Sabrina, Scott, David and I head to the Texas Hill Country for some VERY CLOSE to the city backpacking around Lake Georgetown. David takes an Uber when his Oboz fail him. We did a commercial for Topo Terraventure. We drank some genuine #hikertrash boxed booze. We slept under a huge ENO tarp. It was a blast.

Resources from this Episode:

* Topo Terraventure the (un)official shoe of Nature’s Call

* ERL Guidebook – available as a digital download

* Good Water Loop in Georgetown, TX

Patrick and I put the LoftTek Adventure Jacket through the paces of a quick fall into a river (or, uh, a bathroom sink).

I also speak with Tayson from Outdoor Vitals about the insulation (LoftTek) that powers this new puffy and why it’s better than down in (almost) every way.

Go check out their Kickstarter and consider backing this cool jacket.

Craig Rowe was a backcountry guide before he had the idea for TripTarp.

He walks us through his journey from idea to Kickstarter and all the way to store shelves near you.

Craig was kind enough to offer Nature’s Call listeners a 20% off deal with the code “CALL”.

 

I went to Dinosaur Valley State Park outside of Fort Worth, Texas. They have foam dinosaurs that’re pretty cool.

It had been raining all week and the ground was saturated. Then it rained some more.

Resources:

* Dinosaur Valley State Park

The conclusion. Connor and I made it to the lake, had a great time wandering around in the empty forest around. Really enjoyed teetering at the edge of the alpine zone.

Gear and Grub from this Episode:

* SlingFin (the SplitWing tarp isn’t released yet, but they make kickass tents)

* JetBoil Flash (REI | Amazon, it’s cheaper on Amazon)

* REI Igneo 25

* OMeals Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal (MY FAVORITE OATMEAL)

* AlpineStart Black Coffee

* Vivo Barefoot

* Backpacker’s Pantry Granola with Bananas & Milk

* OvaEasy Eggs

Resources Mentioned:

* Rocky Mountain National Park

The Eagle Rock Loop Guidebook is Available – The Trail is PERFECT in Autumn

Rocky Mountain National Park with my friend Connor. We got CRAZY LUCKY to get the wilderness permit we wanted (Thunder Lake). It’s a beautiful lake, the weather was very cooperative (some drizzling). It’s well worth your time, next time you’re going to RMNP.

Gear and Grub from this Episode:

* SlingFin (the SplitWing tarp isn’t released yet, but they make kickass tents)

* JetBoil Flash (REI | Amazon, it’s cheaper on Amazon)

* REI Igneo 25

* OMeals Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal (MY FAVORITE OATMEAL)

* AlpineStart Black Coffee

Resources Mentioned:

* Rocky Mountain National Park

* Anthony’s Instagram (follow for those sweet, sweet Yosemite pics)

The Eagle Rock Loop Guidebook is Available – The Trail is PERFECT in Autumn

Mike is a designer, a backpacker, and (of late) a board game creator. He made Trailhead, which is available on Kickstarter now through Halloween (10/31).

Resources:

* Trailhead’s Kickstarter

* Bohnanza (the other game Mike mentioned taking on the trail)

Sabrina RETURNS!

Super excited to have Sabrina back in Dallas to give us all of her great PCT stories.

Remember: the Eagle Rock Loop Guidebook is available now! Hike the ERL this fall!

Resources:

* Topo Athletics Terraventure (Women’s)

* Topo Athletics Terraventure (Men’s)

* Sabrina’s Instagram

* Bodhi’s Instagram

* Info on the Greater Patagonia Trail

FULL EPISODE COMING TOMORROW – Sabrina is back from the PCT and couldn’t record until Tuesday night so the full episode is delayed by a day.

In this episode, I give a review after a couple weeks of using the Espro Ultralight (it’s pretty nifty) and a quick review of Jiva Coffee Cubes. I also give an update on the BioLite Headlamp, it’s still kicking ass.

Resources:

* BioLite Headlamp Kickstarter

* ESPRO Ultralight

* Jiva Cubes Sample Pack

Free Fall Backpacking Checklist – Hit the Trail with Confidence

This checklist helps backpackers new and old confirm they’re ready to hit the trail. Stay safe and have a great time!

The Eagle Rock Loop Guidebook is out now.

Mario and Audra tell their stories of getting involved in climbing, backpacking (to climb), and introducing kids to climbing. If you want to read the blog post Mario mentioned, you can find it here.

CHECK OUT THE EAGLE ROCK LOOP GUIDEBOOK! I had a great time making it and I’m certain you’ll enjoy it (the book and the hike!) Get outside in the Natural State!

Resources:

* Badass Women in Sports

* Summit Climbing (Dallas)

* High Point Guided Trips

The Eagle Rock Loop Guidebook is available TODAY.