​One of the main reasons that we started our HCS website back in 2016 was to share the knowledge that we had acquired during our many years of Hiking, Camping and Shooting. So we’re always gratified when someone reaches out to us to say that they found our gear evaluation criteria, product information, blogs, adventure photos, "Useful Apps", and "Other Helpful Information Sources" links to additional websites to be helpful.
 
In that vein, this week, Lily and her son Logan (who is in the process of earning his Boy Scout Hiking badge), dropped us a note to say that they had found our site to be really helpful. And, as with many contacts that we receive, Logan wanted us to know about another great online resource that he had found; an article on "Outdoor Hiking for Beginners" by Kim Hart on the AAA State of Play website.

So at Logan’s request, and because we agree with what Kim’s article has to say, we thought that adding this information to our HCS site and sharing it with all of our readers made sense.
 
In her article Kim hits the nail directly on the head in her opening paragraph when she says:

“For many people, their workdays are filled with busy office spaces, crowded highways, and lengthy commutes. Hiking is an activity that provides an escape from the hectic nature of everyday life and is enjoyed by people across the country. Hikers are not only subject to the fresh outdoor air, open skies, and scenic beauty of nature, but they're also participating in an excellent form of exercise that works out their bodies and relaxes and soothes their minds. Provided that they are in decent physical condition, almost anyone can participate in hiking, but beginners must know what to expect and how to prepare for the experience. Hiking with a more experienced partner and following helpful hiking tips can make one's experience safer and more enjoyable.”
 
Kim then goes on to give her top-10 hiking tips to get new hikers on the trails:

1. Start Small and Choose the Right Trail for Your Fitness Level
2. Familiarize Yourself With the Trail
3. Check the Weather
4. Tell Someone Where You Will Be
5. Pack the Ten Essentials
6. Wear the Right Shoes and Socks
7. Dress for Success
8. Keep it Light
9. Pace Yourself
10. Leave No Trace Behind

 
Finally, Kim wraps it all up by providing links to 27 other hiking reference sources to include topics like:

• Avoid These 10 Beginner Hiker Blunders for a Better First Day Out
• Tips for Hiking in Snake Country
• American Trails: Find State-by-State Trails
• You Might Not Be Drinking Enough Water When You Hike

 
To check out all the details, and to access the links that she includes, here’s the direct link to Kim Hart’s "Outdoor Hiking for Beginners" article:

https://www.aaastateofplay.com/outdoor-hiking-for-beginners/
​

As mentioned in the previous blog post, on our 11-day road trip to the Southwestern part of the US we visited New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. Here are a few photos from the 1,600 mile trip aggregated by State ​(click on any photo to start the slideshow):

You can see all the photos of our trip to the Southwestern US on the Adventures/North America page.

​We just returned from an 11-day road trip to the Southwestern part of the US; specifically New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. During our trip we drove almost 1,600 miles, hiked lots of great locations and saw all sorts of interesting sights to include:

  - Petroglyph National Monument
  - Albuquerque BioPark Botanic Garden
  - Museum of Nuclear Science & History
  - Painted Desert
  - Petrified National Forest
  - Lowell Observatory
  - Sedona Rock Formations
  - Chapel of the Holy Cross
  - Grand Canyon
  - Hoover Dam
  - Las Vegas Strip
​ - Titanic Artifact Exhibition
  - The Neon Boneyard
  - The Mob Museum
  - Fremont Street Experience
  - Mojave Desert National Preserve
  - Joshua Tree National Park
  - Santa Monica Pier
  - Palisades Park
  - Venice Beach
  - San Luis Rey Mission
  - Balboa Park
  - San Diego Museum of Us

As always I took far too many photos - so I'll start posting them in the next day or two.

If you can't wait to see some of the photos the we took each day of our trip, you can always check out our Facebook page at:  www.facebook.com/HikingCampingandShooting