The history of hammocks

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.

Another National Camp at Home Day has come and gone, and we can’t say thanks enough to everyone who participated. You wowed us yet again with your creativity. From indoor campfires and starry skies to an actual outdoor igloo, you guys absolutely crushed it. We geeked out over your clever hammock spots and perfectly roasted mallows, but with over 500 campsites globally, more than anything we were in awe of the sense of community that continues to develop around this event. This year, as we focused more on preparedness, we invited a few of our friends to share a bit about hitting the trail, sustainable camping, adventuring with kids, and a whole lot more. Check out our previous blog posts if you haven’t already, and get ready for the camping season! It’s spring here in Texas, with wild flowers blooming and bright green leaves budding from formerly barren trees, and the Kammok team is ready to hit the trail. We hope you’ll do the same. Take the confidence of having just pitched your tent in your backyard or living room, and go check off a new national or state park! This day started as a way to cope with the quarantine blues, but with your help, we hope to build this into a community event for campers who are always learning and preparing for the next big adventure. If you haven’t already, join the conversation on our National Camp at Home Day Facebook group. We created this space for people to learn and get inspired from one another, and as a way to help each other get ready for whatever campsite is calling you next. Share your favorite gear, camping recipes, parks, or whatever gets you excited to be outside with the people you love.  Until next year, campers! We’ll see you on the trail.

