How to Prepare for a Hurricane

I hope you all had a nice Labor Day Weekend! We stayed pretty close to home and enjoyed playing outside and visiting family.  It's hard to imagine that Hurricane Irma is approaching so quickly when people in Texas are still in the early stages of recovery from Hurricane Harvey. We've lived in coastal locations for the past 15 years, and I thought it might be worth sharing some tips that we've acquired over the years for emergency preparedness.

First and foremost, prepare an emergency kit and an emergency plan for your family.  The kit should ideally include survival supplies for a week (food, water, rechargeable batteries to charge cell phones and laptops, a camping stove with fuel, pots and pans, a hand-crank or solar powered radio, etc).  Your emergency plan should include details on where to meet in the case of an emergency.  You should have multiple plans based upon where you might be at the time of the emergency (work, home, school, etc).  It's important to consider the best routes that will be least likely to be impacted (i.e. do not choose roads that are likely to flood, etc).  

Depending on where you live and how likely the area is to be impacted by natural disasters such as a hurricane, you will need to determine the additional supplies that are needed.  For example, if you live in an area prone to hurricanes, it's probably wise to invest in a generator that can provide the power you need in case of a storm.  It's also wise to purchase a chainsaw, or map out a neighborhood emergency plan where you collaborate with neighbors to determine who has what items in case of a hurricane.  That way, if there are fallen trees or debris in the road, you know exactly where to find a chainsaw, or other necessary items right away.

You should also make plans in advance for an evacuation.  Be sure to find a family member or friend who you know will allow you and your family to stay with them in a time of need.  Reach out to them well in advance.  When you see a hurricane like Irma in the forecast, don't wait to call them until the day before you need to evacuate.  They may have other plans. 

Finally, make the necessary/recommended preparations for your home.  That might entail boarding up the doors and windows, etc.  These preparations will vary depending on the type of natural disaster that is expected, where you are located, etc.  Do not disregard the local advisories, and please take all necessary precautions.  Finally, fill up your cars with gas, charge your cell phones, laptops, and other devices, and keep a close eye on the local news and weather, and always follow evacuation instructions.  Be sure to let your family, friends and neighbors know where you're going, and the locations of items that are important to you (medications, walker, etc.).  Please stay safe, and let's hope that Hurricane Irma takes a turn back out to sea!

Hurricane Harvey

There aren't words that can capture the sadness that we feel about the devastation that has been caused by Hurricane Harvey.  While we are personally safe, this hurricane has destroyed the homes and towns of many of our family and friends.  These are the beaches that I grew up enjoying as a kid, and entire coastal towns are now devastated.  People who I love and care about are now homeless, and there are thousands of people out there who haven't yet been rescued. They say more rain is yet to come.  In times like this, we really must pull together and help one another.  Without the help from others, we would be lost in times like this.  We have decided to contribute $1 from each purchase that is made now to Global Giving to directly benefit the areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey.  For more information on this wonderful charity, please click here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/hurricane-harvey-relief-fund/

Top 10 National Parks to visit this Fall

We are so passionate about the wonderful National Parks this country has to offer.  Over the past 15 years, we've visited most of the parks, and we have tried to explore them in different seasons. We love this list that Fodors put together of favorite parks to visit this Autumn, and there are some great tips for each park that are worth noting: http://www.fodors.com/trip-ideas/national-parks/news/photos/10-best-national-parks-for-fall-trips

25 Best Towns in America 2017

I look forward to seeing this list each year.  There are so many great towns in the US, and each year I discover a new gem while reading through this issue from Outside Magazine.  This year, several of the towns chosen are towns that we've called home over the years, so that makes it extra special.  The only omission I see is there aren't any towns from Alaska on the list.  Is your town on the list? Do you have any suggestions for towns that you think should make the list? We'd love to hear your thoughts.  Here's the list of Top 25 Towns from Outside Magazine: https://www.outsideonline.com/2193631/best-towns-2017?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebookpost

Alaskan Bears Salmon Fishing

We just returned from a trip to Alaska to visit our family.  While we were there, we hiked out on some trails near Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau.  There was a production team there for BBC and PBS filming for Wild Alaska and Wild Kratts while we were there. We quickly made friends with them, and they shared their secret viewing spot with us to find black bears fishing for salmon. We spent 10 years in Juneau, and this is the closest we've ever come to seeing bears in the wild catching salmon.  We were amazed by how fast they are when they make a move for their prey. You can check out the video we captured here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3_ePjTm9Go

Micro Adventures

We've been fortunate enough to travel to some really amazing places in our lifetimes.  However, there are chapters of life where those exotic, far-flung adventures are just not possible.  For us, right now is one of those times.  We have a 6 year old daughter who is in school most of the year, and we're putting all of our energy into starting this new business. We are trying to remind ourselves that we can still squeeze in some micro adventures during the week.  For example, there are short hikes we can do after work, or we can take road trips to some wonderful parks over the weekends.  Adventure doesn't have to be all or nothing. Sometimes it's good to realize that we can enhance our overall happiness by making the day-to-day experience more interesting and active, rather than waiting for that one big vacation each year to be adventurous!

Sunsets and Fresh Air

A few months ago, Rachel's Mom passed away, and we found that getting outside was the best way to heal.  Whether it was paddleboarding in the morning or walks on the beach at sunset, breathing fresh air and getting some Vitamin D truly made a difference during the most difficult of times.  

We've always been inspired to get outside, and our careers have been built doing work that we love outdoors, but recently we fully realized the true healing powers that can be found in these wide open spaces.  

This business was fully inspired by our passion for the outdoors and our desire to support the National Park Foundation. We can't wait to share some of our favorite outdoor products with you and enhance the vibes of your next outdoor retreat.