As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.”
As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.
If your dream vacation is set in a forest, there are many options for making it a vacation you won’t forget. Whether you want to hike or canoe in to fish and tent camp, drive your RV for a “plug and play” vacation, or if you want to relax in a mountain resort and feel pampered, there is a forest, mountain, campground or resort just waiting for you to visit. There is even an option for making it a vacation you can enjoy again and again!
Before I get to talking about the specific items that make up the ten essentials, it’s a good idea for me to define what the concept is behind the ten essentials. The reason I phrase it like that is because there’s no set standard definition of a specific set of ten items that everyone agrees upon. There are some standard answers and standard categories (see here, here, here, and here) but there is also a great deal of variety out there. Again, if there’s anything I’ve learned over my time in the wilderness, everyone has their own modified version of the ten essentials. Which is why I’m talking about the concept behind it; which is that these are the items you would want to have with you should disaster befall you in the wilderness. These are the items that would enable you to survive.
