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Growing up with a motorcycle racing dad, Rachel Strait didn’t have to go far to discover a love of two-wheeled speed. When she was young, her family followed the race calendar and all participated. After each race, dad would pin their number plates on their travel trailer door and have the kids write down their place, how they did, and their goals for the next race.
As the global pandemic continues to unfold, all our lives have been affected in some way or another. Outdoor lovers everywhere have been forced to rethink how they can work, play, and otherwise safely embrace the activities they normally seek out. It’s especially hard for parents, with many states officially closing schools for the rest of the academic year, forcing families to embrace new routines and adjust plans.
Jean-Marie enjoys adventuring with her partner Dave and their pup Benson. On a winter fishing trip to Oregon and Washington, she came face to face with the hard-to-catch steelhead. Read on for more from Jean-Marie about her trip and how she caught her first fly-rod steelhead.
For as long as she can remember, Kayla Lockhart has always been drawn to the water. Born and raised in Minnesota, she was the only one of seven sisters to gravitate towards the hunting and fishing her dad loved.
The easier the recipe the better. Brianna enjoys taking simple recipes and switching it up with various add-ins. One of her favorite holiday season dishes is Skillet Chili Mac. The best part of this recipe is it can be made vegetarian, vegan, or carnivorous and it can be cooked over a fire all romantic-like or just on your camp stove or stove/oven at home.
He was a fly fisherman and skier from Utah. She was a tomboy adventurer from Northern California. It was a match made in heaven.
From snowboarding to surfing, four-season athlete Robin Van Gyn has been exploring her native British Columbia since age 16. Whether chasing storms, riding peaks, or commanding waves, Robin constantly seeks new and sustainable ways to connect with nature.
Whether to stream, river, lake, or ocean, Yakima has easily and safely been getting people to the water going on five wild, original decades.
For 40 years, outdoor enthusiasts and travelers have entrusted Yakima to help them Take It Easy™. We put our best selves into everything we make—pairing common sense with unlimited imagination.
Historic Timberline Lodge sits at the base of one of Oregon’s most popular recreation areas, majestic Mount Hood. Built during the Great Depression of the 1930s, the Lodge is a legendary Works Progress Administration (WPA) effort. It’s a charming example of what can be achieved when the government partners with artists, craftspeople, and workers to create and build public projects—namely a distinctive piece of Pacific Northwest Americana. President Franklin D. Roosevelt officially dedicated Timberline in 1937. This magnificent ski area is the only one in North America to offer year-round skiing and snowboarding. Conveniently located just 60 miles from Portland, Timberline is drawing record numbers of skiers and snowboarders. John Burton, Timberline’s Director of Marketing and PR, shares some ways
Brianna Madia takes over our instagram Hitch a ride with Brianna and her family as they make their way to visit us here in Portland, OR. Hitch a Ride Instagram takeover Brianna Madia spends her time roaming the desert in a van named Bertha. She loves the warmth and solitude, and the environment’s scrappy toughness. “There’s something really intentional about the desert that just sort of clicked with me,” says Brianna. “There’s nothing easy about living in a place where daytime temps are triple digits and water is scarce. I remember being absolutely fascinated by all the woody little desert shrubs, all the cacti – for them to survive and thrive in a place like that takes such grit and
Jordan Lee has competed in four Bassmaster Classics. He won two of them. “Winning the Classic twice has been special. The stars have really aligned for me and things fell into place,” says Jordan. But the reality is more than stars aligning – Jordan works hard, travels a ton, and has to pour a lot of concentration into what he does. So, when he gets some free time, how does he like to spend it? He goes fun-fishing. “Pretty much the difference is I pick up a buddy and go out and just fish. I can bring a friend or my fiancé. Also, I can bring my dog, Sage. She likes fishing too. I just like fishing with people and
Loki the Wolfdog, Bailey the dog dog, and Kelly and Ally, are a pack of road roamers and snack enthusiasts. There’s a lot of love in this group so it’s no surprise that they have gained a giant following on social media. Loki’s anchored Kelly, inspired him, and brings a level of companionship only a dog can bring. “Having that consistency of a faithful friend is irreplaceable. I brought Loki home as a pup, and just made it a point to never leave him behind. I had dogs throughout my life, but bringing home a low content wolfdog, I took it more seriously. Over time my life changed to look a lot different. My priorities changed,” says Kelly. ““I just
The Wild & Scenic River Act is having its 50th anniversary, so Susan and Adam Elliot loaded up their ’91 Coachman RV and set out to paddle, float, and experience 50 of these pristine rivers. After two years and 19 states, they ticked off 47. Now they are off the road full-time, but still roaming to tick off those final three – and they won’t stop there. “Oh, we’re eager to paddle more and more Wild and Scenic all over the country,” says Susan. “We have yet to visit the Northeast, the Delaware, Westfield, Mississiquoi, and Allagash Rivers, for example. Or Alaska. Those are both high on the list for us.” Two years on the road roaming from river to river
Jace, Giddi, little Juniper, and Lotus the Dog live in a van – and it’s a nice one. After selling their first van in March of 2016, they purchased another and did a complete new build. They put a ton of work into it, but its floors and cabinets don’t define their Home on Wheels. “For us, its not what you put inside, or how you decorate,” says Jace. “Sure, these things help create a more ‘at home’ feel as you travel around, but what really makes it a home is the experiences you have in it.” Ready for the van life? Read below and snag some tips from these seasoned pros. Pack smart Space is tight, so Giddi and
