So I recently took a weekend and traveled from Tennessee to Arkansas. I wasn’t “camping”, but pretty much spent 99% of the time outside, except when my head hit the pillow. We arrived Friday mid-day and as it was about a 3 hr drive to Glenwood, AR where we were staying. I made this trip with 11 people from our Memphis Hiking Group. We were pleasantly surprised to see cute little cabins that we were going to stay in. We needed two cabins for the number of people we had. We had a great dinner Friday night and had to be at the river to get ready for our kayak down the Caddo River. A lot of folks had dry bags to store food and cameras, but some of the group didn’t. I highly recommend if your going down the river in a canoe or kayak you prepare with a dry bag as over ½ of our crew flipped their kayak.

We were bussed down to the river and our kayaks were waiting for us. It was a little dubious getting into the kayaks, but most of us managed. A couple had never kayaked before so that was a little strange, but they made it.

We stopped for lunch and those of us who hadn’t fallen out ate our dry lunches. Definitely needed water bottles, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and water shoes. All of which you can get at Fortheoutdoorenthusiast.com Some of the men, and sometime a women, bottomed out the kayak and got stuck on rocks. It was a joint effort to get everyone down the river. There was one set of rapids that took out 3-4 people.

I am so happy to have my group of people that love the outdoors as much as I do. We finished our river trip and headed back to the cabins. After a quick nap, most of us were still thirsty for more adventure, so we drove to a waterfall in the area. There was a nice water snake bathing on the rocks. Following the waterfall trip, one of the gang made an amazing meal w/ corn, potatoes, shrimp and sausage (a boil). It was outstanding. We then cooked smores by the campfire and enjoyed more time outside. The next day two of us stopped in Little Rock Arkansas and Hot Springs, Arkansas. I recommend both places. Overall a great trip. Don’t forget to visit Fortheoutdoorenthusiast.com to get all your gear.

Hiking/backpacking can be very romantic. You are alone on a trail hiking with someone you love. You get to have 100% attention from your loved one. You will likely see beautiful views, amazing sunsets and have experiences that will last a lifetime. I really didn’t do much hiking until I met a man in California that took me hiking, camping, backpacking and fishing almost every weekend. I fell in LOVE with it. I did some camping prior to meeting this man, but not a lot. He really introduced me to a new passion. We were married for 20 years and have since parted ways, however, I have amazing memories of our trips, and I now have shared new experiences with others in my life and continue to camp, backpack and hike. I haven’t been fishing like I use to when I was married, however, that is just because I haven’t really found a great group to go with. I was lucky to have many amazing trips in California when I first really started to enjoy the outdoors. We’d raft down rivers throughout northern California, fishing with our dogs.

We would hike all day to disperse camp at night, usually by a river so we could catch dinner. Below is me, with my fly rod and backpack heading out on a trail with my dog Casie. She was a great dog and I miss her everyday. I started this hike early in the morning with my boyfriend- he said we were going about 10 miles. We were going to camp and fish.

Little did I know… in his backpack he had a bottle of champagne, a full shrimp dinner AND an engagement ring. Yep, he got me 10 miles into the woods, got down on one knee and proposed. I accepted and spent the next 20 years hiking, camping, fishing and raising two beautiful children who also love the outdoors. Do you see my engagement ring in the picture below!! Beautiful.

Fast forward to January 2020. I was divorced and single, but lucky enough to meet another man who also LOVED the outdoors. We hiked ALL over Massachusetts. I was so happy to find another person to enjoy hiking and camping with me. One of our first trips was just outside of Amherst, MA and it was through quite a bit of snow. We made it and bonded quickly.

We hiked up to the top of a Mtn that overlooked the Connecticut River as well as other hikes with my kids where we overlooked western Massachusetts.

One of my favorite pictures is at the top of a Mtn we hiked, where we had to use a timer to get our selfie. A beautiful day for a hike, just after the new year into 2021.

We moved to Memphis in Sept 2021, and are outstanding friends today. We continue to hike and camp here in Memphis as friends and have both joined a Hiking Group that we have grown to love. I truly believe there is love to be found when enjoying activities together. I know for a fact that I would have a really hard time dating a man who didn’t enjoy the outdoors like I do. I have met a few men recently, and they state that camping is not their thing, they prefer a beach resort and nice hotel. I know I want someone who will spend time enjoying the outdoors like I do. Laying down under the stars and staring into the night sky at the all the stars- maybe even seeing a shooting star to wish upon. I want to find that person who will get in the tent with me, and maybe even zip our sleeping bags together to be close and keep each other warm. Hiking, camping, fishing and backpacking is a way that I bond and it is an important part of my life. For now I’ll keep hiking with my group here in Memphis. If you have a new relationship, or want to rekindle a relationship, take your partner out on a hike, camp in the woods, and lay under the stars. Cuddle with the person you love. It will be a forever memory.

