The camping trip I posted about a couple of weeks ago was really fun. I’m glad it turned out that way. Leading up to it, I was really nervous that it wouldn’t go well and I’d never get my family to go camping again.
After we setup the tent and I spent nearly an hour and a half with a foot pump borrowed from an exercise ball I bought a couple years back I realized that Be Prepared Thing #1 was get a better pump for air mattresses.  I later learned that the portable battery operated ones work pretty well.
Next it was time to cook dinner.  I was excited to use the propone stove I got for Christmas over 5 years ago. I had only used it once before in the backyard.  We kept things simple by buying some pre-made chicken corn chowder from Costco on the way to camp. Just pour it in a pot, heat it up and serve. We packed some dinner rolls to go with it. Mmmm mmmm good. I quickly learned that there is absolutely no way to light propane stove with out a lighter or a match. NUTS!  Be Prepared Thing #2: If you pack a propane stove, you’d better pack a lighter or matches.  Luckily, the family camping nearby had an extra lighter and gave it to us.  It’s a good thing, I wasn’t sure I wanted to re-admit my mistake the next morning at breakfast too.
We were glad we remembered a few things well. The camera and GPS for geocaching both had batteries this time.  I’ve been known to take the batteries out of the camera for charging and then pack the camera and leave the battery at home. I also started to leave an extra pair of batteries in my bag just in case some run out. However, on my last hike I left that particular bag at home. That reminds me of Be Prepared Thing #3: Put all of your gear in a single place if possible. It’s so much easier to remember things if you can find them easily. It’s easiest to do this after the first time out. When you come home everything is already in you vehicle. Just put it all back in one place. Then find the things you forgot and put them there as well.
I guess that leads to my last piece of advice Be Prepared Thing #4.  Make a list and keep it. It’s easier to keep a running list of things you like to take places.  With a running list you can add to it as you think of them.

Here is mine:
Camping Stuff:
Tent
Small broom
Sleeping bags
Air mattresses
Mattress pump
Pillows
Change of clothes
Sleeping clothes (being clean when you sleep feels so good)
Slip-on water proof shoes – like crocs
Jackets – especially in the morning

Cooking Stuff:
Stove
Fuel
Wood if campfires are allowed/wanted
Fire Starter
Lighter
Hot Dog/Marshmallow Sticks
Pans
Utensils – Spatulas and knifes are great to have
bowls/plates
Paper Towels
Trash Bags
Food
Can-opener if your food is in a can`
Drinks
Snacks
Snacks and Drinks (You can never have enough)
Optional Fun Stuff:
Life Jackets – If you’ll be by a lake
Favorite toys, balls or games
Bikes
Stroller – doubles as a high chair for little ones
Camera
GPS
Extra Batteries
Camp chairs

That’s all I have so far. I’m sure as I get out more I will think of other must have items.  What do you take? Am I missing anything that would make my camping trips better?

It’s becoming more and more clear to me that in order for me to do more of the things I want to do with my life, I need to be more productive with the things I must do with my life.

Trent over at TheSimpleDollar.com wrote a really good post on Work-Life Balance. I appreciate that it isn’t the usual mumbo-jumbo of prioritize and try harder.  He offers some pretty practical tips.

My favorite tips and my personal comments:

Leave the office early and reduce your wasted time at work. I know a lot of people that dork around for a couple of hours each day talking sports, surfing the internet or making phone calls. Then when five o’clock rolls around they buckle down and get to work in a panicked effort to meet their deadlines.  They wish they didn’t have to work late each night but “they have so much work to do.” Move the deadline up a couple of hours and focus.  It’s easier said than done but the key is to really leave early.  The reward of leaving early will drive the focus.

At the first of the year, I went on an internet “fast.” I didn’t allow myself to look at a single web page from the office for a whole month.  It was dead-painful at first but I eventually broke the horrible habit of web-surfing at work.  It’s made all the difference in the world. I’m able to focus on my work without the constant distraction of the-world-at-my-fingertips.

“Unwind” with something personally and spiritually fulfilling and relaxing. I think that’s why I like exercising and going outdoors so much. It really helps me lose the mental baggage of a work day.  My recommendation is to take a walk outside before and after work. Walk during breaks as well. You will find that during your walks your mind will unwind and creativity will jump out.

Actually use your vacation time, even if it’s just spent around the house. I wrote about this a while back. I’m a big proponent of taking one Friday off a month. The practice has made my personal life more productive and fun as well. I know a day off  is coming each month so I know there are projects or events I can schedule on that new found 3-day weekend. It’s very relaxing and stress reducing.

Close to a month ago our family took our best vacation of the year. It even beat out our trip to Disneyland last January!  How could a camping trip possibly be better than Mickey Mouse? Frankly, we had very low expectations and as a result we were very pleasantly surprised.

In the winter months a trip to Southern California is a must. In a summer of high heat and even higher gas prices a campground that was nearby, cheap and had endless swimming was even better.

Palisade State Park is less than 3 hours south of Salt Lake City and about 10 minutes outside of Manti.

I was a little worried about pitching a tent in a campground that seemed to host a lot of RV sites but we found a gem of a campsite in the Arapeen campsite area. It had plenty of space, trees for shade and lots of grass. It was also very close to the beach of Palisade Reservoir. I had to reserve the spot 16 weeks in advance as they do go quick. There were plenty of people but didn’t feel crowded and we weren’t the only “tent-ers”

For only 10 bucks we rented a canoe for 4 hours. It was fun to paddle around and explore. The water was clear enough to see schools of fish and submersed trees and logs.

