The Zeeland Bib is Crafted with Carhartt durability and cozy comfort. Designed to accommodate knee pads and all your essentials, this is the bib for those dirty-kneed, frigid days at the office.
Tag: adventure
It’s The Most Wonderful Time of The Year For Outdoor Adventures!
Sure it’s fun to cozy up next to the fireplace around Christmas time, but don’t forget about your favorite outdoor adventures. Build an igloo, go snowmobiling, or take a spin on the ice rink. Happy Holidays!
Wasatch National Forest
Climbers Nicole and Tina don’t allow the fading of summer to keep them indoors. The cool weather is an invitation to explore the mountains. After all, your sense of adventure isn’t seasonal. Get out there and challenge yourself!
Carhartt Women’s Packing Guide
When I pack for a trip, I make sure bring along things that can be used more than once. That goes for clothing and my other road trip hacks. I also take length of the trip into consideration. For a 3 day trip to a cold destination, I bring along 1 pair of pants, a shirt per day, 1 belt, a heavy outerwear piece, and a lighter sweater for layering. If I were planning on a 6 day trip, I would simply double everything but the belt and the heavy outerwear.
I usually pick out my pants first. It helps to choose a pair that goes with everything. Series 1889 Slim Double-Front Dungarees are my go to on a work trip. Then I pick out my heavy outerwear. It seemed fitting to bring along my Gallatin Jacket. It’s covered in pockets, which can be pretty useful when traveling.
Once you’ve decided on your base of pants and jacket, you’re set to mix and match the rest of your clothes. For my lighter outerwear, I went with a Clarksburg Quarter-Zip Sweater. It’s comfy, cozy, a great outerwear piece on warmer days. For shirts, I try to bring along very different styles so I won’t get bored with my options. I went with the Hayward Henley, the Minot Shirt, and the Hamilton Flannel Shirt II. The Logo Loop Belt is one of my favorites and I packed it all in my Legacy Gear Bag. That bag is the best. It’s big enough without being too big. You can fit everything you really need in it, but not enough that you’re unable to carry it easily.
Always aim to pack smart and light. You’ll be glad you did in the long run. Now I’m ready for to spend a few days in Syracuse. Here we go! Follow along in the next few weeks and see what I discovered in the great state of New York.
Backpacking Hacks
Montana is one of the most beautiful places on earth. I was lucky enough to spend a few days backpacking around the area. It’s filled with geysers, natural hot springs, wildlife, and so much nature to explore. Here are a few tips I researched before I set off on an adventure:
1.) Avoid poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak. (pictured above)
2.) When packing a backpack for the trip, pack the heaviest items closest to the middle of your back, lighter items on the front and bottom of the bag, and medium-weight, frequently used items on top.
3.) To gauge how much daylight is left in the day, outstretch your arm and hold your hand just under the sun. Count how many times you line up your hands in the distance between the sun and the horizon. Each finger is equivalent to 15 minutes of sun, therefore each hand is equivalent to about an hour of daylight remaining.
4.) You guys know I’m a picture-a-holic, but don’t get so camera happy that you forget to step back and appreciate the glory around you. Make sure to put down the electronics for a bit to really soak up as much wilderness as possible.
Now get out there and experience the natural beauties the world has to offer!
my adventuring gear: Carhartt Women’s Calumet Long-Sleeve V-Neck, Carhartt El Paso Shorts, Women’s Wellington Boots, Carhartt D89 Backpack, & Carhartt Water Bottle
Park Ranger Kat Barker
When you think of a wilderness ranger, who do you think of? Do you picture a big burly bearded man, covered in plaid? Would it blow your mind to see a woman ranger, wearing pink, with a pickaxe in tow? If so, consider your mind blown.
Meet Kat Barker, a trails and wilderness supervisor. She and her crew head to the backcountry for 8 day long trips of 10-hour work schedules, consisting of clearing downfall, maintaining drainage structures, trail and bridge construction, etc. It takes a tremendous amount of strength and wherewithal to perform the daily tasks and move camp every night. The job may be tough, but it comes with the best office space around. Every night ends with a good meal at the campfire with friends, and rest is sweetest after collapsing into a sleeping bag, every limb aching from the typical routine.
It’s inspiring to see this role, historically dominated by men, being filled by strong, independent women. Kat’s advice for young girls who hope to follow a similar career path is that, “You can do it! If you love being in the mountains and enjoy working really, really hard and sweating a lot, there is nothing stopping you. It can be difficult to get your foot in the door with public land management agencies, but do your applications, and call, call, call! Making actual connections with the people in charge of trails and wilderness programs goes a long way in getting hired. Or there are many other arenas like firefighting, range work, biology technicians, etc. that are open for newcomers as well. Once you get hired on, even more doors will open.”
Nothing beats a barrel of determination and love for nature. Let your passions be your driving force in life.
Kat is wearing: Carhartt Women’s Force Performance Quarter-Zip & Women’s Original-Fit Crawford Canvas Dungaree
Road Trip Hacks
Packing light and right can be a difficult task. Here are a few pointers I’ve discovered in my travels. One thing I’ve found to be true on every trip is that the more uses an item has, the more it comes in handy. Here are a few of my dual purpose road trip hacks.
