monday though, even though my boss was concerned. I told him, "Whenever I fall off the wagon, I don't let myself stay derailed, I get right back up there. Otherwise, I'll never succeed."
I hope you have a great weekend and that you make the most of it. 
-H.A.

Kansas City Renaissance Festival 2019

Bubbles!
This past weekend, I traveled to Kansas City with my kids to attend the annual Kansas City Renaissance Festival (KCRF). If you know anything about me by now, you'll know my absolute love for renaissance faires and pretty much anything related to that time period. I always go to the Nebraska Ren Faire every year - which rivals any larger one - and then try to go one of the bigger ones in the Fall. Usually, that means the KCRF as it's the closest to my home in Omaha.
I got an Airbnb for the whole weekend so we wouldn't have to rush around on the festival day, which made for a much more relaxed and fun trip. We met up with my friend Audrey there, which we usually do almost every trip to the KCRF. Bonus score this year as she won free tickets for all of us from her local radio station. 


The kids went off to do their own thing while Audrey and I walked around - after I grabbed a glass of meade for my Jolly Roger (picture forthcoming). She told me she needed to grab some Garlic Garni from the garlic vendor before we left the area because "it's good on bread, pasta, meat..." I asked her if it would be good for the souls of my enemies. I grabbed a bottle for myself so I'll answer that question the next time I do some baking. Hopefully, it makes them more tender and delicious.



We always wander through the Enchanted Forest to check out the Fairie House competition. Someone, I'm guessing kids, make Fairie Houses and they eventually get judged and prizes, I assume, are awarded. I don't know any of that for a fact, but I would bet that's how it all goes down. At any rate, there are always a bunch of them and they are all interesting to check out.



I caught the Plague Doctor checking out prospective patients from the London Bridge.



The Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. God Save the Queen!



Ahh, what Ren Faire would be complete without minstrels?



Or a parade? I don't make a point of checking out the parade that much anymore, but as I was stuck in the longest line ever for a Beyond Burger, I had time to check it out this year.



My Jolly Roger filled to the brim with a Revenge of the Dragon Nitro Stout. Jolly Roger is a skull mug I bought many years ago at the KCRF and I take him with me to every Ren Faire I go to. He's aptly named after the infamous Skull and Crossbones Pirate Flag. Yo ho ho and a can of stout!



Every faire, I try to check out different stalls and entertainment. This year, Audrey and I got tickets for the King's Happy Hour. This 21+ event is held in one of the Festival pubs and includes two drinks, a plate of hors d'oeuvres, and bawdy entertainment. I laughed quite a lot as it was a fun show. Best hour of the day!

So, there is another successful faire under the chastity belt. We enjoyed ourselves and took in all the sights and sounds of the festival. Now, it's time to relax and ready ourselves for the Nebraska Ren Faire some spring.

My Metamorphosis

My kids, hiking with me, Mother's Day 2018Recently, I was looking back on some of my older posts here - something I do fairly regularly - when something struck me pretty profoundly: I've become a true, legitimate hiker.

Now, you might be asking yourself what I mean by that. I've always been a hiker, right? Well, not exactly. I think I've always fancied myself to be a hiker, but never really fully embraced what it takes to be one.

For years, I would avoid hard trails and take short hikes of just a few miles. Why? Well, because hiking is hard and I can be a lazy person when faced with hard tasks. I also wasn't in the best shape for many years, even after I had lost significant weight.

The turning point came in April of 2018 when, after a long winter that never seemed to end, I began hiking and walking more earnestly. This led to me making a 100-mile-a-month goal that I continue to this day. I walk back and forth to work (and now on my lunch break as well) and hike on the weekends, no matter what the weather is like outside.

Of course, this all culminated in my hike up Black Elk Peak after hiking up Bear Butte the day before. This, in turn, propelled me to take the hardest trails in one of my favorite spots - the Westridge Trail at Hitchcock Nature Center - not once, but twice. I also have two long, hard hikes coming up this month, and I can say with confidence that I've truly arrived.

