Susan Alcorn’s Backpacking & Hiking Tales and Tips, December 2020
*** we are moving the newsletter from the News page to the blog, so each newsletter can be linked to independently – on the news page there will be a link to the newsletter ***
Susan Alcorn’s Backpacking & Hiking Tales and Tips, December 2020
Happy holidays!
Contents:
1. As Hiking Surges During the Pandemic, So Do Injuries
2. Audio walks—armchair and onsite
3. Camino Masks
4. Treeline Review helps with finding good gear for gifts!
5. Drawing the Colors of Winter
6. Wearing a Mask While Running
7. Past, Present and Future on the Bay Area Ridge Trail.
#1. “As Hiking Surges During the Pandemic, So Do Injuries” reads the headline in a NY Times article. Not exactly a surprise to those of us who are long-time hikers and park visitors—we’ve seen many people venturing out ill-prepared for their outings. And just like we have seen happening on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) ever since the book and movie “Wild” drew greatly increased interest in the iconic trail, so the COVID-19’s restrictions have drawn many new hikers to parks and trails.
What I hadn’t considered was that as the number of park visitors has increased (“upward of 90 percent over the previous year in some parks”) Search and Rescue crews have been stretched thinner. Adding to the problem has been the wildfires, which may draw S&R teams away from parks and trails and into the fire areas. “People need to be careful, especially now, as resources for search and rescue can be thin,” said Lisa Herron, a spokeswoman for the United States Forest Service at Lake Tahoe Basin in California.
David Walsh, with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, commented that wearing a mask, necessitated by the coronavirus, causes responders to move more slowly and rescues that involve bringing injured hikers down out of the hills can take longer than usual. Sgt. Eric Palmberg of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office said many of the calls involved people ‘way out of their experience level and possibly taking more risks due to the pandemic and being cooped up at home.’”
#2. Audio guides take you on walks worldwide. Lorna Parkes wrote, “The bear’s throaty growl starts to my right, then circles predatorily around to my left as I turn. But I stay calm, because the beast is not really there – it’s an illusion. I’m on a street corner in Leeds on a bright, chilly autumn morning and there are no bears for thousands of miles – or at least there haven’t been for well over a century.” This is on a guided “sound walk” ’in the former Headingley Zoological and Botanical Gardens.
Turns out there are tons of sites where you can take armchair walks. I listened briefly to one about Leeds (England) Zoological and Botanical Gardens. If you go to: https://www.365leedsstories.org/maps/map-19/ and scroll to the bottom on the page, you’ll find audio for 10 different stops in the garden. Thanks to Lorna Parkes for her article (16 Nov 2020)
Other audio travel guides out there in cyberspace include: The Last Eccentrics of Greenwich Village, which takes listeners on a walk around the New York neighborhood. “The Ears May Travel,” “Visit walklistencreate.org or download the Echoes app to browse sound walks from around the world”
#3. Camino Masks. Ivar, who runs the very popular Camino forum, is offering a variety of Camino-related masks. I ordered two early on and have found them to be very comfortable. They are two-layers of fabric (and don’t have a slot for a filter, but should be adequate while hiking.)
#4. Treeline Review helps with finding good gear for gifts!
“Holiday gift giving for people who love the outdoors doesn’t have to be tricky. These are the gifts we’d give ourselves and that we’d be happy to receive. Based on our Gear of the Year and All Time Favorite gear items, here are present ideas for every outdoors person and every price range.” https://www.treelinereview.com/giftsTreeline does not have ads and is 100% reader supported.
And earlier they wrote: “We’re excited to announce the release of Susan Alcorn’s book Walk, Saunter, Hike: Seasoned Women Hikers Share Tales and Trails. Thirty-two women share their stories to inspire new and experienced hikers. I was thrilled and honored to be interviewed for this book and my copy just arrived! The book is currently available in paperback and e-book.” Naomi “The Punisher” Hudetz
From the site: “Autumn is the perfect time to explore colored pencil techniques with all the beauty of the changing leaf colors, seed pods, gourds and berries. Their unique colors provide the opportunity to practice mixing and layering color. Learn to create rich reds, browns and purples. We will explore a variety of colored pencil techniques including layering, blending, and burnishing.
“This class will be two hours long, held online, using Zoom. We will spend time mixing colors, drawing your leaf or fruit and coloring with demonstration and time for questions and answers. All drawing levels are welcome. A supply list will be provided.
