Tips to Make Your Next Adventure Your Best Adventure

"Carry as little as possible, but choose that little with care." ~ Earl Schaffer

Spring is here and with Spring brings HIKING SEASON which really is my favorite time of year. Even though a bad day hiking is better than a good day at work, there are a few things that I've learned along the way that make any wild time a better time.

BE PREPARED

First and foremost like any good Boy Scout will tell you, always be prepared! Whether you're going on a short hike or plan on spending the entire day racking up those mils you never want to find yourself in nature unprepared.

• Bring more water and snacks than you think you will need. Staying hydrated is so important to your health especially while hiking. While snacks are a necessity, make sure that they are healthy and not filled with artificial sugars, colors or preservatives as these won't give you the energy you need. Trail mix is a great snack to have as the nuts have protein and dried fruit provides the natural sugar you'll need to keep trekking. Granola bars, fresh fruit and jerky are also good options to have on you.

• Have a small First Aid Kit with Band Aids, Gloves, Antiseptic Wipes and Medical Tape at the minimum. A good kit such as this one will include QTips, Burn Gel, Sting Relief, tweezers and whistle. It's also not a bad idea to have a small rain poncho and hand warmers just in case. They take up minimal space, are lightweight and are those items that are better to have and not need, than need and not have.

• Being prepared also means being able to defend yourself from natures creatures large and small. Bear Spray is a MUST have, not only to defend against Bears, but also Mountain Lions and as much as I hate to say it, humans. Ladies, we can never be too careful. It's also a good idea to have a taser and an alarm or whistle.

• Other essentials include baby wipes, Young Living's Breathe Again roller for those of us who have difficulty breathing at high elevations or suffer when the wind blows pollen around. I also like to have YLs Deep Relief Roller in case of aches and pains and Lavender as it is considered the Swiss Army Knife of Essential Oils.

• Speaking of Swiss Army knives, a Swiss Army knife is not only a good to have, I consider it a must have.

INVEST IN A SMALL STURDY BACKPACK

We've talked a lot about the gear that you should have on you when exploring nature. It's important to have a small but sturdy backpack to carry your goods. Make sure that you get a backpack that is a good size for you, that will fit your gear, but not so big that you overpack and end up taking on more weight than needed.

PRO TIP: Get a backpack with a bladder such as the one below. It makes staying hydrated easy peasy.

WEAR SUNSCREEN

This one should come as no surprise as we've been told to wear sunscreen our whole lives. Nobody wants a great day to turn bad with a horrible sunburn. I prefer a toxin free mineral sunscreen such as Young Livings Mineral Sunscreen SPF 50 or Bare Republic SPF 30 for my face.

EAT A HIGH PROTEIN MEAL

Before heading out for your own wild time make sure to have a high protein, low sugar meal. The last thing you want is to find yourself hangry with only snacks to hold you over until you can eat a meal.

WEAR COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR

I recently found myself on a 10 mile, 3,000ft climb in 6-year old, worn out, uncomfortable boots that had far too many miles on them. Needless to say, I was miserable the last few miles and contemplated walking the rest of the trail barefoot they were that bad. Take it from me, a pari of good shoes or boots will take you a long way. I loved my Merrel but have since switched out to a pair of Keen boots since they provide better arch support. Bonus points if your boots are water resistant.

Before my feet started killing me

HAVE FUN

More than anything, enjoy your time in nature. Have fun, stop to smell the flowers, hug a tree, take lots of pictures and even more deep breathes.

HAPPY HIKING YA'LL