One day.. One day I'll Hike the AT

Since I got into hiking and the outdoors I've seen a lot of pictures and read a great number of fantastic places from around the globe.  One place that I always keep coming back to is the Appalachian Trail. Running between Georgia and Maine, the AT is about 2,200 miles long and goes through 14 different states.

I don't see myself doing a thru-hike of the trail any time soon, but it's always nice to see what I may have in store.  And thanks to this video we've got a chance to travel the Appalachian Trail without leaving home.

Valley of Fire State Park: Heaven Near Sin City

One of my favourite vacation destinations is Las Vegas. It has everything you could want. World class food, one-of-a-kind shows, lavish accommodations at a reasonable price, lots of drinks, second-to-none people watching and the occasional casino.

It's easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip, with it's bright lights and themed mega-resorts. People often forget that Las Vegas is in the middle of the Mojave Desert and about an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the Strip is Valley of Fire State Park. This gem offers day hiking and camping plus naturescapes that are unmatched and a multitude of different plants and animals.

Valley of Fire is a little slice of virtue in the shadow of Sin City.

A Taste of Backpacking Through Asia

So much of the talk of backpacking and long distance hiking revolves are the big three; the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and the Appalachian Trail. And even more of the backpacking talk focuses on the United States.  But have you taken time to travel the world with a pack strapped to your back? Seen the sites of the forests of Germany or the mountains of Switzerland or Nepal?  How about taking a few months and backpacking Asia.  So many vastly different cultures with unique people, traditions, attractions and history.

If you've never had the time or money to spend three months backpacking Asia, you're in for a treat.  And rather than three months, you'll get a quick sample in just 60 seconds.

Backpacking in 60 Seconds from Jordan Taylor on Vimeo.

A Bucket List Hike

I'm still fairly green when it comes to hiking. I'm getting in to shape more and more with every day hike. I'm feeling stronger with every hill and more confident in my abilities.  But I mentioned in the first post on the blog that one of my goals for the very near future was the venture to the Adirondacks and hike the highest peak in New York, Mount Marcy.

My fitness isn't where it needs to be just yet, so while Marcy is still on my list to check off as a major accomplishment it likely won't be this summer.  But this clip from Campology keeps me wanting to get out on the trail, get in shape and reach the summit.

A Birthday Celebration for Nature Lovers

The news is great for Canadians, and anyone visiting Canada and looking to explore the outdoors. As we close in on the nation's 149th birthday, a day when Canadians will be granted free admission to the national parks, it is a great chance to remind readers what is in store for next year at the parks.

As part of Canada's 150th birthday the Government of Canada announced that admission to all national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas will be free for all visitors in 2017.

Google Street View Going Off-Road

Google is everywhere! And this summer that everywhere is going to include over 1500 kilometres of forest and mountains in British Columbia.

The initiative is a partnership between Destination BC, Northern BC Tourism and the Internet giant, with the hopes of showing off the the beautifully unique terrain of Canada's west coast.

Great Things Happen When Guys Go Camping

Easily one of the best things about getting outdoors and hiking or being active is meeting like-minded people to share stories and experiences with. There’s something motivating about meeting someone in your travels and hearing their stories about hiking through the places you want to go, or experiencing something you thought wasn’t possible for you.

In addition to the feeling of accomplishment and peace from going out into nature, these interactions are ones that I cherish and it was in preparation for The Portly Hiker blog that I stumbled across a group with similar goals to my own.

Let's Start at the Trailhead

Who is the Portly Hiker and How did we get here?

It only seems fair that if I share my thoughts with you, that I let you know a little about me and how I got to this point, give you a little background on me as a hiker and a person, what motivates me to hit the trail.

I’m rapidly approaching my 35^th birthday and I’ve been hiking for about a year.  Yes, you read that right! About a year. Approximately 52 weeks. Roughly 365 days.  Not very long at all. I don’t claim to be a hiking expert. In fact I’m quite clearly the opposite. I’m about as green as they come when it comes to hiking, backpacking and even camping.  I was never the outdoors type.

So Here We Are..

The blog is setup.. loosely.. and the Portly Hiker is set to get moving.

Now here's the situation. I wanted a place to get back to writing. I've got some things in my future the are rather exciting to me and I wanted a place to talk about that. And I wanted to do a little bit of playing around with websites.

Thus, the Portly Hiker is born.