Every time I see a comment or question anywhere about anyone being afraid of being alone because of whatever reason (like weight/ physical ability, HOH mentioned here) my immediate reaction is "I'LL GO WITH YOU!!" I mean....I don't know what kind of safety all 5'1" 120# of me would provide but I'm happy to hike slower or faster or be your ears/eyes whatever! I want everyone to enjoy hiking as much as I do without fear. I wish I could just be with everyone.

A couple of weeks ago I did my first over night backpacking trip with a friend :) We both have celiac disease and other food allergies. She is slightly underweight because she is recovering from some health issues and I have a couple of chronic illnesses. We just went for it at gave it a try because the trail we did was only an hour by car from home. We started planning only a couple of days before and did it with average gear. We both loved it and learned a lot for the next trip. I would absolutely recommend to just do a practice hike. Don't wait until everything is perfect.

Part of hiking etiquette is just looking the other way when you come up on somebody doing their business in an exposed area. Nature's call cannot always be put off until a better time. So you just avert your eyes and keep on walking.

My 82 y/o Mom has been hiking the Appalachian trail in pieces for the last 27 years. She's done all of Georgia and about 1/3 of the rest of the trail. I became disabled a few years ago and can't walk with her now but she's still going strong! P.S. I love your accent!

Dixie's advice for diabetes was spot on. One thing I can add is that insulin isn't nearly as temperature sensitive as most people fear. When I was hiking through the desert on the PCT, I kept most of my insulin cool in a Frio wallet, but my partner had an emergency backpack vial that went unrefridgerated for more than a month in 100+ degree weather. When I eventually tried out the backup it still worked at something like 80% of its original effectiveness. So while I still wouldn't recommend not keeping your insulin cool, it is far from the end of the world if something happens and you can't manage it for a few days.

Concerning not getting lost while using the restroom on the trail ; I carry my trekking poles with me and lay the point end of the pole pointing in the direction of the trail when I’ve gone a sufficient distance. It’s worked for me many times.

For the non-hiking spouse - 1st - get an inReach and set up MapShare - my wife enjoys watching our (mine and our daughter’s) progress, as well as giving her much peace of mind knowing that she can always reach out and contact us if needed.

I’m not HOH myself, but I’m a sheltie owner and I can definitely recommend Shetland sheepdogs for HOH hikers that need a four legged hiker friend and night guard. Small enough to fit conveniently in your tent or carry over intense stream crossings, yet very active and hard working dogs that can bag many miles. They’re very alert on sounds and surroundings (to the point where I try to camp away from others to give her peace at night). She doesn’t only bark if she’s guarding, she’ll back into me or step on top of me to wake me the f*** up haha, so I’d have a hard time imagining someone sleeping through that. Also they’re super cuddly, playful and charming lil buddies. Just a tip!

For those asking about a CPAP. Dixie’s original video mentioned a mini CPAP that is no longer available. That CPAP was approx $300-400. The available options now are far more expensive. With a battery they are $900-$1,300.

One option for HOH is wear one in daytime and the other at night. Each ear gets a rest that way.

A technique my wife and I adopted with 3 kids, but which could work even with solo hiking is that when the kids leave trail to go to the bathroom we have a long length of 550# cord (yes, 550# cord is a bit much for this, but I've been in the military 24 years between active and reserves so it's paracord because that's how we roll!) and each kid has a light carabiner on their pack. Whichever person is going just clips a loop on one end of the paracord to their pack, sets it down on the trail, and goes off in the woods. It's bright yellow so if you drop it you can find it. Where this is even better is overnight. At night we put the loop around one pole of the adult tent, and whoever needs to go just picks up one end to go away from the camp site and take care of business. This way we don't need to worry about everyone having phones (only our 16 year old has a phone; we don't allow them to have phones before high school) and it works just as well for the adults too! Just make sure if you're going to do it at night that you have a 2nd line for a bear bag - we narrowly avoided this problem our first time when my wife remembered she had a second coil in her pack.

Hey y'all, Bernie here! Sorry Dixie, couldn't resist. In regards to being HOH, i take my ears out after about an hour or so. I would love to hear everything all night, but i've gotten used to the peace and quiet. Plus it tunes out noisy nieghbors who want to party all night.

