10 Best photos from #theroolife in August

By Luisa Vargas The weather in Austin has been less than ideal (by Texan standards). We’ve seen more rain these past few weeks than we do all year, and Thursday was the hundredth consecutive day of thunderstorms. Or at least if felt that way! The result of constant rainfall at the Barton Creek Greenbelt trail in Austin, TX.   Wednesday night, our team decided to hold off on doing Taco Tri as the thunderstorms were getting pretty bad. It turns out all it did was rain that day. But the fun part about a virtual Taco Tri is that even though we didn’t get to participate in Austin, people all over the world did. Photo of  Seth Tullar (right) in Australia. This month was particularly exciting because our friends in Australia participated! This is one the furthest away someone has been whose taken part in Taco Tri. Thank you, Seth, for tri-ing with us! We hope the weather was better “down under." Abelardo was runner up in the competition taking part in the tri in Alaska!  We hope next month we’ll be able to Taco Tri again in Austin and can’t wait to see what other exciting places people will participate on July 1st!

When you start smelling charcoal in your neighborhood on a nightly basis, you know it’s peak backyard season. There’s no better place to enjoy time outside than in your own outdoor space, hanging out with friends and family. Even in urban environments, your backyard has the potential to provide the daily nature relief you’re probably craving—a slow evening watching the fireflies dance after hustling through your busy day to day. We know you have a lot going on, which is why we think it’s even more important to press pause on the to-do list and make room in your schedule for time outside. Swiftlet and a Roo Hammock The Swiftlet is a no brainer for any backyard—especially one void of trees. If you’re working from home, your Swiftlet will be your go-to place to lounge for those long phone calls and lunch breaks. This portable hammock stand has lightweight, go-anywhere capabilities that make it perfect for moving around the yard, from lounging poolside to roasting mallows at the fire pit. With the addition of a Roo hammock, this will quickly become the most popular piece of outdoor furniture you own. Hang the Roo Double when you want company, and opt for the Roo Single when you’re looking for some me time. We know you need it. Roo singles are currently 20% off! Shop the whole Memorial Day Sale here. Field Blanket We’re not in full-on summer mode yet, so having a backyard blanket is nice for those brisk evenings. And even when the temperatures are hitting triple digits, your Field Blanket will make for the most comfortable picnic spot in the neighborhood. The water repellent ripstop shell provides the durability you need on the underside, while the microfleece offers a soft place to soak up the sun. Plus, with its DWR coating, your Field Blanket is protected from both the spring showers and the unexpected spills. No matter what you throw at it, this do-all blanket will never stop performing. Shop our Memorial Day Sale for 20% off. Field Blanket Jr. No more worrying about your hand-woven alpaca throw—we’ve got just the right blanket for your little one’s adventurous side. Just like its namesake, the Field Blanket Jr. is soft, durable, and ready for backyard and basecamp adventures alike. We made this version especially for our smaller campers—just the right fit and equally spill friendly. If you’re tired of your nice blankets getting literally dragged through the mud, you can take comfort knowing this smaller blanket will fit just right when in poncho mode. Plus, if it happens to get dirty (we know it will), the Field Blanket Jr. washes easily in no time at all. Whether they’re hanging it up to build a fort or donning it as a cape, Field Blanket Jr. is ready to play. It’s also 25% off during our Memorial Day Sale. Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard fires in spring are essential, and the Solo Stove Bonfire makes the experience even more enjoyable. Most fire pits are prone to annoying levels of smoke due to poor air flow, and Solo Stove has fixed that with their line of backyard products. Bonfire burns efficiently, keeping the smoke to a minimum, so you never have to bounce from one side to the other with a slight change in the wind. Additionally, the storage bag makes it incredibly easy to pack up the Bonfire and take it on adventures! Throw in some s’mores supplies, and you’ve got yourself a backyard party everyone will want to join. Backyard weather doesn’t last all season, so take full advantage while you can. Other must haves we love for any outdoor space are yard games like Kubb and Cornhole, a grill of your choosing to take meals outside, and string lights to keep the hangs going all night. Tag us in your backyard photos on Instagram or with #TimeOutside—we can’t wait to see what you come up with! And shop our Memorial Day Sale, now through May 31, for more savings on your favorite outdoor gear.

