Hi Reader and happy Friday!

I'm a day later than usual, but better late than never :) I hope you had an amazing week.

This week's email feels like getting back to my roots a little bit. I've got some super practical, outdoorsy tips and a couple recent favorites. Let's dive right in!

Adventures

If you've been thinking about trying solo camping or backpacking, but the idea of heading into the wilderness alone still feels a little intimidating, I put together a list of 10 practical tips that have helped me feel more confident outside.

A few of my favorites:

🌲 Start smaller than you think you need to. You don't have to begin with a solo backpacking trip deep in the wilderness. Take a day hike somewhere familiar, camp at a nearby campground, or choose a trail you've done before. Each time you go out is like a little exposure therapy.

🛏️ Don't underestimate your sleeping pad. I made the mistake of focusing almost entirely on my sleeping bag when I first started backpacking, but your sleeping pad plays a huge role in keeping you warm and comfortable overnight. (And if your pad feels like sleeping on a rock, try letting a little air out. You're welcome.)

🔄 Turn around once in a while. The trail can look completely different in the opposite direction, and getting familiar with what your return route looks like can make navigation much easier. Plus, you might find an even better view behind you.

🏕️ Make your campsite easy to find. A bright tent, reflective tape, or a small light can make finding your way back to camp much easier — especially after wandering around a campground or returning after dark.

🐻 And remember: wildlife generally wants to avoid you too. Obviously, knowing how to safely respond to wildlife in the specific area you're visiting is important. But you don't need to spend your entire trip convinced that a bear is waiting outside your tent. Most animals would rather avoid us just as much as we'd rather avoid them.

I have five more tips (plus a deeper dive into all of these) over on the blog if you're working up the nerve to try your first solo adventure!

& S'more

I'm bringing back some of my OG newsletter topics for this week's "s'more" section!

Munchies

Trader Joe's has the best variety bag of pears!

I am such a snacker, so I've been trying to keep my home stocked with (mostly) healthy snacks that I can grab and go or enjoy at night. Recently, my snack of choice has been fruit, specifically honey crisp apples, grapes, and PEARS. 🍐

Oh man, forget pumpkin spice season (actually, don't -- I love pumpkin spice) because pear season is where it's at. Fall hasn't officially started for me until I've had a perfectly toasted piece of sourdough with peanut butter, sliced pear, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Reading

I have been doing a lot of reading over the last couple months and here are a couple standouts.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars: A Little Life by Hana Yanagihara was an absolutely devastating book, which you'll either love or hate. Or maybe like me, you'll feel both ways toward this story. It's definitely not for everyone, especially if you can't stomach heart-wrenching events piling up one after another.

It follows four unlikely friends from college through adulthood. Each finds their own version of success and battles their own demons. This was such a beautiful, real depiction of life. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

A good read for when you're in need of motivation.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5 Stars: Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell. It's been a while since I've felt this inspired by a non-fiction book. Gladwell shares a handful of success (and failure) stories to demonstrate just how our outcomes in life are dictated by factors outside our control, ie. Bill Gates attending one of the few high schools in the world that had an early computer AND that he was given unlimited access to it at exactly the right time in history.

This isn't to say that our destinies are completely outside our control. Not many high schoolers would have grabbed the opportunity the same way Bill Gates did. It's really a matter of noticing our unfair advantages (aka. where we got lucky in life) and making the most of them with lots of hard work and dedication.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars: And honorable (and timely) mention to Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou. I'm not gonna lie, I finished this book the very day the movie You Can See Everything was released. Purely by coincidence! I am so unplugged from the world of cinema that I didn't even realize what Nathan Fielder's movie was about 😂 You'll even see the book shown in the early part of the movie!

Having now seen the movie, I can say I'm also glad I read the book first, though both are worth your time.

Are you getting up to anything fun this weekend, outdoor adventures or otherwise? I'd love to hear about it!

Thank you so much for reading and I'll catch you in the next one ✌🏻

Happy adventuring,

💚A