_"The art of finding buried treasure."_ -- Dixie [March, 2022] 😄😄😄😄😄

As far as leaving the trail - I always carry a roll of surveyors tape - tied off to a tree at eye level, you can see it from 50+ feet away. As I’m leaving the trail, I always tie off, and leave another every 20 to 30 feet. Tied with a bow not, they come right off the branches and go back in a pack/pocket in a quick instant.

The question about getting lost when stepping off trail to use the bathroom is totally legit; that's how Geraldine Largay got lost and eventually died. Never hurts to make a plan even if it seems silly and you're SURE that you know the way back to the trail.

Remember that dogs are more suited to drinking water that isn't cleaned and disinfected than we are. There is a big difference between a running stream and a cow pond. The other thing to remember is that dogs have a rather simple digestive system and it's pretty easy to treat them if they do pick something up. I try and keep mine away from brackish water or stagnant cow ponds but other than that I let her go and she does pretty well. Remember, dogs regularly eat poop!

The getting back to the trail from the bathroom comes up in the fish and wildlife BOW (becoming an outdoor woman) class. I’d show the map/compass group that they follow the arrow on the baseplate out ( needle in the outline). Then when they return, just turn so the needle is reversed in the outline. In short, go out in some straight line direction, then reverse 180 degrees and walk back. No battery devices required 😊

When I leave the trail to use the bathroom I always lay my trekking poles or a stick facing in the direction that I will be going once I get back on the trail. That way I don't end up going the wrong way.

The local group is a great suggestion I personally hike high miles, but I love just being outdoors I have overweight/obese friends I take day hiking and backpacking. They love getting out there and they know that I'll help them and do most of the planning. I find the hiking community to be extremely supportive.

Your answer to the plus-size woman reminded me of a couple things I've done when introducing kids from church to backpacking/camping for the first time. These approaches can work for anyone who is new to backpacking. 1. Reserve a site a short hike from parking, carry personal gear in packs, and have one person bring group gear (food, cabin tents, etc.) on a boat or in a van earlier in the day. 2. Camp Friday night in a site next to parking, then hike to the trail site Saturday. (Return unnecessary stuff to vehicles Saturday morning.) Hike back Sunday, via a different trail if possible. (The park actually had a site next to parking that could be reserved only if you reserved a trail site the same weekend.)

There is a good group in Utah called "Slow Hikers Unite Utah", they do lots of slower or shorter hikes as a group.

A reason to love Dixie & Aaron even more: This video, which touches on hard-of-hearing concerns, has closed captions! That is _SUPER_ - thoughtful!

For my female bodied hikers: hiking in legging caused me to get a yeast infection on trail because of the lack of ventilation down there. No fun to have to choose between chafing or itching!!

For finding your way back to the trail or camp after bathroom, you can also use an AirTag or Tile, or any of the myriad finding devices like that. You can get them to chirp so long as you don't go too far away.

I always enjoy these, Dixie, and think that it is great that you take the time to answer what might otherwise be considered embarrassing questions.

As a juvenile diabetic I can vouch for the effectiveness off the frío wallets. They work wonders. I also recommend caring the Clif bloks. A single pack contains 6 gels each one containing 8 carbohydrates. As I see my blood sugar dipping, I eat two and wait about 20 minutes to see how I react. Having a CGM (continuous glucose monitor) is almost a non-negotiable. CGM will work with your phone in airplane mode, however depending on your watch you may or may not get readings while in airplane mode. I know I don't get readings on my Fitbit watch in airplane mode, bit I do with my Apple watch.

Leggings with drawstrings are the only way to go! Totally relate to them falling down otherwise. Also I get technical leggings with reinforced butt and knee areas. They cost more but last longer. I’ve ripped my britches too many times when trying to clear downed trees and having to sew up your crotch area with dental floss mid hike isn’t super fun! Reinforced butt sure helped!

Interesting assortment of topics. For forested or rocky terrain bathroom breaks I would most recommend good uphill distance - you won't get lost, will have privacy, and should find unused land. I worry about going out sidehill for getting lost and being overused. As for cleanup - don't forget that truckstops frequently have shower facilities (if the town actually has truckstops). Those I have found with such facilities are clean and well run.

Not getting lost when looking for an outhouse: Speaking from experience and spending an hour and a half looking for the trail and my bicycle in Acadia NP, if I'd followed my inner voice and carried a compass with me, all I needed to do was walk back in the opposite direction from whence I came..... no battery, no dependence on cell towers or electronics. Luckily, they have horse-drawn carriage rides through the woods, and I heard the tack rattling on the horses on the road and that's how I found the trail. Even a little compass from the dollar store will get on out of a similar situation. I LOVE my compass!

