On my trip to the Smokies I plan on bringing and testing out some new electronics. These include the Garmin eTrex30, the X-Dragon 20W solar charger, Anker 2nd Generation Astro E4 1300mAh portable charger external battery power bank, and the Sony HDR-AS100 action camera.
Stay tuned for reviews of these devices and feel free to let me know of your opinions as well.
Hey everyone! I wanted to update you a little on the planning of my smokies trip and give you more details about what I will be doing.
We will be backpacking for 2 weeks in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We already have a schedule and planned hikes. The smokies has a very regulated backcountry site online sign up that requires permits for each site for each night. Since this will be my first time backpacking I didn’t want to go too far each day. We planned no more than 10 miles for each day. The person I am going with has backpacked before so I feel a little more confident in our trip. I will be posting our planned destinations soon. Tell me your favorite place in the smokies!
I recently purchased the Garmin etrex 30. I used it briefly on a hiking trip last week and I am having a little trouble figuring it out. I have downloaded basecamp and I am also trying to use that. I can’t decide if I like the device or not because I have not been able to figure out how to do the stuff I want. I don’t know if this is because of me or because it was poorly designed and complicated. Regardless, I will let you guys know what I think if I ever figure out how to use it. If you know how to use it, help a girl out 🙂
Besides hiking, we also plan on zip lining, which I already bought tickets for, white water rafting, and mountain biking. I have gone white water rafting or zip lining so I am very excited. I got a deal through Groupon on the Zip Lining tickets for a company called Wahoo Zip Lines. I heard good things about them and a park ranger at the smokies said it had a cool glass overhang. We have not decided which company we are going to go white water rafting with. I was thinking the NOC, but we have not purchased anything yet. Please let me know if you have any recommendations of places to white water raft in the smokies. The friend I am going with works for a bike company so we will be borrowing bikes from them and hitting up the trails there.
Equipment: I have a huge list of equipment I plan on bringing. I will post this on my blog as soon as it is finished. I will be including personal gear on this list as well.
Also, the boots have come in, but I have not had a chance to hike in them. I will do a full review once I have more to say.
I like to make myself a strawberry smoothie after I run. I usually do 14 -16 frozen strawberries, 1 cup of milk, and some sugar.
Since training for this marathon it had become very apparent that I need new running shoes. I am not sure what the best types of running shoes are anymore. Please let me know your reccommendations or experiences. I feel like I have a high arch. I should probably get some inserts too. Again, I need your help.
Running has been going very well and I definitely feel good! I am very sore, but it’s worth it. I feel like I am going to be even better prepared for my backpacking trip to the smokies. However, I have been getting very nauseous while running. I’m trying to figure out ways to avoid this or what might be causing this, but so far no luck. As soon as I start running I am nauseous, and I remain that way most of the day, which is making meal time very difficult. I would really appreciate some advice with this!
Also don’t forget that I am running for a purpose! I am running for Team World Vision with my church to raise money to supply children with clean water FOR LIFE! It only takes $50 to supply a child with clean water for life! Seriously guys, any amount would be greatly appreciated. Don’t feel like tou have to donate $50. I’m in college and I can definitely relate to financial problems. You can donate here and read more about the organization: http://www.teamworldvision.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=11783
When I started this blog, I didn’t plan on saying much about myself. Recently, I caught myself reading other people’s blogs and wanting to know more about them. I figured that maybe other people feel the same way. Pretty much, this is where I’m at right now.
I’m a sophomore pre-med student, yes I know I’m crazy, but I LOVE it. So far college has been great! I’ve managed to get all A’s in my classes, which is a huge success in my opinion. My most challenging courses so far have been Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry. I spend my free time working out, listening to music, and of course, HIKING. I’m so very lucky that there is a state park next to my college.
Any Phish phans out there??? Perhaps some deadheads? I love Phish. A lot.
I am also very lucky that my boyfriend followed me to college. My freshman year was lonely and tough without him. We were high school sweet hearts and I was a year ahead of him. I am very happy he is here now. He also loves camping and hiking and such, which is great! He’s also pre-med, which is kind of funny. Oh and most importantly, he also likes Phish.
I’m not a party person so I have zero to say about “crazy college parties” or drinking. I feel very strongly about living a healthy life and obviously I don’t have time to waste with my schedule!
I’ve worked at Culver’s and Buffalo Wild Wings. If you want to know about those experience you will have to ask, but I’m warning you, it’s not good… Fast food just isn’t my thing. The food industry is seriously messed up, but that’s a whole different topic that I don’t ever want to write about.
Now I don’t want to come off as conceited or self-centered. I’m not perfect. In fact, I am very OCD, insecure, socially awkward, and outspoken (usually get myself into trouble). I usually say things without thinking or I am too honest about my opinions and people are offended. I like to be nice, but sometimes I get annoyed with people (I guess all of us do sometimes). Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I don’t care for judgement or negativity. I have love for everyone!
