September 24, 2019 • 39 mins
Central Florida solo trip highlighting site-setup, campfire meal prep, and benefits to listening to crickets.
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Tim (00:01):
I think a key survival technique is the ability to
adapt to the conditions aroundyou, the ability to conform to
whatever new variables a reentered into the equation.
I'm Tim Garland.
This is the trail connectionpodcast.
(00:23):
Hey everybody and welcome backto the trail connection podcast.
(01:01):
Today we're camping out in mysecret spot and a, I just want
to take a minute to welcome youto my fortress of solitude.
This is the spot that I come topretty regularly when I can,
when the weather's permitting.
Um, and this was the trainingground for me.
It was the spot that I found acouple of years ago and kind of
(01:22):
used to run to, um, when Ineeded to get away and, and just
kind of reflect on some things.
So, um, I want to take a minuteand just thank everybody who,
who took the time to watch andlisten to that first episode and
I understand, you know, it wasprobably a little more heavy
than what you were expecting.
(01:42):
And definitely if you are tuninginto, see, you know, what is the
trail connection and talk abouthiking.
And camping that that probablyis not what you're expecting at
all.
So thank you for taking the timeto listen to it if you finished
it.
And, um, today I intend onturning it up a little bit and
(02:04):
making it a little bit morelighthearted.
Um, and I just, I felt like Ineeded to start there because
that's where it started for me.
You know, it, uh, it definitely,I'm not going to say it was a
dark place, but it was adefinite low for sure.
(02:25):
But I came out of that and so Ijust, I wanted everyone to
understand where I started andhow I kind of worked my way
through that.
So this is the next step in thatprocess.
I um, I took a lot of time, alot of hours of hiking and, and
(02:45):
wandering and exploring.
And, um, I found an area thatwas high enough that it was out
of the low lying swamp area, um,far enough away that it felt
like I was getting away, butclose enough that if I had an
emergency, I could get out ofhere pretty quick.
(03:06):
And, um, I just, I searched highand low for the perfect spot to
get to and it's, it's prettycrazy because, um, you know,
speaking of having to adapt theway that I came in today was on
the complete opposite end of theproperty.
(03:28):
Um, and it's not the typicalroute that I take in here at
all.
So that was a little frustratingand it's even more frustrating
when you get out here and thereis just water standing
everywhere you see.
And, um, I know you can't see iton the video and you definitely
can't see it if you're listeningto the podcast.
(03:48):
But, uh, right now I'm sittingon an Island in the middle of
the swamp.
There is water literallystanding all around me.
Um, I'm on a little high areaand, uh, so I guess I chose,
well, um, hasn't been testedlike this before in the last
(04:08):
couple of years that I've beencoming back here.
So it's good to know, glad that,uh, this spot stays high and
dry.
It's just a, all the area aroundit that you would use to get to
it kinda gets, uh, underwatersometimes.
So, but, uh, this is a neat spotbecause it's so far back and
(04:29):
tucked away from, you know, themain trail.
Um, it's different every singletime I come out here, even when
I come in the normal way that Icome in.
Uh, because you know, waterlevel changes and, a nd terrain
changes, seasons change.
I mean the, the face of theforest is constantly changing
(04:52):
and it's very, u h, it's verydifficult for it to stay looking
exactly the same.
So it took me a little bitlonger to find it today cause
it's been awhile, u m, w orkjust coming out of summer.
So it's been several monthssince I've been back here.
And, um, and the trail isdifferent every single time.
(05:14):
And what's cool about this is Iuse a game trails.
It's not a typical, likewell-defined beaten path.
It's a, it's, it's an animaltrail.
And I don't know if any of youhave had an opportunity to
follow a game trail unlessyou're a Hunter.
Um, but, uh, it's different.
(05:34):
You know, and it's not clearlydefined.
You're basically followingtracks or, uh, following a tiny
little trail that's cut throughgrass or weeds or you know, in
the, in the mud.
And, um, it's, it fades away,sometimes it turns abruptly.
(05:56):
Um, but most of the, it just outhere and just kind of follows,
you know, the current edge ofthe waterline or the water
level.
So like I said, you know, it'sdifferent every single time.
And, you know, it got methinking as I was hiking out
here and, you know, talkingabout being able to be flexible
(06:17):
and being able to adapt.
You know, there, there arethings that we want to
accomplish in our life and a lotof us might have similar goals
or, or aspirations, but, uh, thepath that we each take to get to
those or get to the, toaccomplishing those, um, might
(06:37):
not look exactly the same foreach of us.
You know, it's a, we, we allhave something that we're
striving towards and somethingthat we're working at, but how
we go about accomplishing thatgoal or, um, attaining what
we're, what we're going after.
It, it always is different andit's different for different
(07:00):
people.
So, um, life throws you curves,man, you gotta you gotta adapt
to it.
So anyway, um, so today I wantedto talk a little bit about my
gear set up for the area outhere and then I've also got
something cooking in the fireright now.
(07:21):
I want to tell y'all about, um,that I'm really excited to try
and then, uh, we'll kinda, we'llwrap it up.
So I chose a hammock for campingout here and because of it being
such a low lying area and, andall that, um, I decided that I
(07:43):
was gonna I was gonna go withthe hammock, cause you can't go
wrong with that.
As long as you got plenty oftrees, you get something to post
up on.
So, um, I'm going to go aheadand give this company a plug.
We are not partners at thispoint, but, uh, I just love this
thing so much that, uh, I justwant to thank them, you know.
Um, so I have a double hammockmade by Everest active gear.
(08:08):
And, um, this thing has beenwith me for the last two years.
I take it pretty much every timeI go camping.
I've loaned it to others thatI'm trying to convert to camp.
And, um, so it's, it's beenreally, really good to
experience being outdoors in.
And so, um, it's a doublehammock so it means there's room
(08:29):
for two and uh, hopefully oneday I'll get to share it with my
wife.
Uh, she's been with child forabout seven years now, um,
because we don't have cable and,uh, it's, uh, it's, uh, it just
hasn't worked out for her tocome out and camp with me yet,
(08:52):
but she wants to and she'sintending to, it's just, we
gotta get our babies a littlebit bigger before she's able to
do that.
But I'm plenty of room in there.
It's really, really nice andcozy.
It's got an integrated bug net,which is essential if you are
camping out here.
And I don't know if you guys cansee this on the video right now,
but I am being swarmed by lovebugs.
(09:13):
So it's only appropriate at thismoment to be talking about a bug
net.
Um, but if it's not love bugs,it's mosquitoes or nets or
whatever.
And, uh, this thing is just,it's awesome.
Um, if you don't need the bugnet, then you can flip it upside
down and just lay on top eh, nobig deal.
(09:34):
And, uh, it's, it's great.
It comes with the strapsincluded as well and all of that
comes pretty much for the priceof an Indian.
Um, and so it's affordable and,uh, you get all the, all the
pieces that you need.
It also has a rain fly that Ihave, uh, as well, but I don't
have it put up right now.
(09:55):
Um, cause it's, it's nice andbright and no chance of rain.
