Let's keep the ball rolling on getting to know our Hike it Baby 30 Challenge winners.
Next up is Andrea and Calvin who are members of our branch in Anchorage, Alaska. They didn't let the snow, or winter weather stop them from completing over 30 miles! Thanks to Nikwax they won a Hard-Shell Duo Pack to keep all their hiking gear dry and protected!
Tell us about your favorite hike in the world For our honeymoon my husband and I decided to hike down into the Grand Canyon and camp at the bottom. We woke up before sunrise to get started and began our descent over the rim of the canyon just as the sun was rising. As the sun rose it illuminated the canyon as we hiked down. It was breathtakingly beautiful and completely magical.
Favorite Hike it Baby moment so far? I had a very close moose encounter after one of our hikes. We had just finished and were nursing in the car when an enormous bull moose sauntered by and decided to hang out right next to us. It was a very Alaskan moment. I also just love how excited my son gets when I get him bundled up and strap him into the carrier. It seems that he really loves getting outside. I'm so thrilled that getting outside seems to be something that makes him so happy.
Tell us what you like about Hike it Baby Hike It Baby could not have come along for me at a better time. My family moved to Anchorage from Laguna Beach when my baby was almost three months old. Leading up to our move I was completely daunted by the notion of moving to Alaska where I knew no one, would not be working (for the first time), being a first time mama, and recovering from a traumatic birth. Ten days after arriving in Alaska, while attending a local mom and baby group for the first time, I met a mom who told me about Hike It Baby. I immediately joined the group and several days later went on my first hike. That first hike was nerve-wracking for me. I got lost on my way there, I carried bear spray for the first time, I was nervous about keeping up, I hiked wearing my baby (up until that day my husband wore our baby when we hiked), and I hiked with strangers for the first time. Yet I drove away from that hike feeling proud of myself; I felt empowered and I felt stronger than I'd felt in a long time. And so we kept going back. Soon, I was no longer hiking with strangers and the locations became more familiar. I even started leading some hikes-- something I never imagined I'd do. Hike It Baby has given my baby and I a community here in Alaska. My son is now seven months old and I cannot believe how much this organization has positively impacted our lives over the past four months. My favorite advice I received while pregnant was, "get yourself a village," and through Hike It Baby I feel like I've found a village.
What is the best advice for a new hiking family? If you're walking and you're outside, go ahead and call it a "hike." I think there can be a bit of a daunting connotation with hiking and there doesn't need to be-- hiking can happen at any level and any ability. You don't need to have top gear or hours to spare, you just need to get out. During the HIB 30 challenge, I realized that even on days that I only had time or energy for just a mile, it was still a mile that I wouldn't have otherwise done, and I was always glad I got out and did it.
Got a favorite trail trick? I don't know if it's really a trick, but I love Costco fleece jammies (for my baby, not for me-- I WISH they made them for me). They are a perfect base layer. I have managed to keep Cal warm by dressing him in Costco jammies and a fleece suit (we use one from Columbia), then I put him on in the carrier and zip him into my jacket. That has been another very helpful trick, I made a panel that zips into my jacket to help keep him warm with my body heat. Also shoe grippers are an essential on ice terrain. I'd never used them before moving up to Alaska and they're awesome.
What kind of gear do you always suggest people get? For my little guy, I like fleece jammies, a fleece suit, a hat that can be secured under the chin, coconut oil to protect their cheeks from the wind/cold, and a winter carrier cover or jacket extender (for whoever is wearing them).
For me, I like a baby carrier that you find super comfortable (I LOVE carriers that criss-cross in the back), good shoes (I just got some Ahnu Sugar Bowls and love them), and a snow skirt (I'm a new snow skirt convert and am amazed how much warmer I am when I wear mine, plus it makes me feel more put together, ridiculous as that may sound). Also, layers are key, I am a big long underwear fan.How stoked are you about your win!? How will you use it? I am super stoked! Who doesn't love winning stuff?! I make baby carrier covers and plan to use the Nikwax to make them extra water proof.
Thank you to our outstanding sponsor Nikwax for donating prizes that made our Hike it Baby 30 challenge possible! If you want to check out Nikwaxs' Hard-Shell outerwear kit and all their other great products please click here!
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