I have been enjoying a new style of outdoor activity lately that is truly one of the most incredible ways to explore your world. I have been river tracing in Washington since before I knew it had a name. Now that I'm in Taiwan, it's hard to imagine a weekend without it!
For your very own outdoor adventure all you need is grippy shoes that you are confident in, waterproof containers for anything that cannot get wet and some safety instructions.
For shoes that will give you grip on even the most slimy of boulders, try felt bottom shoes. It was very odd and counter intuitive for me when I heard that these shoes would give you grip in water but then when it was explained to me that the surface area provided by the minute hairs of the felt allow infinitely more surface area than rubber bottom shoes, I was very interested in trying them. For a mere 500NT I picked up a pair of neoprene, calf high blue and black superhero boots at the local fishing store and found them to be ideal for this kind of activity.
Having lost one camera to water damage already in Taiwan, I was eager to find something which could give me protection for my electronics while scrambling through rivers. My solution came in the form of a plastic container with a rubber seal from R.E.I. but many cheap offers are available as well as some DIY options that look a little more rugged. The great thing about these options is that they allow you to take photos while your camera is protected, where as I am constantly taking my camera out and putting it back in which causes moisture to inevitably make it's way into the box.
Caleb has recently decided that a helmet is a necessary component of river tracing and I couldn't agree more. All it takes is a bike helmet but a climbing helmet would be more comfortable, durable, and attractive than a cheap Dora the Explorer brain bucket from Wal-Mart. This is not a style blog however, so go with your heart on this one.
I always bring my backpack with some food, safety supplies, a plastic bag for my river shoes when they're not being worn, mosquito repellent, and water. All of these are necessities when heading out into the un-tracked jungle but tailor your pack supplies to your environment for a better experience.
Understand your environment before diving head first into your trek. Caleb and I often scout our routes ahead of time with little more than a glance at the map provided at the forest bureau headquarters, if there is one at your destination, or pick one up at our convenience. What we usually search for is a waterfall because you can always count on there being a river attached. Also, waterfalls make great showers and beautiful photos.
Last but not least, be sure to tell someone where you are going and what you are doing before leaving for the wild. I always inform friends who are not going on the trip about where we are going and what we plan to do, with approximations of time commitment, so that they can give this information to search parties if need be. It's just one of those things my Mom forced me to do when I was younger and now I'm old enough to understand why.
Armed with this information and a little lust for fresh air, you too can find a river, stream, tributary, or full-scale river and either search for it's source or follow it's course. The choice is yours.
Just remember who told you about what a great idea this was when you're five miles deep in the forest with no other sounds than bird calls and splashing water to keep you company.
No comments:
Post a Comment