So I'm going to keep it up andopen, uh, tonight so I can take
a look at stars, if I can seeany and all that.
So I also have a, uh, insulatedthermal inflatable sleeping pad
in there.
(10:16):
And, um, that one's madespecifically for hammocks.
It, uh, it's got a nice spreadon it and butterfly type set up
to where it spreads the hammockout a little bit.
You got plenty of room and thatwas like absolutely one of the
best buys when it comes topieces of gear that I've gotten
in the last couple of yearsbecause it's a game changer.
(10:39):
Um, pretty much before I had it,every single time I would come
out and camp, I would wake upmultiple times a night with a
cold butt or cold feet.
And um, he just, you know, your,all of the, the weight kind of
goes down to one spot in thehammock and that's where, when
(10:59):
everything's compressed, that'swhere the cold temperature comes
in.
So this thing's great because itadds some comfort.
It's got padding, but it alsohas a thermal effect, which
keeps you nice and toasty allnight.
So that's great.
Still haven't solved the coldfeet problem.
I'm pretty sure it's because my,my hammock is hanging too low,
but I don't know.
(11:19):
If you're listening and you cansolve that problem for me,
please write me or message me,let me know.
Cause I'd like, I would love to,uh, not wake up in the middle of
the night with cold feet.
So anyway, um, also got aninflatable pillow, uh, that's
real nice to, to have as well.
(11:40):
Kinda keeps your neck elevated alittle bit.
But, um, I love this thing.
I love this hammock and I lovethis setup and, uh, I gotta be
honest with you, I sleep betterin this than I do in my own bed
at home.
And, uh, I tell everybody that,so I have no problem, you know,
uh, recommending these productsto anybody who asks.
(12:02):
So, um, I've also got a nicelittle, a little table here and
um, I know it's probablysomething that's not essential
for backpackers, uh, causeyou're typically trying to go
lightweight and less gear, uh,cause you're gonna if you're
going distances.
But with this spot being soclose by to the truck, um, you
(12:26):
know, I don't mind a littleextra weight and it's, it's
worth it to me.
So, yeah, I'm a comfort guy.
So, um, I've been out here somany times trying to cook a meal
or prepare something and youknow, I'm right down in the dirt
and the soil out here is, isreal soggy because of how low
lying it is.
And it's just always damned anduh, it's difficult not to just
(12:50):
get junk in your, in your mealthat you're trying to prepare.
So I bought that pretty, prettysoon once I started coming out
here.
And it's been, it's been anessential piece of gear for me,
especially when I come out hereand I'm planning on cooking, but
it's cool.
It's a real lightweight breaksdown in packs down really nice.
(13:11):
Um, and um, it was only about 30bucks on Amazon.
Um, but it's great for meal prepor playing some cards or
whatever you need it to set iton.
So I bring that along with me aswell.
I've also got a, uh, a chairthat, uh, packs down real nice
as well.
And again, you know, this is oneof those things that where it's
(13:36):
worth, you know, the extra poundor you know, pound 10 ounces of
what it is to pack on the SAC.
Because I mean, being able to topost up in recline and just sit
back and relax by the fire is sonice.
I'm, the first few times I cameout here, I was sitting on logs
(13:56):
and dragon, you know, laid overCyprus trees that had dried out,
um, as big as big stumps as Icould bring over towards a fire.
I was dragging over here andbefore I knew it, I was just
like, man, I gotta get me achair.
So I picked one of these up aswell and um, works out really
(14:17):
nice.
Um, uh, I'm really thankful tohave this as well.
It's got a pillow included init, so if you want to, you know,
lay your head back and look up alittle bit, you can.
But, uh, these two pieces ofgear are not essential for
backpackers, but, uh, for me, Ibring them pretty much any
chance I get just because it's a, it's nice to be able to set up
and have some comforts, youknow, and make things a little
(14:41):
bit easier.
So, um, speaking of meal prep,um, today I've got, uh, chicken
breasts that have been in someolive oil with some lemon pepper
seasoning and, um, that's beensitting in there for a few hours
(15:02):
and, uh, I typically will bringout something like that.
Um, I've, I've cooked all kindsof meats out here though.
I've cooked a chicken, I'vecooked salmon, I've cooked
several different cuts of steak.
Um, and all of it usually turnsout pretty well.
But, um, you know, I like toexperiment and try different
(15:23):
things out here.
So most of the times I'm bymyself, so it really doesn't
matter if I mess it up or if ittastes bad, but it kind of gives
me an opportunity to, uh, getsome experience and just try out
some cool stuff so I can impresswhoever I bring out here.
And, um, so today I'm cooking apiece of chicken and, uh, right
(15:44):
now I've got some red wildpotatoes, the tiny ones, many
potatoes in a little Weber pan,um, with some fresh Rosemary and
some spices and olive oil aswell, just roasting in the coals
.
And, um, so those are probablybe ready about the time we wrap
up and then I'll throw thechicken breast on there and, and
(16:06):
uh, get it going.
So I've got a really cool littleuh, grill grate that I bought
and, um, it's real lightweight.
It's, um, it's got a fine meshon it, you know, they're like
quarter inch squares on there,but, um, I've got a couple
lightweight tent stakes that Ipushed down in the ground on
(16:29):
each corner and then lay thatgrade on top of it and then I'll
take some coals from the fireand rake them out and underneath
that.
And, uh, that's what I use tocook on and it's worked out
really, really well cause, uh,you can, you know, pull the
stakes up or push them downlower if you need to to get the,
get the level of the grill, uh,right where you want it and at a
(16:50):
good spot.
And, um, so most of the stuffthat I've cooked on and it's
turned out pretty delicious and,uh, I'm excited to try this
chicken breasts today.
So, um, you know, it's funny,I've, I've tried a lot of
different things out here and,uh, I came out here with my
brother one time and, um, I, uh,I cook some salmon for us, which
(17:17):
turned out incredible.
I mean that was some of the bestfish I've had in awhile.
And the, just the smokiness thatyou get off of the, the campfire
on anything that you cook addsjust this dynamic to the flavor
that, uh, is really unique.
And it, it just, it tastes likecamping.
(17:37):
It's awesome.
Um, but you know, the fish man,we, uh, I laid that out on the,
on the great and I cooked thaton the same side skin down,
which I know some people willflip it throughout.
Um, I'm not a professional cook,but I imagine that most
professionals would not flip it,but, uh, you know, you can if
(18:00):
you need to.
But anyway, that turned outreally well.
And um, the chicken was per, Imean the, the, the, the fish was
perfect.
Um, we also had some steambroccoli that night.
I, uh, I did the same thing withthe potatoes that I, that I did
with the broccoli except for thebroccoli.
I, I poke some holes in 10 fullat steam escape and kind of
steam the broccoli.
(18:21):
And that turned out well as wellas all S also.
Um, and it just, it had the, thetenderness of a steamed
vegetable, but also kind of hadthat roasted like smokey flavor
of the campfire.
And I threw some spices in thereas well with the olive oil to
(18:41):
roast it.
