Gear Abby Episode 5: Trail Running, $100 at REI, Backpacking With Your Boo & Saying Yes to Yosemite
- colin7931
- 1 day ago
- 37 min read
On this episode of Gear Abby, Shawnté Salabert and producer Colin True fielded listener questions ranging from beginner trail running tips to splurging at REI, convincing your partner to go backpacking, and whether or not you should say “yes” to climbing in Yosemite. As always, Shawnté mixes personal stories, hard-won wisdom, and a few laugh-out-loud asides into advice that’s equal parts useful and relatable.
Question 1: Beginner Trail Running
Listener “Angry Rae” asked for Shawnté’s best tips for new trail runners.
Shawnté was quick to admit she’s “an absolute mid runner,” but switching to trails changed everything for her. She explained the key differences between road and trail running, starting with footwear—trail runners have lugged outsoles and rock plates for protection, though minimalist sandal folks can go full barefoot if they dare.
She also emphasized safety and preparation: carrying water, snacks, a first aid kit, and sometimes an emergency bivy, depending on remoteness. Elevation gain is another key difference. Her first trail half-marathon included 3,200 feet of climbing and one memorable moment of “shuffling ever upward” while gnawing on a yellow Peep for morale.
Her final points: trail running humbles you with uneven footing, slower pace, and inevitable wipeouts. Or as Shawnté put it: “You’re not a real trail runner until you trip on air.”
Question 2: $100 to Spend at REI
Listener “Daddy Warbucks” posed a fun challenge: What would Shawnté buy with a $100 REI gift card?
Her strategy:
Check what’s on sale.
Look at pricey items that rarely discount (like electronics or HOKAs).
Apply the gift card toward a big-ticket item.
She once used an unexpected REI gift card for her first GPS watch (a callback to Episode 2). These days, she’d probably put the money toward a Goal Zero power station, “because I feel like I should be doing a better job preparing for the apocalypse.”
Question 3: Getting Your Boyfriend Into Backpacking
Listener Sam R. from Bend wanted advice on introducing a new boyfriend to backpacking, hoping to share a passion that’s already taken her on the AT and possibly toward the Triple Crown.
Shawnté loved the sentiment and shared her own story of introducing her best friend Brooke to the Sierra. The altitude, heavy pack, and steep climb were tough, but the payoff (a jaw-dropping alpine view) brought Brooke to tears and sealed the deal.
Her advice for Sam:
Start small with day hikes or frontcountry camping.
Keep the first backpacking trip short and scenic, with plenty of breaks.
Prioritize comfort over ultralight minimalism (borrow or rent cushier gear if needed).
Surprise them with little luxuries (camp chairs, special snacks, favorite drinks).
Talk through expectations before the trip.
Have a “Plan B” escape hatch if it doesn’t go well.
And a final, practical tip: don’t expect romance the first time out. Dirt, bear worries, and cathole digging are rarely aphrodisiacs.
Question 4: Climbing in Yosemite
Listener “Not Honnold” wondered if joining experienced friends for a Yosemite climbing trip would be a waste, given limited experience.
Shawnté’s answer: Always say yes to Yosemite.
She shared her own story of joining a Yosemite climbing trip early in her climbing journey, feeling unprepared, but ultimately completing her first multi-pitch climb and celebrating with a King Cobra in Curry Village.
Her practical advice:
Be upfront with your group about your skill level.
Take skill-building classes before the trip (anchor setting, multi-pitch, lead basics).
Embrace the Valley experience, whether or not you climb nonstop—there’s plenty of joy to be found in meadows, rivers, and waterfalls.
The Takeaway
Episode 5 of Gear Abby highlights Shawnté’s sweet spot: grounded advice wrapped in humor and stories that make the outdoors feel approachable. Whether you’re faceplanting on a trail run, planning your first couple’s backpacking trip, or debating a Yosemite invite, her answer is the same: prepare, embrace the unknown, and always make room for Peeps, popsicles, or poetry along the way.
Episode Bings (aka Footnotes)
Actually our email address is DearGearAbby@gmail.com. Use it!
Not all barefoot pursuits are ‘freaky’
Except Vibram FiveFingers, they are definitely freaky.
Eagle eared listeners will remember this call back to episode 1. If you are a true Abby-head… we see you.
Nope, it’s DearGearAbby@gmail.com
If you’d like to procure a butt ton of climbing gear ( be like Gear Abby) click here for resources.
King Cobra: The official post hike beverage of Gear Abby!
Feast your eyes on the greatness of Vertical Limit!
Listen to the Full Episode
This recap only scratches the surface, listen to all of Gear Abby Episode 5 here or just click the player below.
If you’ve got your own gear dilemmas, need solutions to your hiking chafe, or just want Shawnté to settle an outdoor debate, send your questions to deargearabby@gmail.com, they just might land in a future episode.
And remember: there are no dumb questions—just smart advice.
Episode Transcript (procured electronically, pardon the typos):
The Gear Abby Theme Song!