To say this has done wonders for my mental and physical health would be an understatement. All the miles I've put in, most of them solo, have given me lots of time to pause and reflect upon my life. The exercise also helps me burn off stress and steam during the tough workdays when I can put on my headphones and take a long lunchtime walk. Physically, the benefits cannot be understated either. I'm in the best physical shape of my life and my legs are strong. This will, of course, benefit me later in the month when I face two of my greatest hiking challenges - not excluding Black Elk Peak or Bear Butte.

It's a feeling like no other, this feeling of being an athlete. For that's what I am, an athlete. My entire life, I don't think I would have ever thought that I would be one, but I am. I'm a true hiker and I spend my days in constant training - just like an athlete would do.

I'm proud of myself for what I've accomplished, and with how far I've come. The last few years of my life have been a challenge, but I've persevered and managed to come out better than where I was when I started. That's how life is, honestly, I'm pretty sure: a cycle of good & bad times leading to change and personal growth.

I'm truly healthy and happy for the first time in so very long - my metamorphosis, significant.

Have a great week, my friend.

Hiking Basics for Beginners: Gear

By now, you (and by "you", I mean my regular reader) know that hiking is my thing. In fact, I am not only a seasoned hiker but a mountain hiker as well - not to be confused with mountain climber, climbing and hiking are two separate things.

This wasn't always the case, though. I grew up with a single, hiker father that, more likely than not, drug his begrudging daughter along. While I enjoyed the easier hikes, for the most part, I detested hiking. I was lazy, out-of-shape, and had absolutely no desire to go hiking.

When I got older and had kids of my own, I can remember having a moment where I wondered how I could get more active and, in turn, get my kids more active while, at the same time, adhering to a shoestring budget. I remembered those times hiking with my dad and thought about them fondly. Thus, my love of hiking was born.

Since then, I've graduated from novice, unexperienced hiker that would only go a few miles on easier trails to a seasoned hiker that tackles mountains. It hasn't always been an easy experience, but I've grown to love hiking with a passion and have learned a lot along the way. While I know a lot about hiking, I'm not what I would classify as an expert. I am, though, a well-seasoned hiker who knows quite a bit. If I were new to the sport and wanted some basic information, I would appreciate some pointers.

This post, then, is the first of a series that I will do about hiking basics. It is meant for those who are interested in hiking and would like some tips on how to get started. This first post is about hiking gear, so read on:


1. First things first: Footwear

The single most important item you will need for hiking is footwear, and not just any footwear either. You're going to need the correct kind of shoes for hiking. When I first started taking my kids out hiking, I used tennis shoes. While you can wear tennis shoes, I wouldn't recommend it unless you plan on rarely ever hiking. For people who rarely hike, it doesn't make much sense to drop a bunch of cash on hiking shoes if they're not going to use them regularly. If you're unsure if you're going to enjoy hiking enough to commit to it, go on a handful of hikes first. You'll know quickly if hiking will be for you or not.

If you do know for sure that you will be hiking regularly, then I highly recommend getting hiking shoes or boots. Why? Well, terrain that you hike on is unstable, not flat, and often rocky. Tennis shoes have flimsy soles against that and they don't give you the kind of support your foot will need on uneven, unstable, rocky ground.

So, which kind of hiking footwear? Well, that's up to you. Again, I would recommend an all-purpose, all-around hiking boot that's waterproof. As for myself, I have a pair of breathable hiking shoes, a pair of hiking sandals (that I don't use much), and a pair of waterproof hiking boots.


2. A small backpack

If you know for sure you'll be hiking regularly, a hiking backpack is a must. Now, I'm not talking about some big, awkward school backpack. I'm talking about a more compact backpack that you can secure to the front of you and carry basic supplies. School backpacks are terrible for hiking and you'll wish quickly you weren't lugging that around. A smaller backpack, made for hiking, with securing straps for the front of your body is ideal.