Um, so a really, reallydelicious meal.
And, uh, the only thing wemessed up that time was, uh, I,
I tried cooking rice and, uh, Idon't know what exactly
happened, but something wentterribly, terribly wrong with
that because it did not tastegood at all.
(19:04):
My brother, uh, well it's a goodsport, but, uh, I think he got
about two bites in and then he'slike, I can't, I can't do this
man.
So he ended up dumping the restof the Nicole's on fire, but,
um, it was just crunchy.
I, uh, I don't know whathappened, honestly.
I'm just, uh, not a big fan oftrying to do it cause it's,
(19:29):
it's, it's just messy and it, ittakes a lot of water too.
So the, the other thing you gotto think about when you're
coming out remote is the, thevolume of water that you're
going to bring and what you'regoing to be cooking, what you're
going to be drinking, all thatkind of stuff.
And this particular spot, um,there's not too many water
(19:50):
sources around, but even theones that are, I wouldn't trust
at all.
Um, I don't know if any of youhave seen the Hillsborough river
or familiar with theHillsborough river, but, um,
it's not something that theaverage person would be like,
(20:10):
yeah, I drink that or I drinkout of that.
Uh, it's pretty gross.
It's a, it's almost a blackwater body and body water and,
um, I don't know what exactlycauses that.
I mean there's a lot of Oak treeleaves that drop around it and
Cypress knees and all kind oflike Cyprus trees and, and all
(20:31):
that stuff.
And I'm assuming that it'srunoff, you know, but like from
the acidity and the leaves andall that, but I don't know for
sure, but I'm not going to drinkbecause no matter how much you
it to me, you know, whether yougot a water filter system, you
boil it, whatever.
(20:52):
Like I, I'll pass.
Okay.
Because I just, I just don'ttrust it.
I mean, you never want to takeany, any water from standing
areas as well, you know, op.
Absolutely.
But even the running wateraround here, um, unless it's
coming straight out of a spring,it's crystal clear.
I'll still filter it, but, um,I'm still gonna be a little
(21:15):
weary about drinking it.
Um, I just, I dunno, growing up,you know, I would come back here
and I'd hike and fish with mybuddy and you know, we'd be down
that river all the time, youknow, fishing in Weyden and
jumping out of trees andswimming.
But, you know, looking back asan adult, I'm like, what in the
world was I thinking, man, it'slike there's snakes, uh, water
(21:39):
moccasins in there, there'salligators in there, there's
probably flesh eating bacteria.
Um, but you know, we would justdo it and, you know, I guess, uh
, kids don't think about thatkind of stuff.
But as I got a little bit olderand, and kind of realized, you
know, I probably shouldn't bedoing that.
(22:00):
And, um, so anyway, long storyshort, I don't trust drinking
water either.
So anything that I bring outhere, like I've got to bring any
water I have, I've got to bringit out here.
And so I'm just mindful of theamount that I bring.
Um, and rice takes a lot, soit's, uh, it's just not worth it
(22:22):
to me.
Maybe I'll try it again one day.
I dunno, it burned me prettybad, but we'll see.
But, uh, speaking of water, um,you know, one time I, uh, I
brought my dad out here and Ifelt so bad because I totally
messed up how I packed his, uh,his backpack.
(22:43):
Um, he borrowed one of mine andit's the first time he was
coming out here and we, uh, wewere coming after work one day.
Um, I was at my job and he had ajob going on.
So when I got home I was rushedand I was packing up everything
real fast trying to get it togo.
And um, I had these two, um,gallon jugs of water that I
(23:08):
threw in the pack and I, I justthrew him right in the top of
his pack.
And that poor guy, I mean he wasteetering and tottering the
whole way back here over logsand, and around trees and all
that kind of stuff and totallyoff balance.
And, and I know as not how youpack a backpack at all.
(23:29):
I understand that.
But, uh, I was in a hurry and,and just wasn't thinking anyway.
Uh, let's just say the, the hikeback was a little bit better
cause the water was gone and thejugs were empty.
So sorry, dad, lesson learned
Speaker 4 (23:46):
what happened again.
But uh, it's a story, somethingto tell.
Um, but anyway, I really enjoycoming out here a lot and uh,
made some good memories and it'sbeen a good training ground for
(24:11):
me.
You know, I can't wait to bringmy kids out here.
You can't put my boys and ringmy wife and my daughter and
share with them.
You know, some of theexperiences that I've gotten out
here,
Speaker 2 (24:26):
but I'm[inaudible]
Speaker 4 (24:28):
yeah, I just sit here and I think about a lot of
different things and it'simportant to get this time
carved away.
And sometimes when you're onyour own, I mean, it's solitude.
It's a, it's a good time forreflection.
It's a good time to meditate andjust sit back and think, clear
(24:51):
your mind.
Just let it run wherever itwants to run.
And there have been times whereI've come out here and literally
just sat here and stared intothe coals of the fire and just
thought about anything andeverything and just let my mind
go.
And um, it's been, it's beenhealthy to be able to do that
(25:17):
because we all get so caught upand just the day to day grind
of, you know, I gotta pay thisbill, I got to do this, I gotta
go, I gotta go do that.
We've gotta be here, we've gotto go there, so-and-so's coming
over tomorrow.
We got to get the houseimmaculate and blah, blah, blah,
blah.
I mean, it's just constantly onething after another and it gets
(25:45):
old.
I mean, it really does.
Just having such a busy life allthe time and you just, we all
just need to slow down and nottry to cram so much into every
single day and takeopportunities like this where
you can come out and just sitand listen, just listen to the
(26:10):
birds chirping, you know, or theleaves falling
Speaker 2 (26:16):
or
Speaker 4 (26:18):
the animals rustling around.
It's been so cool to come outhere and be sitting here just
hanging out and all of a suddena group of wild boar come
walking through the of the areaor be hiking out here and look
(26:39):
up and see two or three deer andyou know, spook them and they
run off, take off
Speaker 2 (26:47):
and[inaudible]
Speaker 4 (26:49):
and sit back and lay in the hammock and just listen
to the birds chirping and thewind blowing through the trees
and the leaves.
He knows the reason why there'sthese recordings of nature
sounds that help people sleep,help people relax.
(27:09):
I never really thought about itbefore until this whole process
began, but I think that's theway God designed it.
I think he designed it for us toenjoy and to be able to be
rejuvenated and reenergized andcalmed when we just sit out here
(27:31):
and just let it happen and letit just be what it is around us
and not try to force anythingand I need that reminder
constantly.
Just letting things go and justlet them, let them do what
(27:54):
they're going to do.
I mean, I'm not saying you gotto kick back and take no action
in your life whatsoever becausethat's absolutely not the case
at all.
I think it's extremely importantfor us to have goals and to try
to accomplish those goals and towork forward and push and, and
grow and learn.
(28:17):
But I gotta tell you, I'velearned more in the last two
years about myself and aboutlife than I have in most of my
adult life.
And it's because I've taken thetime to turn off all of this
tractions and just live and I'mstill not perfect at it.
