Every Bit The Journey

The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step, and this is mine.

Montana Mountains

Tag: family Page 2 of 3

Events in our lives

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On November 11, 2018

In Life, life events

So many things happen to so many people every day. Some good, some bad, some incredible good. It’s really nice when something really good happens to someone you know.

My niece is married today. Normally separated ones with long distances, it’s great to get together with families and friends. The setting was a little different (aviation museum) but absolutely perfect. On this day where we recognize the veterans in our country, my heart swells and my eyes water a little as I look around at the great joy of wedding celebrations with the military backdrop. It’s a little strange for me, knowing what these historical aircraft meant in a world at war and yet the happiness and joy with the purpose of our gathering. My love goes out to my family and friends tonight, may my niece and her new husband enjoy many, many, happy years together.

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Hiking with Radar

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On October 16, 2018

In Hiking & Camping in South Carolina, Life, Travel

I just came back from a great weekend camping with Brenda and Radar at #CroftStatePark in the SouthCarolina up-state. Brenda rode with friends and I took Radar on his first ever, real trail hike! We covered about 11 miles in one day with 8.5 of it along the Croft Passage of the Palmetto Trail. While he and I have gone for walks before, this was Radar’s first real hiking on a trail in the woods venture, and he did really really well, he’s such a good boy!

Pikes peak through The Garden of the Gods

There is snow on Pike’s Peak

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On September 3, 2018

In Life, Travel, Uncategorized

According to the Denver Post, Pikes Peak picked up some snow this weekend and commented as a fitting indication of the start of the changing seasons.

Last year I hiked to the peak of this amazing mountain with my family and absolutely loved it (now I’ve been able to catch my breath – at the time I think I probably just liked it). I loved hiking this mountain and would hike it again and again if I could.

The new piece from the Denver Post was one of those blips which shows up in your news feed. It reminded me how thank full I was then and am now. So many thing can change in a persons life over a year, I think it’s important to recognize the good things which happen and the good people which happen to you.

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Outdoor Tip – Keepin’ it Chill

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On June 22, 2018

In Life, Skills, Travel

Freeze gallon size water jugs and all freeze-able items. This saves on ice and helps keep things colder longer. A gallon of frozen water was used for the (instant) lemonade the first night and ice water was passed around on the home stretch as a refreshing treat.

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Outdoor Tips – Canoes

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On June 13, 2018

In Hiking & Camping in South Carolina, Outdoor Tips, Skills, Travel

If you are using a canoe in rough or “white water”, not having a keel allows you to maneuver the canoe much easier by allowing the boat to slide sideways easier during certain paddle strokes. On a fairly gently river like the Congaree River, a canoe with a keel is much easier to keep on course. I found it requires more work to keep the canoe straight without a keel. Differences in paddler strength or stroke are much more apparent and required more corrections.

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Random thought of the day

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On May 26, 2018

In Life

I’m sitting here waiting for the barbershop to open (it’s that time of the month again) and reading news feeds. Lots of crazy stupid stuff.

A stag with a headdress full of fishing gear, ww2 Nazi fog are just a couple. There is so much news and information available to us now a person could easily be overwhelmed by the magnitude of things wrong in the world. But every day, we each have the opportunity, to make our world, where we live, where our loved ones live, just a little bit better. Don’t waste your opportunity.

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Don’t tell the boss, but …

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On April 27, 2018

In Life

… Today is “Ditch Day” While I’m sure everyone wants to be inside at the office this Friday for the full 8 hours, some folks have the crazy idea getting outside is good for you!

Akin to REI’s #OptOutside, #DitchDay is Kelty’s version of having some fun and encouraging folks to just simply get out more and have some fun today. If you don’t ditch work today, I’m sure the boss will understand (comment if for some reason your boss bailed on today!), but be sure to take a few extra moments for yourself, outside of course. Eat lunch on the patio, take an extra lap around the park, enjoy yourself, even for just a bit.

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Hiking South Carolina – H. Cooper Black State Park

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On April 24, 2018

In Hiking & Camping in South Carolina, SC State Parks, Travel

This park has a heavy slant toward horses and dogs, but don’t be mislead. H. Cooper Black Jr. Memorial Field Trial and Recreation Area is an outstanding destination with unique facilities and terrain to explore.

