Orthopedic Specialists and Shoulder Pain

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Crystal Lynn

I went to see the orthopedic specialist about my shoulder this week. It’s been bothering me for over five months now and I just had to do something about it!

I went and saw my husband’s orthopedic specialist (the one who repaired his ACL in January) because he specializes in sports injuries, which is what mine is. Weight lifting caused the injury. Our doctor is really great and was able to give me a lot of answers, which helped a lot.

So the result is that it’s a rotator cuff injury (specifically he thinks it’s tendonitis from bursitis) and probably not anything that requires surgery. He thinks physical therapy will do the trick, so I’ll be back in the office in July for a check-up. He gave an injection in the shoulder yesterday (OW!) but today things are feeling surprisingly a lot better. (I’ve also been told to take Ibuprofen for the pain, so that might be part of it.)

He gave me a list of exercises I can do, but I am going to wait until the physical therapist (first visit the 15th after vacation) sets me up with those, and meanwhile just work on the posture suggestions (and drugs) that the doctor prescribed.

Overall, I admit it is exciting to hear that my crooked shoulder is not an injury but it is normal. “Just how I’m built,” I was told. The downside is that those injuries will be more common because of my weird shoulder. Apparently the muscles don’t have enough to “push off of” because my left shoulder has a big gap in it between the joint and the collar bone. Not bad, I guess, just different, so the weakness will always be there a little.

Meanwhile, I look forward to PT, and then getting back into my workout regimen. I’m thinking of starting with yoga so I can do some strength and flexibility training, but that will be something that needs to be cleared with the PT. I’m just happy right now that there’s hope! :)

P.S. The doctor said rowing and kayaking will be a an excellent future exercise when I’m healed, but not this year. (It’s Nick’s newest legless hobby.) He said if Nick and I need a hobby together this summer, we can go to physical therapy together. Thanksss…. :-P

kayak

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Hiking Clothes

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

Choosing the right clothes for a backpacking trip is essential to your comfort on the trail. The key to comfort is, first of all, knowing the climate conditions where you’ll be traveling. For example, a backpacking adventure in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee in May will be a lot different from one in the Gallatin National Forest of Montana in July. In Tennessee, the days will likely be steamy and the nights not below 60 degrees, while in Montana, the days will probably be hot, if not humid, and the nights could easily plunge below 40. If you don’t know these things, you won’t be able to properly prepare.

An important part of your clothing choice is the material of the clothing. My first backpacking trip was a little frustrating for me because I had no end of trouble finding proper attire. I’m a petite woman, and for some unknown reason, a lot of athletic clothing is geared toward women who are at least 6 inches taller than me and who have several inches on me everywhere else. However, you won’t see me complain about the mistakes I’ve made, because every mistake teaches a lesson! I learned the hard way that wearing clothing made of 100% cotton, or even a cotton blend, can add significantly to any discomfort on the trail. Cotton doesn’t dry, doesn’t wick away moisture, and doesn’t lay comfortably against the skin. Instead it rolls up, chafes, and leaves you feeling both hot and cold, along with the changes in weather. While our first stop to bathe in a river felt amazing, parts of my shirt and pants were never dry again! That was a little miserable.

So the next time I was more wise. I shopped around until I found a comfortable T-shirt that was made of a synthetic blend, so I wouldn’t have problems with the fabric staying wet for days, or with the shirt bunching up and chaffing my skin. The added benefit is some UV protection, odor-control right along with the moisture-wicking (this is something you’ll be thankful for…believe me!), and best of all, construction that promotes close body fitting and no moving around! If you can manage to bring your backpack with you when you go clothing shopping, it’s always a great idea to get a feel for how the pack will tug at the fabric. Sometimes a completely comfortable shirt becomes a nightmare under the restricting straps of a backpack. A shirt of this quality construction will help to lessen that problem.

