Guest Blogger: Lily- On The Go Survival Gear
Hello, everyone my name is Lily and I am guest writing for Dashboard Destinations!
I am SIKED to have the opportunity to write to you all and hope you get a nugget of helpful information by reading this article.
A Little About Me!
I am the owner of On the Go Survival Gear and am passionate about being prepared for any survival scenario. Along with preparing for survival, I enjoy hiking and kayaking. Being in nature gives me the best feeling and is when I feel the most at peace. My ultimate goal is to be a full time RVer so that I can go at many hikes at I desire and to hike all throughout the USA.
Hiking Essentials Checklist
I’m a list maker and appreciate a helpful list, so naturally when I learned that I was going to be writing for Dashboard Destinations, I came up with a hiking essentials checklist.
Proper planning and preparation is necessary anytime you venture into the great outdoors.
Here are my suggestions for what to pack on your day hike and the best brands for some items. You maybe use to not bringing many items with you on your hike, yet I urge you to have at minimum the items on this list. You never know when your trip can have an unexpected twist!
- A Comfortable Backpack. I suggest the Black Hawk Multifunction Backpack
- Supportive Footwear
- Fire Starter
- Filtered Water Bottle I LOVE anything Lifestraw but especially the LifeStraw water bottle because it has a built in water filtration system. You can get water from any water source including streams and rivers and it will filter out All the harmful bacteria allowing you to immediately drink the water. I have an in depth article about the importance of filtered water which has tons more info about how awesome LifeStraws can be.
- First Aid Kit
- Food- what you pack will vary on the length of your hike.
- Insect Repellent
- Trekking Poles– Great for any hike and can be especially helpful on a change of terrain.
- Insulation- Weather can change quickly on any hiking trip, so I always recommend bringing an extra insulation clothing layer or emergency blanket, even on warm weather trips.
- Emergency Shelter- even if you are planning to only hike for a day it is smart to bring an emergency shelter with you because you never know if you will have to unexpectedly have to spend a night outside.
Of course the hiking gear you’ll need will vary according to the type of hiking you’ve planned: the length of your hike, the time of year, at well at the destination, and the terrain you’ll be traveling over.
My Personal Favorite Hiking Spots
I love hiking and have hiked several places in Virginia, New York, and even in Kenya!
There are a lot of great hiking spots in Virginia, especially in the Blue Ridge Mountain range. One very memorable hiking spot was Devil’s Marbleyard. The hike is just at intimidating at the name. The hike itself is 11.3 miles with a 2,280 elevation gain. The reason why it got ‘devil’ in its name is because for a good portion of the hike you are climbing up and over a huge section of boulders. This hike is not for the faint of heart, but is well worth the experience!
Another Great hiking spot in Virginia is Dragon’s tooth. It has a full panoramic view. In addition to a great view, you will also find rocks to climb on and explore at the top. The hike itself is 5.7 miles with a 1,505 elevation gain.
My last hiking spot tip is for those of you who ever have the pleasure to travel to Kenya. In 2015, I had the chance to hike Mount Longonot in Kenya. Mount Longonot is an extinct volcano that provides a unique view of a thick forest that lies within the crater of the mountain. The crater rim also provides great scenic views across the beautiful Rift Valley all the way to Lake Naivasha. Major wildlife attractions at Mount Longonot include buffaloes, elands, lion, leopard, bushbucks, common zebra, giraffe and Grant’s gazelles.
Peace Out
I hope you have enjoyed learning about hiking essentials and a few great hiking spots in Virginia and even in Kenya.
I wish you the best as you continue making your own adventures.
-Lily
Thank’s, Lily, if you enjoyed this guest blog and would like to be a guest blogger for Dashboard Destinations. Email njkuhr@dashboarddestinations with an article idea. Make sure to include guest blogger in the subject line.
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