I did an overnight trip last weekend with some friends to a beautiful camp site right next to a swimming hole.  I had forgotten how much I enjoyed camping in the summer until I hit the trail.  Warm weather requires so much less gear, it felt like the pack was hardly there.  No need for extra thermals, coats - even pants and long sleeve shirts are optional at this point.  I left the sleeping bag at home, and went for a CoolMax TravelSheet instead.  Some people don't use a sleeping bag or sheet in the summer but I like to have something just in case.  Weighing it at 11 ounces and packing to 3.5 x 7 inches, this thing rocks.  It breaths well so I slept comfortably.  I also use mine in the winter as a liner for my sleeping bag.  If you haven't used one before, I highly recommend it.  I also recommend finding a nice swimming hole and hiding from the heat.  In Asheville at least, this summer is shaping up to be a brutal one.

The Blue Ridge Parkway around mileposts 399-405 has been closed since Fall because of a rockslide. It's finally open again, and that's music to my ears. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a beautiful drive, and that section is instrumental in getting from Asheville to the Graveyard Fields, Devils Courthouse area. Devil's Courthouse Overlook is cool, but I much prefer the waterfall down below. Having that section of the Parkway open makes it so much easier to get there.

Get more details on road closures and conditions on the Blue Ridge Parkway, along with weather reports, by calling the Parkway information line at (828) 298-0398.

I live in Asheville, and in recent weeks we've had two black bears wander into the city limits, one of them attacking a dog.  Bears meander into Asheville occassionally, with so many parks and wilderness areas surrounding the city, it happens.  As the area develops, there are more people and less wilderness for them so it happens more often though.  Bear's aren't the only danger in wilderness areas; a hiker was killed by a lighting strike at Max Patch near Asheville last week.  And, a woman fell from a waterfall here and died last week. 

So, don't take your safety for granted when going hiking, or just going to your favorite swimming hole.  Make sure someone knows where you are going, and when to expect you back.  Avoid solo hiking.  Don't leave your bear bell at home.  And know the dangers of where you are hiking - be it lighting, bears, snakes, etc.

I was reading a post today about how to clean a camelbak, or any other similiar bladder.  I bought a Platypus Big Zip years ago and I've never looked back.  At first I had my doubts about using what seemed to be a glorified zip-lock bag, but when you start playing with it you find the zipper really does hold up.  The Big Zip makes it extremely easy to clean the majority of the bladder.  I'm a big guy, but I can put my whole arm in there to clean it.  That doesn't do any good for the hose though.  I've used the CamelBak Cleaning Kit with good results, but the only part of it I still use is the cleaning brushes to get the hose clean.

So, I'd like to make two suggestions when it comes to cleaning a bladder.  First, buy some Polident - it works just as well as the CamelBak cleaning tablets for a fraction of the price.  Second, just put your bladder in the freezer when you are done with it and you won't have to clean it often.  As soon as I get back from a hike, I rinse mine out and put the whole thing in the freezer.  I've been doing this for years without any problems.  You still will need to clean it occasionally but the freeze keeps anything from growing in it.

I've finished up most of the updates I had in mind for the site.  Its got a slightly different look, and its a little easier to navigate.  I also added some more articles and a bunch of gear.  I'm still working on some cool new features, but I'll post updates about those as it gets closer to time.