Choosing pants was high on my priority list after hiking around, wet from the knees down, for two days. This was also one of the hardest tasks for me because of the size availability. For me, a size 4 is just too big, while the biggest girl’s size is just too small. Sure, there exists a size 2…but good luck finding one! I got lucky and found a pair of zip-off pants by the North Face in a clearance sale, post-season. These pants feel heavy to the touch, but they are water resistant and breathable at the same time. If they do get wet, they dry quickly. One of the fun things about this pant is the zip-off bottom! Although it is uncommon to zip-off into shorts when hiking a heavily wooded trail, sometimes it can be really useful when crossing a stream, or when hiking along a stream bed or flat, open land for several miles.

Shoes and underwear are probably the most important clothing choices–so important that I have dedicated entire articles to those subjects elsewhere.

 

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Backcountry Fees at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

Update on Back Country Fees at the Great Smoky Mountains, February 27, 2013

As of February 13, 2013, the Smoky Mountains National Park is requiring all back country backpackers to have a permit and a reservation, although this does not seem much different from previous rules. The National Parks website is unclear about the charging of fees.

Back Country Fees at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

When the Great Smoky Mountains National Park first dedicated in 1940, the language of the dedication ensured that this was a park for the people, for their “permanent enjoyment.” The Park began charging for certain activities taking place within its boundaries, such as camping at one of its campgrounds, taking guided tours, etc.

The view from Clingman's Dome

The view from Clingman’s Dome

A lot of backpackers are complaining about the unfairness of the added cost, but what about the fact that charging fees will simply not solve the problem? If a team of backpackers were required to pay a per-person fee for a backcountry overnight, costing $16 a night for a group of four, then a week-long excursion would cost more than $100. This cost would be equal to or more than the same amount of time spent in the Smoky Mountains front-country campgrounds. While some of these front-country campgrounds are extremely primitive, we spent an entire week at Elkmont and were provided with enough amenities to enable us to remain in the campground most of the time. They provided bathrooms with plumbing (toilets and sinks, at least), a backcountry store with non-perishables and firewood, vending machines, handicapped campsites, tentpads, trailer sanitation sites, telephones, firepits with grilling grates, and even electricity hook-ups for RVs. Rates are between $17 and $24 a night, irrespective of party size.

We spent several nights in backcountry campsites as well, and in these the only amenities are cables hung between trees for bear sacks and firepits. (And naturally we wouldn’t want more amenities than these in the backcountry.) At any rate, backpacking in other forests have shown me that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has some well-organized backcountry sites for its visitors. I’ve also noticed that hikers on these trails seem extremely concerned with “leave no trace” practices.

So what happens when backpackers get charged to spend the night in a free park? More people will claim sites that other people have reserved, for one. But this isn’t the biggest concern. The biggest is probably that more people will set up camp in places that aren’t designated as camping sites, creating firepits and trampling on natural undergrowth. Overall, the money the park is trying to save will end up costing them more in damages, accidental though they be, from outraged–or at best, disgruntled–backpackers.

Want more information about how to protest? Check it out.

If none of this is hitting home for you, perhaps it would be best to glance at Roosevelt’s original dedication speech. Can you see how backcountry fees go against the intention of the park from its conception?

It is good and right that we should conserve these mountain heights of the old frontier for the benefit of the American people. But in this hour we have to safeguard a greater thing: the right of the people of this country to live as free men. Our vital task of conservation is to preserve the freedom that our forefathers won in this land, and the liberties that were proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence and embodied in our Constitution.

 

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Choosing a Site For Your Tent

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

Pitching your tent in the backwoods is a lot different from pitching it at a car-camping site. This might seem obvious to seasoned backpackers, but to those just getting their start, this is something worth covering.

I remember my first backpacking trip. We camped on a hilltop in the woods, in Red River Gorge. It hadn’t occurred to me at that time to look for the flattest possible ground, and I spend the entire night (the part of it where I was actually asleep) rolling into the side of my tent. Sometime later on that same trip, I was forced to bed down on sloping ground again, and this time I kept my head on the upward-angled portion of the tent. I found myself slipping down in the night. Level sleeping surfaces are things that most of us take for granted, especially if we’ve been car-camping. Most campsites provide flat, if a little hard, tent pads specifically designed for pitching a tent. Not so in the deep woods!

