1 I’ve got an Idea

Why would I ever…..


So you want to go backpacking with kids, where do you start how do you do make sense of the gear, the options, the logistics. Finding the resources, the contacts, the websites, books, and other sources can be a very complex and daunting experience. Relying on others for first-hand experience is in my opinion, the option for reliable and relevant information. It is important to understand that there are a multitude of opinions and options, often one person’s opinion is the exact opposite of another’s opinion.

Much of what I have learned was through years camping and backpacking experiences. I am always looking for more information, better ways, first hand experiences from fellow backpackers. I have spent many hours scouring the sources of information, researching and gathering information to create a foundation for backpacking that I share with my kids and others. I have drawn on my professional education and background as a researcher to make sense of the data and information that is available.

The best option for reliable and relevant information is first-hand personal experience, but you have to build your knowledge from somewhere. You do it one step at a time, creating opportunities to learn, explore and gain the necessary experience for future success. Including your family in these learning opportunities is a valuable experience.

There are many options and opinions. Over time you will listen and learn from others, but ultimately you will develop your own approach refining what works well for your adventures with your family. It is my hope that I can share with you my experiences, knowledge, and advice to aid you in a successful backpacking adventure. If nothing else it is my hope that you can experience what it is like to backpack with kids by reading this book.

Appalachian Trail: Manassas Gap to Rod Hollow Shelter

During the Memorial Day weekend my family filled in another section of the Appalachian Trail.  This time we did a 46mi section from Manassas Gap VA to Harper's Ferry WV.  Another in a series of trips toward our eventual goal of completing the entire Appalachian Trail as a Family.

With three days to hike we started our tip early on Saturday morning with a drive to Harper's Ferry.  We had plans to meet Laurel from the Teahorse Hostel for a shuttle to our starting point. 

Random rock pose

As an aside, Laurel had shuttled us north two years ago when we started our journey on the Appalachian trail.  She is a lovely lady who is so nice to talk to and provides a wonderful service and hostel for hikers, bikers, and travelers to stay at while in Harper's Ferry.  We would highly recommend her services.

Our hike started just after 9 in the morning.  With a wonderful forecast of low 70s all weekend we knew that this would be a prefect weekend for our trip.  Our first day was a moderate day with good trail and a walk through skymeadow state park for a total of 17mi for the day.

Dicks Dome Shelter, stop for Lunch

This trip the kids were able to carry more of their own gear.  Brandon carried his sleeping bag, sleeping mat, clothes and personal food and water.  Courtney carried her sleeping bag, clothes, water, and snacks for the day.  As the kids get older they are able to shoulder more of the weight, reducing the lbs that Karen and I carry.

The kids were able to keep up a 2.5mi average pace on this day, moving quickly over the rocks and over the water.  This trip had many more water crossings than any other trip prior.  Balancing on rocks and logs, using hiking poles, my or Karen's hand to get across the water.  By the end of the trip they had mastered the art of water crossings.  Karen; did NOT particularly enjoy the process of walking across rocks and logs. If we were lucky we had a bridge over the water.

Rod Hollow Shelter

Memorial day weekend is a busy weekend for the Trail, we knew that there would be a lot of people wanting a place to say for the night.  With our destination being a popular stop for the night (just before the roller coaster), we knew that we needed to get to the shelter area and set up camp.  We arrived around 430 in the afternoon, dropped our bags in a tenting area just off of the trail and go to work on setting up our tents.  Just as we began our work a scout troop walked by on their way to the shelter.  They ended filling up the remaining tent spots by the shelter.

Brandon and I filled up or water bottles from a spring near the shelter.  This spring was a piped spring that was flowing nicely.  While filing up water (with our sawyer squeeze, the best filter in my opinion) we were talking with a boy scout group from Maryland.  They have 125 boys in their troop, it dwarfs our Troop of 24 boys.  They were doing a short over night hike and had come through most of the roller coaster that day.

Dinner was the usual fare of noodles and a meat.  No fire tonight, in fact we have never started a fire of our own while on the trail, its just not something we do.  After hiking for 17mi all day the last thing we want to do is make a fire.  If it were the winter and we needed heat, then maybe we would start a fire.

Courtney crawled into our tent and got was ready to get some rest, this was round 8pm.  Soon after three thru hikers sauntered in and set up their tents just next to ours.  They had done 28mi that day, 10 more than us.  I chatted with them for a little bit about their trip so far, and provided them with some ideas about Maryland and Pennsylvania.  They had questions about our kids and how they did hiking.   When our family tells them that we do the same amount of trail miles most Thru hikers to each day, it becomes apparent that we are serious about what we do.
It was a wonderful day, the next day we would have to make it through the roller coaster, 13.5mi of ups and downs.  Its not that there are huge hills with long ascents or descents, its that its a constant up and down that plays havoc on your quads, hamstrings, and calves.  Sunday we had 18mi to go, so it was important that we had a good nights sleep.  The first nights sleep on the trail is always the worst.

