Updating My Gear and Transitioning from Traditional Thought.

I recently bought a new backpack. I didn't 'intend' to buy a new one but I had been browsing backpacks on Campmor.com ( which is exactly opposite what someone who is not 'intending' to buy a new backpack should be doing ) and they had a great deal on a 60 liter pack. I made another mistake by posting on my Facebook wall about this great deal I had found. One of my friends saw my post and we ended up colluding to buy two packs at the same time to save on shipping costs. So much for intentions.

So I now have a new 60L internal frame pack. It is a Jansport Big Bear 63. ( If you notice, Jansport has the Big Bear 83 pictured on this webpage instead of the 63. It is fairly similar in design. ) I will admit, even though this was on sale for an excellent price, I was hesitant about this purchase.

I consider myself an experienced backpacker.  ( Note: Experienced. Nothing close to expert though. )  I have carried a pack on countless hikes through the woods of Western PA and Southern Ohio. I have hiked part of the Northville-Placid Trail, the part through the Adirondack High Peaks, and I've done a section of the River-to-River Trail in southern Illinois. I first started backpacking as a Boy Scout and my first backpack was a Jansport which I still have. This is possibly why, to me, Jansport is an "entry brand" and I believe this is why I had some trepidation about this new backpack.

Please continue reading after the jump!

Raccoon Creek State Park, PA Backpacking - Part One

In late fall 2009 I had a chance to go backpacking with my sister-in-law, her soon to be husband and my friend W, the former marine. I had been searching around the Internet for some backpacking areas that were closer to me than the Allegheny National Forest and I discovered Raccoon Creek State Park near Hookstown, Pennsylvania.

Raccoon Creek is located about 24 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh, just south of the Ohio River and very near the border of West Virginia. It is a 7500+ acre park that contains Raccoon Lake. The park features both standard drive-in camping facilities and a 19 mile backpacking trail. The backpacking trail has two designated camping areas along it, Sioux and Pioneer, and both feature pit latrines, potable water and three sided "lean-to" sleeping shelters.

550 Cord (aka Paracord) Bracelets

If you have been nosing around outdoor lifestyle websites recently you may have seen someone wearing a braided bracelet or wristband. So, what the heck is that all about? The recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have seen many of our military personnel deployed overseas in both hostile and challenging territory. Some of our soldiers have taken to wearing bracelets made of 550 cord, also commonly known as paracord. As any survivalist out there will tell you a good knife and a length of cord can go a long way in keeping you alive if you find yourself in a survival situation.