(28:37):
My wife and my kids can attestto that.
I'm still distracted.
I'm still a jerk sometimes and Ihaven't gotten this perfected,
but I am way, way better off nowthan I was two years ago.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
And
Speaker 4 (28:55):
there's just not as much pressure on being what
everybody else expects me to beand just be who I am.
And for me like this, this wholeprocess and, and this journey
(29:16):
has been really incredible fromthe standpoint I've gotten to
experience really cool thingsand, and amazing places and meet
some cool people.
But what's been the mostincredible about it is just my
attitude and my stress level istotally different.
(29:37):
It's just things that normallywould have been a big deal don't
really matter anymore.
And the stuff that wouldnormally infuriate me and send
me into a blind rage, just getme a little frustrated now.
(30:01):
And like I said, you know, Istill have a long way to go.
I still lose my temper and Istill get annoyed and all that,
like this, this isn't, I'm notperfected by spending a little
time in nature.
My point is if you don't takethe time to do it, if you don't
take the time to cut out thecrap and just focus on what's
(30:27):
most important and prioritizewhat it is that this life is all
about, you're gonna wake up oneday and just full of regret.
And that's not something thatyou should do.
That's not something I want todo.
(30:50):
And so that's part of the reasonwhy I'm taking the time and
taking the action that I'mtaking now is I don't want to
wake up when my kids are aboutto graduate high school or about
to leave the house and sit backand say, man, I wish that we
would have done all these thingsthat we talked about doing.
I'm just gonna start doing them.
The kids want to, my kids wantto camp in the back yard.
(31:12):
We're camping in the backyard.
Who cares if it's 80 degreesoutside?
You know, they want to take atrip.
My family wants to take a trip.
Who cares?
If we don't have a lot ofsavings in the bank, we'll
figure out a way we'll make ithappen.
It's the experiences in lifethat are going to leave the
lasting memories for yourchildren and your family and for
(31:36):
me,
Speaker 2 (31:38):
okay,
Speaker 4 (31:39):
that that is of the utmost importance right now.
They're not going to care about,you know, what types of meals we
had all the time, or yeah, thetypes of clothes that they wore
or whatever, based on whatdaddy's income was, they're
(32:02):
going to think, well, wow, mydad took the time, even though
he worked hard to do fun andspecial things with us and, and
enjoy the time with us.
And that's what I want.
I just, I want my kids to havethe memory.
I want my wife to feel supportedthat she's not parenting
(32:26):
fortunate for children on herown, you know, and that when
we're together and we'reexperiencing things together
that I'm not stressed aboutevery dime we're going to spend
because it's going to beimpactful somehow.
Like
Speaker 2 (32:47):
[inaudible]
Speaker 4 (32:47):
I just want us to have memories of the last, the
lifetime and look back on thistime in our life with so much
joy and with like such passionthat it, it was, it was a prime,
(33:11):
is it prime time?
So, I mean that's kind of someof the stuff that I think about
a lot, you know, when I come outhere.
And I think that that'simportant for other people to
try to do as well.
And so I would encourage you,you know, you don't have to have
(33:32):
all the fancy gear that I've gotor you don't have to have, uh,
you know, the best type ofequipment.
You can get something relativelycheap.
You can get something prettyaffordable and just go, if
you're, if you have an inklingat all to do, do anything that
we're talking about, just go andjust do it.
(33:54):
Don't let anything hold youback.
So there you have it.
That's my, that's my monologueand that's my deep thought for
today.
Um, you know, this show is gonnachange it a little bit as it
progresses and transition moreaway from the philosophical, you
(34:20):
know, the, the thought provokingstuff and discussion and, and
get more focused on the topic athand.
You know, we are, we're going tobe talking about hiking and
camping and all a bunch ofdifferent variety of topics
surrounding those.
Those two things or threethings.
And for those of you who arelooking for a podcast, then
(34:42):
that's what it is.
It will get there.
But please understand, you know,this is, this has been a process
for me and I'm trying to lay outthat process and that journey
for those following along, um,and get you understand kind of
where I'm coming from.
So for those of you who areinterested in this type of thing
that like you're wanting whatthe first episode offered and
(35:06):
what maybe the last few minutesoffered, I would encourage you
to check out our social mediapages because I'm constantly
posting pictures and thoughtfulcaptions, um, you know, that
have more of a motivational andan inspirational type message
and this show will have some ofthat sprinkled in.
But overall we are going to begetting into more of the, uh,
(35:29):
specifics of different topicssurrounding this hobby and in
this activity of camping andhiking and backpacking and all
that stuff that's involved.
Um, so I encourage you to keepfollowing along.
If you haven't already, gofollow our Instagram page and
(35:50):
like our Facebook page andsubscribe to us on YouTube in
your, you're going to get a lotof different content through
there.
Um, and I think that you'll,you'll see that, uh, over time
we're going to find our grooveand we'll, we'll get, we'll get
there.
Um, but again, you know, this isjust a work in progress and, and
(36:17):
these types of things take timeand money and all kinds of stuff
to be artistic and, and becreative.
And, and, um, I just, I just,most of all, I want to be real
and genuine with my audience.
I just want you guys to see whatI see through my eyes and
(36:38):
through my personality andthrough my perspective and, and
try to bring you into the realmthat I'm, I'm operating in right
now and, uh, and share that withyou.
So, um, if you are encouraged orexcited about this process and
(37:02):
this, this path and this projectspecifically, then I would
really encourage you to go checkout our Patrion page, um, and
look at some of the different,um, packages that we offer on
their subscription tiers thatare available.
Because not only is that goingto help support the show, but
that's also gonna give you aninsider scoop and insider
(37:25):
perspective to a lot of stuffthat we're doing.
There's a lot of content thatwill be available through that
Avenue that is not going to beavailable to everybody else.
And, um, it's a, it's going tobe a huge help to be able to get
this show to the level that Iwant it to be at and move us
(37:46):
down the line a little bit andhelp us be able to accomplish
some of the goals that we've setup.
So if you have some time, Iwould, I would encourage you to
go check that out.
And thank you again foreverybody who is taking the time
to listen and follow andsubscribe.
And, uh, we are now on allpodcast platforms.
Um, I believe the only one thatwe're still waiting on
(38:08):
confirmation back from isPandora.
Um, but other than that you canplug into the trail connection
on any of your podcast apps andwe will show up and um, we are
also starting to build apresence and a following on, on
social media as well.
So be a part of that community.
Jump on there and help supportus.
(38:28):
And thank you so much from thebottom of my heart.
I appreciate every single one ofyou and the support that you're
giving in the positivity and ineverything that you offer.
Um, and keep, keep tuning inbecause we're not done yet.
We're just getting started.
And so next week we introduceour first guest to, or the next
(38:49):
episode we introduce our firstguest to the trail connection.
I think that's gonna completelychange the dynamic of the show
and I'm super excited to getthat going and get that rolling.
And I'm really, really pumped toget you guys along the way with
me and bring you along.
So thanks again for tuning in.
See you back in a couple ofweeks.
