(There used to be a poll here asking people how high they had hiked, but I took it down because it seemed to be causing system difficulties. I’m leaving the text intact because the questions generated interesting feedback). My highest…
polls
New poll: How far do you like to go?
by tom • April 24, 2008 • 19 Comments
(There used to be a poll here asking people how far they preferred to hike, but I took it down because it seemed to be causing system difficulties. I’m leaving the text intact because the questions generated interesting feedback). I’m…
Blogs
Blog for new moms who take their babies hiking
by tom • April 24, 2008 • 1 Comment
Tree Huggers in Training is Bay Area based (natch), with tips on places to take the littlest tykes along. Dana and Beth, the blog’s proprietors, have hiked a few familiar places — Coyote Hills and Tilden Park, for instance —…
Blogs
Nice blog: Nature for Kids
by tom • April 23, 2008 • 1 Comment
Nature for Kids is the product of a young family in Utah — mom, dad, three little kids — who are getting their kids outdoors in a big way. The current post includes toddler rock climbing. Also: A two-part series…
Pacific Crest Trail
PCT update: Local through-hikers have trail names
by tom • April 23, 2008 • 0 Comments
Dave and Cindy Peters have already logged their first 100 miles from the wall at Campo on the U.S.-Mexico border. They’re now calling themselves Zelda and Tarzan. How Dave got dubbed: At Scissors Crossing we stopped to rest and make…
Wildlife
Falcon babies arrive
by tom • April 23, 2008 • 2 Comments
Yesterday I missed the biggest news to hit San Jose since this time last year: New falcon chicks have hatched at City Hall. From this morning’s Mercury News: The wee hours of Tuesday morning marked the first birth of this…
Blogs
Blog: guilt-tripping white folks need to give it a rest
by tom • April 22, 2008 • 5 Comments
I love it when a blog confirms my prejudices, such as this one: Stuff White People Like, whose ninth post is “Making you feel bad about not going outside.” White people love to be outside. But not everyone knows that…
Gear
Evil plastics in your water bottles
by tom • April 22, 2008 • 12 Comments
The number 7 is unlucky if you find it stamped in the bottom of your water bottle — it means the bottle contains may contain Bisphenol A, a component in lots of plastic bottles. Nalgene insists there’s no evidence that…
Pacific Crest Trail
A priceless PCT dispatch
by tom • April 21, 2008 • 1 Comment
Jellybean, from Mile 43 of the Pacific Crest trail: I was sitting on a rock out cropping yesterday to air my feet and eat a snack. I could see down into the valley and interstate 8. I was thinking Wow!…