Skymeaddow state park

Prologue

I grew up camping; either car camping outside of Gettysburg or hiking over the hill from my childhood home to the banks of the Pequea creek with my Dad, Cousin and Brothers. We built lean-tos out of tarps and branches for shelter, learning the basics of camping from my father, establishing a foundation, a working knowledge about living in the outdoors. There were trials, tribulations, injuries, false starts, laughter and successes. It was one step at a time with my parents, establishing an order, a set of rules that my three brothers and I would learn to follow every time we went out camping as a family. We learned to love the outdoors, and as we grew older we began to extend our world of camping and backpacking through trips with school or with friends.


My love of the outdoors continued through college, the Army, and into my marriage and the birth of my son and later my daughter. I didn’t want the addition of children to hinder adventure. I knew that I wanted my kids to experience the same joy from the woods as I had as a child, and I didn’t have to do it alone. I am fortunate to have a wife who loves the outdoors just as much as I do. She is right there by my side each time we go on another backpacking adventure.

Every time we are out on the trail with the kids we hear similar comments “how do you do it,” “what is your secret” and “you give me inspiration to get my kids out on the trail, but I don’t know how.” There is much to learn when backpacking with kids. Patience, resilience, determination and leadership skills are only the beginning of what can be learned in the outdoors. Through experiences both professional and personal, conversations, education, research, and exploration, I hope to provide you with my experiences in a way that are meaningful, relevant, and useful so that you too can share the joy of backpacking and the outdoors with your family and friends.

Its been a while....still here

Still here been busy working, and dong stuff around the house, and actually getting into some major exercising.  So more to post soon.

Betsy Andreau Gets Emotional......

Thankful 2013: Traffax

What can I say, Traffax can help out your commute to work.  It might not always be correct, but it gives you an idea what you might run into on your way to work.

Thankful 2013: A productive day at work

If you have a M-F job, then you may enjoy a prductive day at work.  I don't like those days that I work all day and at the end of the day I feel like I didn't get anything done.  Today I got a lot done.  So I am thankful for a productive day of work.

Thankful 2013: A bowl of Ice cream

The simple pleasure of a bowl of Ice cream.  Enjoying a bowl of ice cream, a time to savor the flavour.  I especially enjoy the home made ice cream that we make, usually in the summer, in the hand crank ice cream maker.  Everyone gets involved and takes a turn, turning the crank.  Then its all the more special.

Through the Fog

The weather man was wrong, today was to be mild and warm.  Instead it was foggy, damp and cool, but that didn't stop the fun for the day.  I headed out for an early run.  I decided to check out the small network of trails around Chickiess Rock Park just north of Coumbia in Lancaster County Pa.  I ended up down next to the railroad.  Some day this section of the railroad will be interconnected north and south of here.

Later in the day Karen the Kids and I went up river to the rail trail that starts at decatur street in Marrietta.  This secion will eventually connect south and north through Bainbridge.  The kids rode thier bikes, while Karen and I hiked along side.  It was a lot of fun to be out there with the family.

The railroad bride is the end of the current trail.  Eventually they plan on extending it under the railroad tracks up to Bainbridge.

Thankfu 2013: Sunday Mornings

Sunday mornings, coffee, eggs and toast, newspaper check.  

Thankful 2013: Warm days in January

Warm days in January = time to have some fun outside.  A little reprive from the cold days allows neighbors to say hello.  Warm days remind you that spring is not too far around the corner. 

Thankful 2013: Fridays

I am thankful for Fridays, they occur every week.  It means that tomorrow is the weekend a day off to enjoy some fun with family and friends. 

Thankful 2013: Diners

I enjoy going to the diner.  A place where you can get a hot roast beef or a burger or chicken or the daily special.  There are so many choices, its a great place to take a family, or a large group of friends.  There are those late nights when all you want is some Pie.  Enjoy a Diner.

Thankful 2013: Coffee in the Morning

Coffee in the morning; it goes well in my Nissan Thermos.  I especially enjoy DunkinDonuts Coffee.  Ill drink Starbucks but it just doesn't taste as good to me.  Without coffee, my morning is a slow process. 

Thankful 2013: Fluffer Nutters

I am a kid at heart.   I love hot dogs, mac and cheese, popsicles, and chicken nuggets.  This morning I was packing up my lunch and pulled out the bread and was going to make a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich, when my daughter asked if I was making a Fluffer Nutter.  I said to myself "Hmmm sounds like a great idea, I think I will do just that."  I made two of them.  Yum.

Thankful 2013: Running with my Son

Sunday I went out for  a run.  My son rode his bicycle along side, or behind me the whole time.  When we started I didn't tell him where we were going, I didn't know where we were going.  I ended up heading out of town to do a 6mi loop that is one of my favorites.  Brandon didn't complain, he rode behind me or beside me and listened to me about cars on the road.  I enjoyed spending 55min with him outside.  I look forward to next time.

This is one of my favorite photos from the Summer at the beach.  It was much colder today.