Keep Gardening

Lately, I have been less on the trail and more in my "garden". I put it in quotes because it is less of a garden and more of a few potted plants and some plants in a strip of dirt. While it might be a garden in technicality, it is not what the mind conjures up at the word. Still its a garden nonetheless.
Spending time each morning tending to my tomatoes, peppers, and green beans has a helpful affect on my day. It gets me in a good mood, and sets me up for my day. It also gets me excited come harvest time.
I keep saying I'll get back out on the trail, so hopefully I will. In the meantime, keep gardening.

South Hills trail network

Living so close to the South Hills trails, I have done many hikes up in that area. Where is the elderberry trail, which is a short loop. There are also multiple other trails, many of which I have been able to do. My favorite has been Toyon Trail to East View, up a fire road to Alosta Canyon South Fork to the summit of the hills. The hike up Alosta Canyon is brutal, switching back and forth and going straight up. The views are amazing though, and you feel accomplished when you reach the fire road below the summit.
I made the "mistake" of hiking the Walnut Trail yesterday in the damp weather. I say mistake because while it was a good hike, I now have the thick clay of the ground stuck to my boots.
The trail name I cannot remember brings you up to a small, round, stone bench that is on a north-facing ridge. From here you can stop, relax, and take in a nice view of the San Gabriel Valley.
This is just a kick start. Each trail will get it's own special place in the blog. I felt that it would be nice to at least spark interest, and give an overview. Now get out there and make your own adventure.

Coming Soon!

So, I know that there has been a decent absence. This is completely my fault, as I am just basically lazy. But, I have been doing some hiking close to home recently, and am thinking of posting some trip info. Also, we have gotten a dog (2 months ago) and are looking forward to doing some hiking with him. Some new gear was recently purchased, and reviews for that are on their way. Mostly I just need to get off my butt, and do something. So here's an idea of things that are coming soon.

One of those days

Having started my day with a dog walk, followed by breakfast, shower, and shave, I went out to deliver resumes in hopes of finding a big-boy a job. After depositing said resumes, I decided to go have lunch with the wife (spoiler alert: I got married, hence the lack of posting due to lack of internet). Almost an hour I am still waiting for her to get her lunch break. Guess it just goes to show that while things may happen at the same time everyday, sometimes things can change on you. It is gonna be; me of those days.

So, Change of Plans

It would seem that for whatever reason, I cannot get around to posting on the schedule I had originally hoped to follow. As such, I will just post whenever I manage to corral myself. Sorry to any who are regularly watching for updates.

Stanley Adventure Camp Cookset

That's right, it is time for my first bona fide gear review. Sorry if my pictures are all indoor; I didn't have my camera with me when I used this in the field. So let us get started.

First off, this little bad boy is made of stainless steel. So as far as ultralight trips are concerned, this won't make the grade. I have found that it's niche is day hiking. It is compact enough to fit in a daypack, but large enough to whip up some good trail grub.

Secondly, it has two 10 oz. cups, made of insulated plastic. Those cups are comfortable, and keep the heat at bay. And therein is my personal gripe with anything insulated: I cannot tell how hot the contents are, and always seem to burn my tongue.

No more number-things. On the opposite side of the logo is a graduation (labels for how many ounces, like a measuring cup). It goes up to 20 oz. but can hold a full 24 oz. The handle is also made of stainless, and can get a tad warm near its attachment to the pot proper. It has a nice locking feature which is handy when the pot is full; no worries of handles falling off. The lid is also, of course, steel. It has multiple holes at one end to be used as a strainer, and a single (vent) hole opposite the others. On the lid is a plastic tab which is used to lift the lid off the pot. The choice of plastic is nice, as it remains fairly cool. However, it should be noted that if things get a bit heated the tab will melt/deform.

So that is the run-down of this handy little guy. My personal rating is 4.5 stars out of 5, only because of the lift tab. It has performed more than adequately, and handles a full pack of Knorr side dishes with ease.

Cup with to-be-reviewed meal

If you are looking for an affordable little cookset that you can feel confident in, then this is the one for you.

Oops, I did it again

Many thousands of apologies to those select few who actually follow this blog. I had gotten my Xbox running again, and it therefore consumed my life. But not anymore.

As I said, I will be laying down some reviews, and I think that tomorrow will be the first review post, with a few more sprinkled here and there as I get out and test/use more items. Hopefully I will have given you, the reader, a solid, inexpensive base on which to begin your adventures, either dayhiking or backpacking, for the summer.

So keep a weather eye on the horizon.