Just a couple suggestions: #1 Avoiding digging a cat hole where others have previously dug and used - The most common areas that people dig cat holes are around campsites. So the easiest way to lower the chances of digging up other's crap is to make it a practice to go before or after campsites, preferably a few hundred yards at the least. #2 Deaf or HOH - I am HOH and legally blind so I have a bit of experience. I always make camp in plenty of time before it gets dark. I generally am in the tent and ready to sleep before the sun sets. I have everything arranged the same way every night so I know exactly where everything is. I very rarely wear hearing aids while hiking because moisture is the enemy of them, sweat, humidity, and rain are the big issues. I may put them in on some occassions, but not often. I do carry them with me in case I need them to communicate. I don't like not having them in, but experience has not been good wearing them on the trail. YMMV

Regarding cat holes, I always put a stone over mine as people are less likely to dig where there are stones. I mainly backpack in the Sierra, where stones are plentiful, so I realize that it might be more difficult in other environments, but putting something that makes it more difficult for someone to dig where you just dug is considerate.

This weekend my friend and I are doing our first backpacking trip that will be half a mile from the parking lot to the "backwoods" site 😂 it's a perfect way for us to test out all our gear... And we might practice walking around the longer trails with our packs on. But we're mostly going to watch professional kayakers!

11:38 buy a Coghlan's Map Compass point the red arrow in the direction you want to walk, turn the dial until the N North lines up to the red end of the compass needle, walk, once you are done with your business turn the entire compass until the N North on the dial lines up with the black end of the compass needle, now follow the red arrow back to the trail 👣

About the getting lost while off trail and going to the bathroom. The watch I wear, the Garmin Instinct, has a function that will send you back exactly the way you came via the GPS in the watch. It's an awesome feature.

Thank you so much for taking the time to do these. As a beginner there are so many questions, fears, anxieties

YOU are so refreshingly honest and kind.. I appreciate you.

All these "questions" videos are great for I am researching and brainstorming about anything I may face on my upcoming cross country adventure, I'm calling it "Walkin' and Talkin' Across America" and will be posting KZfaq shorts, and the full videos will post exclusively on Rumble! Hope I see y'all out there! God Bless!

I found hiking in the Canyons anywhere quite a surprise, because coming back on the same path looked completely different in the afternoon than it did in the morning! I got so scared thinking I was lost! So I would concentrate on a tree, cactus, or distinctive rock and not the way the environment looks overall. And yes, turning around regularly is a very good idea. When the light changes, the canyon will look completely different. Using an app to stay on trail in the desert is a very good idea. Someday the trail will be better marked along the way with painted blazes, but for the time being, be careful. Cleaning and hygiene: some collapsible buckets are not heavy at all. Why not take one as a luxury item? besides coffee, of course! LOL! Great video, Dixie. Thank you!

I'm hard of hearing and deaf in one ear. My hearing aids are rechargable and last one day. They are deffinatly not worth bringing with me on trail. The charger is big and bulky and they only last a short amount of time. They are somewhat water resistant as most phones are but not worth risking the $3 -$4 k cost of damaging aids in rain. That said I use a dog for hearing especially at night or near other hikers. This takes several years of training and hiking to fully get a routine down with a dog. I like Dixies suggestion of deaf patches (found on etsy) on your bag,, maybe a " tap to pass " patch, and hearing assistance patches on your dogs bag or vest on your dog. I also recomend bringing a scribble pad for talking instead of relying on your phone which may go dead. I wouldn't worry too much about sleeping. It has only happened to me once (in 16 years of hiking) where there was a large animal close to my tent. When that happened I could feel the ground vibrate with their foot steps and feel and see the tent moving. I slammed two books together to scare it away. And if you are with others have them pulse a light at your tent, come get you, or shake your tent to wake you incase of danger. There are a lot of people on the AT so nothing to worry about but people, tbh. But deffinatly don't let your abilities dictate what you can or can't do. If you can walk, you can hike. Don't be afraid, go for it! And say 🖐 if you see me.

2 years ago I went for a walk with my dog,, we walked about 450 miles. Sometimes it was easy and sometimes hard. My dog enjoyed every step of the journey and carried his food. I'm in the +55 age group.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has a directory of previous thru-hikers with all sorts of conditions that you can contact for advice, including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, hip/knee replacements, blindless, diabetes, etc.

