​*MISFIT HIKER SHOWCASE*

“I found myself lost living in a new state and needing another change in life in 2016. I came across the 52 Hike Challenge and that was the beginning of my hiking lifestyle. My first thoughts were there's no way I can complete 52 hikes in a year; one hike a week. Funny part was that I found myself hiking more than that per week. I found myself seeing Arizona like no regular people would see it. Hiking has taught me to be more calm and to challenge myself physically and mentally. Finding myself pregnant at 43, wondering how was I going to continue hiking with a child, has been the best experience ever. Teaching and raising my daughter to love the outdoors has brought me more close to nature. Before moving to Arizona, I wasn't a hiker -now I'm glad hiking has become the most important part of my lifestyle.” — Michelle, (@hikerocknroll).
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Pronouns: She/Hers
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Michelle is an ambassador for the Phoenix Hikerbabes Chapter in Arizona. She runs the chapters facebook page and started an Instagram page to share the Phoenix ladies photos from their adventures. Her goal is to encourage other like-minded women to get outdoors.
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Tag #misfithikers to be showcased!
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[Image Description: A woman with tats, wearing a pink brimmed ballcap, black shorts, and glasses, walks on a dirt path in the desert.  She has on a backpack with blueish straps.  She is smiling down at a toddler wearing a pink t-short and short.  The toddler is carrying a babydoll wearing a blue/green outfit.  Mountains rise in the background, and scraggly brush and rocks dot either side of the trail.] 

​*MISFIT HIKERS SHOWCASE*
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“Growing up in a city and the youngest of 4 kids in the 1960s, I always felt a little out of the mainstream, a misfit. Most of my friends and family were city people but I was drawn to nature from my earliest memories. My favorite TV shows were about nature and I took every opportunity to get out of the city and go walking in the woods.
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As I grew older, I also increasingly became aware of another unusual feeling. You see, I was assigned male at birth based upon my genitilia like everyone is. But they couldn't see my heart, soul and mind. At this time there was no Internet, no support groups, no words to describe my feelings. So I followed the path that was given to me. It wasn't my path but it was my only choice.
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By the early 1970s I began to understand that I wasn't alone. But the information was still sparse and erroneous. So I struggled with this civil war in my soul, seeking help through counseling and reading anything I could get my hands on.
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But I didn't fit neatly into a box or label...I was a true misfit. This lasted for over 40 years cycling episodes of depression and confusion with episodes of certainty that I wasn't Transgender. But I was.
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Finally in 2008 I began my journey to myself and came out publicly in 2016. I couldn't be happier (other than losing some "friends and family"). And all through this my love of hiking has sustained me. Before my transition (gender revelation, not transition), I hiked to run away from myself by taking on the personna of a rugged "mountain man". Now that I've shed my lies, I hike as the woman I've always been without pretension and unafraid to show my full self as a Tomboy kind of woman, being a badass hiker chick! And I finally love my life!” – Stephanie (@Trans_zen_hiker_nhsteph)
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Pronouns: She/Her/Hers
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Tag #misfithikers to be showcased!
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[Image Description:  Stephanie stands smiling as she pulls a grey glove from her hand.  She is wearing a blue skirt, black leggings, black long-sleeved shirt and a blue buff.  Her cheeks are rosy and her blond hair tied in a pony tail.  Tall, snow-covered pine trees line both sides of a snow covered path.  Orange hiking poles stand crossed, off to one side.] 

“I was never much for the outdoors- even living in Colorado - until I got my pup Callie. I am so thankful to her and her love for the outdoors. I had a hard couple of years between my health and family and being outside has brought a calmness back to my life. Nature has become my happy place, my getaway Hiking has changed my outlook on adventures in general. There are so many place I want to visit and see!! I started my insta since I saw few people that looked like me out of my local trails. I wanted to show others that you don’t have to be a certain type to enjoy the outdoors!!” – Natalie (@Chubbygirlhikes)
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Pronouns: She/Her
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📍 Mt. Cutler, Colorado area, this land was originally held in stewardship by the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and possibly others.
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Tag #MisfitHikers to be showcased! 
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[Description of Image: A smiling girl stands in a pink sleeveless top, black tights, and a black ball- on an outcropping of rock with scraggly brush and red-rock behind her, a green vista in the distance.  A white dog with a black patch of fur on her eye stands next to her.] 

