Japhy Ryder

Sometimes, Go Alone

By |August 8th, 2016|2016 posts, Adventure school, solo adventure|Comments Off on Sometimes, Go Alone

“It’s good to walk with people
but sometimes
go alone.
That way you can always stop and listen at the right time.”
-Byrd Baylor, The Other Way To Listen

Alone.
What does this mean to you? When were you last alone? Why does being alone conjure fear for most of us humans?

I have somehow climbed over that hurdle of fear of being alone, and I’d like to share some thoughts on how I did that. I am not immune from being lonely or a little fearful when I’m flying solo, but I’ve grown to need time by myself in wild spaces. Being alone is one of the most important things I do in my life. A little fear & loneliness is good for the soul! Beyond fear and loneliness there is curiosity, happiness, and the magic of knowing I get along with myself.

Face & embrace your fear
So how did I get to a place where I actually WANT to be alone? I went outside on my own a lot. I was scared at first. I just felt the worry. My world did not crumble. My early solo backpacking trips were full of fear, anxiety, and hardly eating anything (my appetite vanishes when I’m feeling lonely and sad). I did not die of a broken heart or sadness. It hurts to feel lonely. It’s uncomfortable to be scared. Breath deeply, reason with yourself, and let yourself feel uncomfortable. It sucks, but there is no easy sneak around to the other side. For me, every solo trip starts with a bit of emotional pain, but it fades after a few days, and being lonely helps me re-focus on what I care about. If I’m missing something or someone, I can see what […]

12 Gifts For Hikers, Day 6

By |December 17th, 2014|12 Gifts, 2014 posts, Bigfoot Trail, Current, Japhy Ryder|Comments Off on 12 Gifts For Hikers, Day 6

12 Days of Trail Gifts For Under $50
Gift 6: Snack Attack
Good trail snacks never stick around long enough to reach their expiration dates, and most hikers would rather eat a delicious bar than some granola thingy they can find in the store down the street. I have a secret bar stash that I draw from to keep me fueled on weekend trips, and I love finding tasty bars in my christmas stocking to replenish the cache. Below you will find a list of some of my favorite bars, and a little movie of Adam having a snack attack during a hot day on our Japhy Ryder Route hike in 2011.

1) Huppy Bars are yummy and nutritious bars created by my friend Lyndsay Hupp in Flagstaff. These bars have mostly organic ingredients & spirulina to get your greens in the backcountry. There are 5 excellent flavors, Coconut Date Ginger and Chocolate Berry Love are two favorites. Huppy Bar has a Bundle Of Yum holiday pack that I hope finds it’s way into my stocking this season.
2) Nut butter single serve packets. Not much beats the protein punch you can get from nut butters, and there are some absolutely delicious options in little packets these days. One of my favorite nut butters is Wild Friends Vanilla Espresso Almond Butter.
3)Picky Bars make delicious bars here in Bend, OR. The texture & flavor of these bars are great, and they are really good for you.

4)Honey Stinger makes all kinds of honey based treats, but their protein bars are really something special. There is not much better than sinking my teeth into a 20g Mint Chocolate Honey Stinger when I get the 10am snack attack. The chocolate coating can get a bit […]

Half Way on the Japhy Ryder Route- Tahoe!

By |August 16th, 2011|Current, Japhy Ryder|Comments Off on Half Way on the Japhy Ryder Route- Tahoe!

Over the past month Adam & I hiked from the Lost Coast across the Yolla Bollies, biked through the Central Valley, walked up the South Fork of the Yuba & down the PCT to the Tahoe Rim Trail. We are currently on a week long break from the Ryder Route to shuttle trucks, cache food, and for Adam to attend a friend’s wedding. Soon we will head back up to Mt. Rose and resume our hike south to Whitney & Death Valley. 500 down, 500 to go!

So far the hike has been breathtaking in the terrain and views. There has been many challenges, like following trails that haven’t been maintained for years,  dodging pot fields under blackhawk helicopters, or figuring out how much water to carry into the unknown. Huge climbs & descents have become part of our daily rhythm and California has shown us much of her wild variety- from cool redwood forests to sunbaked chaparral coated hillsides and finally to the open granite slabs and gnarled pines of the high sierra.

I hope to post a full description of the route and our experiences once we finish the route. Adam has created a Facebook page for the Japhy Ryder on which you can see our frequent updates & posts.

 

Launching the Japhy Ryder Route!

By |July 18th, 2011|2011 posts|1 Comment

Adam and I began hiking last Wednesday out at Cape Mendocino after my Mom dropped us off at an oceanfront ranch. We hopped a fence & crawled under a bunch of alders to gain the beach, then headed south down the lost coast. Now we are here in Garberville, day 6, sore but stoked. This week we will head to the Yolla Bolly Mountains via a long road walk. So far so good! For more pics & words about our journey check out the Japhy Ryder Route page on Facebook!