Outdoors Books I Recommend

 I love books!!  I don't know about you, but in most cases I prefer an actual book, something I can hold in my hands and open, sit and read, turn down page edges or use a yellow highlighter.   My books are loved and well used, read and re-read in some cases, marked up and treasured.   If you're an outdoors type of person, like I am, you are probably always on the look out for an interesting book that relates to your particular outdoors niche.   I've compiled  a list of many of my favorite "go-to" books and I thought I'd share them with you....

America’s Great Hiking Trails

After reading this book I dare you to tell me that at some point you didn't imagine yourself hiking at least a small section of one of these scenic trails.  Each of the eleven chapters is dedicated to showing what is unique to that particular trail.  Each trail receives star treatment as the author supplies pertinent information about its route, shares interesting historical tidbits and highlights particular spots of beauty.  Each trail offers something unique to its region and Ms. Berger offers up a host of factors such as communities, landscapes, environment and land use.  Every chapter gets a thorough description of history, a map, trail information, and extensive, glorious photos.  Each chapter concludes with special points of interest.  Are you strapping on your hiking boots yet?  This is one of my personal all-time favorites.....

Appalachian Trail - Celebrating America's Hiking Trail

In the decades since the trails' inception, it's the dedication of hundreds of individuals who were instrumental in the vision and building of the trail.  Learn the names of the people who fought for funding, blazed the trails, installed markers and maintained over 2000 miles of footpath.  If you've ever seen the iconic bronze plaque that marks the first northbound steps of the trail atop Springer Mountain, then you'll read about who posed for that plaque and what role he played.  The time it takes to hike the trail varies from person to person.  I will tell you that it ranges from 46 days to 46 years.  Did you ever wonder who was the first soul to hike the entire trail and the reason why he was on that trail in the first place?  My personal favorite story is the one about the first woman to thru hike the entire length.  She did it with a simple sack tossed over her shoulder and guess what, she was 67 years old!  You will have to read the book to learn more about her and others as well...

Complete Outdoors Encyclopedia: Camping, Fishing, Hunting, Boating, Wilderness Survival, First Aid

Complete Outdoors Encyclopedia is packed with over 1300 beautiful colored photographs and hundreds of illustrations.  It is the ultimate reference guide for anyone, of any age or gender, who wants to spend time in the great outdoors. 

National Geographic Guide to National Parks

This 8th edition of the guide has been published to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.  It's been completely redesigned with updated information and maps.  Did you know that there are 59 National Parks?  Pull out your notebook and start making plans because once you open the book, you're going to want to visit a large majority of the parks....

The Adventurer's Guide to the Outdoors

As a lifelong camper, hiker and nature lover, this is the type of book that I can truly appreciate.  Written by Guy Grieve, it showcases 100 essential skills for surviving in the wild with easy to follow explanations,  light humor and clear illustrations.....

The Adirondacks Season by Season

Have you ever visited the Adirondacks?  Did you know that they cover more ground than Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon combined?  The Adirondacks: Season by Season focuses on the changing seasons and how they transform the landscape.

The Appalachian Trail:  Hiking the Peoples Path

The Appalachian Trail spans 2200 miles and crosses 14 states.  Along the way you will experience thousands of species of plants and animals.  Follow the path which is marked by small white painted blazes.  Shelters are scattered along the trail where you can camp for the evening.  The trail crosses many roads that lead to towns along the way where you can stop, resupply, and indulge in ice cream or grab a much needed shower.   A thru-hike of the entire trail generally takes from 5 to 7 months.  But have no fear, you can access the trail from numerous locations and enjoy shorter hikes that will let you experience the trail.   Tailor trips that will only take you a day, a weekend, or a few weeks.  The beauty of this "mini edition" is that is it exclusively photographs.  It allows the viewer to sit and experience the trail and every page is a delight.  Footpaths beckon you to follow as they twist and turn into the distance....

The Complete Guide to Camping and Wilderness Survival

The Complete Guide to Camping and Wilderness Survival by Vin Sparano contains 320 pages of in-depth coverage of tents, sleeping bags, footwear, camp kitchens, tools, backpacks boating and all-terrain vehicles.  It also features over 600 color photographs and illustrations that explain techniques for any camping/wilderness survival scenario....

Civil War Battlefields:  Walking the Trails of History

 I have held a long fascination with all things relating to the Civil War.  When we travel we often seek out battlefields, museums and cemeteries, and proceed to soak up as much information as we can.  Civil War Battlefields: Walking the Trails of History contains in depth information on 32 key battlefields at 12 sites located in 12 states.  I couldn't wait to crack it open and I was not disappointed!

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Keeping Your Standard Cooler Cold

Keeping your standard cooler cold for as long as possible is always a hot debate.  I've heard plenty of great solutions, so I thought I'd share some of them here as well as show you what I've done to help solve that age old question.

Personally I have 2 coolers that I take with me.  The first is a vintage Coleman cooler that I found several years ago at a garage sale.  This thing is a beast!  It's huge, measuring in at 28" x 15" x 16" tall....  

I love the red color and the top of it is a perfect place for my State sticker travel map.