(39:10):
This is the trail
Tim (39:11):
action[inaudible].
I think a key survival technique is the ability to
adapt to the conditions aroundyou, the ability to conform to
whatever new variables a reentered into the equation.
I'm Tim Garland.
This is the trail connectionpodcast.
(00:23):
Hey everybody and welcome backto the trail connection podcast.
(01:01):
Today we're camping out in mysecret spot and a, I just want
to take a minute to welcome youto my fortress of solitude.
This is the spot that I come topretty regularly when I can,
when the weather's permitting.
Um, and this was the trainingground for me.
It was the spot that I found acouple of years ago and kind of
(01:22):
used to run to, um, when Ineeded to get away and, and just
kind of reflect on some things.
So, um, I want to take a minuteand just thank everybody who,
who took the time to watch andlisten to that first episode and
I understand, you know, it wasprobably a little more heavy
than what you were expecting.
(01:42):
And definitely if you are tuninginto, see, you know, what is the
trail connection and talk abouthiking.
And camping that that probablyis not what you're expecting at
all.
So thank you for taking the timeto listen to it if you finished
it.
And, um, today I intend onturning it up a little bit and
(02:04):
making it a little bit morelighthearted.
Um, and I just, I felt like Ineeded to start there because
that's where it started for me.
You know, it, uh, it definitely,I'm not going to say it was a
dark place, but it was adefinite low for sure.
(02:25):
But I came out of that and so Ijust, I wanted everyone to
understand where I started andhow I kind of worked my way
through that.
So this is the next step in thatprocess.
I um, I took a lot of time, alot of hours of hiking and, and
(02:45):
wandering and exploring.
And, um, I found an area thatwas high enough that it was out
of the low lying swamp area, um,far enough away that it felt
like I was getting away, butclose enough that if I had an
emergency, I could get out ofhere pretty quick.
(03:06):
And, um, I just, I searched highand low for the perfect spot to
get to and it's, it's prettycrazy because, um, you know,
speaking of having to adapt theway that I came in today was on
the complete opposite end of theproperty.
(03:28):
Um, and it's not the typicalroute that I take in here at
all.
So that was a little frustratingand it's even more frustrating
when you get out here and thereis just water standing
everywhere you see.
And, um, I know you can't see iton the video and you definitely
can't see it if you're listeningto the podcast.
(03:48):
But, uh, right now I'm sittingon an Island in the middle of
the swamp.
There is water literallystanding all around me.
Um, I'm on a little high areaand, uh, so I guess I chose,
well, um, hasn't been testedlike this before in the last
(04:08):
couple of years that I've beencoming back here.
So it's good to know, glad that,uh, this spot stays high and
dry.
It's just a, all the area aroundit that you would use to get to
it kinda gets, uh, underwatersometimes.
So, but, uh, this is a neat spotbecause it's so far back and
(04:29):
tucked away from, you know, themain trail.
Um, it's different every singletime I come out here, even when
I come in the normal way that Icome in.
Uh, because you know, waterlevel changes and, a nd terrain
changes, seasons change.
I mean the, the face of theforest is constantly changing
(04:52):
and it's very, u h, it's verydifficult for it to stay looking
exactly the same.
So it took me a little bitlonger to find it today cause
it's been awhile, u m, w orkjust coming out of summer.
So it's been several monthssince I've been back here.
And, um, and the trail isdifferent every single time.
(05:14):
And what's cool about this is Iuse a game trails.
It's not a typical, likewell-defined beaten path.
It's a, it's, it's an animaltrail.
And I don't know if any of youhave had an opportunity to
follow a game trail unlessyou're a Hunter.
Um, but, uh, it's different.
(05:34):
You know, and it's not clearlydefined.
You're basically followingtracks or, uh, following a tiny
little trail that's cut throughgrass or weeds or you know, in
the, in the mud.
And, um, it's, it fades away,sometimes it turns abruptly.
(05:56):
Um, but most of the, it just outhere and just kind of follows,
you know, the current edge ofthe waterline or the water
level.
So like I said, you know, it'sdifferent every single time.
And, you know, it got methinking as I was hiking out
here and, you know, talkingabout being able to be flexible
(06:17):
and being able to adapt.
You know, there, there arethings that we want to
accomplish in our life and a lotof us might have similar goals
or, or aspirations, but, uh, thepath that we each take to get to
those or get to the, toaccomplishing those, um, might
(06:37):
not look exactly the same foreach of us.
You know, it's a, we, we allhave something that we're
striving towards and somethingthat we're working at, but how
we go about accomplishing thatgoal or, um, attaining what
we're, what we're going after.
It, it always is different andit's different for different
(07:00):
people.
So, um, life throws you curves,man, you gotta you gotta adapt
to it.
So anyway, um, so today I wantedto talk a little bit about my
gear set up for the area outhere and then I've also got
something cooking in the fireright now.
(07:21):
I want to tell y'all about, um,that I'm really excited to try
and then, uh, we'll kinda, we'llwrap it up.
So I chose a hammock for campingout here and because of it being
such a low lying area and, andall that, um, I decided that I
(07:43):
was gonna I was gonna go withthe hammock, cause you can't go
wrong with that.
As long as you got plenty oftrees, you get something to post
up on.
So, um, I'm going to go aheadand give this company a plug.
We are not partners at thispoint, but, uh, I just love this
thing so much that, uh, I justwant to thank them, you know.
Um, so I have a double hammockmade by Everest active gear.
(08:08):
And, um, this thing has beenwith me for the last two years.
I take it pretty much every timeI go camping.
I've loaned it to others thatI'm trying to convert to camp.
And, um, so it's, it's beenreally, really good to
experience being outdoors in.
And so, um, it's a doublehammock so it means there's room
(08:29):
for two and uh, hopefully oneday I'll get to share it with my
wife.
Uh, she's been with child forabout seven years now, um,
because we don't have cable and,uh, it's, uh, it's, uh, it just
hasn't worked out for her tocome out and camp with me yet,
(08:52):
but she wants to and she'sintending to, it's just, we
gotta get our babies a littlebit bigger before she's able to
do that.
But I'm plenty of room in there.
It's really, really nice andcozy.
It's got an integrated bug net,which is essential if you are
camping out here.
And I don't know if you guys cansee this on the video right now,
but I am being swarmed by lovebugs.
(09:13):
So it's only appropriate at thismoment to be talking about a bug
net.
Um, but if it's not love bugs,it's mosquitoes or nets or
whatever.
And, uh, this thing is just,it's awesome.
Um, if you don't need the bugnet, then you can flip it upside
down and just lay on top eh, nobig deal.
(09:34):
And, uh, it's, it's great.
It comes with the strapsincluded as well and all of that
comes pretty much for the priceof an Indian.
Um, and so it's affordable and,uh, you get all the, all the
pieces that you need.
It also has a rain fly that Ihave, uh, as well, but I don't
have it put up right now.
(09:55):
Um, cause it's, it's nice andbright and no chance of rain.
So I'm going to keep it up andopen, uh, tonight so I can take
a look at stars, if I can seeany and all that.