An unlikely pair that can adventure anywhere Furry Adventure Henry is a dog. Baloo is a cat. Cynthia Bennett is a human. All of them love to pile into their 2007 Toyota 4Runner, hit the road, and adventure outdoors. Cynthia loves to be out in nature – hiking, camping, backpacking – and she loves her fur babies. Only natural they should all travel together. But how does she pull it off so everyone is safe and happy? “Traveling with Henry and Baloo is like traveling with kids,” she says. “There is a lot to pack and think about before hitting the road!” Cynthia, Andre, Henry, and Baloo! Part of the Yakima RackPack TRAVEL COMFY. TRAVEL SAFE. Having the right gear
Never leave the dogs behind Tips for Traveling with Your Beloved Best Friends For the last two years, I have lived in an old van with my husband and our two dogs. From 31-inch snowstorms and 116-degree Moab desert days, to 17-hour drives across international borders and nights attempting sleep in crowded parking lots…my dogs have seen it all when it comes to life on the road. Traveling with dogs is not unlike traveling with small children…it’s a little exhausting, a lot rewarding, and you might end up with poop in your car. Here are a few of my top tips for traveling and adventuring with your furry friends. Start Slow. The first time you went for a run, was
Getting people Outdoors with Outdoor AFRO Yakima is a proud supporter and friend of Outdoor Afro, and we’re handing this one over to Yanira Castro, their Communications Director and a regional leader. She’s going to tell us who Outdoor Afro is, and how the organization inspired her – and others – to experience nature with a new perspective. Plus, she’ll give us a look at some big-time climbing and camping action. WE CONNECT THOUSANDS Outdoor Afro is built on a focused mission – to create and inspire Black connection and leadership in nature. We are the nation’s leading, cutting-edge network celebrating and inspiring African American connections and leadership in nature. We help people take better care of themselves, our communities,
SHARING THE ROAD Nate and Candice are the adult portion of WildRoots, an outdoor-loving, Utah-based family with jobs, school, and four boys – Zev who just turned 10, seven year old Kai, five year old Liam, and Shem. He’s three. Before Candice and Nate got married, the outdoors was a big part of their lives. Now it’s part of the kids’ lives, too. “It’s pretty natural to enjoy sharing things you love with the people you care about,” says Nate. “I find on the rare occasions when I go out on a solo fly fishing trip, I end up seeing rad stuff that I can’t wait to get back and tell my family about. We get pumped about the same types of
Brianna’s Road Tips for Road Trips Getting there is half the journey. That’s what they say, right? But, if you end up laid out on the side of the freeway with smoke pouring from the hood of your car, getting there can end up being the whole journey. Take it from me, a woman who should have earned a college degree in laying on the hot pavement beneath a 28-year-old vehicle playing, “what’s that burning smell?” Now you might be thinking, “Brianna, I don’t drive a vehicle that’s been around for both Bush presidencies, so I’ll be fine.” Maybe so! But a well-maintained vehicle is a happy vehicle, no matter the age. Here’s some quick and easy tips for making
FEELS LIKE HOME Randy Propster, Backpacker Magazine’s Get Out More Guru, practically lives in our SkyRise rooftop tent. In just about a year, he’s logged over 150 nights in his SkyRise. That’s more than anyone we know of. “It feels like home,” says Randy. “It better. I’m on the road for over 32 straight weeks right now. This year I have my SkyRise on top of my Turtleback Trailer and I’m pulling the whole kit around with a Ford Transit Connect van. I have a home everywhere I go.” The van his living room and garage (“I travel with 1000 pounds of ultralight backpacking gear”), the Turtleback his kitchen, and the SkyRise is the bedroom. “I climb that ladder,
IT’S TIME TO GET OUT MORE WITH YAKIMA and BACKPACKER MAGAZINE It’s summer – time to get and explore and find new adventures, right? But before you head out, shake off winter’s rust at the Backpacker Get Out More Tour when it swings by a retailer near you. Led by Backpacker Magazine pro, Randy Propster, Get Out More crosses the country delivering tips and tricks, wisdom and inspiration, and an opportunity to get hands-on with – and even win – some sweet gear. THIS TOUR’S FOR YOU Randy tours because he loves to share his passion. “If you are an active or aspiring outdoor enthusiast and you’re looking for ways to enhance your experience on your next hiking, camping or backpacking
Diego Huerta: Photographing the World, Living the Stories Diego Huerta writes stories with a camera. “To tell a story you have to live the story,” explains Diego. “You have to be in front of it, able to feel it, smell it. You have to find that universal language that does not need the word, that just by seeing the image the person understands what you were seeing and feeling at that precise moment. There are stories that are in front of you, but there are others where you have to travel long roads, cross rivers and mountains to reach them, and discover new stories along the way.” To Be A Nomad Finding stories has inspired Diego’s wanderlust. Early in his
Future Wild & Scenic Rivers By Susan Elliott, Wild River Life Sure, there are over 200 rivers across the country that our nation has decided to protect as Wild and Scenic. Rivers like the Middle Fork Salmon, one of the most popular multi-day rafting trips in the world, or the Appalachian classic Chattooga River, featured in the movie Deliverance and one of the longest free-flowing rivers in the Southeast. Yet, Wild and Scenic Rivers make up less than 1% of our waterways, even after 50 years since the signing of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act in 1968. Our representatives signed the Act into law to create a balance between development and conservation. As we look back for this year’s
Choosing the right bike rack can be a little daunting…but we’re here to help! On The Back Or Up On Top: There are a few ways to carry bikes on your vehicle Each has its own benefits. One of the biggest factors to consider is how you like to load and unload your bikes. Hitch Easy to install and remove Minimal bike-lifting required Room up top for other gear Convenient access to trunk Trunk Easy to install and remove Room up top for other gear No need for a hitch or roof rack Must install/remove for each use Spare Tire Easy to install and remove Utilizes spare tire bolts Low profile when not in use Only available in 2 bike