00:00:03.200 - 00:00:32.370
You got questions going out of your mind. Someone with answers. Now that's hard to find, like the what and the why and the how stuff works or just where to go to avoid all the jerks.
She's Gear Abby. Gear Abby. Gear Abby. Advice that doesn't suck. Gear Abby.
Hello there, my outdoorsy friends, and welcome to Gear Abbey, where we tackle the controversial, weird, obscure, and taboo topics that other outdoor podcasts refuse to touch.
I'm
Shawnté Salabert
00:00:32.370 - 00:01:25.010
Shante Salibair, an outdoor educator, writer, and former school social worker who's hiked, run, climbed, paddled, and adventured across the US and beyond.
And here on Gear Abbey, I channel all that experience and more into answering your burning questions about our relationships with outdoor people, products, places, and pastimes. Because remember, my outdoor loving pals, there are no dumb questions, just smart advice. You know how this works at this point, right?
Five episodes in, you're gonna send questions, your burning questions into myrockfightmail.com and I'll pick my favorites to answer here on the show. And joining me, as always, my number one question slinger, the producer extraordinaire, my recent. My. My trade show buddy this summer. Aww.
The guy with the best mustache on my zoom screen right now. That's Colin. True.
Colin True
00:01:25.410 - 00:01:30.010
The mustache. Does the stash need to come back? Is that. Is that. Is that a formal request for the stash as this recording?
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:30.010 - 00:01:32.690
I mean, it is back. Wait, how much more back can it get?
Colin True
00:01:33.010 - 00:01:34.690
I need. Well, you know, come on.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:34.850 - 00:01:42.610
I want. You know what I want? I want you to like Wyatt Earp. Just. I want it longer. I want it cur. Like curling. I want you to use a mustache wax.
Colin True
00:01:43.170 - 00:01:46.850
Kurt Russell and Wyatt Earp is the gold standard for cool mustaches.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:47.260 - 00:01:48.300
That's true. That's true.
Colin True
00:01:48.300 - 00:01:51.380
Did I say in Wyatt Earp as Wyatt Earp in Tombstone? Excuse me?
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:51.380 - 00:01:55.020
I mean, he was really in Wyatt Earp's soul, if that's what you're saying, you know, so.
Colin True
00:01:55.180 - 00:01:57.500
Such a good movie. Such a good movie.
Shawnté Salabert
00:01:57.500 - 00:02:04.500
Now I'm trying to think if I've actually seen it. It's just one of those movies, you know, you think you've seen, like. I think I've seen it. What if I haven't?
Colin True
00:02:04.500 - 00:02:05.780
Have you really never seen Tombstone?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:05.780 - 00:02:12.380
I feel like, Colin, at this point, you're just cat cataloging all of the movies I haven't seen. Like the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Colin True
00:02:12.540 - 00:02:16.020
I just. You just lost followers by admitting you haven't seen Lord of the Rings.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:16.020 - 00:02:25.960
No, but don't worry. Listen, y', all, he. Colin was Upset when he found out that I hadn't seen it. That he is like, back. Way back in.
I don't know, was it April or May or something?
Colin True
00:02:25.960 - 00:02:27.120
It was earlier in the year.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:27.120 - 00:02:30.280
I get a text from Colin. It says, hey, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?
Colin True
00:02:31.640 - 00:02:32.160
That's right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:32.160 - 00:02:32.560
Sorry.
Colin True
00:02:32.560 - 00:02:32.840
What?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:33.240 - 00:02:45.240
Okay, I know we've become friends over the course of rock fighting, but. Yeah, because he's. He's gotten his wife and children on board. Or at least the wife is on board with watching. Watching a marathon with me.
Colin True
00:02:45.740 - 00:02:48.460
Heck yeah. We'll rectify Thanksgiving. Lord of the Rings. What could be better?
Shawnté Salabert
00:02:49.020 - 00:03:00.540
It's. I. I guess it's going to be wonderful. I don't know. I mean, I love Sean Astin. Did I tell you about how my friend made him? Didn't make him.
She hired him to record a cameo for me when I was getting ready to run my first half marathon.
Colin True
00:03:00.860 - 00:03:01.659
That's amazing.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:01.659 - 00:03:22.540
And it was all his advice. I didn't know he was a runner, too. And it was all his advice for, like, how I should fuel up and stay hydrated.
And I play it for myself every once in a while. All right, well, you know what? The people are here for Colin.
I think they are here not for our cameo wishes and dreams, but for some question and answers. So, yeah, how about we kick it off? What do you have for me?
Colin True
00:03:22.620 - 00:03:42.060
All right, first question. Nice basic one to get things started, a little tone setter. We're setting the tone, Dear Gear Abby.
What are your best basic tips for beginner trail runners? A lot of alliteration in that question. Best basic tips for beginners. Beginner trail runners. Signed Angry Ray.
I don't know why Ray is angry, but apparently Ray is angry.
Shawnté Salabert
00:03:42.380 - 00:04:56.330
Maybe Ray needs to go out on a rail run. I will say, even though I'm an absolutely mid runner, switching to trail running was a game changer for me. Emotionally. It's just a really.