​“I started hiking less than 2 years ago with little to no experience.  I decided to hit the trail to find inner peace and my sanity after my husband passed.  Being by myself and with no hiking friends was pretty difficult and lonely, but it didn’t stop me.  I came out of my comfort zone and started making friends and reaching out to hiking groups.  Now I’m unstoppable.” -- Vina, (@thepinayhiker101).
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Preferred Pronouns: She/Her
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Vina would like to give a shout-out to #onelovehikebikerun #socalhiker
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📍 Red Box Station/Strawberry Peak, this land was originally held in stewardship by the Chumash, Kitanemuk, Tataviam, Hahamog'na, and possibly others.
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Tag #misfithikers to be showcased!
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[Image Description: A woman in a red and grey long-sleeved shirt with a grey hat that reads “sixpackofpeaks challenger” on it stands, wind-blown hair across her face, in front of a Strawberry Peak marker.  There’s green brush and blue sky in the background.] 

Did you know that Thanksgiving is also the National Day of Mourning? 

For most, it's a day to give thanks, to be with family, and to take a minute amid the hustle and bustle.  Kids in grade schools dress up as Native Americans and Puritans, sitting down to a "feast" at their school, celebrating the coexistence of Native Americans or how they "saved" their white English buddies. 

But that's not how it is for everyone, and it doesn't hurt to recognize revisionist, Eurocentric history presented to us in grade school and acknowledge the history behind the day.   

For many Native Americans, it's the National Day of Mourning....a day to "reflect on the spirituality of their people and to remember those who were persecuted and murdered. It is also a day to protest the oppression and racism that Native American peoples continue to experience to this very day."

In fact, it was to give thanks at the murder in 1637 of nearly a 1000 Pequot Native Americans during the Pequot uprising in New England.  

Governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony declared: “A day of Thanksgiving, thanking God that they had eliminated over 700 men, women and children.” It was signed into law that, “This day forth shall be a day of celebration and thanksgiving for subduing the Pequots.” 

To the people that say get over it, move on, it was a long time ago.  Be quiet and eat your turkey leg.  Let me throw this out there - think of some of the other large-scale attacks in American history.  Now picture if history remembered it as fact that terrorist/shooter/etc. x and their victims not only helped one another, but were friends.  That the event didn't happen as you remember it.  How it *should* be remembered.  

So give thanks and enjoy the day with your family, but don't do it under the guise of something it's not.  You can be thankful and enjoy your family, but you don't need the fake-ass story or "injun" paraphernalia (coloring books, cut-out "indian headdresses," the Native American salt & pepper shakers, etc.) to do it.  

And if you have kids, look at it as the chance to change the way you talk to them about history and correct misunderstandings about history/Thanksgiving in general.  American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) has some recommendations on age-appropriate books from the Native American perspective that can be found here.  Highly recommend the list. 

Most of all, though, be respectful of the fact that not everyone is going to be celebrating.  Because it's not over for indigenous peoples - they are still marginalized, their voices unheard, and treaties ignored.  Just look at the Keystone Oil Spill. 

It's not about being perfect, but it's about recognizing injustices for what they are and not ignoring them because it's inconvenient.
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For my own part going forward, whenever I post pics of an area I hiked, I'm going to try and include what Native American tribes were the original stewards of the land.  

Because people, and their stories, matter.  And that we remember matters. 

What will you incorporate or change going forward?  Comment below or email me here. 

One of my work friends (hi Jenny!) asked me the other day if I'm doing anything different now that the cold weather has descended upon us.  Short answer, yes. I love the cold weather, and the fact the landscapes look like an apocalyptic wasteland (original Red Dawn anyone?) only adds to the fun.  However, my legs and thighs, in particular, get cold in all the wind we get here in Cleveland....these would be great for under garb at LARPS, too.  So I went and found myself the REI Co-op Talusphere Pants.  In a nutshell? They're great.  If you want a pair of shell pants that protect from moisture and wind, at a reasonable price, this is them, so go by them at REI.  There are a couple of downsides, especially if you're short and fat, like me.  If you want the full scoop, read on! ​

​The Price Tag: $89.50

There's some things I really love about the Talusphere pants - they're made from polyester and they have some significant stretch so I can move freely, which I appreciate for scrambling.  You can cinch the ankles tight, and it's waterproof, but by some dark magic also breathable.  I haven't turned in to a sweaty mess yet.  And I love that the pockets have zippers.  They come in a whole range of sizes and shapes, both for men and women. 

There are two main downsides to these bad boys.  First, the sizing.  I don't know what's going on at REI, but it was crazy trying to deal with the sizing on these.  The women's goes up to an XL (little small for an XL) and the women's "plus size" goes up to 3X.  The problem with the women's larger-sized Talusphere is that they don't come in petite unlike the S-XL.  Well......I'm short and fat.  Awwwwwkward. 

