Thrive Outside

Julie's Hiking Tip Of The Week - I consider Moleskin and tiny sewing scissors a hiking/backpacking essential and always have some with me. I can't even count the number of times a person in the group I am hiking with or even a complete stranger on the trail has been in need of this great product. Moleskin is far superior to bandaids for preventing and protecting "hot spots" and blisters on your feet. The tiny sewing scissors are needed for cutting the Moleskin since it is qu ite tough (I keep the scissors IN the Moleskin package to prevent them cutting or poking my backpack).  Before applying Moleskin remove your socks and allow your sweating feet to dry off so that the adhesive can stick properly. And always remember, STOP and TREAT a hot spot as soon as you feel it forming! Your feet are your number one asset on the trail, take care of them!

Tired of hiking the same old trails? In need of some variety in your life?  Today, Julie (designer extraordinaire) and I are making our trail guide available for you!  Since, we live in Palmer, we have made this interactive trail guide based of hiking primarily in the Matanuska Valley. We have vetted and hiked nearly all of the trails listed. Ella Embree Julie Miller Click HERE  for the trail guide and share with friends. Let us know about trail conditions and changes we need to make on the facebook Thrive Outside page. Feel free to text or email us any questions.  Please like us Thrive Outside on Facebook and consider a donation for the leadership of Mothers of Preschoolers.  We are both mentor Moms.  

HELP HIKING STEEP INCLINES A number of years ago Jason, my 2 nd of three older brothers, and I hiked Matanuska Peak.  It was my first real mountain climb; Jason, on the other hand, spent his childhood running up and down mountains, including attending a lengthy summer NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) trip at the age of 16. While we were trekking along, Jason gave me a piece of hiking advice which has served me very well, “Let your heels touch the ground.”  This advice helped me successfully completed the Matanuska Peak Challenge, just 2 years after that first trip. OUR TENDENCY: When hiking up steep inclines it is natural to want to walk on your toes.  It feels more comfortable (at first) because you are keeping your foot level and avoiding the initial protest of your calf muscle stretching.  However, this means that every single step you take you are putting all your weight on the ball of your foot and using your calf muscle and Achilles tendon to suspend yourself an

Try new stuff. Expand your outside activities. Explore new ares.  These three are the byproducts of taking the Soles in the Backcountry "Adventure Book" with Target Adventures, 6 Peak Summit Series, Bonus Adventures, plus bonus hikes.  This book has a great bunch of local challenges.  I started just a few weeks ago, but it has already stretched ME and challenged me.   On top of Pioneer Peak with Friends (I'm the blue shoes) Bike from downtown Palmer to Butte It makes perfect sense.  If you don't have a target, you will aim at nothing. I love the challenge.  I like crossing off peaks and adventures.  It has pushed me to heights never hiked! I even did an indoor class at a gym.  (check)  It also encourages me to invite others who might not know about some of the trails.  It has even given me the desire to try a bike race (another challenge).  So, I am going to learn at a free class in Anchorage, and then try a Pocketful of Posies women's race in Anchorag

Ultimate Frisbee sounds intimidating.  I know anything with the word ultimate will do that.  However, for the past two years I have enjoyed this sport.  It is a combination of a field game (a little bit like soccer) with a disk thrown in.  The spirit of the game is nice because you are working as a team to get the disk to the goal.    " Ultimate is an exciting, non-contact team sport, played by thousands the world over. It mixes the best features of sports such as Soccer, Basketball, American Football and Netball into an elegantly simple yet fascinating and demanding game." The third season of Mat-Su Ultimate in Palmer is about to begin.  It is a league for all skill levels ages 16 and up.  Sign up ends today, because they put you in teams based on ability (or lack of) so they are balanced.  click here to register! It is co-ed and I love pursing an activity that James (my cutie husband) and I can do together.  Last year, people would even bring their babies in st