The middle of July gets pretty warm but we spent all of our spare time in the water. Palisade Reservoir only allows non-motorized boating so it’s super friendly for swimming, canoeing and kayaking. There were 3 or 4 swimming docks that the kids could swim to and jump off. The highlight of the trip was definitely the swimming. The beach lead to a long shallow area perfect for our younger ones and with life jackets we were all free to float around and keep cool as long as we wanted.

My commute is extreme. I’m crazy enough to drive two, and if traffic is bad enough, up to four hours a day. I know every back-road, front-road, highway and path that can get me from my home to my office two counties away. When I get home, I’m tired and cranky and my wife and kids wonder if I’ve been attacked by a Dementor. My Patronus Charm has been a new habit of stopping at a park on the way. A walk on the trails clears my mind of angry conservative talk radio hosts and reminds me that there is joy in the world and that I’m not a robot programmed only drive and consume emails. It’s also a great way to get the blood flowing and muscles moving. As I walk or occasionally run, energy and creative ideas also return. The only downside is that with me, ideas beg to be explored on the internet. But I’ve gotten to the point that a computer is the last thing I want to see when I get home at night. It’s just more sitting. That’s why I’m learning to love my new Blackberry phone. The internet browser could be better but I love being able to Google at a thought when it strikes me. Researching isn’t the only thing I do with ideas, sometimes I like to share them. This post has been written entirely on my Blackberry. It’s a good idea but it hasn’t entirely arrived. The first part of this post was written at a park after a long drive. But as I struggle with these tiny keys I realize that mobile computing needs some improvements. It is still a novelty with gaping holes. Yet it has come far enough to get excited about the possibilities.

I haven’t done much with this blog lately. It’s not that I don’t enjoy the subject. Quite the opposite.  It’s just that I haven’t had a lot of time to write what I would really like to write. Part of problem is that I work a ton of hours each week.  Another problem I face is that I still have a lot to learn. Most of what I’ve posted is done in my excitement of recently learning something new. While I was training for a triathlon I couldn’t seem to read enough about the subject. When I did learn something new, I wanted to share it with my own spin. Not many of my friends wanted to listen so I posted it to the world via a blog. Anyone who cared to read and could find it would hear my take on things. It was my way of being part of the collective of learning. Learning and sharing. I’d like to be some kind of guru but I’m not. I have just as much to learn as any beginner. While I enjoy fitness, being healthy, the outdoors, and even preparing to participate, I’m not an expert.
Another piece to my blogging is the medium itself. It’s been fascinating to learn how to build a website, what drives readership, search engines and even the world of advertising and affiliates. There are so many types of blogs. There are “cotton candy” sites whose sole purpose is to drive traffic and sell ads to purists who write only their passions regardless of readers and money. Everyone finds their audience; big or small. I’ve experimented with both ends of the spectrum. Curiosity has led me to complete a triathlon, hike a new canyon or peak and it’s led me to write posts that were laden with search words and affiliate links just to see what would happen. I can honestly say pimping a blog post has been the least rewarding. Each time I write it’s about something I found most interesting that day.
What types of post will I write in the future? Whatever I feel like. How often will I write? Whenever I feel like it.

Wouldn’t it be nice to be on a permanent vacation?

To be able to take off and explore a sandy beach, hidden canyons, or expansive mountain ranges is an occasional dream of mine. But I’ve never figured out how to do it.

What if I started a website and got enough passive income to support me, my family and buy lots of gear? With the river of money I could spend my time doing whatever I want.  Nope! That isn’t working either In 3 years of blogging, I’ve made less than $15 with Google Ads. That’s far below Google’s $100 minimum payout and even further away from a mortgage payment. (By the way, I’m not blogging to make money. I wouldn’t pass it up but the creative process is driving this insane hobby.)

So what’s a wanna-be dirtbag to do?

Keep your day job and live for the weekends.

I’m a weekend adventurer at best and even then, I rarely get out every weekend. I’d better get used to it too. With a mortgage and 5 mouths to feed, I can’t afford to chase adventure.

Poor me?  Nah.

My Grandpa used to say “If you don’t work, how do you rest?

I suspect the reason I enjoy long solo runs, mountain biking or a good hike with nice views and fresh air is because it’s a rare treat. It’s a diversion from the daily grind.
Would it be nice to be on a permanent vacation? I suspect in the end… No. Chasing adventure might be more tiresome than refreshing. I might even long for an indoor job with controlled temperatures and soda machines in a nearby break room. That would be crazy!

I’ll stick to day-dreaming about the mountains.

It’s been a while since I’ve been on the trail. I was glad to get out and hike this last weekend.  We chose a short 3-mile out and back up Farmington Canyon in Davis county.  As with many trails I didn’t know how beautifull this area was until I was half way up it. The creek was running really fast and high. We’ve had a good snow year.  I had intended on marking the route with my GPS and creating a trip report with Every Trail but my batteries ran low and I had to shut it down. Instead you can see the hike info on LocalHikes.com (Sunset Trail) I did take a few nice pictures though.

Click on the picture to see the album.

Farmington Creek