Slippery Trail Podcast: Recent Episodes

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Episode 5 welcomes Jeremy Puskas (Brother Bones) from Bone Fire Gear (http://www.bonefiregear.co,). Jeremy shares some of his backpacking wisdom from the trail and talks about a recent trip on the AT tail. He then tells about the amazing products that he hand makes one at a time. We talk about a former White House Chef that lost his life while hiking. I will tell you how to get gear at a 30% - 70% off and then tell you why geocaching might be the best trail adventure of all time.  (http://slipperytrail.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/bfglogo.png)

Episode: Slippery Trail-Episode 05

Date: June 27, 2015

Today’s podcast is chock-full of information on delicious trail food, helpful websites and a special interview with Jeremy from Bonefire Gear

Vance’s Gear Review

Is food considered gear? Oh, heck, this is too delicious not to talk about!

It’s the “All American Burger Wrap from Packit Gourmet, which you can find at www.packitgourmet.com (http://www.packitgourmet.com).

It’s a burger inside of a tortilla wrap (bring your own tortillas) that comes in a cook-in bag, which means you don’t need much water if you’re on the trail (just a ¼ of a cup should get you hydrated) and it takes about 15-20 minutes for ready-to-eat.

It comes with all the fixings and for $1 more you can get “The Works (i.e. lettuce, tomato, etc.)

On its own, it’s 320 calories and with the works its 400, so that’s a pretty good energy meal to keep you going.

The taste is phenomenal! Check them out at the website listed above.

What’s Happening on the Trails-News 

Former White House Chef Walter Scheib dies on a hiking trail near Taos, New Mexico.

Mr. Scheib served under both Presidents Clinton and Bush.   He was last seen on June 13th when he was headed out to hike a trail in the Taos Ski Valley.  His cell phone, along with search and rescue dogs, helped rescuers narrow their search and find Scheib’s body, which was not visible from the hiking trail.

Thunderstorms had been reported in the area during the timeframe Scheib went missing and the area was prone to flash floods.  A coroner has ruled the death an accidental drowning.

For the full article, check out:  http://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/trail-news/former-white-house-chef-dies-on-new-mexico-hiking-trail/ (http://www.backpacker.com/news-and-events/news/trail-news/former-white-house-chef-dies-on-new-mexico-hiking-trail/)

A Very Special Interview with Jeremy Puskas of Bonefire Gear

The company’s tagline:  Gear For The Flexible Minimalist. 

Jeremy is an avid outdoor adventurer and definitely into the ultralight scene.  He is currently working on doing sequential section hiking of the Appalachian Trail and has a goal of making it all the way to Maine.

His #1 piece of advice for new or fairly new outdoor adventurers (hikers, backpackers, campers) is doing your research.  Listen to and read everything you can get your hands on.  It’s really great if you can talk to someone with a lot of experience.  Research gives you the opportunity to learn from other people’s mistakes.  

Jeremy makes all of Bonefire Gear’s equipment by hand, including the following:

The 30F Hammock

Jeremy worked on the design and development for this hammock for about 3 years and it is very unique in the market.  It is a double-layer hammock with built-in insulation, a bug net and a peak gear loft (which was co-developed with Papa Smurf at Dream Hammock).  It is currently the lightest insulated hammock in the world.  It is also unique in that, while many hammocks have insulation that compresses too much and causes convective cooling, the 30F eliminates that and has no cold spots between the under-quilt and the hammock. It also has a deluxe suspension that keeps the hammock from sagging once you climb in.

It has been successfully tested up to 275 lbs. in body weight and has been tested for regular movement of a user.

The Sparrow Frameless Pack

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Episode 4 welcomes Author and Adventurer Heidi Siefkas to the show. Heidi tells about a horrific accident she had that left her with a broken neck and her road to recovery. Heidi also shares her experience on a recent hike of the Kalalau Trail in Hawaii. We will talk about a recent bear attack in the Smokey Mountains and the give some tips on bear safety as well. Vance will review a fanny pack that he used on a day hike in the Red Rock Canyon area near Las Vegas, NV.

Heidi Siefkas (http://slipperytrail.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Heidiheadshotandcover-300x213.jpg)Originally from small-town Wisconsin, Heidi Siefkas currently calls both South Florida and Kauai home. Heidi’s debut memoir, When All Balls Drop (http://www.amazon.com/When-All-Balls-Drop-Everything/dp/1627871217/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434555129&sr=8-1&keywords=when+all+balls+drop), was released in September 2014, which is currently transitioning to movie. Her second book, With New Eyes, is due out this September. With an insatiable wanderlust, Heidi has made a hybrid career of writing and travel; thus, she could be anywhere. (http://slipperytrail.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CHKM2-FUAAAmZy4.jpg-large-300x225.jpeg)

Heidi talks to us about a large limb that strikes her and leaves her with a broken neck, loosing a marriage, and then being forced to resign from her job. She explains how she made it through that dark time and how she now spends her days. Heidi tells about her outdoor activities and her recent hike of the dangerous Kalalau trail in Hawaii!

