Bryce Canyon National Park, May 2012 with Eva Luna (9 months old). She nursed 1/2 the time during the 7 mile hike.

I just got back from a 7 day road trip that started in Denver CO and ended in Berkeley CA. I spent most of my time in Utah. I went to Arches National Park, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Capitol Reef National Park. My favorite was Bryce Canyon. We did the Peek a Boo Trail and it made me cry. But first:

Where are all the damn black folk? I mean, I know it’s Utah, but these are National Parks people! The below video from was filmed at Zion National Park.

Ok, back to the brilliance and beauty of Bryce Canon and nursing for hours while hiking.

When walking the Peek a Boo trail hike, India Arie’s song, “How I know that god is real” kept on circulating through my brain.

Peek a Boo Trail hike is 7 miles. Doesn’t seem like a lot. But add a 20lb baby strapped to your back while carrying 50oz of water in each hand, while going all the way down the canyon then walking all the way back up and you’ve got yourself quite an amazing feat. Oh, and add to that that 20lb baby sucking on you, extracting breast milk 3 hours out of that 6.5 hours it takes to complete that 7 miles because it’s so hot and arid, she is thirsty all the time. I swear, my 9 month old must have sucked out 1000 calories of milk from me per day. She wasn’t used to the high elevation and the arid climate so she was thirsty all the time.

But I loved it. I loved every minute of watching the divine that is Bryce Canyon. I loved the burning of my butt and legs as I went up and down difficult parts of the trail. I loved how my baby girl , when she wasn’t nursing or sleeping, giggled with joy and reached out to touch the rocks, the trees, and my face. At 9 months old, she knew that Bryce Canyon is a very special place.

I notice two significant things during my time in Utah’s National Parks:

(1) Just about everyone I saw commended me for going on a 7 mile hike with a baby strapped to me. I only saw one other family doing this in Bryce Canyon Peek a Boo trail.

(2) There were 2 black people that I saw during my entire 7 day road trip through 5 National Parks in Utah (hence, my video rant).

Okay, so first of all, I am getting the impression that most people think it is impossible to go hiking and or camping with infants and toddlers, without losing your damn mind…and then add that to a 7 day road trip 1/2 across the country with them strapped to the carseats for hours, you’d think that would be a recipe for disaster. But, it’s not. You just have to plan it the right way. My 3 year old and 9 month old loved the trip. They love hiking. My toddler loves camping. My infant doesn’t seem to care where she is as long as she can get her mama milk. I recommend an Ergo carrier. Buy an Ergo cargo pack (for food and diapers) to attach to the carrier for the infant or toddler you want to haul. You can use the Ergo Carrier for a child up to 40lb. It’s light and they can fall asleep with a headrest to cradle their heads. My husband prefers the Deuter hiking system but I think it’s overpriced, heavy, and uncomfortable. The Ergo Carrier can have them on your side, back, or front. Perfect if you are a nursing mama. Deuter can’t do that.

But I have to be up front and say you can’t just do a 7 mile hike like Bryce Canyon, in a hot and high climate, with a baby and water in tow, if you haven’t been working out regularly. Before you embark on something like what I did, practice walking around in an area in your neighborhood that is hilly with your kid strapped on you.

A. Breeze Harper started The Sistah Vegan Project focuses on how plant-based consumptive lifestyle is affected by factors of race, racisms, sexism, heterosexism, classism, and other social injustices within the lives of black females. Breeze Harper is the editor of “Sistah Vegan” (Lantern Books 2010) and a PhD candidate in critical food geographies at UCD.

Let me tell you a little bit about my sister. Rosalyn likes fashion. On many occasions, she has added trendy accessories to my wardrobe. Rosalyn also hates “bugs.” So, I was a little surprised when she said she wanted to go kayaking during her visit.

On a calm Tuesday morning, we drove from Knoxville to Reliance, Tennessee to kayak the Hiwassee River. We kayaked a 5.5-mile stretch of the river that runs 147-miles through the Cherokee National Forest.