For most of my life I've had normal hearing. Now that I'm 70+ I wear hearing aids (the kind they give to military vets). IT IS SO GREAT! I hear things that others don't hear. They dramatically amplify specific frequencies - one of which are bird songs. I can hear birds from VERY far away answering the calls of birds near me. It opens a whole new world of nature that people with normal hearing are missing out on - it's a life-changer!

A couple of years ago, a young woman from Australia carried a swim suit on her AT thru-hike. Her trail name was Toggs, the Australian term for swim suit.

Use your tarp or poncho and trekking poles to make a quick 1 or 2 sided screen/shelter to do your business behind . It doesn't have to be pretty or last very long to get the job done

I am a pharmacist. Insulin is ok out of the fridge for (at least) 28 days

lol just saw the question about hiking as a diabetic! Wow! I have watched so many of your videos and wasn’t expecting this! I am glad I am not the only one who feels torn about the risks as hiking as a diabetic especially being alone. I believe the benefits of getting physical exercise and mental clarity of being outdoors will outweigh the possible risks.

Love your new smile, but then again I loved the original smile too.

my thought on supporting your partner who stays home was to take their needs into consideration and be sure to prep ahead of time. Such as stocking up groceries, setting bills to auto pay, scheduling a baby sitter for extra sessions, or letting safe frienda and family know when you are going so they can check in. You could also try to plan your trail and make a point to try and stop somewhere with service like a town in regularish intervals to call home and check in.

Another great video, Dixie. Onr tip about showering... Many, if not most town have truck stops. Large stops have paid showers. How else would truckers shower? Some can cost a bit because an employee or crew thoroughly cleans and sanitizers each room after every use (if they don't, keep walking). Also the better stops will have towels and laundries.

I’ve used a Frio pouch for my glaucoma eye drops. The smallest pouch they sell was too big, so I sewed two seams down both parts and cut in between. No I have two and they’re perfect for a dropper bottle.

You’re just the sweetest, Dixie. Thanks for all the info you provide us, your cheerful energy, your inclusion of people of all ages and many different physical complications or abilities, and creating all this lovely community!

Regarding supporting your non-hiking partner, when I go on a trip, I try to "earn" it by doing some extra stuff around the house, so she's not left with a bunch of housework to do while I'm away, like I'm sticking her with it. So, for example, I'll make sure the dishes are washed, laundry's caught up, etc. For longer trips (i.e., more than a weekend; not a thru-hiker) I'll bring her something back. A shirt from the park I went to, something like that. I'm also plus-sized, but I usually go alone. My advice is just to go with people who are willing to accept your slower pace. Don't say it like "I'm plus-sized" but rather say "I'm a beginner." If you were looking for groups to go with that aren't people you already know, look for beginner trips. REI & LL Bean both offer those kind of trips. Taking a beginner on a too-long or too-tough trip is a sure way to turn them off of backpacking. I try to stick with 5 - 7 miles per day and spend time in camp puttering around and cooking interesting food. I took my dachshund on trail with me many times when he was still around. He loved every minute of it, and actually confronted a coyote one time. He had a backpack, but he really wasn't able to carry much because I didn't want to string his back. He basically had a bag of treats on one side, and his tie-out on the other. It was nice because he could only do about 7 miles before he was done, and didn't wake me at 6 AM to go out.

When I hiked the AT, I saw plenty of “plus sized” hiker doing Thru hikes and section hikes. But also there’s no such thing as plus sized on the trail. We come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

You have such a lovely way of describing sensitive topics! 😂

I live this series of q&a’s so much, it’s so useful for people and such a fun theme for questions. You’re very creative and, as always, I hope life is treating you well ♥️

thanks Dixie all these are very helpful. and too everybody who's afraid too ask there is no such thing as a stupid question. it helps us all.

One idea I have come up with when leaving the trail to use the bathroom is bring a roll of yarn with me. It is light weight and I just tie it to a tree and unravel it as I go off trail. After doing the business, I just follow the yarn back and roll it back up as I go. Just an idea I came up with. I hope this helps anyone reading this.

You're so good at this. This is the most informative, thorough and sound advice from a you tuber I've come across.

