Remembering 9/11

Take a minute today to remember those lost 13 years ago on September 11, 2001.  Nearly 3,000 people were killed in four coordinated terrorist attacks on American soil.  The attacks also killed more than 400 firefighters and law enforcement officers.  I know I will never forget waking up to the news of the attack during the early morning of September 11th and watching the second pane crash into the World Trade Center.  Since that time, American life has changed drastically--from the limitations imposed at airports to the overarching surveillance programs put into place.  It definitely culminated into a loss of a number of freedoms for Americans.

5 Things To Be Concerned About This Week

In no particular order...

1. Thursday is Patriot's Day (aka 9/11).  There are unconfirmed rumors of possible terrorist attacks to mark the occasion.
2. Enterovirus.  And other public health concerns (like Ebola, the upcoming flu season, etc).
3. The weather.  As usual...
4. The knock out game.  Which doesn't seem very "game" like and should be immediately terminated at the business end of your favorite concealed carry weapon.
5. Internet Slow Down Day and net neutrality.  It's today.

Are You Prepared for These Unexpected Financial Emergencies?

Aside from being a very busy summer, I also ran into quite a few unexpected situations where my emergency fund did/may in the future come in handy.  Many of these things are situations that I hadn't even considered or planned for:

• My brother, after years of hard living, ended up in the hospital multiple times this summer.  While I am glad that he appears to be on the mend now, a thought that hadn't previously crossed my mind is “what would happen if he were to die?”  Obviously an unpleasant thought which I hope doesn't happen for quite a while but it dawned on me that he never has two nickels to rub together (ditto for all of my siblings and relatives on that side of the family) so it would probably fall to me to pay for his funeral/burial/cremation/etc.  If your immediate family member (parent, sibling, child, etc) were to suddenly die would they be able to afford the cost of a funeral/burial or would this responsibility fall on you and your emergency fund?
• If you or your spouse were to die suddenly, do you have enough money in your emergency fund to cover the cost of funeral/burial expenses?  This though quickly went through my mind as I was sliding over a boulder at Blood Mountain on the AT wondering if I was going to careen over the edge and die or just break some important part of my anatomy.  Fortunately neither happened.
• If you were suddenly to become injured, could your emergency fund support you through recuperation and rehab in case you couldn't work?  I am hoping you have disability insurance but many people don’t and with more and more people working hourly jobs that don’t even pay sick leave or annual leave, one broken limb or extended illness could sink one into destitution.  This thought crossed my mind as my hiking buddy was covering a particularly treacherous stretch of trail and I realized he would be starting a new contract job the following week and wasn't covered by any sort of sick leave.  No work would equal no pay which is when a person would be mighty glad to have an emergency fund to fall back on.  Fortunately this possible tragedy didn't happen either.
• What happens if travel plans change?  Whether you travel for work or pleasure, on a family vacation or for a family emergency, it is always possible that travel plans can change and with many tickets (air/train/hotel/bus) being non-refundable these days, do you have the extra cash in your emergency fund to cover such contingencies?  This thought came to mind when I had the great idea to take a Greyhound bus thorough the South in order to see the sights (bad idea on a number of levels) and was looking at spending the night in the downtown Atlanta bus station due to a delayed bus (again, a bad idea on a number of levels).  Fortunately I had left padding in my budget for this trip that would have allowed me to take a cab to the airport and fly to my final destination and even if I hadn't done this I would still have had an emergency fund to fall back on which many other stranded passengers apparently didn't have.  Again, things worked out in the end but it was nice to have the reassurance that money could have bought me out of a tight situation.
• When a weather disaster happens, do you have the emergency funds to see you through the crisis?  There have been all kinds of weather challenges this summer from storms to flooding (lots of flooding) to heatwaves that knock out power—and thus cooling—for days.  Many people simply suffer in silence when these things happen and depend on the Red Cross for particularly serious situations.  However, with a fat and fluffy emergency fund, you can, again, buy your way into, if not a full recovery, at least a more comfortable existence while you wait to get back on track (like a hotel stay instead of camping in your yard, a nice restaurant meal instead of what you can scrounge at the local 7-11, a portable air conditioner while yours is shut down, etc).
• What happens if your exquisitely planned and tightly budgeted epic adventure of a lifetime doesn't work out as expected?  When you hike by Neels Gap on the Appalachian Trail you will see boots and more boots hanging from trees in front of the hostel/store.  The reason?  According to the guys who work at the store, this is about the point in the trail when thru hikers (who usually start their 2000+ mile walk in April) start tossing gear and rebuying stuff to replace everything they had carried since the start of the trail that didn't work.  So the folks who barely have enough funds to cover the entire trip are left to suffer with heavy , useless gear while those with emergency funds can easily (but not cheaply—have you seen the price of new gear these days???) replace what doesn't work with items that do and be on their way again.
• And then there is Mexico.  I spent a bit of the summer in Mexico and didn't even need to bribe anyone this time which was nice.  Of course, as an American, you are going to end up paying more than the locals for many things but that’s just how it is.  More importantly (and not only pertaining to Mexico) is the fact that an emergency fund is almost a necessity in countries where bribery, corruption, and serious legal problems are the rule instead of the exception.  Money talks and penniless tourists usually get the short end of the stick when things get complicated.
• How’s your food stockpile?  I haven’t shopped for regular groceries in months but as soon as we got back home it was time to hit the stores.  And the prices on everything from dairy products to meat and even dry goods has indeed increased in only a few months, some exponentially so.  While I am hoping your usual food budget will stretch to cover the increase in food prices, having an emergency fund can come in handy when a food item that you usually eat comes up as a loss leader or at a great sale price at which time it just makes sense to spend the extra money and stockpile as much as you can reasonably store and eat in the foreseeable future.

