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Home » Archive for  Musings (Page 4)

Category: Musings

My views on life, the universe, and everything.

Signs of the outdoors – Part 2

Posted onOctober 28, 2020October 28, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

More signs I found amusing over my years of wilderness travel. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagshumor, signs

Back to the 1920s – Thoughts on outdoor rec

Posted onOctober 22, 2020September 14, 2023AuthorPaul Mags15 Comments

Thoughts on the state of outdoor recreation in our modern times. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfavorite, National Parks, time bank, Wildness

Signs of the Outdoors – Part 1

Posted onOctober 20, 2020October 28, 2020AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A collection of signs I found amusing from my (mainly) outdoor travels. Part 1. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagshumor, signs

The politics of blaze orange and COVID masks

Posted onOctober 8, 2020November 10, 2020AuthorPaul Mags9 Comments

People on either side of the political divide are often more alike than different. They both eschew practicality and safety for political statements. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsCOVID, LNT, Wilderness Ethics

How to make staying local into a #epicadventure

Posted onSeptember 15, 2020October 8, 2020AuthorJoan2 Comments

Joan shares five tips on how to find joy in the local areas. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagscovid 19, Joan West, keep it local, Wilderness Ethics

Green friendly, consumerism, and minimalism – Some thoughts

Posted onSeptember 14, 2020January 3, 2021AuthorPaul Mags11 Comments

Thinking (virtually) out loud about some ideas on the green-friendly movement, consumerism, and minimalism as it pertains to the outdoors. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsconsuerism, favorite, green friendly

An ode to the USPS

Posted onAugust 19, 2020August 22, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Why the US Postal System holds so much importance during my outdoor travels. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsmaildrops, postal service, USPS

RIP Kia Sorento, 2005 – 2020

Posted onJune 25, 2020June 25, 2020AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

The Kia Sorento died this past Sunday. Long live the Kia Sorento. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsKia Sorento

How did I get Joan into backpacking ???

Posted onJune 8, 2020June 10, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Another “Tales from the trail” as I answer the odd question of how I convinced Joan to backpack. 😉 Read More …

CategoriesMusings, VideosTagsvideos

The Onion, 2014

Posted onJune 4, 2020June 4, 2020AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A classic of sorts written six years ago. Read More …

CategoriesMusings

Thoughts on the Seventh Principle of Leave No Trace

Posted onMay 22, 2020January 3, 2021AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Some thoughts about the Seventh Principle of Leave No Trace: “Be Considerate of Other Visitors.” Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagscommunity, favorite, LNT, Wilderness Ethics

Outdoor pursuits and the greater community

Posted onMay 1, 2020April 27, 2025AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

The priority of self vs. the community in outdoor pursuits. And when thinking of the community, you help yourself in the long run. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagscovid19, favorite, giving back

Outdoor Gear and Disaster Preparedness

Posted onMarch 24, 2020November 25, 2023AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

The recent flood in Boulder had me thinking: Being an outdoors person works well for disaster preparedness.
Read More …

CategoriesGear, MusingsTags72 hours, car camping, gear, outdoors, preparedness, time bank

Why you should stay local for outdoors

Posted onMarch 16, 2020October 8, 2020AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Hey folks, please don’t go to small tourist towns for outdoor recreation. It is irresponsible. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagscovid 19, economics, tourism, Wilderness Ethics

Outdoor participation down – Some thoughts

Posted onFebruary 7, 2020December 12, 2020AuthorPaul Mags10 Comments

Less than half of all Americans recreate outdoors, with only one-third recreation ten days or more a year, including day-use activities — some thoughts. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfree time, time bank

Thoughts on hiking solo

Posted onJanuary 24, 2020April 26, 2025AuthorJoan17 Comments

Joan shares some thoughts on her solo hiking experience. Read More …

CategoriesGetting Started, MusingsTagsJoan West, solo

Musings on backpacking consumerism

Posted onJanuary 10, 2020November 6, 2024AuthorPaul Mags24 Comments

Just some thoughts on gear and clothing as the outdoor equivalent of a fashion item. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsconsuermism, favorite

A Decade of Hiking

Posted onDecember 31, 2019November 25, 2023AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

I am looking over ten years of outdoor activities that defined a part of my outdoor experience. Read More …

CategoriesMusings, Other Outdoor Jaunts

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A Quick Guide to Moab

The Squak – A readily available, $60, active-focused grid fleece hoodie from a Utah-based company. Read the review.

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@ramblinghemlock and I finally felt better and took a long-overdue trip into the backcountry. We slept outside and enjoyed the peace of the wild places. Canyon wrens filled the canyon with song during the day, and owl calls echoed off the walls at night. We returned to places we had not seen in a while and saw places new to us. The land endures.
@ramblinghemlock and I are recovering from the flu, so we decided to keep things local this weekend.
Small, good things.
I wish my grandparents were still alive so I could ask how they kept their sanity and hope through times of turmoil.
We sang this song once a month at Mass when I attended Catholic school -
Classic hike to start the day with @ut_shpo in @archesnps

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  • Home
  • Ramblings
    • Musings
    • Books and Media
    • Videos
    • From The Web
    • Thru Hikes, Long Walks, or Routes
      • My Alphabet Soup summary
      • Vermont’s Long Trail
      • Appalachian Trail
      • Pacific Crest Trail
      • Colorado Trail
      • Continental Divide Trail
      • Ring The Peak Trail (Pike’s Peak)
      • Benton Mackaye Trail
      • Tahoe Rim Trail
      • Uinta Highline Trail
      • Collegiate Loop
      • A Walk Across Southern Utah
      • Great Divide Trail (Canada)
      • The Northern New Mexico Loop
      • Grand – Moab Route
      • SEUG Circuit
      • A Walk Across New England
    • Other Outdoor Jaunts
      • Utah
      • Colorado
      • New Mexico
      • Arizona
      • California
      • Florida
      • Georgia
      • Nebraska
      • New England
      • Nevada
      • North Carolina
      • Oregon
      • South Dakota
      • Texas
      • Wyoming
    • Photos
    • PMags News
    • Press
  • Nuts and Bolts
    • New to the outdoors? Start here!
    • Getting Started
    • Quick Tips
    • Trip Planning
    • Quick and Dirty Guides
    • Food
    • Gear
      • All Gear Posts
      • Gear Reviews
      • Gear Quivers
      • Gear Lists
      • Budget Gear
      • What I’m Wearing
      • Clothing and related
      • Footwear
      • Packs
      • Shelters and related
      • Sleeping bags, quilts, and pads
      • Stoves, cooking, and related
      • Tools
      • Water containers
    • Road trip and car camping – gear and techniques
    • Winter trip reports, gear overviews, tips, and techniques
  • Subscribe by email
  • Write Me
  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
    • About Joan West
      • Joan’s articles

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