Thank you for all the effort and time you spend bringing us these videos...I followed your AT PCT and CDT you are an amazing person to complete such a mental and physical challenge..thanks again..oh. you are adorably beautiful too..

Hearing aids-good question. I have profound hearing loss n wear HAids. On the trail i find my senses get “better” or “increase” n it seems i hear … “better”. So, usually i do not wear them in the trail, but in towns. AND all people who wear them will be fully equipped with spare batts n make arrangements for additional batts. I know its impossible for my hearing to get better but i think this happens. One has to realize you are experiencing a different noise n it is not drowning out other sounds. I thought your comment re a service dog was great. Thanks for the excellent video.

Thanks for the index to jump to topics!

Thank you very much for the subtitles! 🥳

For town showers you can look at truck stops as they rent showers also many campgrounds you can get a day pass to use the facilities like shower, laundry and such. Great video.

My wife also cannot hike. So we alternate weekends one where I hike and one where we use her scooter to do things like rail trails. I don't do long trips/through hikes, but for 1-3 day trips it works. We each have a You Tube channel as well, so I film/edit for her channel.

Dixie, I must give you major profs for being so thorough with the details in your videos. They are all so very good. How long does it take you to put one of these videos together?

Frio pack is amazing. I use that even when travelling or at the beach to keep my pump/insulin cool. Went on a 12 day camping trip no fridge only frio with my insulin and had zero issues. The more concerning part for me was dealing with camping in bear country and requiring sugar for low blood sugar treatment. That was more worrisome for me. I never let my dog drink water out in public, once we let her drink from a huge lake and she got so sick and the vet said don't let them drink water you don't know about.

Thanks Dixie! Informative as always.

I can't help it, every time Dixie calls it "buried treasure" I start giggling.

That was a good one. Thank you for all the info!

I appreciate your videos and have binged nearly all of them during my research. Sharing is caring and you clearly care a lot❤ I have to also say, it's actually really upsetting to know how people treat hikers vs homeless people. They're one in the same yet if you're labeled a hiker instead of homeless well you're accommodated and treated like a human being. But omg if you're perceived to be homeless well now suddenly you're not worth helping or consideration. Why is this the case in 'Murica?

I just wanted to say in regards to the plus size person that's concerned, if you looked at me you would think that I must be a fit person, because I'm slim but sturdy. Nothing could be farther from the truth. My fitness level is very low. I'm slow on even ground but going uphill I have to take frequent rests and I sound like I'm going to collapse every second. The challenge is to find someone with the same fitness level as you. I have a friend who is plus sized and we don't hike together because she is a lot fitter than I am and get's annoyed that she has to wait for me. That's the same reason why I don't enjoy hiking with my partner because he leaves me in the dust. Usually I hike by myself and have pepper spray ready and always my phone easy to reach. When hiking with friends I know which ones are on the same fitness level as me. Just make sure that you are upfront with your fitness level and if they can't respect that, why are you still friends with them?!

I love your multi color hair braid. Looks really cool!

28 minutes of Dixie woo hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

22:00 I love the wording "not finding buried treasure" ^.^

A skort and pstyle are a great option for women. Pull all your undies and shorts to one side, situate the device and Presto. No splashback or dripping down the leg. It’s a gals best friend

A small compass to get back on trail during "potty breaks"

So for older hikers like me, I suggest x-rays, if you have reason to wonder how much cartilege you have left and if your knees and hips and back are in good shape. I think it's the wisest move. Car camping instead. There are other ways to be involved: Trail magic Or supporting someone else's hike. People really need to take breaks and rest for a zero day, but motels are expensive. If you could donate a night and a laundry run, what a great gift!

Lyric disposable in-canal hearing aids can stay in for a month or two, and be left on or turned off as needed while sleeping. They're highly water resistant and you can shower or dunk in the bath, pond, etc., while wearing them. I've backpacked a lot using them. The biggest downside is the cost of the annual subscription.

You are so GOOD ! (I don't get tired of saying that).

My roommate is a Type 1 diabetic and works as a forest patrol with the USFS and quite frequently spends many hours out in the wilderness. He has also done backpacking and manages his diabetes very well. He uses an insulin pump that connects to his phone and Apple Watch via Bluetooth and he uses that to monitor his levels. He has had diabetes all his life and very familiar with what works best to maintain blood sugar levels. He makes sure he has a few days worth of diabetic supplies and also different types of foods that will help his levels no matter how long he is going to be out. Hopefully that helps!