I found H. Cooper’s openness a pleasant change from some of the smaller parks within the state. While there aren’t really “hiking” trails here, there are acres of wilderness to explore. I found the freedom of walking across the expansive rolling hills with their combination of open tall grass fields, pine forests, and waterfowl ponds nestled between, amazingly enjoyable and refreshing.

One of fun things I enjoyed about this park, was letting Radar off leash when we were out in the fields and at the ponds (dogs must be on lease near the camp sites). We even tried a little retriever training at the ponds (‘turns out the pup can’t swim – but that’s a story for another time). Most state parks have some pretty strict lease rules which makes it a little difficult to train with him for hiking, so it was nice to be able to roam in the fields and woods with him.

This park is one of newest and largest in the SC park system. Located in Chesterfield County, just about 5.6 miles South of Cheraw, H. Cooper Black was added to the park system in 1994. With it’s 7000 acres, it is the fourth largest in the South Carolina State Park system. The two big things in the park are the 20 miles of equestrian trails and the retriever training & events. But don’t let not having a horse keep you away. This park it is open, pleasant, and definitely worth the trip away from civilization. I look forward to returning to H. Cooper Black again.

Favorite Time of year: Anytime for camping.

Things to Know: If you like animals such as horses and dogs, you will like H. Cooper Black.

Camping: Camping is available at H Cooper Black. Please contact the park from 11 a.m. to noon, daily, at 843-378-1555 for camping reservations and information (Reservations Required).

Pet friendly: Pets must be voice command controlled or kept on a leash or in a kennel while in the camping area or within 1/4 mile of the camping area.

Getting There: H Cooper Black is in the Eastern midlands of South Carolina, just North of Florence and just South of Cheraw, right off highway 15. It’s about a 3 hour drive from the Charleston area.

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Radar

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On April 15, 2018

In Life

So, this is Radar. He’s a Blue Heeler and is just over a year old now. We came across each other a couple months ago. Sometimes in the course of normal events, your life changes. For both Radar and I, this is one of those times.

I had been considering a dog for a while now for a number of reasons. Maybe part trail buddy, part body guard, part wing-man, who knows. A few years ago, I had once hiked a 20 mile piece of mountain trail with a group. One of the hikers had a great trail dog with him. This trail buddy would constantly run up and down the group starting in the front and working toward the back, checking on every hiker in the group. For twenty miles. He was never more than 20 feet off trail and never more than a few hundred yards from his master. Quite honestly, I felt like I needed that kind of a buddy  now from somewhere deep down inside me. But I didn’t really have any particular breed or clear concept in mind. It’s funny how these things work out sometimes.

I had shared some of my idea for a four legged companion with a friend of mine, Brenda, and the hunt began. She had done some checking and offered to go with me to go to a friend of hers “just to look” at one. Her friend boards dogs in the area and happened to have a young heeler someone had dropped off. Radar had been with her for a month or so while she was trying to find him a home. For Radar, he seemed to have had a rocky start. He had been given up or returned several times in his just short first year of life. I think he would fall pretty cleanly in to the “rescue dog” category. Rejected, abandoned, and unwanted, he waited.  Even in a pack of dogs he stood out to me. I really couldn’t tell you why, maybe it was his story, maybe it was mine. But that day, I left with him on a borrowed lead and a commitment in my heart to try my best to be a good companion for him.

It’s been about four months now since our paths crossed. We’re still working out a couple small differences (he likes to get up early, I like to sleep in a bit), and learning about each other (he loves to chase a ball or toy, but really doesn’t float well). I work with him and he teaches me what he knows.  My life has changed again, and so has his. Both for the better.

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It’s Saturday Eve!

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On March 16, 2018

In Hiking & Camping in South Carolina, Life

The week is about over and I’m heading camping this weekend with a bunch of new campers. This weekend should be fun as I really enjoy introducing new campers to the outdoors. With spring just around the corner, I am looking forward to the weather starting to break and the green to start popping. I so wanting to get out on a trail soon. So much of “normal” life gets in the way of that however (heavy sigh). I really need fix that, but for now, it’s the new campers campout which will help take the edge off “civilized” life.

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