Adventuring with Kids
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Gear Review: North Shore NSR-6 Bike Rack
Specs: North Shore NSR-6 Bike Straight Weighs 69 pounds Requires heavy duty 2-inch receiver hitch Weight capacity: 300 pounds MSRP: $749.99 How it performs: Five stars here! The rack’s design puts the bikes at the proper angle so that they fit easily and don’t damage one another in transport (unlike the mess that can happen with other hitch-mounted racks). Why we like it: I am 5’3″ on a tall day, and I love this rack. I can load and unload it easily by myself, which is not true of rooftop racks. It can also be tilted away from the vehicle, even when it’s fully loaded. It’s made in Canada of…
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
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Mini Adventures: Rifle Falls State Park
Rifle, Colorado gets a bad rap for various reasons, but believe me when I tell you it’s worth a second look! We were at Rifle Gap State Park recently for a group campout, and decided to spend a morning at Rifle Falls. We’d heard it was beautiful, and that part is definitely true. Rifle Falls State Park is tiny. After entering the gate, drive past 8-10 campsites and park to walk to the falls. It’s about a 50 meter walk, so make sure you bring all your gear (just kidding!). If you’re traveling with little ones or anyone who is mobility-impaired, this could be a great hike. The path is…
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
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Gear Review: Hala Atcha 9’6″
Specs: 2018 Hala Atcha 9’6″ (Length: 9’6″, Width: 36″, Thickness: 6″) MSRP: $1299 How it performs: Five stars in this department! The reason we love the Atcha is because it performs well on the river. It’s stable and responds well. We are not professional paddlers by any means, and this board suits are family well. Why we like it: See above. The Atcha has a retractable center fin, which is fantastic on land and in the water. We also love that Hala is a local brand based in Steamboat Springs. Above all, the quality of this board is top notch. Where to buy: Hala has a storefront in Steamboat at…
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
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Walking Across Colorado: Preparation Time!
When he was six years old, my oldest son said to me, “Mom, I want to walk across Colorado.” Talk about music to a backpacking mama’s soul! I loved this idea, and researched it enough to know that there was no way we could do that at that point in our lives (physically we could have done it, but other factors like earning an income took precedence). The idea stuck, though, and we pondered for a year or two…. We looked at the Colorado Trail, which starts in the Front Range and terminates near Durango. It doesn’t technically go all the way across the state, but it’s a pretty amazing…
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
- Adventuring with Kids, Backpacking, Camping, Climbing, Gear Reviews, River Adventures, Road Trips, Simplifying
Gear Review: Black Diamond Mega Light Tent and Mega Bug
Whether we’re car camping or backpacking, our Black Diamond Megamid is the shelter I reach for first (apparently they changed the name to Mega Light Tent, but we’ve had this shelter for 20 years, and it was called Megamid until very recently I think!). At less than 3 pounds, it’s fairly light, especially for a shelter that comfortably sleeps four. I like gear that has enough bells and whistles to make things simple and comfortable, but not so many that it’s distracting and adds unnecessary weight. The Megamid fits the bill. (Edit: I said the Megamid comfortably sleeps four. If you’re backpacking and it’s pouring and you need to pull…
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
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Mountain Biking The 18 Road in Fruita, Colorado
The 18 Road in the North Fruita Desert of Colorado is our favorite family mountain biking area. Most of the trails aren’t super long, and difficulty ranges from fairly simple to fairly intense. It’s great for anyone from little guys on balance bikes all the way to their hard-charging moms and dads. When you go, you’ll want to camp at the North Fruita Desert Campground, which is 11 miles outside of town and easy to find. It’s an easy-going place, and it’s right in the center of the action, staying there is ideal for some. The campground is first-come first-serve, so get there early if you think it might be…
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
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Mini-Adventures: Winter Night Hikes
Confession time: When I hear the word “adventure”, it sometimes stresses me out. Earlier in life, as a single person, I could just hop in the car and go do whatever caught my fancy. As a wife and mother, that is SO NOT TRUE anymore! All of a sudden, “adventure” means prepping and packing food, making sure everyone has layers of clean clothing appropriate for whatever climate we’re going to encounter, making sure we have equipment to sleep, cook, hydrate, and participate in whatever activity we’re pursuing that day (rafting/hiking/running/biking/climbing/skiing/etc), stocking the car with snacks and water, and feeding everyone before we go. (Do I have too much focus on…
