Metro to Mountain Journal

Yesterday was Thanksgiving 2008, so I wanted to jot down a few reasons to be thankful:

Thanks for my health of mind, body, and soul - though some may think I don't have much to be thankful for, I try to use what I have.

Thanks for personal freedoms - living in the land of the free is worthy.

Thanks for my wife, daughter, and dog - well for the rest of my family too, but they are the primaries.

Now that we have the important stuff out of the way...

Thankful that all my wishes are not granted - I really didn't want them all to come true.

Thankful for water and food - have you ever been in the backcountry (no stores) and just been in need? It really breaks it down to the basics.

Thankful for a good rain jacket - actually I am fortunate enough to have a selection of rain gear, but I am always looking for the perfect storm defender: a light, dry, and breathable coat. When you’re caught in freezing rain miles from the TH it is the savior.

While I'm celebrating jackets, I am also thankful for a warm jacket - warm enough to warm me up no matter how cold I am. When you have to hunker down, pull out that parka and enjoy, you don’t have to be miserable but you might have to be stronger to carry the weight.

Thankful for that “thank-God-hold” - the perfect handhold that once you grab it, your confidence returns and you don’t fall thousands of feet.

Thankful for my s-kit - which always stays in my pack and contains toilet paper, dog poop bags, and baby wipes. Okay I know that snow, a smooth rock, a stick or leaves will work, but none work as well as tp. Don’t leave home without it.

We all have so many things to be thankful for, so don't forget to mention those special things you need to be outdoorish and alive.

Happy turkey trails.