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Home » Archive for  Musings (Page 6)

Category: Musings

My views on life, the universe, and everything.

My three rules for guiding

Posted onJuly 20, 2019July 20, 2019AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

The three rules I try to adhere to for guiding. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsguiding

Thoughts on being wealthy

Posted onJuly 4, 2019January 3, 2021AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

Our wealth is our free time. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfavorite, gift of time

A sorta history of modern ultralight backpacking

Posted onJune 6, 2019May 3, 2023AuthorPaul Mags25 Comments

Lightweight or even “ultra-lightweight” backpacking is nothing new of course. But when did the term as we now know it come about? Read More …

CategoriesGear, MusingsTagsfavorite, history, ultralight

Thoughts on safety

Posted onMay 14, 2019May 14, 2019AuthorPaul Mags9 Comments

A horrific event happened on the Appalachian Trail. But it does dissuade how I approach the wilderness. Read More …

CategoriesMusings

Thoughts on National Parks Week

Posted onApril 19, 2019May 2, 2019AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

Musing on the future of national parks since it is National Parks Week. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsNational Parks

Old school cooking – Lentils and Sausage

Posted onApril 10, 2019April 26, 2019AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Part recipe, part food history. A dish I haven’t had in a long time with roots pre-Roman Empire. All with a 21st-century twist; made with a rice cooker. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfood, Italian-American, Roman

Long Hikes: Romance vs. Reality

Posted onApril 5, 2019September 16, 2020AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

“Reality often astonishes theory.” Some thoughts on romance trumping reality and how to make these dreams comes true. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsdreams, reality, thru hiking

More thoughts on “Be Prepared”

Posted onMarch 20, 2019August 3, 2021AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Some additional thoughts on the Boy Scouts Motto of “Be Prepared.” A motto often misinterpreted to be gear focused. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsboy scouts, favorite, gift of time, organization, time bank

Better to have it and not need it?

Posted onMarch 13, 2019May 27, 2020AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Thoughts on a widely used trope. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagslifestyle, organization

Thoughts on “Bearanoia”

Posted onFebruary 27, 2019March 15, 2019AuthorPaul Mags14 Comments

Thoughts on why people are not just “bear aware”, but “bearanoid”. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsbear canisters, bears

You get what you pay for?

Posted onFebruary 15, 2019February 16, 2019AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Looking a bit closer at this often stated trope. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagstropes

Italian-American Sunday Gravy recipe

Posted onFebruary 12, 2019February 13, 2019AuthorPaul Mags9 Comments

I made a batch of Neapolitan Ragu this past weekend. Better known as tomato sauce. Or “Sunday Gravy.” Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfood, Italian-American

Bison – The American icon

Posted onJanuary 29, 2019February 23, 2021AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Bison, to me, is the most American of animals. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsbison, wildlife

What is a thru-hike?

Posted onJanuary 18, 2019November 25, 2023AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Some Friday evening musings of when a backpacking trip becomes a thru-hike. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagslifestyle, thru hiking

On this government shutdown

Posted onJanuary 3, 2019June 20, 2025AuthorPaul Mags6 Comments

Some thoughts on the government shut down, its effects on public lands, and what it might mean for the future. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsNational Parks, Wildness

2018: A year on the road and a new home

Posted onDecember 19, 2018June 13, 2019AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

If I had to summarize 2018 succinctly? “One of the best years of my life.” Read More …

CategoriesMusings, PMags NewsTagsyear in review

The Real Backpackers of YouTube

Posted onDecember 13, 2018December 10, 2025AuthorPaul Mags10 Comments

Thoughts on the popularity of Reality Backpacking TV. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsreality tv, time bank

Gear Review: Let’s look at boxes!

Posted onDecember 5, 2018January 3, 2021AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

With all these unboxing videos coming out for the Holidays, you know what we need? A review of the boxes. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsboxes, favorite, humor

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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.

Women’s | Men’s | Children’s   

The Squak Camp Dress 

One of Joan’s favorites!

The Squak Alpha Fleece 

                                                                    

– 15% off coupon = PMAGS-SQUAK                                                                                                      

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PMags Instagram

@ramblinghemlock and I had some company in town this weekend, along with some very muddy roads. A quick trip to a place just off the pavement proved perfect for our needs. Plenty of water-filled potholes, great views from the canyon rim, and a memorable sunset.
Snow in our local mountains yesterday and today. And, of course, flooding in the desert. Much-needed precip, but the wet, heavy New England-style snow caused quite a few blowdowns. Gonna be interesting...
"The mayor of Willcox in southern Arizona is optimistic that Chiricahua National Monument will soon be the country’s 64th National Park.
A few days on the Colorado Plateau. We saw new sites, revisited old favorites, and enjoyed a solo hike while @ramblinghemlock took a class at the nearby @crow_canyon
Bearing witness in a changed, post-fire landscape. Fire and flood shape the environment; some history passes away, while other traces remain untouched. The land eventually recovers: Some of it recently, some of it long after my lifetime.
On a rare group trip, we heard rain overnight and woke to this raging torrent. After the Babylon Fire, flooding was inevitable. The water carried a lot of ash.

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Disclosure: This website may be compensated for linking to other sites or for sales of products to which I link. These sites include Amazon, REI, Moose Jaw, Gaia GPS, Six Moon Designs, Squak Mountain Co, and ULA Equipment. There is no additional fee for purchasing items through these links.

 

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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
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  • About PMags.com
    • Who is Paul Mags?
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