Backpacking in the Summer Heat AND Humidity

Well I think my travels are finished for a while and with a busy summer of hiking and outdoor activities behind me, I offer these tips gleaned from a stint on the Appalachian Trail (as well as the promise of more regular blogging in the future):

1. Don't think popular trails like the AT are "easy".  I had heard from a number of people that the AT was pretty easy compared to the PCT due to the lack of significant elevation gain.  It isn't true.  While there aren't huge mountains to conquer, the terrain is quite challenging in its own right (lots of rocks, lots of boulders, lots of partially buried roots on the trail, climbing over and under downed trees, and sections deemed "pretty rugged" in journals kept at many shelters.
2. Break in your boots (and improve your physical fitness) ahead of time.  Blisters suck and so does the big purple toenail that I will probably lose due to wearing lightweight trail runners over a particularly difficult patch of trail that would have been better done with heavier boots (although trail runners work on most trails I hike on but live and learn I guess...).  Darn Tough socks, however, have my everlasting appreciation.
3. Use trekking poles!  I would probably be waiting in line for an orthopedic surgeon to replace both knees if I hadn't used good quality trekking poles.
4. There's bears.  We could smell them at various places along the trail and hear them occasionally as well but no actual sightings.  Not being the chattery sort of hiker, I am assuming the constant clicking of my trekking poles gave them enough warning of my eventual presence.  Bear spray is a good idea, bear bagging your food and toiletries is imperative. 
5. High heat and high humidity can lead to dehydration and exhaustion just as easily as hiking in dry desert environs.  Drink copious amounts of water, travel in the early morning or early evening, keep some re-hydration salts in your pack, use sunscreen, and wear cotton.
6. Pack light.  The Mountain Crossing store at Neels Gap had a suitably impressive collection of ultra lightweight hiking gear seemingly in the middle of nowhere (similar to well stocked REI stores that you would find in urban areas).  When I asked about this, the guy working the desk said it was at about this point in the trail that hikers were paring gear down from what they thought they would need (read ultra heavy packs full of all kinds of crap) to the very basics of lightweight gear.  Start light and both your back and your legs will thank you.
7. Pace yourself.  I was pretty shocked that while I can easily walk 20+ miles over even terrain in a day, the difficult and at times steep trail slowed me down considerably.  And then I saw this blog post from a guy I know who is in ultra-fit condition and didn't feel so bad about my abilities or lack thereof.
8. Be aware of the weather.  Cell reception was pretty good on many parts of the trail and while it is only considerate to turn the volume off on your cell to keep from annoying everyone else on the trail, having (and using) some weather apps is a very good idea as the combination of high heat and high humidity often leads to storms in the afternoon (and thus the necessity to take cover).
9. Know the danger signs of heat illness and what to do about them.  When it is really hot and really humid, your body will have a difficult time keeping itself cool often resulting in dehydration, heat stroke, and other heat-related illnesses (even death!) so learn how to cure/prevent these problems before you head out and, if possible, hike with others who can help gauge each others symptoms which may not be readily apparent to the victim.
10. Finally, knowing basic hiking skills is a necessity.  Have first aid skills, map and compass skills (even though the trail is blazed pretty well), water purification skills, fire starting skills, etc.

Backpacking in the Summer Desert...How to Prepare

Living in Las Vegas has taught me a lot about hiking and backpacking in the desert.  Where previously most of my excursions took place in the beautiful (and wet and cold) Pacific Northwest, these days you are more likely than not to find me--yes even in the summer--hiking in the desert.  And it can be done, but not by amateurs and not by those who don't heed the simplest of warnings.  Unfortunately, each summer sees a number of fatal and near fatal events because people either don't prepare or don't prepare enough to make hiking in the desert safe (note, even experienced athletes can underestimate the desert and die).