So I also have a, uh, insulatedthermal inflatable sleeping pad
in there.
(10:16):
And, um, that one's madespecifically for hammocks.
It, uh, it's got a nice spreadon it and butterfly type set up
to where it spreads the hammockout a little bit.
You got plenty of room and thatwas like absolutely one of the
best buys when it comes topieces of gear that I've gotten
in the last couple of yearsbecause it's a game changer.
(10:39):
Um, pretty much before I had it,every single time I would come
out and camp, I would wake upmultiple times a night with a
cold butt or cold feet.
And um, he just, you know, your,all of the, the weight kind of
goes down to one spot in thehammock and that's where, when
(10:59):
everything's compressed, that'swhere the cold temperature comes
in.
So this thing's great because itadds some comfort.
It's got padding, but it alsohas a thermal effect, which
keeps you nice and toasty allnight.
So that's great.
Still haven't solved the coldfeet problem.
I'm pretty sure it's because my,my hammock is hanging too low,
but I don't know.
(11:19):
If you're listening and you cansolve that problem for me,
please write me or message me,let me know.
Cause I'd like, I would love to,uh, not wake up in the middle of
the night with cold feet.
So anyway, um, also got aninflatable pillow, uh, that's
real nice to, to have as well.
(11:40):
Kinda keeps your neck elevated alittle bit.
But, um, I love this thing.
I love this hammock and I lovethis setup and, uh, I gotta be
honest with you, I sleep betterin this than I do in my own bed
at home.
And, uh, I tell everybody that,so I have no problem, you know,
uh, recommending these productsto anybody who asks.
(12:02):
So, um, I've also got a nicelittle, a little table here and
um, I know it's probablysomething that's not essential
for backpackers, uh, causeyou're typically trying to go
lightweight and less gear, uh,cause you're gonna if you're
going distances.
But with this spot being soclose by to the truck, um, you
(12:26):
know, I don't mind a littleextra weight and it's, it's
worth it to me.
So, yeah, I'm a comfort guy.
So, um, I've been out here somany times trying to cook a meal
or prepare something and youknow, I'm right down in the dirt
and the soil out here is, isreal soggy because of how low
lying it is.
And it's just always damned anduh, it's difficult not to just
(12:50):
get junk in your, in your mealthat you're trying to prepare.
So I bought that pretty, prettysoon once I started coming out
here.
And it's been, it's been anessential piece of gear for me,
especially when I come out hereand I'm planning on cooking, but
it's cool.
It's a real lightweight breaksdown in packs down really nice.
(13:11):
Um, and um, it was only about 30bucks on Amazon.
Um, but it's great for meal prepor playing some cards or
whatever you need it to set iton.
So I bring that along with me aswell.
I've also got a, uh, a chairthat, uh, packs down real nice
as well.
And again, you know, this is oneof those things that where it's
(13:36):
worth, you know, the extra poundor you know, pound 10 ounces of
what it is to pack on the SAC.
Because I mean, being able to topost up in recline and just sit
back and relax by the fire is sonice.
I'm, the first few times I cameout here, I was sitting on logs
(13:56):
and dragon, you know, laid overCyprus trees that had dried out,
um, as big as big stumps as Icould bring over towards a fire.
I was dragging over here andbefore I knew it, I was just
like, man, I gotta get me achair.
So I picked one of these up aswell and um, works out really
(14:17):
nice.
Um, uh, I'm really thankful tohave this as well.
It's got a pillow included init, so if you want to, you know,
lay your head back and look up alittle bit, you can.
But, uh, these two pieces ofgear are not essential for
backpackers, but, uh, for me, Ibring them pretty much any
chance I get just because it's a, it's nice to be able to set up
and have some comforts, youknow, and make things a little
(14:41):
bit easier.
So, um, speaking of meal prep,um, today I've got, uh, chicken
breasts that have been in someolive oil with some lemon pepper
seasoning and, um, that's beensitting in there for a few hours
(15:02):
and, uh, I typically will bringout something like that.
Um, I've, I've cooked all kindsof meats out here though.
I've cooked a chicken, I'vecooked salmon, I've cooked
several different cuts of steak.
Um, and all of it usually turnsout pretty well.
But, um, you know, I like toexperiment and try different
(15:23):
things out here.
So most of the times I'm bymyself, so it really doesn't
matter if I mess it up or if ittastes bad, but it kind of gives
me an opportunity to, uh, getsome experience and just try out
some cool stuff so I can impresswhoever I bring out here.
And, um, so today I'm cooking apiece of chicken and, uh, right
(15:44):
now I've got some red wildpotatoes, the tiny ones, many
potatoes in a little Weber pan,um, with some fresh Rosemary and
some spices and olive oil aswell, just roasting in the coals
.
And, um, so those are probablybe ready about the time we wrap
up and then I'll throw thechicken breast on there and, and
(16:06):
uh, get it going.
So I've got a really cool littleuh, grill grate that I bought
and, um, it's real lightweight.
It's, um, it's got a fine meshon it, you know, they're like
quarter inch squares on there,but, um, I've got a couple
lightweight tent stakes that Ipushed down in the ground on
(16:29):
each corner and then lay thatgrade on top of it and then I'll
take some coals from the fireand rake them out and underneath
that.
And, uh, that's what I use tocook on and it's worked out
really, really well cause, uh,you can, you know, pull the
stakes up or push them downlower if you need to to get the,
get the level of the grill, uh,right where you want it and at a
(16:50):
good spot.
And, um, so most of the stuffthat I've cooked on and it's
turned out pretty delicious and,uh, I'm excited to try this
chicken breasts today.
So, um, you know, it's funny,I've, I've tried a lot of
different things out here and,uh, I came out here with my
brother one time and, um, I, uh,I cook some salmon for us, which
(17:17):
turned out incredible.
I mean that was some of the bestfish I've had in awhile.
And the, just the smokiness thatyou get off of the, the campfire
on anything that you cook addsjust this dynamic to the flavor
that, uh, is really unique.
And it, it just, it tastes likecamping.
(17:37):
It's awesome.
Um, but you know, the fish man,we, uh, I laid that out on the,
on the great and I cooked thaton the same side skin down,
which I know some people willflip it throughout.
Um, I'm not a professional cook,but I imagine that most
professionals would not flip it,but, uh, you know, you can if
(18:00):
you need to.
But anyway, that turned outreally well.
And um, the chicken was per, Imean the, the, the, the fish was
perfect.
Um, we also had some steambroccoli that night.
I, uh, I did the same thing withthe potatoes that I, that I did
with the broccoli except for thebroccoli.
I, I poke some holes in 10 fullat steam escape and kind of
steam the broccoli.
(18:21):
And that turned out well as wellas all S also.
Um, and it just, it had the, thetenderness of a steamed
vegetable, but also kind of hadthat roasted like smokey flavor
of the campfire.
And I threw some spices in thereas well with the olive oil to
(18:41):
roast it.
Um, so a really, reallydelicious meal.