Our outdoor community is built on seeking adventure. Sometimes this means spending time in harsh weather conditions and challenging ourselves physically, while other times it means having difficult conversations and changing our perspective. In this three-part series, we'll be sharing the stories of individuals redefining what it means to be outside. Written by Luisa Vargas. At the beginning of February, we witnessed the power of community. Slim Pickings Outfitters is the first Black-owned outdoor shop in the nation. They’re a fellow Texan business whose home is not too far from ours in Stephenville, TX. Their mission is bringing diversity to the outdoors and building a space where everyone feels welcome and supported. Like most small businesses, the pandemic hit them hard. When The Outbound Collective caught hold of Slim Picking’s struggles, they quickly set up a Go Fund Me, and with the help of social media, in just three days they raised over $100,000 and hit record sales. People saved Slim Pickings Outfitters and everything they stand for. This brings me hope. It’s proof that collective power is real and we each have a part to play in it. If you’re reading this, you likely want to do something to help, and I’m here to remind you that you can. You can start by supporting organizations and businesses led by Blacks, LatinX, Asians, Muslims, Immigrants, LGBTQ+, and people with disabilities. It’s in the intersectionality of these groups that we will bring about transformational change. Today, we’ll be learning about Aleshea Carriere’s life. Listening is one small thing we can all do, but actions still speak louder than words. At the end of this post, you’ll find a list of resources and things you can do to help others like Slim Pickings Outfitters. For now, let’s dive into the story behind Glitz n Grits. Aleshea at Guadalupe Peak: 8,749 feet Aleshea Carriere was 5 years old when she came home from school with a Girl Scouts flyer asking her mom if she could join a troop. This didn’t mean she would automatically be participating in outdoor activities, but her mind was set on being outside. Alesha’s mom volunteered to lead the new group of 20 girls who wanted to take part in this adventure. While Aleshea’s sister’s troop focused on more scientific learning, Aleshea was adamant about getting to do the adventurous stuff.  Girl Scouts became Aleshea’s way of exploring the outdoors. Aleshea and her Girl Scout troop on her first campout at Eisenhower state park Aleshea studied history and political science in college with ambitions to go to law school, but after interning with a law office, she realized it wasn’t for her. Aleshea says she accidentally stumbled into a teaching job but continued to spend her free time in nature and taking pictures. After working seven years in education she decided that it wasn’t a job that fueled her. She decided to quit her job, and that summer Glitz n Grits was born. What started as a food blog quickly developed into a travel and outdoor adventure blog as well. “I heard the song ‘My Texas’ by Josh Abbott after college and realized I had lived here my whole life and hadn’t done half the stuff in Texas,” Aleshea says. She started sharing the outdoor activities she was doing and recognized that she was an anomaly. People were asking her why she was spending so much time outdoors, and that’s when she connected the dots. “The Civil Rights Act wasn’t passed until 1964. So when people ask why Black children are nine times more likely to die from drowning, I explain that my mother was born before 1964, so there was a time she wasn’t allowed in public swimming pools or public places,” Aleshea says. As she began sharing more, more people wanted to learn more. Aleshea enjoying a day of exploring Texas Eventually, Aleshea was asked to come back to Girl Scouts and help plan trips to places such as Arches National Park. Before the pandemic, she led a backpacking troop in Plano. When Aleshea sat down with the girls and asked them what outdoor activities they wanted to do, there were many responses. Aleshea said a little Black girl told her, “I want to climb a mountain.” To which Aleshea responded, “Okay we can do that.” Aleshea recalls that the girl’s eyes lit up as she asked, “Really? You can take me to climb a mountain?” Aleshea replied, “Girl, we’re going to climb a mountain.” Partly, it’s businesses that fail to show a wide range of humans on their platforms. Another part is that people don’t see different kinds of people out on the trails. Not only different races but ages, abilities, and genders.   