Dixie, we used to use bright crepe paper, biodegradeable and cheap, for flagging in empty places. If you want something reuseable just buy a roll of silver or gold mylar ribbon. Lasts forever and flashes in the sunlight. Tie a yard on a branch every fifty or hundred feet.

Resiliance is key atribute for things like this

As to grabbing a shower, if you can find a truckstop along the way, they have complete bathrooms with shower available. If you don't mind asking around the place, you can often get a voucher for a shower. Truckstops give them to the truckers for filling up and they will often have more than they need. Also paid membership in the "Y" will allow you to use the facilities in any of their locations.

Service Dogs are allowed anywhere the general public is allowed, according to the American's with Disabilities Act (ADA). My wife used to have a service dog and we regularly took him places most folks would assume no dogs were allowed (restaurants primarily)

CPAP Alternative...a moldable anti snoring mouthpiece (available on Amazon). They work surprisingly well. I never travel with my CPAP anymore, the mouthpiece does the job adequately.

Dogs, diabetes, and Deaf/HH + captions! Linking my friend immediately! Thank you Dixie! ❤

If you get lost going to the bathroom, you can use your bear hang line to find your way. Get a line you can see ok, like floresent yellow with reflective marks, then tie it to a tree that you can still see the trail from and unwind it as you go to a good spot, then wind it back up on your return.

ive been waiting for this. i thought you had stop doong these. im so excited.

I've been watching your videos for at least year (probably more though) and I really appreciate the language you used while talking about hoh/deaf hikers. I am Deaf myself and many people will call me 'hearing impaired' or other insulting terms, so thank you for using hoh and deaf instead.

I have a brother who, while not deaf, is well embedded in the deaf community (among other things, he teaches ASL). His experience is that deaf people maintain that they can do anything a hearing person can do, maybe even better. My experience (as a law enforcement officer dealing with deaf people (suspects, victims and witnesses)) is that they not only feel that way, but almost obnoxiously so, to the point that if you attempt to make any accommodation for their condition, they get angry. They treat it as a “non-disability” to the point of absolute unreasonableness at times.

Chiming in as both a veterinarian and service dog handler. As a vet providing filtered water to your canine companions in the back country is highly recommended because of parasites they can get by drinking out of ponds/streams/rivers and puddles. Bacterial diseases can be in the water sources such as leptospirosis. Ask your DVM what vaccines and preventatives you can give if you backpack/hike with your pup. :) On the service dog side of things. Dog owners should look into the laws in specific areas and follow the guidelines so service dog handlers are able to enjoy the backcountry in non-dog friendly federal lands (federal lands are typically service dog accessible despite the ADA requirements differing on federal (and church prperty) from those on State and public property.

Amazing! I've been hiking small parts of the PCT and your advice is always spot on. I particularly like that you don't shy away from "difficult" questions. Thanks so much!

I made sure my hiker sports bra looks more like a swim top. North Face makes some nice ones.

Very nice as always. You are looking great also. Happy spring. I start my first trails next Monday.

Loved the ? For deaf hikers. I was raised to pack in and out by my deaf dad....just a touch on the shoulder is the best way to start communication communication with the deaf. Don't be afraid of offending a deaf person they are completely aware that they can't hear😂

I wanted to respond to the plus size hiking concerns. I am definitely overweight. And I have been pregnant during most of my hiking experiences. If you have a good group to go backpacking with, they will understand if you need to move at a different pace. Part of that is just communicating expectations to the group of how many miles per day, time spent in camp, time spent at landmarks, etc. And I think that is an important part of any trip, regardless of your experience or fitness level. I have done hikes that are classified as "hard" with my husband who is in better shape than me and has longer legs. I just move at a slower pace and stop more often. Don't feel like you just have to do "easy" hikes because you are plus sized. In fact, my kids (4 & 2) have done "moderate " hikes.

Great advice as always....

On the stay at home partner, encourage visits to all those out-laws you can't stand. You get to hike and your partner gets their family high. My Ex asked for photos, prints, she could use in a scrapbooking album after a long resistance to my hiking. When we split, she kept the album. And insistent on keeping it. [Long time subscriber; I love watching all video roll. Oh that is Dixie there, and there, and I know that scene on the CDT)

You put SO much effort into these videos, thank you!!

Getting lost going to the bath room. A compass . If you go east off the trail go west to find it.