So in early December I was lucky enough to find and join a hiking group in Memphis Tennessee. The group is led by one amazing lady who each month makes a hiking and camping schedule. She is outstanding (and it isn’t me J ). The uses AllTrails and makes plans for hikes every Saturday and Sunday. For two weekends out of the month, the hikes are local ones, close to Memphis, TN. One weekend is set aside for camping, and one weekend is set aside for hikes that are farther away and likely would take whole day. These hikes might be in Arkansas, Mississippi, or Eastern Tennessee. While I can’t join everytime, I do so whenever possible. This is the same situation for all members of the group. We have a Facebook group where activities are posted on a monthly calendar. In addition to hiking and camping, we also assemble and get to for group dinners/celebrations. Tonight we are collecting for a bonfire!! YEAH.

This group is great because you always have someone to hike or camp with. If you single, perfect. However, if you married, maybe your partner doesn’t enjoy hiking and camping, so you can meet up with group- or maybe you just want to hang out with some friends and get space away. Whatever your reason, I have loved getting to know these folks in Memphis who enjoy the same activities as me.

Now, for my experience this past weekend which really shows why I love them. We don’t turn anyone way based on ability or skill level, including me, and as my knees get worse and I age… I’m not as good as I use to be. So, we were out hiking a moderate hike in T.O. Fuller State Park. I thought no big deal. However, there were some steep inclines with dubious footing, and some steep downhills. I don’t want to fall, so I’m going a bit slower. Without any hesitation a group member came back to give me a hand getting up the steeper ascent. He gave me a helping hand with even blinking. I realized that while I’m only 50, I might need some trekking poles. I am embarrassed to say, but they will keep me safe on the trails and hopefully enable me to keep up a bit better. Gosh, when I was 30, I’d go up those hills with a 40 lb backpack on. Times change. I will likely be embarrassed to use them, and haven’t before, but as my Dad would always say, “getting older is better than the alternative”.  You can get your trekking poles at the website below.

You should find a group in your area, or you should start a group! Happy Outdoors.

Well, about 10 years ago I was living in Colorado and was very lucky to explore the state. One trip included a camping, hiking and fishing trip to Gunnison, Colorado. It was one of the most memorable trips I have taken. Mom, Dad, boy, girl, and dog made the trip. We walked and fished various streams around Gunnison to start. Our son was fly fishing, and our daughter started off just walking and hiking. We saw a lot of wildlife, including new families (deer).  Out daughter wanted to fly fish, but she settled for carrying the fly rod.

While the boys went exploring for more fishing, the girls (my daughter and I) did some amazing hikes! She is quite the trooper- especially at her age at the time. She never complained. She just walked on and on. Luckily she had great hiking shoes and the weather was kind to us. All she needed was to be powered up by her good morning hot chocolate – cooked on a stove you can find here, in cups you can find here- 1) the best stove ever, that I have used for over 30 years, 2) portable pots and pans, again, 20+ years in usage, and finally, some awesome cups to enjoy that morning coffee, tea or hot coco!

Can anyone ever complain about this quality time with their beatiful, well-rounded daugher. Absolutely NOT! After the girls ventured to central Colorado hiking, we joined up with boys again at Black Canyon! The boys were at the bottom river of the Canyon, fly fishing. It was the bottom of the canyon, so I suggest some waders, and shoes, so depending on adult or youth, buy right gear. My son at 12 was wearing my old gear because he was about the same size as me. You can find a starter fly fishing gear set here-https://fortheoutdoorenthusiast.com/product/9ft-fly-fishing-rod-reel-combo-with-line-lures/

Now, if you look at the pictures above, maybe it doesn’t seem like a big deal, however, just to give you perspective, it is a lottery to get the chance to fish the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, and you must hike through some fairly nasty terrain and poison oak to get to bottom.

Look at these photos from the top of the canyon. We had to hike down to bottom. I’ve added a picture above of my son, switching from fishing to reading. Always a good option. I just LOVE that there is no electronic device in his hand! When he decided to take a break from fishing, my daughter took over and tried her hand at fishing with spinning rod! This is just an amazing area and a MUST see for anyone.

