Trails That Aren't There

I don't remember where I saw the quote, or maybe I heard it somewhere; "The best trail to take is the one that's not there." This quote resonates in my head each time I head out into the wilderness. Think about what it says and it really pertains to much more in life than just the outdoors.

Let's take that quote and the outdoors.  Have you ever been on a hiking trail, looked over at the next peak and wonder what it looks like up close? The best word to describe this quote...Explore! Think about it, starting with the settlers that first stepped onto this soil.....no trails, no roads, no direction. They had to make that first trail and explore.

If you don't get off the beaten trail you'll never know what's over there. I suppose why most people stick to the trail is because of the unknown. Fear hinders many, but I like to use fear as an adrenaline mechanism to push myself to explore....it's a rush!

"The best trail to take is the one that's not there" is so apropos to careers and life itself. Bill Gates blazed a new trail, as did Steve Jobs. One of the newest trail blazers, Mark Zuckerberg. If you look, the majority of the most successful people are the ones that went "off the trail." In my lifetime, I've witnessed more times than not, you are rewarded when you cut that new trail.

 Get your bearings, study the terrain, get out of your comfort zone and STEP OFF THE TRAIL.

You'll be glad you did.

Your Majesty.....The Mountain That Is.

What is so inspiring about mountains? They have been written about, lyrics of songs have focused on mountains and movies have been based on mountains. Is it the shear beauty? Or is it the dominant presence of a mountain? I suppose there are many answers, different to each that is describing them.

I have a place in  the Adirondack Mountains. The oldest mountains in North America. If you ride up Rte. 87 you will see a sign "America's Most Scenic Highway". Beauty unmatched in the Fall with the changing colors of the trees. The Adirondacks are majestic, yet different then let's say, the Rockies out west.

The impressive peaks, jagged edges and snow capped mountains are equally as beautiful. I think of the Rockies as rugged, filled with golden aspens and endless spruce trees. If you have ever hiked or hunted in the Rockies you will relate to this. I would be standing on a ridge looking out to another point on the far side of the valley and say to myself, "No problem, that won't take long to get over there". Silly me, 3-4 hours later I'm there.The vastness of the Rockies is unmatched.

I can hear my buddy saying, you haven't seen mountains until you have seen the Alps! Another says, wait until you see the Northern Rockies in Vancouver sloping down into the Pacific Ocean. Both views, I'm sure are equally majestic.

However you spend your time on the mountains, hiking, hunting, fishing, camping and enjoying all that it has to give, take a minute and thank Your Majesty.... the Mountain That Is.

Outdoor Enthusiasts By The Numbers

Ever wonder how many people actually participate in the great outdoors? When you hear the phrase "outdoor enthusiast" or "great outdoors", what does that make you think of? Participating in the outdoors covers so many activities that I wanted to share some interesting numbers with you. The Outdoor Industry Association gives us these numbers for measuring activities of outdoor participants.

First, let's take a look at how many people venture into the great outdoors. 137.9 million of us participate in one activity or another outside. What's staggering is we have 10.1 billion outings per year....10.1 Billion, holy cow! I for one never thought the number was that great.

The most popular activities -  
1. Running, jogging, trail running  
2. Freshwater, saltwater and fly fishing.
3. Road biking, mountain biking, BMX 
4. Camping 
5. Hiking.

 What area of the country has the most participation. Here I was a little disappointed seeing the Northeast last in this category, let's go people get outside and enjoy!

1. Mountain
2. North Central
3. Upper MidWest
4. New England
5. West Coast.

Camping is a great family activity. Great for bonding and forgetting the everyday hassles and being able to slowdown and unwind. 45 million other Americans agree with me. Americans spend about 12 days per year out camping, and whats astounding, 88% of that is the hardy way...in a tent! Haha, we still like to be rugged and one with nature.

Most importantly, introducing children to the great outdoors will benefit ourselves in too many ways to list. If you have a chance to take a young one out and participate in an activity, please do! We may not know it but we're helping to preserve our environment while having a ton of fun!.

OutdoorMash.com

Welcome to OutdoorMash. The premier outdoor destination for adventurers just like you! Explore, meet, earn, place your business and more! Check us out!. OutdoorMash connects all outdoor enthusiasts from the Atlantic to the Pacific and beyond. Our site is user and family friendly, that offers the outdoor enthusiast a way to network, socialize, share ideas, photos and videos. OutdoorMash is also a place for individuals to buy, sell or trade outdoor items. Our Travel Tools allows you to create your own map of your favorite outdoor location, fishing spot, or your favorite trail. Topo maps for land and water, wind indicator, snow depth, forecasts and more will prepare you for the next adventure! OutdoorMash is the place to be!

www.OutdoorMash.com

OutdoorMashVideoLink