If you want to purchase the larger sizes at REI, be aware you must search for "plus-size talusphere women plants." Yes, they're in a totally different section on the website. 

When I went in to the store, I explained to the very kind helper that I was short and fat (as mentioned above), and she very happily hung out and tried to help me find the right pants.  The men's hips didn't fit, even though they get ALL kinds of inseam options for leg length to waist-size.  

I finally had to settle on the 2X Talusphere Women's Pant.  You can see from the way they bunch at the ankles they're significantly too big, but I can move freely in them and I can put a lot of layers on underneath if I want.  My biggest complaint is the length of the leg, and would be great if REI added some petite options in the larger lady sizes.

My only other complaint, and it's echoed by the reviews on the REI website, is the draw-string waist.  It's very thin, and the toggle that holds it in place doesn't work the best, but I just tie a small knot.  I haven't had any issues with my pants sagging down, but I have a booty.  If you don't, beware!

In the end, I'm very happy with the purchase and they've held up great on the trail so far!

What winter "shell" pants do you use? (If any) What do you love/hate about them?  Feel free to comment or contact me here. 

I'm sure many of you have seen the viral video of Amy Cooper calling the police on Christian Cooper, an African American bird-watcher who was enjoying the Bramble in New York earlier this week.  She called the police because he asked her to put her dog on a leash (park rules).  She says in the video, "I'm going to tell them there's an African American man threatening my life."  She tried to use this man's race as a weapon against him. 

The outdoors is political, don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise.

When I first googled top 25 hiking blogs of 2019, I was really surprised.  The first several sites that listed blogs included very few women and I didn’t visually identify (or see in the descriptions) any minorities. Or people with disabilities. Or Pride Pack members.  Or fat people.  Everyone looked very, very white. 

I taught Diversity in America for quite a few years at several local colleges.  I don't know why I was surprised at the lack of diversity in the online presence for outdoor adventures in the U.S., since there's a definitive lack of representation on trails. 

When my friend told some co-workers he was going backpacking for the weekend, his African-American buddy responded along the lines of, “Only in America would white people go in to the woods and pretend to be homeless.” 
 
It bothered me on a level that was difficult for me to define, because I view the outdoors as such an important part of who I am.  It's a privilege.  And privilege and access is a big part of the problem - because it isn't that way for everyone. 

The Outdoor Foundation, who conducted a survey in 2013, found that 73% of participants in outdoor activities were white, and 47% had an income above $75K (You can read the entire report on their website here.).

And when whites in the U.S., on average, are the ones making that higher income, it's indicative of a problem and not just in relation to getting folks in to the great outdoors. 

Who's involved matters, too - from how outdoor events and activities are marketed to who runs the parks programs, you'll see primarily white people.  The Green 2.0 Report demonstrates a clear lack of diversity in the government agencies, foundations, and NGOs that oversee outdoors recreation and upkeep: 

The world is a changing place, and it’s time for more outdoor activities, and the folks that are already involved in those activities, to change with it.
 
Race and ethnic minorities made up 40% of the U.S. population in 2016, and those numbers continue to increase.  Consider the words of Teresa Baker, a contributor for The Bold Italic, when she wrote “The climate is changing, and so are the demographics of our country. What will happen when, in two to three decades, our new, non-white majority in the US doesn’t care about the environment due to a lack of involvement now?”
 
While I fit the definition of a Misfit Hiker & Adventurer for a number of reasons, I am, in fact, white.  So I come at this, clearly, from a very different perspective.  I'd like to note that I am not here to define for anyone else what experiences they should have in the outdoor world or how they should feel about those experiences and/or interactions.

However, what I can do, is try to make those outdoor spaces more welcoming.  I can conduct and relate research in to different issues.  And I can showcase others opinions, viewpoints, and experiences.  

Misfit Hikers is about inclusion and representation, and you're going to find a lot of emphasis on how people access (or don't access) the outside world of adventuring.  And what actions can be taken to address identified issues. 

As a former teacher, I'm a big fan of education and considering other viewpoints - it forges a connection and helps shape how we view the world (and others). 

My very small first action is to start gathering resources on different topics regarding inclusion and representation in the outdoors.  You can find the start of my efforts here. 

If you know of an article, website, Instagram, etc. that you'd like to see included, please comment! Or feel free to email me.

What happened to Christian Cooper shouldn't ever happen.  As stewards of the outdoors we need to - have to - do better.