Here are ten tips to make your next hike into the summer desert safer:

1. Plan ahead.  Check out trail reports, make sure there are no closures where you plan to hike, make sure there are no wildfires where you plan to hike, and, most importantly, check out websites where others have commented on conditions recently so you can get an idea of the environment and special challenges of the place you plan on hiking.
2. Work your way up to desert hiking.  For those brand new to hiking, deciding to head out on a ten mile day hike in any kind of environment will make for miles of misery if you aren't in pretty good condition.  Increase this x10 if you head out to hike in 100+ desert temperatures.  Before you decide to hike in the desert, you will want to condition yourself in both mileage and terrain first then do this at higher temperatures.  Ideally you will be hiking year round then as summer rolls around acclimate yourself to hiking in higher temperatures.  
3. Gather knowledge.  There are reams of information on desert hiking online.  Read as much information as you can about desert hiking and tattoo the basics about desert hiking into your memory (like hiking in the early morning or early evening, not during the heat of the day, carrying more than enough water, not hiking when there are extreme heat warnings, etc)
4. Go with a group.  Although sometimes solo hiking and backpacking can't be avoided, if you are new to desert hiking it is best to go with a group.  Not only does this improve safety (others can help you in the event of an accident or notice if you are becoming dehydrated) but you will also learn a lot from these folks.  Our local area has a bunch of hiking clubs including this one and this one.
5. Know the dangers.  While you are gathering knowledge (above), be sure to study up on the most common dangers you will find in the desert and how to avoid/prevent them including heat related problems (dehydration, heat stroke), animals (rattlesnakes, etc), the possibility of flash floods, and desert terrain that could cause accidents (the terrain can be slippery rocks and scree which can easily cause falls).
6. Heed the warnings.  Even if you are in great shape and well experienced at desert hiking, pay attention to specific warnings where you are going.  Areas can be closed due to extreme heat, the news may tell you that rain and subsequent flash flooding are possible during the time you had planned to hike, rangers may give you specific warnings...all of these warnings are for your benefit so take them seriously.
7. Take more than you need.  On the one hand, you don't want to over pack so much so that your pack weights more than a medium-sized child, on the other hand, you don't want to underestimate your needs and bring less water/food/clothing than you need to survive.  In desert conditions, always opt to bring more than you think you will need just in case.
8. Learn primitive skills.  Before all of this technology that we currently use, there were desert dwellers who survived just fine in the American Southwest with only the knowledge they had.  Learning some of this knowledge can benefit you greatly if you intend to hike in the desert during any time of the year.
9. Get a Spot 3.  On the flip side, the latest in technology can be a lifesaver in certain situations, especially if you will be hiking alone.  Consider getting a GPS emergency signal device (like a Spot 3) to use during an emergency.
10. Change plans if necessary.  Finally, don't be too proud (or arrogant, or stupid) to change plans if necessary.  Whether there is a flash flood warning that derails your plans or you just decide that hiking in a hot, dry, rocky area with 100+ degree temps aren't your thing, there are always other options.  In the case of the Las Vegas area, desert hiking (short, early morning) is fine in the summer but if I want to cover some distance and not roast like a pig on a spit, I head for the nearby higher ground of Mt Charleston where temps are lower and it's more enjoyable to hike in during mid summer.

And some links:

• Hiker mistakes that can ruin your vacation, or worse
• Desert hiking warnings

5 Things to Be Concerned About Now

In no particular order...

1. The possibility of a world-wide pandemic.
2. Our crumbling infrastructure.
3. The possibility of having NO potable water at all.  For days on end.
4. Natural disasters (such as wildfires).
5. Various international crisis (Ukraine, Gaza, Iraq, etc)

Do you have a plan to deal with these potential threats?

10 Travel Tips

Just back from vacation and thought I would share a few travel tips that I often use:

1. Pack light.  One small backpack carried on the plane with you will hold more than enough stuff for a multi-week trip.  This saves checked baggage fees and your sanity.  Info here.
2. If at all possible, get into the TSA's Pre Check program.  This saves loads of time and hassle at security check points.  Note that frequent travelers can opt into this program while regular travelers are randomly drawn to participate.
3. If you qualify, using USOs at airports around the country and around the world is a great way to kill time in airports.  Similarly, airport lounges for frequent fliers is also a great benefit for travelers.
4. Be sure to download apps that are pertinent to your travels (like local transit routes, maps, weather, etc).
5. And don't forget to put some important phone numbers on your phone such as a number for the local taxi service, your hotel, etc.  Note, you should also carry a written list of a few important numbers in your wallet in case of the theft or death of your cell phone.
6. While you can Google questions about your travels and destinations, the quickest and probably most authentic way to find pertinent information on your travels is the subreddit for your destination (example here).  Note that redditors are also good at coming through in a crisis for those in need.
7. The best place to find flight tickets/compare prices?  I always use Google flights (and since Southwest Air is one of the few not covered by this search program I check their website as well).
8. Five items I never travel without: an Asus T-100 tablet/notebook, my Samsung Galaxy Note 2 cell phone, good walking shoes (I prefer Brooks), a Sansa Clip MP3 player (it saves the battery on my cell phone), and acidophilous (takes care of all stomach ailments quite nicely).
9. We are fortunate to live in an area with a great library system so before (and while) I travel, I download a dozen e-books from our local library--all for free--onto my Kindle app on my cell/tablet.
10. Bring more cash than you think you will need.  Most travel problems can be fixed with cash.