“Nina Antze has a Fine Arts degree and a Certificate in Botanical Illustration from the New York Botanical Gardens and studied at the Ruskin School of Art in Oxford. She teaches throughout California and beyond. Her Chinese Maple was recently selected for the DeYoung Open. View her botanicals at pcquilt.com
Details:
-A meeting link for this class will be provided by email following registration
– Please arrive 5 minutes early to check in
– Refunds available for all classes 7 days in advance of the start date, after 7 days and before 2 days, participants can credit their class for a future date. All requests before 48 hours in advance will be declined.
– Please provide an email you check regularly for updates and reminders about your class
– Registration is required online prior to the event in order to maintain class sizes
– Sales end 48 hours before the start date.
– Waitlists are available when the class sells out
What to Bring:
Registered participants will receive a materials list via email with information about how to prepare in advance of this class
About the PRNSA Field Institute:
The PRNSA Field Institute offers hands-on environmental education classes throughout the year that foster enjoyment of Point Reyes National Seashore. Our classes are led by expert instructors, who take you out of your everyday life and into the natural world. We host a variety of classes about the arts and sciences and have something for everyone. You can reach the Field Institute at (415) 663-1200 x304 or by email at fieldinstitute@ptreyes.org.”
#6. Wearing a mask while running—and presumably while hiking! If you’re a walker, runner or a bike rider, here’s a great reason to wear a mask when exercising outside. According to Emma Dibdin in this Runners World article, you get plenty of oxygen through your mask, but your lungs have to work slightly harder to get it. This actually strengthens your lungs and increases their efficiency! A lot of athletes train at higher altitudes to increase lung capacity which helps them run and bike faster at lower elevations. Wearing a mask does the same thing! https://www.runnersworld.com/training/a32380203/running-with-mask-impact-your-performance/
#7. Regional: San Francisco Bay Area: A link to the recent Past, Present and Future on the Bay Area Ridge Trail.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Adg43caJgM (This video was sponsored by POST and Bay Area Ridge Trail.)
“The Bay Area Ridge Trail’s mission is to plan, promote and sustain a connected hiking, cycling, and equestrian trail on the ridgelines around San Francisco Bay—linking people, parks and open space for today and future generations”.
Message from Susan
Thank you everyone. Stay well, keep hiking when prudent—and I encourage you to send in items of interest to the hiking community.
Author of Walk, Hike, Saunter: Seasoned Women Share Tales and Trails; Healing Miles: Gifts from the Caminos Norte and Primitivo, Patagonia Chronicle: On Foot in Torres del Paine; We’re in the Mountains Not over the Hill: Tales and Tips from Seasoned Women Backpackers; and Camino Chronicle: Walking to Santiago.
Please note: Hiking and backpacking can be risky endeavors. Always be prepared for emergencies and carry food, water, shelter (warm clothing, etc.), flashlight/headlamp, matches, first aid supplies, and maps. Cell phones don’t always work. Leave word where you are traveling and when you are due back.
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or send messages to this (almost) monthly newsletter, please send a message to Susan at backpack45@yahoo.com
More about the hiking newsletters:
Susan Alcorn’s Backpacking & Hiking Tales and Tips is published (almost) monthly. The newsletter has items of interest to the hiking (including the Camino) community. Click here to read earlier editions: . You’ll find an assortment of topics each month. There’ll be health and fitness news, info on new gear, hiking records set, and statistics about the Camino. You’ll hear about upcoming hikes and other events as well as trail meetings and gatherings. In addition, you may learn something new about the animals that share our outdoors.
If you want to subscribe to Susan Alcorn’s Backpacking & Hiking Tales and Tips, email Susan Alcorn at backpack45 (put at sign here) yahoo.com to subscribe* so that the news will reach you hot off the press! *We do not share names with anyone. You can cancel this free subscription by emailing Susan Alcorn.
Francis Tapon podcast Francis Tapon, world traveler and adventurer, earlier did a podcast interviewing me about the Caminos Norte and Primitivo. Among other things, he asked these questions: What was one of the most unusual paths you have taken? What percentage of pilgrims are hiking purely for religious reasons? (The answer is surprising!) How many pilgrims get to Santiago every year? (You won’t believe it!) Have you camped on the trail? What advice would you give to first-time pilgrims of El Camino de Santiago? It was such great fun do this podcast! Check it out here!