Vroman's Nose and ice cream

All summer long I kept talking about how pretty the Vroman's Nose is. So finally, Steph made me take her for a hike. 

Be prepared

Another great post by Gillian Scott from the Times Union Outdoors blog.

What's in your backpack?

I always have ample water, Clif Bars, a first-aid kit and my multi-tool handy.

How to snuggle in a mummy bag

Did you ever wonder why/how people think camping is romantic?

I present to you the double mummy bag!

Great tips for hiking with your partner

I found this post this morning while checking out Naomi Seldin's Simpler Living blog, and it's a great read.

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never says, "Can't you go any faster?" Here are two of Gillian Scott's many helpful tips:

• Don’t add anything to your partner’s pack. I don’t know why, but finding your extra water bottle in their bag can make some people cranky.
• Don’t be whiny. I’m still working on this one. Unless it’s a serious injury, after you’ve said it once, you need to suffer in silence. Saying, “My feet hurt,” or “These black flies are driving me insane” five times accomplishes nothing. On the other hand, saying “I need to take a break” is an actionable item, not a whine, and the chance to take a drink or have a little snack could make you a better, happier hiker.

You can find more great outdoorsy stories, product reviews and helpful hints at the Times Union's Outdoors blog.

Cotton Hill Hike

We were trying to think of something cool to do for Valentine's Day (I know, we're mushy like that) when a friend suggested we put our new camping gear to the test. We settled on doing a hike, and what a hike it was.

Jon began researching The Long Path, which runs 350+ miles from New Jersey to Altamont, and decided that checking out the Cotton Hill lean to would be an excellent place to start.