Wow this could go on forever, but I doubt many of you care this much (LOL). But if you did want to know more, just ask me a question (:
I just wanted to share with you guys that along with going backpacking for the first time, I will also be doing a marathon. Today at church, Team World Vision visited and talked about running for a purpose. I’ve always enjoyed helping people so I thought, why not run marathon? For every $50 raised you supply a child with clean water FOR LIFE! This fact blew my mind away…
I have to be honest with you guys. I have never run more than 9 miles in my life and I am not completely sure how I am going to accomplish this. All I know is that I need to accomplish this. Luckily, 8 other people from my church also signed up to do the marathon so I won’t be alone. I also have all of you!
I will continue to blog mostly about backpacking, but I want to bring you guys on this marathon journey with me as well. I would also appreciate any advice you guys have about preparing for and finishing a marathon.
My fundraising goal is 1,310.00! If you are interested in helping me raise money for children in need of clean water, please donate here: http://www.teamworldvision.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.participant&participantID=11783 Don’t worry about the amount, anything helps!
http://www.teamworldvision.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=widgets.200x420thermo&participantID=11783
I recently ordered four items from under armor after trying it on in the store. The thing that drew me to these items is the heat gear technology. I’m really excited to try out the ani-odor features and cooling factors. I have to say that I was pleasantly suprised with the fit and feel of their clothing as well. I will review these items once I can wear them hiking outside. For now, all I can say is that they are very comfortable and fit my body very well.


WOMEN’S UA SEAMLESS ESSENTIAL SPORTS BRA size large in colors pink and black. Retails $24.99. I wear a size 36C and had to get a large. A medium fit me but since I plan on wearing this all day while backpacking, I opted for a more comfortable fit. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still tight. It’s just not completely compressing.


WOMEN’S UA AUTHENTIC HEATGEAR® TIGHTS size medium in color black. Retails $39.99. These feel tighter than the capris in the same size, which is a little disappointing. The fabric is also a little different. It feels a little thicker and looks more shiny.


WOMEN’S UA HEATGEAR® ARMOUR 15” CAPRI size medium in color black. Retails $34.99. These fit me perfectly and are actually capris on me. The fabric feels super breathable and comfortable.
I am so excited! I just ordered the women’s QUEST 4D 2 GTX® in size 7.5 in color 370714 (black and green). They retail for $230, which is very pricy, however, I have heard very good things about salomon’s shoes. I decided to splurge because I will be backpacking for 2 weeks in the Smoky Mountains and I don’t think you should skimp on footwear. I will do a review on these shoes as soon as I get them and can start hiking!
As I gather more and more supplies for my summer backpacking trip in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I am going to share with you guys what I get. I plan on doing reviews and sharing any information I learn along the way.
Disclaimer: This backpack was purchased by me. I am not receiving any incentives for reviewing this backpack.
This is a test run because these are my thoughts from my first use of the backpack. I will update you as I use it more and add more weight. The gear I’m going to review for you today is The North Face Terra 65 Backpack in the color green in size small. According to their website the average weight for a size medium is 4 lbs 5.8 oz. They do not have the weight of size small, but it is most likely a little less ounces than this. Retails for $179.00.
PRICE: $179.00 is a lot of money, especially if you are a college student like me. However, backpacks this size are very expensive, and this is one of the cheaper packs I could find. I am a beginner, so this felt like it was the perfect backpack for me because of the price, fit, and size. I did not want to spend $500+ on a crazy awesome pack because, well then, I wouldn’t have any money left for the adventure.
FABRIC: 600D polyester, 420D nylon mini-ripstop, 1200D polyester. Long story short, the fabric feels very durable. I don’t have much to say about fabric since this is my first backpack and I have only used this pack once so far. I will further review this backpack with more use and will definitely address the durability. The zippers are also very easy to use and do not snag on anything. One thing I did notice was that if I hung something rather heavy on one of the center back zippers (my lantern in the photo) that zipper would gradually open up. This is to be expected though because your gear is meant to be attached to the outside loops, not the zippers. After I moved the lantern the zipper did not move while I was hiking. I haven’t had any trouble with the buckles yet. They feel very tough and secure. I also haven’t had any trouble with the straps coming loose or anything after tightening them.
FIT: The main reason why I got this pack is because of how easy it is to adjust it. I am very short so finding a pack to fit me was very difficult. The Terra 65 has an OPTIFITâ„¢ harness system, which made adjusting the pack on the trail effortless. I had to hike around with some weight in the pack before I got all the straps in the right position. There are so many different straps you can tighten to get the pack closer to your body. After I got everything where I wanted, the pack felt like it moved with me, as it should. I actually slipped going up a mud hill, but I will still able to catch my balance. As I was falling, I didn’t even notice I was wearing a pack. Being able to adjust the pack to fit you is very important to me and this backpack certainly does its job well. I really like all the padding on the backpack as well. It felt very comfortable while hiking with about 12 pounds (I will update you on how it feels with full gear). Their website claims good ventilation, and so far I haven’t noticed any overheating problems. I hiked in about 61 degree weather with 100% humidity and although I was covered in sweat, I didn’t feel like my back couldn’t breathe. I actually didn’t notice how sweaty my back was until I took it off. This backpack does come in a women’s version, but I opted for the men’s version because it had the same torso length and better reviews.