I've been hiking long enough now, and seriously enough, that I'm going to upgrade to a small pack with a water reservoir in it. It will be so much handier than having to take my pack off each time I need a drink of water.


3. Basic emergency supplies

You should always carry a small first aid kit (you can either make your own or buy one from somewhere). It doesn't need to be filled with lots of stuff, but a few things that would come in handy: gauze, bandaids, triple antibiotic, a few wet wipes, and pain relief will cover most issues. I also recommend a rain poncho (you can buy the kind that is folded into a space of a thin couple of inches, a whistle (to blow if you get trapped and need to alert someone of your presence), a decent pocketknife, and a small flashlight.


4. Water bottle

Get yourself a decent water bottle. When you hike, fill it up and put it in your pack.


5. Bug spray and sunscreen

I have small versions of both of these that easily fit in my pack.


6. Trail food/snacks

I buy bags of nuts, granola bars, dried fruit, and jerky (for the meat-eaters) from the dollar store, take them out of their packaging, put them in a big plastic storage bag, and keep it in my pack.


7. Hiking clothes

I've learned, through trial and error, what kinds of clothes to wear when I go hiking. The things that you should consider are:

Comfort: Can I wear this for a long time and be comfortable?Fit: Is it snug enough to not chafe me or snag on anything while still allowing for comfort?Practicality: Is this a practical item to wear hiking?Weather: Is this weather appropriate? Should I dress in layers?How you dress, then, is up to you but choose wisely. 

8. Hiking Stick/Poles
I would consider hiking sticks and poles to be a useful item, but only if you feel that you need them. When I first started trying to be a real hiker, I found some inexpensive hiking poles at Walmart and they came in handy. Now, I never use poles because I feel that they're more of a hindrance than a help. I only need them in the most treacherous of terrain and they're not easy to carry with you when you don't need them. Having said that, though, they can be really great when you're not steady on your feet all the time, when you're coming down or going up a steep incline, or any other time you just need more support. I don't consider them a necessity item, but they are great for some hikers. I'll leave the choice of these up to you!


If you're a burgeoning hiker, I hope you found this post useful. I'll do a few more posts in this series, so stay tuned for those.






My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review
My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.

If you haven't signed up for my newsletter yet, get on the list: https://mailchi.mp/32e649d0f0f3/ha-larsons-newsletter

October has Arrived

It's hard to believe, but it's October already. Where has the time gone? I ask that ironically because we both know all too well where the time has gone, but it just seems that time flies by more quickly all the time. I can't say that I'm sad about it as October is absolutely my favorite month. The weather is perfect, the foliage is gorgeous, all the fun Fall activities hit full stride, horror movies are in abundance, light jackets come out, and Halloween is just around the corner.
While I'm gleefully happy about the arrival of October, I can't dismiss how great September was. After all the negativity that has transpired in my life, it was truely amazing to have a month full of positivity. Even more than that, my life has really started moving in newer, yet familiar, directions. It's been quite some time since my life has felt this full and meaningful.
My writing life has been coming back together, and I've finally finished the first chapter of my latest book and have started on the second chapter. Once I get a few more chapters out of the way, I'll reveal my cover as well as give you a taste of the story itself. It's truly is a story worthy of October and all things spooky and I can't wait to hear your thoughts and opinions on it.
The days will become shorter and darker and the leaves will start to shed their leaves. Pumpkins will appear on many front porches, hayrack rides will be taken, and long, crunchy walks in the woods will transpire. I'm looking forward to crispy, cool evenings wrapped in a blanket while sitting around a bonfire. 
Are you ready for October? I sure am.




My latest review/interview with the band Fluids is up on Slime&Grime, and you can check that out here: https://www.slimeandgrimeomaha.com/post/fluids-an-icky-sticky-extra-saucy-friday-the-13th-interview-album-review
My online discussion series with Politipeeps and Dr. Mathias Nordvig is up on YouTube, you can check those out here, here, and here.

If you haven't signed up for my newsletter yet, get on the list: https://mailchi.mp/32e649d0f0f3/ha-larsons-newsletter