Gorgeous

The outfitter we went to gave us a warm welcome, along with  two oars and a two-person kayak.  “We’re not going to fall in the river,” I told myself, “but let’s leave the phones in the car… just in case.” Rosalyn even brought a shower cap—yes, a shower cap. “Why are you bringing a shower cap?” I asked. “Hey,” she retorted, “I just got my hair flat-ironed… it can’t get wet.”  Enough said. We were ready for the Hiwassee!

When we got to the dock, Rosalyn and I got into the kayak. The outfitter pushed our kayak into the water and we were off. We paddled through shallow waters of a few inches and deep waters over 60 feet. The most exciting thing was listening to the river; as we kayaked we could hear upcoming rushing riffles — and amazingly,  Rosalyn managed to keep her shower cap on as we crossed the riffles!

But when we were about 10 minutes away from our landing point, we came to a short waterfall. We tried to direct the kayak and paddle forward. But the force of the water was too great. As we went over the waterfall, we both went overboard.

After we fell in the water, our kayak turned over and our supplies flowed downstream. Many thoughts raced through my mind–”What just happened? — Where is Rosalyn? — God help me!”

Rosalyn was okay. She was in the river…with her shower cap still on! I kept asking her if she was okay. “I’m okay,” she said, “Just relax and stay calm.” As I treaded water, I could feel the weight of my wet khakis. I couldn’t believe this was happening.

The waterfall ended in a pool no more than 10 feet deep with large rocks on the river bottom. Rosalyn found a rock on the river bottom and stood on it. “Stand on the rock with me,” she said. I didn’t think I could make it, but Rosalyn with her shower cap encouraged me. I made it to the rock and we collected our thoughts. Finally, we managed to turn the kayak over, retrieve an oar, and make it to shore.

Our kayaking journey taught me some things: The Hiwassee River’s depth and power can humble the spirit, and my sister can be strong and courageous in times of trouble… even with a shower cap on.

Shelby Ward is an attorney passionate about conservation, and currently consults with the National Parks Conservation Association in Tennessee. Twitter @sw285

Zoe Polk of San Francisco, CA is seen at Spooner Lake, NV enjoying the first snow of the season!

“You shouldn’t have to convince people to go to paradise,”

–Shelton Johnson, Ranger, Yosemite National Park

Although our national parks belong to all Americans, it’s a sad fact that very few people of color ever set foot in some of our country’s most beautiful places. Take a journey to Yosemite National Park with the Amazing Grace 50+ Club, a Los Angeles-based senior church group whose members are looking to reverse that trend.

Click to learn more about efforts to bring more diverse visitors to the parks

As most of you know, Outdoor Afro has been run on solo steam these past couple of years since it began, and I now am quite grateful to have the help and support needed to sustain and grow this wonderful network.

So I am proud to welcome intern Séla Steiger (24) who brings a wonderful mix of outdoor experience and perspective that is certain to enrich our work here at Outdoor Afro. Séla will be primarily responsible for supporting social media communications and events. Please read her very first Outdoor Afro blog post below then give her a warm welcome! - Rue

Hello Outdoor Afro Community! I am so very glad to join you and introduce myself!

I am Sela Steiger, a Bay Area native and life-long (in all my 24 years!) nature lover. Spending my summers as a youth in Yosemite with my parents who were National Park Rangers, I have basically grown up in a tent; camping, backpacking, and generally exploring the Sierras. I have also spent winters in Tahoe learning to ski, days hiking or mountain biking around Oakland/Berkeley’s beautiful foothills and lakes, swimming in the Russian River, and checking out the amazing California coast!

From 2005-2009 I was transported to Oberlin College, a very different landscape. There I managed to get in touch with my rural roots, experiencing defined seasons for the first time as well as the treacherous “lake effect” (Oberlin is about 12 miles South of Lake Erie). On the warmer side of things, I recall many beautiful summer nights lying in the grass, chatting and laughing amidst the crickets. My studies also brought me to Morocco and Spain where I lived abroad for four months in 2008. During those months I sat for many train rides with my eyes glued to the window, and I still remember my awe and inspiration taking in the rich and exotic scenery of these marvelous countries.

I realize, as I write these words, that being myself in nature and enjoying the outdoors has always been an integral piece of my identity and self-discovery. As I recall these wonderful outdoor memories, I can’t help but think about the many that have yet to unfold!