So what do you do? Depending on where you’re backpacking, you’ve either reserved a backcountry campsite sight-unseen, or you’re stumbling upon one on your own. You can usually identify campsites by firepits, if they aren’t explicitly marked. When my team enters a campsite of choice, we always take a few minutes to just get acclimated to the area. These are a few things we identify:

– Where’s the firepit?
– Where are the entrances to this campsite?
– Where’s the trail in proximity to this site? How about the water source?
– Where can we hang the bear sack?
– Which direction is the wind blowing?
– Where are the flat spots?
– Is there hardwood in this site?

Some of the reasons we address these issues are clear. It’s important to note the location of the firepit in conjuction to the flat spots of ground, and the direction of the wind, because a tiny spark from the campfire could easily singe a hole a tent, which is made of easily melting synthetic material. It’s also important to consider leaning trees or rocky ledges. You don’t want to set up your tent right below something precarious that could injure you in the night!

We have to address the bear sack issue, because it’s customary for a bear sack to hang from a high tree with a long branch hanging parallel to the ground. Campers also want their bear sack to hang from a tree that is on the opposite side of the campsite from the tents. (Remember a bear sack should hang at least 10 feet off the ground, so out of reach of a standing bear, and at least 4 feet from the trunk of the tree to deter a bear from climbing the tree and trying to reach out for the sack.) Since the goal of packing all garbage, edibles, and scented items in a bear sack is to keep bears from rummaging in our campsites while we sleep, it’s absolutely essential for our tents to be at least 20 feet away from the tree with the bear sack.

The other issues we address include location of the campsite in relation to the rest of the woods. You don’t want to be so close to the trail that people are looking at you while you eat breakfast or dig a cathole, and you don’t want to be so close to the water source that you have to stagger off into the woods just to dig a cathole (remember, waste is supposed to be about 150 feet from a water source). The consideration of whether hardwood is located in the campsite is slightly less important, since usually there will be hardwood at least nearby. (Remember, it’s important to cook over hardwood to avoid letting any strange pine-y smells seep into your food through burning pine, and to let your fire burn longer!)

In a few minutes, you should have decided how your campsite is laid out. Sometimes it becomes essential to place all the tents in close proximity to each other, and other times, far from each other, in order for each camper to get a decent night’s sleep on flat ground. When I backpacked a three night trip in the Smokies last summer, we spend one night in a campsite where our tents were so close to each other we could whisper together in the night, and another night in a site where our tents were so far from each other that without my contacts, I couldn’t even make out the other tents. It all depends on the site, and it shouldn’t matter which direction your tent doors face. The best idea is making sure that your head always lies on the uppermost ground.

Although it may seem complicated to a new backpacker, for me, setting up the campsite is one of the most fun parts of backpacking! I enjoy making this little clearing in the woodland into my temporary home, if just for a night.

We set up our tent on the flattest ground we found in that campsite

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Fitness for the Trail

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

A great way to get in shape for a backpacking adventure is by going trail running. This kind of workout is the best way to prepare yourself for your upcoming excursion because you’re going to be practicing in the same environment where you’ll be backpacking. Just be sure to begin this sooner than a few days before the trip! You don’t want to be sore already when you hit the trail for the big adventure. Trail running can require a lot more exertion than the typical running on a sidewalk, but it can be easier on the legs because dirt is softer than concrete. Just prepare yourself for your backpacking adventure by wearing the confortable shoes you’ll be backpacking in. Don’t bother with a backpack this time; this workout is primarily for the legs and for your own endurance.

There are quite a few great parks in the Indianapolis area where you can get these kinds of workouts. One in particular, Eagle Creek Park, is located right in the city limits on 5,200 acres of land. With tons of official–and unofficial–trails for hiking, you can get a great variety of training experience here. The trails are varied, with some inclines in elevation, waterways, and path-narrowing in densely treelined ways.