And, uh, the only thing wemessed up that time was, uh, I,
I tried cooking rice and, uh, Idon't know what exactly
happened, but something wentterribly, terribly wrong with
that because it did not tastegood at all.
(19:04):
My brother, uh, well it's a goodsport, but, uh, I think he got
about two bites in and then he'slike, I can't, I can't do this
man.
So he ended up dumping the restof the Nicole's on fire, but,
um, it was just crunchy.
I, uh, I don't know whathappened, honestly.
I'm just, uh, not a big fan oftrying to do it cause it's,
(19:29):
it's, it's just messy and it, ittakes a lot of water too.
So the, the other thing you gotto think about when you're
coming out remote is the, thevolume of water that you're
going to bring and what you'regoing to be cooking, what you're
going to be drinking, all thatkind of stuff.
And this particular spot, um,there's not too many water
(19:50):
sources around, but even theones that are, I wouldn't trust
at all.
Um, I don't know if any of youhave seen the Hillsborough river
or familiar with theHillsborough river, but, um,
it's not something that theaverage person would be like,
(20:10):
yeah, I drink that or I drinkout of that.
Uh, it's pretty gross.
It's a, it's almost a blackwater body and body water and,
um, I don't know what exactlycauses that.
I mean there's a lot of Oak treeleaves that drop around it and
Cypress knees and all kind oflike Cyprus trees and, and all
(20:31):
that stuff.
And I'm assuming that it'srunoff, you know, but like from
the acidity and the leaves andall that, but I don't know for
sure, but I'm not going to drinkbecause no matter how much you
it to me, you know, whether yougot a water filter system, you
boil it, whatever.
(20:52):
Like I, I'll pass.
Okay.
Because I just, I just don'ttrust it.
I mean, you never want to takeany, any water from standing
areas as well, you know, op.
Absolutely.
But even the running wateraround here, um, unless it's
coming straight out of a spring,it's crystal clear.
I'll still filter it, but, um,I'm still gonna be a little
(21:15):
weary about drinking it.
Um, I just, I dunno, growing up,you know, I would come back here
and I'd hike and fish with mybuddy and you know, we'd be down
that river all the time, youknow, fishing in Weyden and
jumping out of trees andswimming.
But, you know, looking back asan adult, I'm like, what in the
world was I thinking, man, it'slike there's snakes, uh, water
(21:39):
moccasins in there, there'salligators in there, there's
probably flesh eating bacteria.
Um, but you know, we would justdo it and, you know, I guess, uh
, kids don't think about thatkind of stuff.
But as I got a little bit olderand, and kind of realized, you
know, I probably shouldn't bedoing that.
(22:00):
And, um, so anyway, long storyshort, I don't trust drinking
water either.
So anything that I bring outhere, like I've got to bring any
water I have, I've got to bringit out here.
And so I'm just mindful of theamount that I bring.
Um, and rice takes a lot, soit's, uh, it's just not worth it
(22:22):
to me.
Maybe I'll try it again one day.
I dunno, it burned me prettybad, but we'll see.
But, uh, speaking of water, um,you know, one time I, uh, I
brought my dad out here and Ifelt so bad because I totally
messed up how I packed his, uh,his backpack.
(22:43):
Um, he borrowed one of mine andit's the first time he was
coming out here and we, uh, wewere coming after work one day.
Um, I was at my job and he had ajob going on.
So when I got home I was rushedand I was packing up everything
real fast trying to get it togo.
And um, I had these two, um,gallon jugs of water that I
(23:08):
threw in the pack and I, I justthrew him right in the top of
his pack.
And that poor guy, I mean he wasteetering and tottering the
whole way back here over logsand, and around trees and all
that kind of stuff and totallyoff balance.
And, and I know as not how youpack a backpack at all.
(23:29):
I understand that.
But, uh, I was in a hurry and,and just wasn't thinking anyway.
Uh, let's just say the, the hikeback was a little bit better
cause the water was gone and thejugs were empty.
So sorry, dad, lesson learned
Speaker 4 (23:46):
what happened again.
But uh, it's a story, somethingto tell.
Um, but anyway, I really enjoycoming out here a lot and uh,
made some good memories and it'sbeen a good training ground for
(24:11):
me.
You know, I can't wait to bringmy kids out here.
You can't put my boys and ringmy wife and my daughter and
share with them.
You know, some of theexperiences that I've gotten out
here,
Speaker 2 (24:26):
but I'm[inaudible]
Speaker 4 (24:28):
yeah, I just sit here and I think about a lot of
different things and it'simportant to get this time
carved away.
And sometimes when you're onyour own, I mean, it's solitude.
It's a, it's a good time forreflection.
It's a good time to meditate andjust sit back and think, clear
(24:51):
your mind.
Just let it run wherever itwants to run.
And there have been times whereI've come out here and literally
just sat here and stared intothe coals of the fire and just
thought about anything andeverything and just let my mind
go.
And um, it's been, it's beenhealthy to be able to do that
(25:17):
because we all get so caught upand just the day to day grind
of, you know, I gotta pay thisbill, I got to do this, I gotta
go, I gotta go do that.
We've gotta be here, we've gotto go there, so-and-so's coming
over tomorrow.
We got to get the houseimmaculate and blah, blah, blah,
blah.
I mean, it's just constantly onething after another and it gets
(25:45):
old.
I mean, it really does.
Just having such a busy life allthe time and you just, we all
just need to slow down and nottry to cram so much into every
single day and takeopportunities like this where
you can come out and just sitand listen, just listen to the
(26:10):
birds chirping, you know, or theleaves falling
Speaker 2 (26:16):
or
Speaker 4 (26:18):
the animals rustling around.
It's been so cool to come outhere and be sitting here just
hanging out and all of a suddena group of wild boar come
walking through the of the areaor be hiking out here and look
(26:39):
up and see two or three deer andyou know, spook them and they
run off, take off
Speaker 2 (26:47):
and[inaudible]
Speaker 4 (26:49):
and sit back and lay in the hammock and just listen
to the birds chirping and thewind blowing through the trees
and the leaves.
He knows the reason why there'sthese recordings of nature
sounds that help people sleep,help people relax.
(27:09):
I never really thought about itbefore until this whole process
began, but I think that's theway God designed it.
I think he designed it for us toenjoy and to be able to be
rejuvenated and reenergized andcalmed when we just sit out here
(27:31):
and just let it happen and letit just be what it is around us
and not try to force anythingand I need that reminder
constantly.
Just letting things go and justlet them, let them do what
(27:54):
they're going to do.
I mean, I'm not saying you gotto kick back and take no action
in your life whatsoever becausethat's absolutely not the case
at all.
I think it's extremely importantfor us to have goals and to try
to accomplish those goals and towork forward and push and, and
grow and learn.
(28:17):
But I gotta tell you, I'velearned more in the last two
years about myself and aboutlife than I have in most of my
adult life.
And it's because I've taken thetime to turn off all of this
tractions and just live and I'mstill not perfect at it.
(28:37):
My wife and my kids can attestto that.
I'm still distracted.
