Outings! is an all-new blog series where I explore the (mostly urban) outdoors and report back to you! I know I’ve talked a lot about hiking on the blog before, and particularly about how I didn’t do enough of it this summer, so this is my way to make up for it.
I’ve also talked a little bit about needing to up my activity levels, especially on the weekends, so I thought this might be a good way to do that.
So, what is Outings! exactly?
Outings! Is...
A weekly blog post where I share my thoughts and experiences with the outdoors here in my town. Salem has a lot of parks and some trails and wilderness areas nearby, and despite living here for over 10 years, I haven’t been to most of them. In an effort to be more active, give myself some weekend structure, and reconnect with my city, I came up with the idea for Outings!
So, each Sunday I’ll be visiting a park or trail. Sometimes I’ll be going solo, but most weekends I’ll have some sort of companion (be it the spouse, a friend, and/or the doggo). After the walk/hike I’ll write up a summary of the experience, including the details of the trail/park and my personal fitness stats from my Fitbit. I’ll also include a five star rating from myself and the individual(s) who may have joined me. Yes, even the dog.
When applicable, I’ll also discuss the gear we used versus the gear we wished we used. And any tips or hints that I think might be useful for readers who want to explore these outdoor settings themselves.
Why Outings!?
Honestly? Every other name I came up with was either already in use somewhere, or incredibly unwieldy. I wanted a title that would be easy to tag, wouldn’t take up too much space, and quickly conveyed what the hell I was talking about.
I also like the flexibility this title gives me. For now it’s an experiment focused on my city, but come summer I’ll be hiking and kayaking in earnest, prepping for that big kayaking trip I talked about. I’ll want a place to talk about these adventures. Sure, the blog in general can be that, but I also like that idea of being able to collect them all for easy access.
When Does it Start?
The first issue… episode… installment(?) of Outings! starts this Wednesday! Simon and I explored Croisan Scenic Trail today, and we had a lot of thoughts about it, so expect a chunky first post of the series.
I love hiking and the outdoors, and I am so excited to share this side of my life on the website. I really hope you check it out, and that you enjoy it!
I’ll be back tomorrow with the usual Goals Summary (don’t worry, this is still a writing website first and foremost). October is fading away right before my eyes, which means it is damn near Nanowrimo Season…
Until then, Blogland.
BZ
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