COMPRESSION: These side straps allow you to compress your bag after you have filled it to the desired amount. This makes the bag even closer to your body, which makes the load more comfortable.
FEATURES: One of the biggest features, besides the OPTIFITâ„¢ harness system, are the pockets. Seriously, there are some very convenient pockets and zipper locations on this pack (their website says 7+). One of my favorite pouches are the mesh pouches on the waist belt. They conveniently zip open and closed and fit my phone, GPS, granola, etc… very easily. I did notice, however, that it was a little difficult for me to zip it all the way closed with my phone in it. I think it had to do with the angle of the pouch and my arm not being able to reach all the way back to zip it. I was eventually able to get it closed all the way. Luckily, I was not by myself, so I had someone to help me close it if I didn’t want to take the time to close it myself. If you are concerned about being able to close the zippers, I would definitely suggest trying it on before buying. My boyfriend did not have any trouble closing the zippers so it might just be me and my height (I am 5 feet tall).
WATER BLADDER: The next feature I find very important is the bladder compartment. I have a 2 liter CamelBak and it fits in this pack. I am not sure if you can fit anything larger than this in the pouch because my 2 liter looked like a tight fit when it was full.
SIDE ZIPPER: There is also a very convenient side zipper that gives you access to the inside of your pack. I like the idea of being able to quickly reach inside without having to unbuckle and take everything out of my pack.
CENTER POUCHES: The two zippers located on the center of the back do not actually open up to the same compartment or even the inside of the pack. These are two very large pockets, which can fit a wide variety of stuff. This is another convenience factor because you don’t have to open your bag to get what you need.
TOP COMPARTMENT: The top of the bag is secured down by two buckles. I really like how the top of this bag is designed because you can really stuff it to the brim, and then fold the top part down and tighten the straps to compress it. The fold-down top features a zipper with another convenient compartment with a zippered mesh pocket inside. I plan on putting toiletries (soap, towels, TP, etc..) in this compartment.
The inside of the bag secures with a drawstring closer.
This is what the inside of the bag looks like.
BOTTOM COMPARTMENT: This backpack has some loops on the outside to attach your gear, but definitely less than some other packs I’ve seen. I think the north face did this on purpose to minimize the amount of stuff you attach to the outside of your pack. Everyone likes different things, but I personally don’t like the idea of attaching a bunch of stuff to the outside of my pack. My stuff is better protected inside my pack and nothing is flopping around. Besides that, there are two large loops on the bottom of the bag and smaller loops going around the top of the bag. As you can see, there is a piece of fabric that separates the bottom of the bag from the main compartment. This fabric can be removed by undoing the toggles holding it in place. I plan on putting my sleeping bag, pad (if I get one), and pillow in here. If my tent can fit that would be great, but that might be one thing I have to attach to the outside. I will let you guys know.
OVERALL: I love this bag. I do not have any complaints yet, but like I said, I have only used it once so far. Let me know if you have any questions about the bag! Don’t forget, this review isn’t over! More reviews coming soon on this bag as I use it more.
The first question that crossed my mind when researching backpacking was, “How am I supposed to go to the bathroom outside?” For many women, this is not a problem or even worth reading about, but for others (myself included) this is a BIG DEAL.
I can now declare with great pride that I have done my business outside. This was my experience.
At first, I really did not want to do it. Every single time I tried to squat to use a public bathroom I would end up getting pee on me. It is a sad reality of being short. I could never squat down enough because the toilet was too high. Anyway, this is the main reason why I was apprehensive about peeing outside. I have now mastered the technique of peeing, at least peeing outside. First, I take off my pants and underwear. Yes you read that correctly, just not all the way off. I take one leg out of my pants and underwear and spread my legs apart and squat. For many women, this is not necessary, but for me, I am most confident doing this. It is almost impossible to get pee on yourself while in this position, which is why I do it. I think it is important to wipe yourself and keep that area clean while on the trail. You do not want a yeast infection, or worse, a urinary tract infection.
I would not recommend using wipes because that would kill the bad and the good bacteria, which would make you more susceptible. Instead, just bring toilet paper and keep it dry. They do make feminine wipes if you are concerned about keeping yourself clean. I always say better safe than sorry, so use what you are comfortable with. I know others have talked about pee rags, etc.… However, I have not used that method and most likely never will because I prefer toilet paper.
Now onto the more difficult topic: pooping. I will keep this section short because it is rather gross. Pretty much I try to find a good tree that I can squat against, like a wall sit. It may be easier to also spread your legs if you are doing both duties. And that’s it! Just don’t forget the toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Remember to leave no trace! Never leave your trash behind (pack it away with you in a garbage bag) and remember to burry your business.
Do not skip washing your underwear. Personally, I plan on washing my underwear every night or at least having a clean pair for the next day.
backpackingwoman 