Dr. Felicia Wong is a physician, outdoor enthusiast, and wellness blogger based in Southern California. Between her and her husband (also a physician)'s busy work schedules, raising two young sons, and running her popular Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog on adventure tips, she exemplifies what it means to live intentionally and joyfully with her family. The Wong family can be found hiking, biking, enjoying a day at the beach or skiing in the nearby mountains on any given weekend. However, one of their favorite activities is camping. In this blog post, Dr. Felicia Wong shares her experience gradually introducing the wonders of camp to her family.     It can be done, and it can be enjoyable. This is the most popular post request I’ve gotten from our friends and the Instagram community. Disclaimer – I’m writing this post for those who have never camped before, who may not consider themselves “outdoorsy”, and/ or who might be feeling a bit intimated about staying anywhere other than a hotel (aka “camping phobia”). I recognize that there are many individuals and families who are camping experts, and whom I’d love to learn a thing or two from, but for this post – I’m sharing how my family went from hotel to glamping to camping enthusiasts.  If we can do it, you can too! Growing up in New England, raised by immigrant Chinese parents , my exposure to camping was fairly limited. My parents did bring my brother and me tent camping a couple of times when we were little. But that promptly stopped after we were caught, unprepared, in torrential downpour which leaked into our tent and soaked us and our belongings. My interest in camping was piqued again years later when I went on overnight backpacking camping trips in West Virginia the summer after high school during National Youth Science Camp. During college, I intended to join the wilderness club. But then 1) The Blair Witch Project (for those of you who were born after 2000, this was a horror camping movie) came out; and 2) a dancing injury left me with chronic back pain for several years. These derailed my plan to get out and camp for a few years. Then medical school and residency happened, which meant not a lot of time for much else other than studying. Finally, in 2015, I decided it was time to give camping another go, and I dragged my entire family (husband, toddler, infant, and parents) with me. When our youngest son was 3 months old, we booked a glamping cabin at El Capitan Canyon . It was a perfect intro back into the “wilderness”.  We purchased their BBQ Canyon Tri-Tip Kit, cooked it over an open flame, and then enjoyed S’mores and hot chocolate around the campfire. We not only survived this wilderness experience, we had a great time. The next summer 2016, we decided to try again. This time, we stayed in the most adorable and fun vintage trailers in a camp community set up by hosts Andy and Liz of The Holidays in San Clemente.  The four of us stayed in the trailer, and my parents pitched a small tent next to our trailer. Our friends and their boys (new to camping) joined us on this trip as well. I think the pictures speak for themselves. We had a blast. We’ve returned to The Holidays every summer since. In 2017, my husband and I were trying to figure out what to do for our anniversary (which happens to be in August), and we decided it would be nice to share a new experience as a family. We chose the Crystal Cove Moro Campground as our inaugural tent campsite. We researched and bought recommended camp gear, and drove 20 minutes from our home to this bluff side campground with an ocean view. We braced ourself, thinking we’re close to home and it’s just one night. When morning came, we didn’t want to leave. Success! This is another campsite we’ve continued to return to each summer. Since then, we’ve done a few more camping trips throughout Southern California including at William Heise County Park in Julian, and on a private farm in Oak Glen via hipcamp. This past summer, we glamped at Under Canvas Zion.  It’s safe to say, we’ve become camping/glamping enthusiasts and ambassadors. We love it, and have convinced several other friends and families to join us. We hope this post inspires you to give it a try as well! Summary of tips: If you’ve never camped before and/or do not own any camping gear, try easing into the camping experience with glamping.  There are many great options available these days throughout the US and internationally. A good place to search is Glamping Hub. It’s important to prepare and invest in the gear that you need to be comfortable. For some, this means a tarp and sleeping bag. For others, it means an air mattress. There is no right or wrong way to camp. Do what works for you! Campsites with views (i.e. those near beaches, or in national or state parks) tend to be high demand. Research the booking window, and make sure you are ready to book when those dates open (for many places, it is 6 months to 1 year out). A great resource we love for private and unique campsites is hipcamp.  For $10 off your first booking on hipcamp, you can use the code “EVERYDAYADVENTUREFAM“, or follow this link. There is a range of primitive camping to glamping options available on hipcamp. If possible, it might be good idea try booking your first camping trip close to home and/ or close to some amenities and civilization. This will reduce your “what if I forgot this, what will I eat, or what if the baby can’t sleep in the tent?” anxiety. We’ve never actually gone home to get anything while camping, but it is reassuring to know that we could, especially when travelling with young kids. When camping with 4 other families this past summer, we brought and cooked most of our camp meals, but it was nice to be able to order pizza for one of the meals. I repeat and stress. There is no right or wrong way to camp. What’s important, is that you try it. If you’re comfortable and prepared, you’ll enjoy it more. Here are some links to help with your planning. Happy Camping! Reserve California: https://www.reservecalifornia.com San Diego County Parks: http://reservations.sdparks.org El Capitan Canyon – Santa Barbara glamping: http://www.elcapitancanyon.com Under Canvas (Zion, Grand Canyon, Moab etc) : http://www.undercanvas.com The Holidays:  www.theholidaysca.com, book on Reserve California Hipcamp:  www.hipcamp.com ($10 off code “EVERYDAYADVENTUREFAM) Glampinghub: http://www.glampinghub.com Airbnb: http://www.airbnb.com ($40 off code with this link) has glamping options such as yurts and canvas tents.   I've you've never been camping with kids, National Camp At Home Day is perfect excuse to build a campsite in the backyard and learn what you like and where you can improve before heading into the wilderness. Check out Dr. Felicia Wong's glamping gear guide to get started on your next adventure. For more family camping, traveling tips and inspiration, follow her Instagram account Everyday Adventure Fam and blog. 

The past few weeks have been filled with discussion, both internally as a company and as nine individuals in pursuit of social justice. At Kammok, we exist to promote human flourishing through adventure outside, but people cannot flourish when racism is putting lives in danger every day. We believe community is transformative to create lasting change, and we all need to address the racial divide in this country. We champion love as our chief core value, and staying silent about systematic injustice is not loving. As an ally to the Black community, people of color, and underrepresented voices in the outdoors, we are committed to fighting for justice, and to acting on what is right. Immediately, we are donating to nonprofits, matching employee donations up to $2K to organizations fighting against injustice, inequality, and racism. This isn’t a one-time donation. As part of our ongoing commitment to give 1% of revenue to social and environmental initiatives, we are identifying organizations that build inclusivity and equity in the outdoors so that Kammok can invest and enable them long-term. We've supported Explore Austin since 2017 to empower youth through outdoor mentorship, and we will continue to support as we expand our scope for giving. We have a platform, and eyes and ears from a receptive community that shares our mission to elevate time outside for all people. We ask our Kammok community to reflect on the impacts you can make. These are our first of many steps to hold us accountable for the change we wish to see. It's on us to work towards change together.   Greg McEvilly CEO/Founder and Team Kammok