As a backpacker, you might be interested in some scenery while training and while getting yourself psyched up for a longer trip, so a park like this would be great for you. There is wildlife to see, and 16 miles worth of trails to choose from.

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Grilling Steaks on the Trail

Posted on March 5, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

If you read my article about bringing steaks on the trail, you probably wondered how those steaks were ever going to get cooked over a campfire, especially if you’re traveling ultralight and a grill grate isn’t a part of your backpacking gear! Well, wonder no more; here are some ideas for getting the job done, without any more baggage than your dish and knife. All of the other supplies come straight from the woods.


The first step is to get a fire roaring in your firepit. Remember to use only hardwoods to start your fire, not pine. Pine and other similar trees can give off strange smells when burned, flavoring your food with undesirable tastes. Also, hardwood burns longer! Let your fire roar for a while and keep turning it until you have a nice smouldering bed of coals with only a few flames for cooking. This would be a good time to add some arromatic woods, such as hickory, to the coals, to add a special flavoring to your steak.

Meanwhile, you should be preparing your grilling grate. This should be made from hardwoods and you can also add some arromatic wood to this. First step, choose a branch that is in the shape of a “Y” with the stem of the “Y” long enough to be used as a handle. Next, choose smaller branches of a similar type of wood. They will naturally be more flexible because of their thinness. You should weave these through the “Y” to create a large grid. This is going to be your cooking grate for the first steak. You’ll need to make another grate for any additional steaks because the wood will begin to burn as the steak cooks. You’ll lightly “roast” each side of the new grate to prepare it as a cooking surface by removing the impurities from the bark.

Place your steak across the sturdiest part of your grate, using another longer stick to balance the “Y” from tipping above the fire. The steak should be readjusted periodically to make sure that all parts of the steak are cooked thoroughly. You’ll need another stick, or ideally a second grate, to assist you in flipping the steak to cook the other side.

This meal is unique and delicious for a backpacking trip. Nothing can be so refreshing and unexpected as a steak after a long hike.

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Steaks on the Trail

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

As a backpacker, you should never assume that you have to have a dull and tasteless cuisine on the trail. The absolute opposite is true! All you need is a little ingenuity, creativity, and a taste for something spectacular. Even an ultralight enthusiast can enjoy something spectacularly tasty. How about a thick, juicy steak? Don’t be a naysayer until you’ve heard how it’s done.

A steak can be marinated in advance of the trip; consider adding simple salt, pepper, and oil to a tenderized steak, or for better absorption of the sodium, a teaspoon of soy sauce per two ounces of meat. Allow this meat to soak in the marinade overnight, two days before your trip. The day before your trip, place the meat in the freezer until it is frozen solid. You want to avoid doing this sooner so that you do not cause your meat to become freezer-burned. Before the trip, re-wrap the steak in plastic, double-wrapping in a waterproof, disposable bag to prevent getting meat juice inside your backpack. Depending on the length of your day one hike, and even on the length of the drive to the trailhead, you may want to keep your frozen meat in a cooler until you backpack up and hit the trail.

When packing the steak in your pack, consider the temperatures of the day for pack location. For example, on a day between 40 and 60 degrees, but with sun, the steak can sit near the top of the pack and be thawed fully in 10 to 12 hours. On a hotter day, it might be best to keep steak situated lower in the pack or shaded from direct sunlight. At any rate, always remember that a steak can be thawed in a flowing stream if it’s still frozen when you set up camp for the night. Just don’t forget to keep that steak sealed tightly in a waterproof bag. You do not want any juices escaping into the watersource.

Remember this is a day one meal only; raw meat will not keep on the trail for longer than one day and only when frozen solid. To avoid bacterial contamination, follow the above suggestions very carefully!

Lastly, don’t forget to bring some delicious supplements to this steak dinner. You can pack instant mashed potatoes, and add dehydrated garlic to them for added flavor. Also, don’t forget to bring some dehydrated onions and mushrooms to garnish your delicious steak.