I am so happy to meet and greet you all! I hope to contribute my knowledge of the outdoors to the Outdoor Afro community and share my passion for adventure. I can’t wait to connect with like-minded folks like you all!

How can you do your best by nature?

Here is the follow-up from Balanced Rock Foundation’s  Women of Color Backpacking Trip we wrote about last summer – check out all the fun they had!

The 2011 Women of Color Backpacking Trip participants knocked my socks off, and they went straight into the washing machine!  We had a professional videographer and photographer who is also the mother of the two cutest twins I know; an esteemed aerialist; a nearly 50-year-old “Bike Diva” takin’ some just-shipped-her-daughter-off-to-college time; and a smart and practical sister who has become a mother by taking charge of her two young nephews. Plus, there were two instructors with enigmatic pasts…

The  trip for 2011 was incredibly fun and engaging.  The conversations were often so compelling that I had to remind myself that we were on a backpacking trip.  We often discussed how things run back in the default world, and offered reinterpretations of how things could be.  I felt honored to be among these women of color in nature.

As usual, we all worked together to prepare the meals and perform other camp duties.  What was funny was that three of the participants were mothers, and the fourth was self-described as having OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder).  So things got done! We joked that Balanced Rock should start a screening process, so that future trips would run as smoothly!

Our destination was Ostrander Lake in Yosemite National Park.  We spent one night in the Bridalveil Creek campground, which is near our trailhead.  It was a surprise that there was a lightning-started fire nearby, which was controlled, but allowed to burn.  That’s how they do things these days in Yosemite, after years of snuffing out all fires.  It was smoky on the road, and we constantly debated the wisdom of sticking to our itinerary in the days leading up to the trip.  We stuck to it, and it turned out alright.  We did end up wearing bandannas like rogue desperados, but that was just for one day.

We took two days to get to Ostrander Lake, and found a deluxe campsite along the way to set up shop for the night.  There was a lot of laughter and camaraderie along the way, and we found a fine balance between getting to our destination and enjoying the journey.

Once we got to the lake, it was refreshing to dip in, as well as a plentiful source of water to sustain us.  There is a busy campground at the lake, but we opted for a more primitive spot where we could be more secluded.  We were lucky enough to encounter the Ostrander Ski Hut occupied by NPS rangers on a break.  We introduced ourselves and got a tour of the facility.  It is such a great place to ski to during the winter months.

Hello there Outdoor Afros! Kelly here from the Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project!

This past Saturday I was a guest of Outdoor Afro and Soul Food Farm at their annual benefit for Slow Food Solano, and the Farmer Veteran Coalition in Vacaville, CA. I have to tell you, I had a GREAT time! It was a day of firsts for me, the first time I’ve ridden my ’86 Honda Shadow for an hour straight, the first time I’ve ridden over a bridge, and the first time I’ve ever watched beef butchered. And I learned all new vocabulary, like:

char•cu•te•rie

Definition of CHARCUTERIE : a delicatessen specializing in dressed meats and meat dishes; also : the products sold in such a shop…

Which I discovered meant people and places that make bacon, sausage and other cured meats. YUM!

Click to check out all my photos!

I also learned how professionally trained butchers “break down” beef. It was fascinating watching my favorite cuts of meat being sliced away from a whole cow. You don’t get more real than that! I even walked away with a packet of grass-fed beef stew meat I won in the raffle! Agricola Grassfed Beef donated the cow and from the lunch we had- from pastrami sandwiches to beef tacos (my personal favorite) to the most delicious ribs I’ve ever tasted. How beef is raised and butchered makes a huge difference in taste!

Alexis Koefoed, Owner of Soul Food Farms

Seriously, beef, beer and butchers with chain link belts on… I was in Kelly-Heaven!

The owner of Soul Food Farm, Alexis, was so welcoming to all of her guests! She spoke to everyone about the importance of supporting both the slow food movement, school gardens, and returning veterans. She and her volunteers have our thanks for everything they do!

Thank you Rue of Outdoor Afro and Soul Food Farm for inviting Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project to this “first in a lifetime” opportunity!

Best,

Kelly D. Carlisle
Founder/ Executive Director
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project
Ph: 510.972.3276

And Teresa Baker followed up with a shot of natural beauty in Big Sur, California!