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Home » Archive for  Musings (Page 9)

Category: Musings

My views on life, the universe, and everything.

National Trails Day – More than just a day

Posted onJune 6, 2017AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Some thoughts about National Trails Day and what it means in terms of the outdoors overall. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsNational Trails Day, stewardship, Wildness

Reality often astonishes theory

Posted onMay 12, 2017May 12, 2017AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

Words of wisdom from the late Tom Magliozzi of Car Talk. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsCar Talk, planning, quotes

Douglas Adams on flowers

Posted onApril 27, 2017July 10, 2017AuthorPaul Mags1 Comment

The late author Douglas Adams had a memorable view of the wonders of nature put succinctly in one sentence. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsdouglas adams, quotes, spiritual

The Tahoe Rim Trail – A change of view

Posted onApril 26, 2017November 25, 2023AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Why the Tahoe Rim Trail was my second most important lettered route hike. Why? This hike started the change in how I view time spent in the outdoors. Read More …

CategoriesLong Walks, MusingsTagsTahoe Rim Trail

Dating – The Interview

Posted onApril 14, 2017January 3, 2021AuthorPaul Mags8 Comments

Some Friday humor that is non-outdoors related. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfavorite, humor

Buying gear is a ticket to adventure???

Posted onApril 12, 2017April 13, 2017AuthorPaul Mags4 Comments

An email had the subject line of: Buying gear is like buying a ticket to adventure. Huh??? Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagslifestyle

What is spiritual?

Posted onApril 6, 2017AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Some cold medicine induced wool-gathering. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsspiritual

Outdoor Tattoos

Posted onApril 4, 2017April 4, 2017AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

My outdoor tattoos. Of sorts. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagstattoo

Backcountry beverages : Adult libations

Posted onMarch 29, 2017November 25, 2023AuthorPaul Mags15 Comments

A few ideas for bringing a particular type of libation into the backcountry. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsfood

Minimalist backpacking via Clint Eastwood

Posted onMarch 17, 2017April 24, 2018AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

Going lightweight means going minimalist. Take some lessons from a Clint Eastwood movie. Take what you need. And then go. Read More …

CategoriesGear, MusingsTagslight gear, minimalism

The numbers game

Posted onMarch 15, 2017July 10, 2017AuthorPaul Mags3 Comments

Why adding up the mileage a person hiked is not a useful metric for gauging outdoor “expertise.” Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsmetrics, thru hiking

Twilight to Moonlight : On-call stroll

Posted onMarch 13, 2017July 4, 2018AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Making the best use of time bank funds even when on call. Read More …

CategoriesMusings, Other Outdoor JauntsTagsColorado, foothills, High Plains, time bank

Top Campsites – A Baker’s Dozen

Posted onFebruary 28, 2017November 25, 2023AuthorPaul Mags2 Comments

A look at thirteen of my favorite campsites from over the years. Read More …

CategoriesMusings, Other Outdoor JauntsTagsAncestral Pueblo, Appalachian Trail, camping, campsites, Colorado, Colorado Plateau, Colorado Trail, High Plains, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, utah, winter, Wyoming

Nature’s sleep deficit remedy

Posted onFebruary 7, 2017August 3, 2017AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

Winter backpacking and camping is Ma Nature’s scientifically proven way to catch up on the sleep deficit. At least in the short term. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagstime bank, winter, work life balance

Be a gear hobbyist!

Posted onFebruary 6, 2017January 11, 2019AuthorPaul Mags5 Comments

Just some thoughts on gear as a hobby. Read More …

CategoriesGear, MusingsTagsgear, lifestyle

Local map store closes : Some thoughts

Posted onFebruary 1, 2017November 17, 2023AuthorPaul Mags11 Comments

A local map store closed. Some thoughts on what I think it reflects among current outdoor trends and skill sets. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsmaps, skills

Website of the week: Wayback Machine

Posted onJanuary 27, 2017November 14, 2017AuthorPaul MagsLeave a comment

A very useful resource for finding, reading, and making use of legacy information that is no longer readily available. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagsInternet Archive, Wayback Machine, Website of the week

Alone Outdoors : One is the loneliest number?

Posted onJanuary 11, 2017January 12, 2017AuthorPaul Mags9 Comments

Solitude on outdoor trips is not lonely or sad. Quite the opposite. Read More …

CategoriesMusingsTagssolitude, solo, Wildness

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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

Between the fires, a brief monsoon season, the AQI, and life in general, we didn't make it to our summer retreat in the San Juans as much as we'd hoped. But this "weekend," Joan and I finally made it back to our favorite mountains in Colorado.
Joan and I hosted some friends this past week. We gave them the classic tour, starting with an early morning visit to the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park. While Joan attended a meeting, I played tour guide a bit for other parts of the park. That afternoon, we headed to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands National Park to take in the sweeping views across the Colorado Plateau. Today? We escaped to our local mountains, looking down at the desert floor far below.
Not a good year for backpacking in the Abajos or the San Juans, but our local mountains still offer some good opportunities for camping and hiking. And only an hour away. With @ramblinghemlock
The once and future Bears Ears.
@ramblinghemlock and I went to some local(ish) mountains to avoid the fires and smoke in our usual places.
A hike to our local mountains did not go quite as planned. With an AQI of 176 in Moab due to the fires in our corner of the world, we sought refuge in the mountains.

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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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  • Ramblings
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    • 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
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      • Florida
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    • 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
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