Want to know how to grill a steak over an open campfire without bringing a grilling grate?

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Hot Breakfast on the Trail

Posted on March 3, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

Have you ever awakened cold and groggy after a night of sleeping on the ground? Sure, we all have. Especially after a number of nights on the trail, it’s not uncommon to start feeling a little overwhelmed. The cure for a morning like this is usually a hot breakfast, but sometimes the thought of a morning load of dishes is enough to make those campground morning blues even worse.

The fastest, easiest trail breakfast is oatmeal, and you can make it without getting any dishes dirty!

It’s so simple. Heat your water over your morning embers, or fire up the stove for a few minutes, and simply pour the water directly into an instant oatmeal packet of your favorite flavor. The packets are wax-lined on the inside so the water does not leak out before it soaks into the oats, and you have an instant meal and a disposable dish!

Some people may need to eat more than one of these each morning for added carbs and calories, but that’s okay because they are super light to carry and barely take up any room at all.

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Knobstone Trail: Backpacking the Spurgeon Hollow Trail

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

Backpackers of Indianapolis, if you live here, you know there are very few places for adventure in this fair, flat, and mostly un-wooded state, but there are a few good places, you just have to know where to look. In the Indianapolis area, there’s a great place for an overnight backpacking adventure right near you! Mild, Indiana-style adventures can be found on the Knobstone Trail (Indiana’s longest footpath). One short trip is the Trail’s Spurgeon Hollow Loop. The trail is located outside of Scottsburg, IN in the Jackson Washington State Forest. The park is only 90 miles south of downtown Indy via I-65, approximately a 2 hour drive, depending upon your suburb. Delaney Creek Park

Knobstone Trail Map

Knobstone Trail Map

Delaney Park Trailhead is a comfortable start for an overnight hike. There’s some parking available on a gravel path, but beware in early spring–the trails and parking areas can be a bit soggy!

The Spurgeon Hollow Loop connects to the Delaney Park Trail about three-quarters of a mile south. Spurgeon Hollow is a pretty trail, with lots of scenery and a few up- and down- hills. (Indiana is the kind of state that requires this kind of specification because, if possible, it’s flatter than an ice rink!) This doesn’t seem to be a popular trail for families, at least not in the early spring, and when I hiked it for an overnight backpack, I only saw serious hikers and backpackers like myself.

About six miles down the trail, at the farthest end of the Spurgeon Hollow Loop, there are some great primitive campsites right on one of the little creeks. These are located a few hundred feet off the main trail. There is a copse of tall pine and a bed of pine needles, perfect for a soft camp bed, and plenty of hardwoods for campfire cooking. The water is clear and swift for filtering, and if you’re lucky, you might even see a random flock of wild turkeys wandering into your camp, or falling down a hill as they are clumsy creatures!

From the backcountry campsite, there’s only a short three mile hike back out, unless you want to hike north around the adjoining loop to add about three more miles to the trip.

This hike, in mid-March, is a lovely, solitary wander. Few hikers are encountered on the trail, there’s absolutely no shuffling for campsites, and there are plenty of downed hardwood available for campfires. Once I set up camp, I never saw another hiker even though I was only a few hundred feet off the trail. The privacy offered a great opportunity for kicking back with some beautiful nature and wildlife.

The only downside to this trail is its proximity to an airfield. The constant passage of airplanes can be a little disturbing to the peace. On Sunday morning, during the hike back around the loop, I never encountered a single hiker, but I heard at least seven airplanes! So, it’s not heaven, but once again, it is Indiana, so what do you expect?

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Outdoor Wear Gear Review: Patagonia Active Hipster Briefs

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

The Patagonia Active Hipster Briefs are one of the best investments that a female backpacker can make! These sturdy and dependable underwear are comfortable, form fitting, and best of all, quick drying. They are made of a recycled polyester/polyester/spandex blend that aids in moisture wicking (a must-have feature on the trail, no matter what the season) and the structure of these underwear also help to keep them in their place. The wide, soft waist band and leg openings stay put and do not slide around at all during even strenuous hiking. One of my favorite things about these underwear is their versatility. I am comfortable slipping out of my pants and letting these double as bathing suit bottoms. They’re quick drying so they won’t be uncomfortably soggy after the swim. They can easily be hung up in the sun too, or draped over the back of your pack if you’ve extended yourself to afford the luxury of a second pair.