Show Notes

Episode: Slippery Trail-Episode 04

Date: June 10, 2015

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My! (okay, maybe just the bears) and a special interview with Adventure Traveler and Author Heidi Siefkas

What’s Happening on the Trails-News 

A camper and his son were camping in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park when the son was attacked by a bear.  The bear grabbed the young man during the night, by his scalp, out of his hammock which alerted the boy’s father.  The father ended up having to quite literally fight the bear off and they were able to seek rescue with other campers who boated them to shore and they were taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital.

Rangers closed the whole area and eventually found the bear, whom they humanely euthanized.  When asked how he felt about his ordeal, 16 year old Gabriel said he had mixed emotions.  He doesn’t want anyone else to go through this but he didn’t feel it was necessary to euthanize the bear either.  His father, Greg, doesn’t want what happened to change the opinion of those who want to go camping because bear attacks are actually a pretty rare occurrence.

For the full article, check out:  http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local-news/boy-attacked-by-bear-in-smokies-recounts-ordeal (http://www.knoxnews.com/news/local-news/boy-attacked-by-bear-in-smokies-recounts-ordeal)

Vance’s Gear Review

Camelbak Flash Flo LR Hydration Waist Pack 50 fl oz.

http://www.rei.com/product/892683/camelbak-flashflo-lr-hydration-waistpack-50-fl-oz-2014-closeout (http://www.rei.com/product/892683/camelbak-flashflo-lr-hydration-waistpack-50-fl-oz-2014-closeout)

The Pros: Inexpensive but well-made.

Held full 2 liters of water and the bladder system worked great.

Rode extremely well on his back-was very comfortable.

Held his map and enough snacks for a 3 hour trip

Has a lanyard for keys

The Cons: Can’t get past the fact that it’s a “Fanny Pack

There is limited space but this is a pro for a short/half-day hike.

Interview with Very Special Guest Heidi Siefkas 

A little bit about Heidi’s “Journey

She had it “all-a successful career as an executive with a global travel company, a good marriage to a chef, and a fulfilling life of adventure and travel.  What changed?

One of her travels took her to the Hudson River Valley during the fall color change. While there,

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In Episode 3 of the Slippery Trail Podcast we will review the number 1 safety item, a PLB or personal locator beacon. We will teach you how to get the latest gear that nobody had at the cheapest price. Marty Gallimore from Wilderness Logics will join us for a very informative interview. Marty will take part in the Rapid Fire Campfire segment and we will have some trail humor as always.

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Episode 002 In this episode we will review the Duo Hammock Tarp (known as the DHT). We will tell you what to do if you find a fork in the trail during the trail humor segment. On the Fat Boy Trail Guide hotline we have a very special guest in Jake Anderson from Hobo Hammocks. And finally we will discuss a small portion of Hike your Own Hike!

Show Notes Episode:          Slippery Trail-Episode 02

Date:               June 10, 2015

A Visit with Jake Anderson from Hobo Hammocks and a review the Duo Hammock Tarp

What’s Happening on the Trails-News

Ultra-Marathoner Scott Jurek is attempting to break the Appalachian Trail speed record of Jennifer Pharr Davis at 46 days 11 hours and 20 minutes set in 2011.  This is his retirement “Crown Jewel.

This is a journey of 2168.1 miles, 14 states and 515,000 feet of elevation change.

He started at Springer Mountain in Georgia on May 27th –he hopes to arrive at the trail’s end in Maine by July 7th, a 42 day journey that would shatter the previous record.

For the full article on Scott’s journey, check out:  http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/updated-before-retirement-scott-jurek-attempting-appalachian-trail-record (http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/updated-before-retirement-scott-jurek-attempting-appalachian-trail-record)

Looking at his Facebook profile, he has too many accomplishments to list here.  Go check it out at:  https://www.facebook.com/ScottJurek (https://www.facebook.com/ScottJurek)

What’s he not doing? He’s not camping—he needs to average over 50 miles a day.

Vance’s Gear Review

The DHT-The Duo Hammock Tarp

Made individually, by hand, by Smokehouse

He can be reached at smokehouse@yahoo.com (mailto:smokehouse@yahoo.com).  Tell him Big Baby with Slippery Trail sent you.  He can also be found at YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6CGNsY5Kpf1DfNNW4JoIg (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6CGNsY5Kpf1DfNNW4JoIg)

What is the DHT?

