Wake up your summer and create amazing memories by embracing the spirit of adventure and exploring the world around you through hiking
Are you ready for summer to kick off? I am! Summer officially starts on June 20th, but we’ve already been getting our summer started here. Summer vacation is always an interesting time in our house: most would expect summer to slow down and be a bit lazy, but we always get a bit busier in summer with outdoor activities, day trips, sports camps, and races. I like to have a few rest days here and there, but we want to make the most of our summer!
How will you spend your summer: are you a bystander and letting your days slip by, or are you really living your life with intention and making things happen?
A few years ago when my kids started school I began to really appreciate their summer vacation and time away from school. Summers used to come and go with nothing much happening, and I knew that needed to change – we needed to plan ahead so we could make the most of our limited summertime!
We love to do things outdoors when we can: biking, hiking, running, swimming, and more. My husband has always loved biking outside and he got me involved in cycling and now we love to do that together!
As a family, hiking is a great way for us to spend time together and explore new places. Time outdoors not only helps to build a healthy body, but also a healthy family through bonding time and healthy minds by taking time away from electronics and work.
A couple weekends ago we went for a fun family hike up to Crazy Horse for the bi-annual Volksmarch. This is the second time we have done the hike up Crazy Horse monument, and it’s something we hope to do on every year! This is such a fun hike and something locals look forward to each year. Spending time together creating memories is what summer means to us 🙂
This past Saturday (June 11) was National Get Outdoors Day! This is the perfect time of year for getting outdoors, creating new memories, and exploring your world. Even if you don’t live near mountains or the hills like we do, there are other great ways to explore your area by taking walks and finding local trails and parks so you can immerse yourself in the outdoors for even just an hour or two.
If you’re up for living your best life this summer and creating memories, then check out SToK™ Cold-Brew Iced Coffee. SToK™ is pure coffee with no weird ingredients and they use an Arabica bean blend with a Brazilian-blend flavor profile so it’s high quality and smooth. SToK™ can give you the inspiration to and boost to create fun memories!
Cold brewed coffee is one of my favorite ways to prepare and drink coffee! Cold brew has less acid than regularly hot brewed coffee, and is much smoother but has just as much caffeine. You get more flavor and zip with less acid so it makes for happier bellies!
My husband recently discovered SToK™ (before I even signed up to do this post) and he LOVES it! He’s always enjoyed my homemade cold brew coffee but he says the SToK™ cold brew tastes better than mine! I forgive him 😉
If you want to find some SToK™ for yourself, you can find it in the dairy section of your nearest Walmart. It’s right next to the cold teas and juices. It’s a good price, too, and it’s a bit more concentrated than hot-brewed coffee so you can use less of it and still have an amazing drink!
If you’re ready to take hold of your summer and create some great memories, here are some hiking tips to prepare your for your next outdoor journey. Our Volksmarch hike was well supported, so there were bathrooms and water stops along the trail, but most hikes aren’t that way and you should always be prepared. Even though there were water stops, we carried enough water with us to keep ourselves and our kids well hydrated the whole time.
Don’t forget the sunscreen, too! If you’re out for a few hours, especially at higher altitudes, you will need to apply sunscreen and then carry some with you. I forgot sunscreen on our hike and burned my shoulders pretty bad. Don’t make that mistake!
Our favorite hiking essentials:
- Camelbak hydration pack (I’m not sure that the one I use is for sale anymore, mine is a small one that works perfect for short hikes and bike rides)
- Takeya water bottle
- SPI belt
- Natural bug repellent
Most of all, have fun! Stop and take photos, make sure to take some time to soak up the experience and take in the landscape. Create amazing memories!
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Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and healthy living blogger based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Carolyn West
We love hiking as a family. It’s such a great way to spend time together and it’s great exercise. #client
Sarah Jane
Hiking is definitely one of my favorite activities! I love getting to the Black Hills or the Big Horn Mountains and spending a day hiking around, it’s amazing 🙂