The 2024 Dirty South Roubaix Recap I did the Dirty South Roubaix this year for the first time. This is my race recap of what I experienced and what my overall thoughts of the race were. A Roubaix (pronounced Roo Bay) is a mix of mud, dirty, paved, and mixed road...
The Hiker’s Code: Unwritten Rules of Trail Etiquette To me, there’s something about going out on the trails, either solo or with friends, that will always hold a special place in my heart. It doesn’t matter if I’m having a good or bad day, I always look forward...
Top 10 Spring Hikes in the Shawnee National Forest Are you as ready for spring hikes in the Shawnee National Forest as I am? It’s when the wildflowers start to bloom, and the green slowly starts to return to the vast Shawnee National Forest. I’m just about ready to go...
The Outdoor Economic Summit About a week ago or so, I sat in on the Outdoor Economic Summit at SIU’s Touch of Nature Educational Center in Makanda. It was put on by the folks at Southern Illinois Now, which is an organization with an aim to help people move to, stay...
Hiking Gear Essentials: What to Pack for Your Next Adventure Are you carrying the important hiking gear essentials with you on your day hikes? The last thing you want to do is get stranded in the forest and not have the right tools to keep you safe and sound while you...
Ultralight Backpacking Guide Ultralight backpacking is a type of multi-day hiking that emphasizes bringing less amounts of gear and focusing on lighter-weight items. The idea of going backpacking with ultralight in mind is for when you want to go faster, travel...