Aleshea volunteering at Day Camp Aleshea shared several instances where people have stopped her on the trail asking her if she knows where she’s going or what she’s doing. “The number of people that stop us to make sure we know what we’re doing. I think, do you not see the backpacks, poles, and water bottles?” Aleshea says. She also shared that on a trip to Caprock Canyons State Park, she was with a friend who is white and LGBTQ+, and people were shocked when he said he was an Eagle Scout. “When I say yeah people who identify as LGBTQ+ can be in Eagle Scouts, they’ll just look at me,” Aleshea says. At Girl Scouts they have a saying, “you can’t be what you can’t see,” and Aleshea says that can be applied to diversity in outdoor spaces. If we don’t see others who look like us climbing mountains, we begin to believe that’s not a possibility for us. While there is still so much work to do, Aleshea shares the progress between generations. “I was joking with someone that this is my ancestor’s wildest dreams. I’m getting to do things they probably never got to do or would’ve thought of doing,” Aleshea says. Organizations to support: GirlTrek Adaptive Climbing Co  Indigenous Women Hike Check out Trailey’s guide of resources here.

If you’ve been following along this summer, you know that former Kammok marketing + creative lead Andrew Glenn left his home in Texas this April to conquer another long-distance trail. A seasoned thru-hiker, Andrew completed the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017 and John Muir Trail in 2018. This year, he’s on a mission to connect the Continental Divide Trail, a 3,100 mile trail through the Rocky Mountains, to the Great Divide Trail, a 700 mile stretch that follows the divide between Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. To our knowledge, Andrew is the first CDT hiker to advance northbound through Colorado this year, which was slammed with record snowfall and avalanches. Ahead of the pack, Andrew recently completed the Wind River Range in Wyoming and will begin his hike through Yellowstone National Park later this week. Throughout his trek, Andrew’s been testing a new 20º Kammok quilt and repping our Kuhli Ultralight tarp. We checked in with him this past week to see how life on the trail’s been treating him and how his gear is holding up. First things first. How are you feeling? You know, I’ve attempted a few responses to this question, but, though each true, I haven’t found a way to note my feelings with justice. On the very surface, I’m exhausted by another 30 mile day. I’m a little freaked by this hail storm I’m hunkered down in, but I’m happy to have packed out extra snacks and the Kuhli UL is holding up strong. My right knee is a little sore, and I definitely need to pick up better sunscreen in the next town.A little deeper down, there’s a vortex of complicated feelings. Holy smokes, I’m grateful for the moments composing the hike, and I’m curious what lies in the miles ahead. I’m feeling relief and pride with the seeming crux of the hike in the rear view, while dueling the gravity of Canada pulling me closer and closer — all while trying to focus on being present.Haha I guess I’m feeling a lot, and it’s good stuff. Colorado was a challenge mentally and physically. How has the trail in Wyoming been so far? Oof, Colorado. Wyoming is remarkable. I haven’t been here since I was a kiddo, and I admittedly underestimated its grandeur. Down south, the mountains flattened into the Great Divide Basin, a true Wild West landscape with open skies and wild horses.  From there, the trail jumped from the Basin into the Wind River Range. Y’all. I’m unable to paint an adequate picture of these mountains, but imagine a dense High Sierra, with valley features of Yosemite Valley and Hetch Hetchy Valley, and granite towers comparable to Patagonia. The Cirque of the Towers and Titcomb Basin/Knapsack Col fought for my attention and won it with ease. Anyway, that’s the Winds.  