Key products to bring along on any western road trip: Carhartt Women’s Calumet Long-Sleeve V-Neck, Carhartt Chicago Logo Tee (exclusively available in Chicago stores), Women’s Minot Shirt, Women’s Halley Shirt, Women’s Equestrian Belt, Women’s Cascade Jacket, Women’s Series 1889 Slim-Fit Double-Front Denim Dungaree, Carhartt Water Bottle, Clarkston Cami Tank, Carhartt Women’s El Paso Shorts, & Carhartt Legacy 23″ Gear Bag. All of these items are staples for an outdoor adventure. Make sure to pack clothing that can be layered and re-worn. The weather can be unpredictable. Come prepared.
Use mini storage bins to organize snacks, toiletries, and even jewelry. This helps when packing in a duffle bag where things get messy fast. On a road trip, having a variety of snacks at your fingertips keeps you entertained and satisfied with less food. Avoid salty items if possible. It will keep you from drinking too much water and the need for multiple bathroom breaks.
I always pack a few dryer sheets in my luggage. They keep dirty clothes from stinking up the rest of your things. Also, by rubbing a dryer sheet over a garment, you prevent static. That is an invaluable trick to know, particularly when it’s colder outside.
Save old pill bottles. They come in handy as waterproof containers. You can pack a mini first aid kit, fit a bottle filled with quarters into your car cup holder to facilitate paying road tolls, or even use it for moisturizers or hair care products. The secure lid will set your mind at ease. No one wants shampoo exploding all over their clothes.
Shower caps are a normal enough travel item. Obviously you can use them in the shower, but they’re also perfect for packing dirty boots. Let’s face it, Carhartt girls very rarely have clean boots. Truthfully, I leave shower caps on my Wellington’s even when I store them in my closet at home. If you’re staying a hotel, ask the front desk if they have extra caps available.
Ziplocks are another packing favorite of mine. I use them to optimize my organization. Keep your electronic cords and chargers together. Pack a bag with each day’s outfit, then load up the outfit bags into your duffle. This will save you time later and you won’t have to dig around for socks or a certain shirt later on. I often keep my phone in a ziplock when I know I’ll be outdoors a good bit of the time. Your phone can still sense touch through the plastic and it’s protected from dirt and rain.
Binder clips are a great thing to carry. You can use them for clipping sunglasses to the car visor, managing hair bands, covering shaving razors, clipping together receipts from your trip, etc… The possibilities are endless. Just buy a bag of these things to keep on hand. You’ll be glad you did.
Now get out there and have an adventure!
my travel outfit: Carhartt Women’s Pondera Shirt, Original-Fit Canvas Crawford Dungaree, & Women’s Wellington Boots
Barrel Racing Advice
People often forget that barrel racing is a rigorous sport. You and your horse have to communicate instantaneously. Time is the determining factor, so your movements must become one. With a misstep, it’s easy to hit or knock over a barrel, docking points and adding on seconds to your final count. Barrel racing is for the rugged at heart. Don’t let emotions get in the way. You are in command in as you trot into the arena.
“To do this sport, you’ve got to be a little fearless. You can’t be scared. Ride aggressive, be confident because it’s all or nothing, and the number one thing is you cannot ride timid!” -Charmayne James
The Essence of America
Happy Independence Day! Let’s not forget the freedom that came to Americans this day in 1776. May there be joy and appreciation. If you like the vest posted above, take a look at how to make one for yourself here.
A Simpler, More Sustainable Life
This is the time of year for recollecting and being with loved ones. It’s the season for taking a look at your life and feeling grateful. Perhaps it’s just the right time to rethink your approach to everyday. Maybe we don’t need all the odds and ends we wrap up and give to each other. Maybe we just need to take a deep breath, enjoy the nature around us, and connect with the people that mean the most to us.
Last week, I drove through snow and ice to meet up with Suzy Clark at her winter paradise. She and her husband run a 10 acre plot of field and forest called Sterling Homestead. They grow organic fruits and veggies, which they sell through CSA and local markets, and preserve their harvest during the winter months. Suzy and Joseph live almost entirely off the grid with solar power, wood heat, and no running water in their charming cabin.
Without the distractions of television, internet, and cell phones, there is a sense of peace that exudes from warmth of their home. Over a cup of coffee and the smell of baking bread, Suzy and I chatted about the ins and outs of leading a more sustainable life. Their interest in permaculture practices (that’s environmental design that develops sustainable agriculture modeled after natural ecosystems) has taught them so much. What can you learn from taking a peak into Suzy’s everyday? Maybe we all could take some time to disconnect with technology for a bit and really link in to the immediate world around us.
Check out the winter work outfit that keeps Suzy warm during the bone chilling Wisconsin winter: Carhartt Women’s Sandstone Kenai Parka, Women’s Series 1989 Slim Double Front Dungaree, Force Performance Quarter-Zip Shirt, & Women’s Quilt’s Glove.
Crafted in Carhartt 