The second cooler I take is my  SetPower Refrigerator/Freezer and it's been a game changer.  Sleek and efficient, it has the ability to be used as a refrigerator or a freezer.  It easily does the trick for both.  SetPower has 2 sizes and I splurged on the larger one.  You can plug it into your car for power or into a Jackery type unit if you have one of those.  

But back to the standard cooler and how to keep it cold.  Here's some pictures of my Coleman cooler and what I've done with it.  As you can see I lined it with Reflectix that I cut to size and just taped along the edges with duct tape...

I found this plastic insert at a garage sale and snapped it up!  It's just the right size for inside the cooler.

The left side of the cooler holds mostly my groceries - things like peanut butter, crackers, buns, chips, cookies, chocolate bars...  

 

I freeze quart and gallon size jugs of water and iced tea and place them inside the plastic insert.  I also throw packages of lunch meat and cheeses in the plastic bin.  The bottom of the plastic bin catches all the condensation as the ice melts.  I drink the water and tea from the jugs once it's all melted...

For me, this has worked perfectly and I usually get 5-7 days before the ice in the jugs is almost all melted.  Here's a few more tips for you....

• Open your cooler as little as possible
• Get it cold the day before you leave and then add fresh ice when you're ready to go
• Use frozen food in the bottom of your cooler
• Cover your cooler with a blanket
• Keep it out of the sun
• Line the inside of the cooler with Reflectix
• Instead of bagged ice, use blocks of ice.  I freeze gallon water jugs and water bottles and use those.  An added advantage is that you can drink the water once it eventually melts
• I've heard of people using dry ice but I've never personally done this
• Keep soda in a separate cooler to minimize opening and closing your food cooler

So there you have it - Happy camping!

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Geocaching in Hopkinsville, Kentucky

Last week Mom and I decided to take a ride to Hopkinsville, Kentucky and do an Adventure Lab Series called "The Murals of Hopkinsville."  Hopkinsville is known for their beautiful murals commemorating life in the city from the 1800's until today.  

Before we began, we had to pick up some donuts at "The Whistle Stop."  It's a super tiny building with about 3 parking spaces as well as a drive thru window.  You can't go to Hopkinsville without stopping for 1, 2 or a dozen of their delicious donuts.

We may have gotten a dozen.....

This Adventure Lab is a "walking tour" because the murals were spread out over a 3 block radius.  It was a lovely day and perfect to be outside strolling around from mural to mural, gathering the information we needed.

This is the Eclipseville Mural and was painted in honor of the eclipse a couple years ago where more than 100,000 people gathered here that day to view it.

The old clock tower is part of the former firehouse that now houses the Woody Winfree Fire and Transportation Museum...

I love when we find old Coca-Cola factories...

Hopkinsville's train station...

The water cycle mural - first incorporated in 1895, HWEA now provides drinking water for over 31,000 people...

This was my favorite mural, with over a dozen different scenes painted on the side of this building...

While we were at this location a homeless man came up to us and politely asked if we had any change to spare.   I didn't have any cash on me so I rummaged around my glove compartment and found a dollar which I gave to him.  He then explained that he needed another dime if I had it because of the tax that would be charged on a cup of coffee.   Back into my car I went and found a quarter for him.  He ambled off and left me wondering where you could buy a cup of coffee anymore for just a dollar.  After he left I remembered the donuts in the back of my car and felt bad that I hadn't thought to give him one.

We completed the Adventure Lab and celebrated by eating some donuts.  I thought that was a good reward!

It was a fun day and we were glad we went!

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101 Devil Caches

Geocaching The Ultimate Beginners Guide

Geocaching: Geocaching Guide For Beginners! - Learn Everything You Need To Know About Geocaching

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Fort Donelson, Tennessee

If you're visiting Tennessee, try to make a stop at Fort Donelson National Battlefield, which is located just northwest of Nashville.  Ft. Donelson was the location of the North's first key victory of the Civil War and the place where Ulysses S. Grant earned his famous nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.

The battle took place on February 14-16, 1862.  Prior to that, over 400 small huts were constructed for the soldiers and slaves to live in.  Those not lucky enough to be granted a hut had to endure the elements in the cold February environment.

The Cumberland river played a major role in the battle by supplying a way for the Federal troops to descend on the Confederate controlled Ft. Donelson. Gradually encircling the Fort, Grant finally closed all escape routes, forcing General Buckner to ask Grant for his terms of surrender.

Located nearby is the Fort Donelson National Cemetery.  It contains the remains of 670 Civil War burials as well as veterans from all other American Wars.

Several blocks away is the Dover Hotel.  During the battle the South used it as their headquarters, but once General Buckner accepted General Grants surrender terms, the two met there to work out all the details....

A record setting 13,000 Confederate prisoners were amassed here and eventually shipped northward to prison camps located in Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Massachusetts.

Today the Dover Hotel sits on the banks of the Cumberland River, a tranquil reminder of the horrors of war that took place over 150 years ago...

For those of you interested in geocaching, there is an Adventure Lab called "Fort Donelson" located here.   It will take you to key locations inside the battlefield, as well as The National Cemetery and then on to the Dover House. 

For more information concerning the battles of Fort Donelson and nearby Fort Henry, pick up a copy of:  

Grant Invades Tennessee: The 1862 Battles for Forts Henry and Donelson

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