Tomorrow, I’ll exit the Winds and jet towards Yellowstone. I will probably wrap Wyoming on Monday or Tuesday. I can’t wait to come back. The Tetons are calling my name. What’s a challenge ahead for you? To set up for the GDT with a comfortable late-season start date, I will need to wrap the CDT within the next 5 weeks. This deadline brings a pressure of timing and pace I’ve been familiar with so far, but now is the time to kick into gear, testing stamina with few sub-30 mile days til Canada. This time on trail, what has community looked like for you? When have you felt love? This time around, I’ve recognized the pulse and value of community as it’s taken many different forms on trail. Through New Mexico, I hiked and shared camp with other hikers, similar to the majority of my time on the PCT. It was sweet, simple, and some of my favorite miles I’ve thru-hiked.Since early Colorado, I’ve been rolling solo, with the occasional run-in with a SOBO (southbound hiker), section hiker, or day hiker. This means my community is built by infrequent interactions with passing strangers – the woman serving me copious amounts of coffee at the small-town diner, the man at the post office, the gaggle of first time backpackers at a trailhead. As my time with other people is acute and limited, I’ve found myself to be more intentional with those I do cross paths with. Whether it’s a craving of human connections or a growing heart towards empathy, the trail is teaching and holding me accountable in the way I value others. It’s special. In the days that you’ve had company, what have you learned from other hikers on trail? Hikers are continuously teaching me how to duel optimism and grit in their individual way. Choosing positivity is a must out here, and so much of that comes down to perspective, one’s worldview, and keeping a pulse on self, especially in times that test your patience.Through this, I’m learning the importance of self-confidence and independence as an asset in leading others and building community. We all have something to offer. And, as always, I’m learning how to match the generosity and hospitality, even from other hikers, I’ve experienced in the hikersphere. It’s beautiful and inspiring. Switching gears here, what's been the most clutch piece of gear in your pack? Oh, gosh. I think there’s a rightful expectation for me to answer with one of the Big 3 (pack, shelter, insulation), as these pieces keep me alive and moving. But to switch things up, I’m going to say my bandana, the 1 oz Swiss Army Knife of possibilities. It’s kept me covered from ticks, shaded from the heat, and cooled after dunked in a stream. It cleans my food jar and has braced my knee. I have a thing for bandanas, and this one is no exception! You’ve cowboy camped nearly every night. Favorite tarp set-up and location so far? Oooooo, I have a strong Top 3, but I’m going to roll with the first night I camped solo in Colorado. I hadn’t camped alone since the first few days of trail, and I found a killer snow-free saddle to pitch the tarp. Deep down, I think I understood it may be the first night of weeks, possibly months, of camping alone. I was pretty proud of my spaceship pitch as the sunset beamed over the Continental Divide, exposing the dramatic peaks of the West Collegiates, my soon-to-be playground for the week. Finally, one catch-your-breath moment on trail that you can’t stop thinking about? I’ve been joking that I have a before-Lake-Ann-Pass and post-Lake-Ann-Pass self. I think a new cord was struck then, strummed with gratitude, fear, humility, and pride.Lake Ann Pass, the second-to-last northbound pass of Colorado’s West Collegiates, is known to rock a pretty gnarly cornice, even in low-moderate snow years. This year wasn’t an exception, and a record snowfall only helped its height and length. When I arrived, posting the first steps of the year on the pass, the cornice took up the entire length of the pass. I took a moment to be bummed about the conditions, but I quickly assessed the situation and made moves to get the heck down. With a backdrop of snowy mountains in early daylight, I made an anchor with my ice axe and maneuvered over the cornice, kicking steps with my crampons and holding my breath.After safely descending the icy wall, I was in a cavity of beautiful mountains and the reality of calling the Divide home really sank in. Yeah, I think that’s my top moment. Interested in daily updates from Andrew on trail? Check out his instagram @andrewglenn_ where he shares stories and special moments from trail. You can also learn more about his thru-hike on his website stilloutside.com.