It’s a tarp where you can put 2 hammocks underneath it and you have room to spare, along with privacy.

The Pros:

• 2 hammocks under one tarp
• Very well-constructed
• Lots of pitch options for the top, i.e. flat, peaked, vestibules on and off.
• Comes with all the guy lines and cordage for the trees
• Lots of privacy and protection.

The Cons:

• The only issue that he sees is not with the product itself, but that you need to find 3 appropriately-spaced trees, which can be a challenge.
• A little heavy and bulky but if you are going to be using it, you are going to have another person with you to help carry the load.

You can read his full review at:  http://slipperytrail.net/2015/06/05/duo-hammock-tarp-the-dht/ (http://slipperytrail.net/2015/06/05/duo-hammock-tarp-the-dht/)

Keep reading for the interview with our special guest today…

Very Special Guest Jake Anderson from Hobo Hammocks

These are camping hammocks made out of parachute-grade nylon.  The company is concentrating right now on only the double hammocks and suspension straps are included with every purchase. One of the things he’s really excited about is that with every sale, they are donating a meal to the homeless.

What was his inspiration to get into hammocks?

Living in a house with about 9 other guys, he was told by another housemate who purchased a hammock that everyone in the house needed to go get one.  They all did and ended up camping out 2-3 times a week.  He is totally devoted to it now.

What was his inspiration to sell?

One of his friends has a very successful internet marketing business, so he started a dental website and while it was a fun project, he knew he wanted to go bigger and he was fascinated by hammocks.

What was his inspiration for selling for a cause?

He used to be narrow-minded when it came to the homeless but he’s since had some experiences that have changed

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Slippery Trail Podcast Episode 001  

In the very first episode of the Slippery Trail Podcast we will have a short introduction and inform you about what the podcast will be all about. Then, we will review the Equip Travel Hammock (http://slipperytrail.net/2012/09/17/review-equip-travel-hammock/). Bigbaby will host the trail humor segment that you don't want to miss. The show will end with Bigbaby giving you his thoughts on Leave no Trace.

Show notes:

Episode:              Slippery Trail-Episode 01

Date:                     June 3, 2015

Vance’s Introductory Episode to his Podcast all about hiking, camping, geo-caching & outdoor adventure

What’s Happening on the Trails-News

GoLite-Colorado based outdoor company that was very popular but had to file for bankruptcy.  Interview with co-founder Dmitri Couponas says this was mainly from a too-rapid expansion into retail and casual apparel.  However, it looks like they might be coming back with a new name and a new focus…

Check out their Facebook page at : https://www.facebook.com/MyTrailCo (https://www.facebook.com/MyTrailCo)

To read Dmitri’s interview, go check out: http://boulderopolis.com/golite-founder-hoping-for-comeback-despite-liquidation/ (http://boulderopolis.com/golite-founder-hoping-for-comeback-despite-liquidation/)

What’s on Vance’s Mind-Big Baby’s Blurbs

“Leave No Trace

A set of outdoor ethics promoting conservation, based on 7 principles.

Plan ahead and prepare; Travel and camp on durable surfaces; Dispose of Waste Properly; Leave what you find;  Minimize campfire impacts; Respect Wildlife and Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For the full definition, check out:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_No_Trace (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leave_No_Trace)

Vance’s 2 big tips:

Try to not create a new campsite if there are several established campsites nearby – don’t damage pristine nature

Pick up YOUR trash PLUS at least one other item.

2 additional resources

Boy Scouts of America Lesson Plan:  http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TeachingLeaveNoTrace.aspx (http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/TeachingLeaveNoTrace.aspx)

Leave No Trace Official Website

www.lnt.org (http://www.lnt.org/)

Vance’s Gear Review

Equip travel hammocks sold at Walmart

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equip-Travel-Hammock-Blue/42124185 (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equip-Travel-Hammock-Blue/42124185)

Overall, Vance is really pleased and satisfied with the hammock.  He just suggests one or two modifications.  You can read his full review at:  http://slipperytrail.net/2012/09/17/review-equip-travel-hammock/ (http://slipperytrail.net/2012/09/17/review-equip-travel-hammock/)

Also, Vance discusses Whoopie Slings, which you can find more information on online by searching “Whoopie Slings

Where can you find Vance until his next podcast?

E-mail:                  bigbaby@slipperytrail.net (mailto:bigbaby@slipperytrail.net)

Facebook:           www.facebook.com/slipperytrail (http://www.facebook.com/slipperytrail)

Twitter:                                SlipperyTrail1

Website:              www.slipperytrail.net (http://www.slipperytrail.net/)