Jaime Says

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Am I Forgetting Anything for my First Hiking Trip?

Quiet Travel, Tips and Tricks

Last Updated on January 12, 2020 by JaimeSays

Greetings all! I can’t believe it’s already July.  I know that the common adage is that time crawls when you are kid and doesn’t slow down when you are an adult.  It really feels like that to me lately.  I am trying to make the most of each day this summer, but mostly that manifests as waking up early, going to bed late, and cooking more.
 
Currently, I have no firm plans for independence day, although I suppose I could go to the Taste of Chicago. I have to work on Monday, and honestly, probably Tuesday too, so other than hoping it dries out enough to play a few rounds of golf, I intend to enjoy a lot of casual laying.  Next week, I will be heading out of town for my boyfriend’s brother’s wedding.  I will be using Rent the Runway for this event, something I tend to do when it’s wedding season.  If you have never used it, I strongly recommend checking it out.  If you use the link listed here, you’ll get $30 off your first order.
 

Planning for the Upper Peninsula

As it is a day away from July, my trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is just a few weeks away.  We may end up cutting the trip shorter than what we planned, but that’s a post for a different day.  This will be my first hiking trip. We’ll head up through Wisconsin, head through the Upper Peninsula and bounce around around between Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. We will be staying at family owned and operated cabins as well as a hotel.  There will be very little cell service and long distances to drive, but I am really looking forward to the solitude.  I think I need some time to unplug! Since we will not be somewhere where a restaurant or even grocery store is within a thirty minute drive, we have to pack a lot ahead of time.
 

What We’re Packing

  • Tennis Shoes (for running)
  • Hiking Boots (for the Porcupine Mountains, this is my second pair of ASOLO boots, the first pair lasted 20 years and I didn’t realize I could get them re-soled)
  • Sun Protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen)
  • Bug Spray (the potent, not-so-great-for-you stuff.  Unfortunately, there are plentiful deer ticks up North so we can’t take any shortcuts)
  • Hiking Backpack (haven’t figured out which one to use yet, will keep you posted)
  • Sharp Travel Knife (for cooking at the rental cabins. My friend Nicky at Little Family Adventure posted about needing this and how to prepare meals for camping in a great post here.)
  • Cooler (to keep the food and drinks)
  • Wine (I don’t know what the stock is like in the UP)
  • Warm Clothes (the average July low for the UP is 53°F)
  • Golf Gear (we intend to do a lot of golfing while we cruise around the great outdoors.)

What do you think? If any of you are avid campers/hikers, please let me know what we are forgetting.  We are not camping overnight, always staying in a proper home, but I’d appreciate any tips for our first hiking trip!

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  1. Nicky says

    Having a good knife is essential in a rental. Having to use a dull blade or wonky knife is frustrating. I keep one in my camping box at all times. There are some great natural bug repellants on the market so you don’t have to use that nasty stuff. Buzz Away and ParaKito are two that we use often. First one is a spray and the second is an essential oil band you wear.

    You have a great list of essentials. I would bring an extra pair of hiking socks on each hike. If the first pair gets damp, you can swap them out mid way. Blisters aren’t any fun. Throw in some moleskin into your first aid kit. If you do get a blister that will come in handy. Have fun!

    Reply

    • JaimeSays says

      OH! I didn’t even think about the First Aid Kit, beyond that which I keep in my car. That’s a great idea for some moleskin. Such a lifesaver.

      Reply