The usual going-rate for this product is $20, but Backcountry.com currently has a sale where these are going for $16 apiece. This is a steal, and my shopping cart is already full! This is a fantastic price considering that these underwear can be worn for days on end without changing. Because of the super quick-drying feature, these can be washed while worn and will dry without hanging. (Yes, this is the voice of experience speaking.)

Ladies, these underwear also come in different styles, from bikinis to boy shorts.

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Outdoor Wear Gear Review: Women’s Terra 45 TheNorthFace Backpack

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

This great backpack is designed for women, and it makes itself obvious. Unlike other packs that are often a smaller version of the man’s bag, this one has a sleek and, as TheNorthFace calls it, “anatomically correct” shape.

The approximate weight of this empty pack is 3 pounds, and it is full of little access features, from side zipper pockets to help gain quick access to the pack’s main cavity to a sleeping bag compartment at the bottom. The side pockets are stretchy mesh, if a little shallow. The top of the bag has two zipper pouches protected from leakage with a waterproof flap. This is a surprisingly good place to carry a camera, cell phone, or other electronic device you want to keep safe and dry.

The Updsides:
This pack is extremely durable and easy to clean. It maintains it shape very well and stays looking new even after a whole lot of wear and tear and lots of trips…and scrapes against trees. It’s comfortable to wear for a small woman and it has a lot of potential for adjustments.

The Downsides
This pack doesn’t have a lot of compartments, which can be frustrating while backpacking. In order to get to items in the backpack, often everything has to be removed. The side pockets are a little small and sometimes some finagling and strap adjustment is required to hold a water bottle in place. Although the pack fits wonderfully on a small woman, the chest strap can be a little restricting during ordinary slippage on the trail.

When all is said and done, this is really a great backpack, and probably one of the few options for a petite woman. There are some adjustments that could be made to future editions to make this backpack an A+ perfect!

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Synchronous Fireflies

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Crystal Lynn

We spent the last week of May in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, hiking and camping. We backpacked for four days, an through hike that started with a leg of the AT at Clingmans Dome and ended ultimately near Elkmont across from the Laurel Falls trail. We stopped at two back country campsites on our way through, and the second one, 21, was where we had what was by far the coolest experience! That was where we saw the incredible fireflies of Tennessee legend!

I should start with a little back story. There are 14 species of fireflies located in the park, and this one particular species which has a slightly bluish white light, almost like little LEDs, synchronize their flashes at a certain point in their mating season. (The species is Photinus carolinus). We had heard about these unique looking fireflies, but had not read up on the details. We were in for a pleasant surprise when the sun set on back country campsite 21!

As the darkness fell over our campsite, one of our company pulled out two glow sticks and swung them around for a while. Suddenly we noticed that we had a little lighted visitor in our perimeter. We watched for him to fly around and realized that he was not alone, so we kicked out our fire to enjoy the show. As the fireflies multiplied all around us, we were awed and found it difficult to even put to words what we were seeing. There were thousands of tiny little blue lights, but they were also so bright!, simply surrounding our entire campsite. When we were quiet we could hear an almost inaudible hum. We stood for probably an hour just watching them as they swarmed and it was a beautiful experience. It was too early for them to have synced up with each other, so they were blinking at random, but they looked so unusual.

Where we come from–the suburbs–there is so much light pollution that it is impossible to be so enclosed in darkness. Many of us don’t even understand what true darkness is. And our fireflies are yellow and blink in an entirely different style. This is an experience that, I think, must be had like this: by surprise, and completely separate from the rest of the population. It was a unique adventure had only by the four of us and that was why it was something to treasure!

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