Look at this hidden treasure in Colorado. Please explore! What you can learn from the carving on the walls on of the canyon is outstanding and definitely worth the visit. They say Gunnison is one of the coldest winters in the US, but….. I am hoping it will be my retirement. Crested Butte is close, I will ski, eat ice cream, fish, hike, and camp as I explore one of the best parts of the country. +++ recommended.

I met my husband of 20 years (divorced now) when I was in college. We spent almost every single free moment hiking, camping and fishing. Having our first child in 2001, and second in 2003, we didn’t want that to stop! AND… it didn’t have too. From the time when they couldn’t even walk yet, we had them in the outdoors. In fact, some people drive young babies around in a car to get them to fall asleep, we’d put ours in a backpack and walk in the woods. We were lucky because we lived on 32 acres that backed up to 500 acres of wilderness, so no shortage of space to wander. Depending on the time of day, sometimes they slept through much of the hike, but regardless, it was evident how excited they would get when they saw me bringing out the backpack. We didn’t endorse video games with our kids, but we did encourage them to be at peace in the Outdoors!

You can get a backpack to carry your young ones on this site @ Fortheoutdoorenthusiast.com

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Once they are a bit older, get them to walk, and see them explore the woods. Below my kids found a cool growth on the tree we walked by. Siblings bonding while in the woods.

And, don’t let the weather or conditions hold you back. Even if it is raining or snowing, get out there and  explore!

Above is my best friend, Teresa! Snowshoes on foot and backpacks with kids strapped in, we would head out in any weather to be OUTSIDE!  Her kids and my kids all mixed in together, some walking and some “ridin” too.

Above, we hiked into wilderness, made a snow bench surrounding our fire pit and the kids made hotdogs and beans for dinner. Get your outdoor cooking gear here—

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Now, you don’t just have to hike… get yourself and your kids, or maybe just yourself sometimes, out to fish year round! Yep, all year long no matter where you live. These little ones went ice fishing with quite a few nice catches (see below). This was in the upper peninsula of Michigan- the ice was thick and the temperatures in single digits. Get your warm jackets and fishing gear here.

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So no matter what activity you love- whether it be fishing or hiking or camping, or anything else outdoors, KEEP doing it when you have kids. Don’t give it up. Take the little ones. In my opinion its way better for them than sitting inside with electronics. There is a place for that in their lives, but enjoying that fresh outdoor air can’t be matched. Keep heading OUTDOORS! I think if you start them young- from my experience, it lasts a lifetime.

I was a University Professor for over 20 years. I worked at 4 different institutes all over the country, from Michigan to Colorado to Massachusetts to Tennessee. For those of you who don’t know the academic system, each department – such as Biomedical Engineering- has faculty and then each faculty member has graduate and undergraduate students who work in their research laboratories and conduct research based on the faculties expertise. For example, my research laboratory focused on Orthopaedic Biomechanics which is related to things like reconstruction of torn ligaments in the knee joint or osteoarthritis in the knee.

All that said, what does this have to do with the OUTDOORS? Well, I learned early on in my career that if you can get your team together in the outdoors, your team will bond and most certainly increase production. I don’t know why it works. I can take some guesses, but they would only be my guesses. For starters, when I was at Colorado State, team bonding in the outdoors happened at multiple levels. Our entire department went on a retreat in the great outdoors of Poudre Canyon. We went on hikes, we had campfires, we bonded outside of work. We were away from technology. You’ll see in the photo that most of us have our hiking boots on! You can get your best hiking shoes at

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Also while at Colorado State, I was able to practice this idea within my own team. My students (6 of them at the time) all went up to the Rocky Mtns. Part of the day was spent talking science, and then the rest of the time they are open to enjoy the outdoors and bond. Again, hiking and getting to know each other in the beautiful mountains of Colorado. Each team member told me upon return that they felt they knew their lab members better and that it would benefit them in the lab because it would be a lot easier to work together now that they know each other outside of the research laboratory setting.

Lastly, and most recently, when I was in Massachusetts, I took my lab group again on an amazing hike to Mt. Toby Forest. I hiked with them. We had all different experience levels from expert hikers to just beginners. We all made it to the top. Most of us carried a day pack with room for water and lunch- you can get your day pack at the link below from Fortheoutdoorenthusiast.com

We learned a lot about each other while we were hiking to the top. I feel it helped me to see my team outside of the work environment, and doing something physical. Sometimes you get to see what else they enjoy in life besides work, their partners or their pets. I feel it is such a valuable experience and all teams to take the opportunity to spend sometime in the outdoors together.