I'm still a jerk sometimes and Ihaven't gotten this perfected,
but I am way, way better off nowthan I was two years ago.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
And
Speaker 4 (28:55):
there's just not as much pressure on being what
everybody else expects me to beand just be who I am.
And for me like this, this wholeprocess and, and this journey
(29:16):
has been really incredible fromthe standpoint I've gotten to
experience really cool thingsand, and amazing places and meet
some cool people.
But what's been the mostincredible about it is just my
attitude and my stress level istotally different.
(29:37):
It's just things that normallywould have been a big deal don't
really matter anymore.
And the stuff that wouldnormally infuriate me and send
me into a blind rage, just getme a little frustrated now.
(30:01):
And like I said, you know, Istill have a long way to go.
I still lose my temper and Istill get annoyed and all that,
like this, this isn't, I'm notperfected by spending a little
time in nature.
My point is if you don't takethe time to do it, if you don't
take the time to cut out thecrap and just focus on what's
(30:27):
most important and prioritizewhat it is that this life is all
about, you're gonna wake up oneday and just full of regret.
And that's not something thatyou should do.
That's not something I want todo.
(30:50):
And so that's part of the reasonwhy I'm taking the time and
taking the action that I'mtaking now is I don't want to
wake up when my kids are aboutto graduate high school or about
to leave the house and sit backand say, man, I wish that we
would have done all these thingsthat we talked about doing.
I'm just gonna start doing them.
The kids want to, my kids wantto camp in the back yard.
(31:12):
We're camping in the backyard.
Who cares if it's 80 degreesoutside?
You know, they want to take atrip.
My family wants to take a trip.
Who cares?
If we don't have a lot ofsavings in the bank, we'll
figure out a way we'll make ithappen.
It's the experiences in lifethat are going to leave the
lasting memories for yourchildren and your family and for
(31:36):
me,
Speaker 2 (31:38):
okay,
Speaker 4 (31:39):
that that is of the utmost importance right now.
They're not going to care about,you know, what types of meals we
had all the time, or yeah, thetypes of clothes that they wore
or whatever, based on whatdaddy's income was, they're
(32:02):
going to think, well, wow, mydad took the time, even though
he worked hard to do fun andspecial things with us and, and
enjoy the time with us.
And that's what I want.
I just, I want my kids to havethe memory.
I want my wife to feel supportedthat she's not parenting
(32:26):
fortunate for children on herown, you know, and that when
we're together and we'reexperiencing things together
that I'm not stressed aboutevery dime we're going to spend
because it's going to beimpactful somehow.
Like
Speaker 2 (32:47):
[inaudible]
Speaker 4 (32:47):
I just want us to have memories of the last, the
lifetime and look back on thistime in our life with so much
joy and with like such passionthat it, it was, it was a prime,
(33:11):
is it prime time?
So, I mean that's kind of someof the stuff that I think about
a lot, you know, when I come outhere.
And I think that that'simportant for other people to
try to do as well.
And so I would encourage you,you know, you don't have to have
(33:32):
all the fancy gear that I've gotor you don't have to have, uh,
you know, the best type ofequipment.
You can get something relativelycheap.
You can get something prettyaffordable and just go, if
you're, if you have an inklingat all to do, do anything that
we're talking about, just go andjust do it.
(33:54):
Don't let anything hold youback.
So there you have it.
That's my, that's my monologueand that's my deep thought for
today.
Um, you know, this show is gonnachange it a little bit as it
progresses and transition moreaway from the philosophical, you
(34:20):
know, the, the thought provokingstuff and discussion and, and
get more focused on the topic athand.
You know, we are, we're going tobe talking about hiking and
camping and all a bunch ofdifferent variety of topics
surrounding those.
Those two things or threethings.
And for those of you who arelooking for a podcast, then
(34:42):
that's what it is.
It will get there.
But please understand, you know,this is, this has been a process
for me and I'm trying to lay outthat process and that journey
for those following along, um,and get you understand kind of
where I'm coming from.
So for those of you who areinterested in this type of thing
that like you're wanting whatthe first episode offered and
(35:06):
what maybe the last few minutesoffered, I would encourage you
to check out our social mediapages because I'm constantly
posting pictures and thoughtfulcaptions, um, you know, that
have more of a motivational andan inspirational type message
and this show will have some ofthat sprinkled in.
But overall we are going to begetting into more of the, uh,
(35:29):
specifics of different topicssurrounding this hobby and in
this activity of camping andhiking and backpacking and all
that stuff that's involved.
Um, so I encourage you to keepfollowing along.
If you haven't already, gofollow our Instagram page and
(35:50):
like our Facebook page andsubscribe to us on YouTube in
your, you're going to get a lotof different content through
there.
Um, and I think that you'll,you'll see that, uh, over time
we're going to find our grooveand we'll, we'll get, we'll get
there.
Um, but again, you know, this isjust a work in progress and, and
(36:17):
these types of things take timeand money and all kinds of stuff
to be artistic and, and becreative.
And, and, um, I just, I just,most of all, I want to be real
and genuine with my audience.
I just want you guys to see whatI see through my eyes and
(36:38):
through my personality andthrough my perspective and, and
try to bring you into the realmthat I'm, I'm operating in right
now and, uh, and share that withyou.
So, um, if you are encouraged orexcited about this process and
(37:02):
this, this path and this projectspecifically, then I would
really encourage you to go checkout our Patrion page, um, and
look at some of the different,um, packages that we offer on
their subscription tiers thatare available.
Because not only is that goingto help support the show, but
that's also gonna give you aninsider scoop and insider
(37:25):
perspective to a lot of stuffthat we're doing.
There's a lot of content thatwill be available through that
Avenue that is not going to beavailable to everybody else.
And, um, it's a, it's going tobe a huge help to be able to get
this show to the level that Iwant it to be at and move us
(37:46):
down the line a little bit andhelp us be able to accomplish
some of the goals that we've setup.
So if you have some time, Iwould, I would encourage you to
go check that out.
And thank you again foreverybody who is taking the time
to listen and follow andsubscribe.
And, uh, we are now on allpodcast platforms.
Um, I believe the only one thatwe're still waiting on
(38:08):
confirmation back from isPandora.
Um, but other than that you canplug into the trail connection
on any of your podcast apps andwe will show up and um, we are
also starting to build apresence and a following on, on
social media as well.
So be a part of that community.
Jump on there and help supportus.
(38:28):
And thank you so much from thebottom of my heart.
I appreciate every single one ofyou and the support that you're
giving in the positivity and ineverything that you offer.
Um, and keep, keep tuning inbecause we're not done yet.
We're just getting started.
And so next week we introduceour first guest to, or the next
(38:49):
episode we introduce our firstguest to the trail connection.
I think that's gonna completelychange the dynamic of the show
and I'm super excited to getthat going and get that rolling.
And I'm really, really pumped toget you guys along the way with
me and bring you along.
So thanks again for tuning in.
See you back in a couple ofweeks.
(39:10):
This is the trail
Tim (39:11):
action[inaudible].
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