Posts

Showing posts from January, 2016

Gear Review: Life Outdoorz Hammock Straps

By -
Image
Hammock Hanging with My Life Outdoorz Straps Editor's Note - October 6, 2025: Although I still own these hammock straps and use them occasionally, they are no longer available, and it appears that the company no longer exists.  I was excited to get a new set of hammock straps because it had been way too long since I’d used my hammock.  Life Outdoorz hammock straps compelled me to recommit to incorporating my hammock back into my adventure rotation.  With that said, I decided to head out on a camping trip with my dog, BeeGee.  The straps are 10 feet long and 2 inches wide, weighing 23 ounces, and have the incredible ability to hold 2,204 pounds.  The straps are wrapped around a tree, fed back through a metal O-Ring, and then 1 of the carabiners hooks onto your hammock.  While you are at it, check out the   Life   Outdoorz   website; however, be prepared because the website is incredibly underwhelming. BeeGee and I are in our hammoc...
2 comments
Read more

Gear Review: Tlishtan Bike Pump

By -
Image
Testing Out my New Mini Bike Pump So I was lucky enough to receive a free bike pump from Tlishtan.  The pump feels durable and is 8 inches when in its compact mode.  Another nice feature is a life time warranty; however, after searching for a website, Tlishtan doesn’t have one.  So I wouldn’t put much faith in that.  Thankfully, instructions aren’t really required for a pump and the instructions printed on the package are more than enough to get you going.  So sit back and continue to read the review. Opening up my new bike pump When I received my Tlishtan Bike Pump, I was a little surprised by what was in the package.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pump with a design like this.  The pump has an internal screw on connector that slides out instead of the normal fixed end.  Tlishtan made its pump out of aluminum and the ability to connect to Presta and Schrader valves.  Furthermore, this pump weighs is on the heavy side ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Trip Report: Trail of Lights, Austin TX

By -
Image
A Walk through Austin’s Trail of Lights On the 18 th of December, Linda and I headed out to the Trail of Lights in Zilker Park, here in Austin.  The Trail of Lights (TOL) is similar to Santa's Ranch and the Hidalgo Festival of Lights ; the difference is that people walk, not drive, through the TOL .  Before going, I thoroughly checked to see if pets were allowed, but unfortunately, they wanted BeeGee (and her soon-to-be-included sister) to stay home.  Our trip, on a chilly night, began with a Capital MetroRail ride downtown and then a shuttle ride to Zilker Park.     Selfie at the Zilker Tree! Trail of Light’s Background Information The Trail of Lights (TOL) began in 1965 as the Yule Fest and is now 1.25-miles long.  After 50 years, TOL has evolved from a small community event into the large event that it is today.  There are multiple activities at TOL: there is a fun run, pictures with Santa, a Yule log, a Ferris wheel and ca...
2 comments
Read more

Popular posts from this blog

Trip Report: Sherwood Forest Faire

By -
Image
First Time at Sherwood Forest I have recently been introduced to the fun world of Renaissance festivals, so Jack and I took a trip to the Ren Faire in McDade, Texas. Upon arrival, a group of characters were handing out flyers to gain attention for their show, which happened to be called Blunt Force Drama. Once Jack and I finally made it through the festival gates, Blunt Force was one of the first shows running. So of course, we stopped there. The show is a melee fighting tournament mixed with adult humor. The show starts by picking judges from the crowd, and then the fighting begins. They even have adult humor commercials while you wait for the next round. I thoroughly enjoyed the fighting and the humor, but some might find it offensive (it was pretty racy). Also, I wouldn't take kids. Once the show finished, we followed Jack's policy of taking a lap around the grounds to see what shops and shows were available. This led me to find some awesome leather ar...
Read more

Tubing Down the San Marcos River

By -
Image
Tubing Down the San Marcos River Linda here for Adventures with BeeGee. We’ve been adventuring more aggressively since the Salkantay trek. My goal this August is to continue the adventuring while catching up on blog entries to ensure we preserve these great memories. On Saturday, July 20th, Jarrett, a friend of ours, and I went tubing down the San Marcos River. I realized I had been living in Austin for almost four years now and had not done this iconic Hill Country tourist activity. To be honest, we probably hadn't done it before because I only learned how to swim last year and am not the most comfortable in the water. The San Marcos River is relatively shallow, and the heat in Texas is unbearable, so if you want to enjoy the outdoors but are uncomfortable with water, this is a great option. The water is initially cold, but once the sun comes out, it starts feeling like a great relief from just lying on your tube. If you’re comfortable with water and swimming, I su...
Read more

Trip Report: Big Bend Round 2

By -
Image
Preparing for the 100-mile Extended Mountain Loop It’s been a while, but I finally found the time to make it back out to Big Bend National Park. If you are interested in our first trip to Big Bend, you can follow along here: Big Bend 2015 . I headed out for the trip around 2 pm on December 2, 2018, for what I’ve termed the Extended Outer Mountain Loop, a 100-mile backpacking trip spanning 7 days. The plan was to meet up with my dad, Bmo, in the Chisos Mountains, cache water, and then start the adventure. Planned 7-day route for Big Bend National Park Big Bend National Park Background Location: 310, Alsate Dr, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834 Admission: $25 per vehicle, $14 campsites, $12 backcountry pass Elevation: 1,800 to 7,832 ft. Weather: Varied from rainy, cloudy, and sunny, 30 to 65°F Difficulty: Strenuous Website: https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm   7 days' worth of food The Drive Out I didn't get to leave as early as I would have liked ...
Read more