I love being out on the trail. I like moving at a different pace out there with. Without a giant backpack. Normally, I'm backpacking. Um, and I really.
I love encouraging other people to just ditch the pavement. I don't think it's a huge learning curve, but there are a few differences once you move over to dirt.
So I'd say first and foremost, you're gonna have to change up your footwear.
Uh, considering every hardcore runner I know has at least 10 overpr, you know, overpriced shoes and rotation at any given time, this shouldn't be too hard for you, Ray. So I assume you already have an arsenal.
If you are perhaps a roadrunner, trail running shoes generally have two important features you're going to look for. They've got a grippy lugged outsole of some sort, you know, to varying degrees. And a rock plate. Usually not.
Not all of them do, but a lot of them have a rock plate that's one level up from the outsole. Between that and the midsole, that adds a level of protection from things like rocks, tree roots, you know, any sharp objects coming into your foot.
And you know what?
Listen, Ray, if you are one of those freaky minimalist people, you can also just slap on a pair of Bedrocks or Lunas or Lems or Shama sandals, whatever you want and have at it.
Colin True
00:04:56.970 - 00:05:16.670
Attention Gear Abbey listeners, this is your producer and partner in Gear, Colin True speaking.
And I wanted to let you know that that sound you just heard, the one that sounded like this, that's your indication that there is a footnote available for you on the Gear Abbey episode companion article over on Rockflight. Co. Go check it out. To get even more from every episode.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:16.830 - 00:05:39.470
Of Gear Abbey, I just recommend going on shorter runs first to see how your feet feel on trails in them, because it is a different feeling. I have run in. I've actually run in my Shama Mountain goats before and it's I. What I'm calling running, by the way, is just like a light tiptoe jog.
So for you hardcore runners, definitely test it out first before you go deep in the backcountry with sandals.
Colin True
00:05:39.870 - 00:05:45.150
I need to just break in. If you're going to talk about freaky minimalists, you let. There was a glaring omission on this list.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:45.690 - 00:05:46.650
Wait, who did I miss?
Colin True
00:05:46.810 - 00:05:48.170
Vee from Five Fingers.
Shawnté Salabert
00:05:48.170 - 00:06:06.090
Oh my God. The original freaky minimalist. Yeah, right?
I still remember getting a pair of those shoes and wearing them around my stepdad, who was deeply horrified. Like it's. To this day, he's still. This was probably 13 or 14 years ago and he still gets upset when I wear NGG socks in the house.
Colin True
00:06:06.170 - 00:06:18.830
Yeah, Vibram Five Fingers, Amazing gym shoe. I will. I'm not defending the way they look. You look a fricking moron with those shoes on.
But wearing them as a gym shoe, you're so low to the ground, you have all the grip you need. They're a great gym shoe.
Shawnté Salabert
00:06:18.830 - 00:07:52.840
Oh, I didn't think about that. I've actually been wearing some Crux Trail Runners to the gym and I really like.
I mean, I like them at the gym and then I can go for a little jog or a walk afterwards. Oh, I like that application for five fingers. All right, good thinking. Uh, you know, all right, while we're. While we're on gear.
So the other thing you might want to think about, Ray, is depending on how remote the trails are that you're going to run, you also want to consider carrying extra food, water, and, you know, safety items that you might not be hauling around when you're in an urban environment. So I have two different vests that I toggle between. We've actually talked about vests on the show before.
I've got a super lightweight ultimate direction Ultra Vesta that I use for shorter runs.
I also use it for races, but I use it for shorter runs where I'm probably just carrying a very minimal first aid kit and some snackage and then a much higher capacity Osprey Dinah for those true backcountry mountain runs where I'm going to carry things like an inreach, extra layers, emergency bivvy, very important sweet potato tater tots. So, yeah, the vest. The vest can be important or. Or if you're a belt person, but I. A vest really is where it all goes.
So another thing, we got a couple more things here.
Unless you're already busy murdering your calves while running in a place like San Francisco, you're also going to want to pay attention to elevation gain and loss on the trails that you want to run.
So when I signed up for my very first half marathon, my very first trail half, it was the Valencia Trail race, and I just picked it because it was close to home. I was like, oh, that's cool. It's close to home. I like those mountains of.
It was only after I signed up and paid the ransom fee that I noticed it had something like 3200ft of elevation change.
Colin True
00:07:52.840 - 00:07:55.400
Oh, over how long. How long was the course move?
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:55.800 - 00:07:58.000
So calling a half marathon is 13 point.
Colin True
00:07:58.000 - 00:07:59.160
Oh, you said half marathon.
Shawnté Salabert
00:07:59.160 - 00:08:00.600
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Colin True
00:08:00.600 - 00:08:02.600
It's a lot of climbing for 13 miles.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:03.000 - 00:08:37.190
Oh, my God. So that meant I had to hill train leading up to it, which was just brutal.
But I will say one of my enduring memories from that race is just slogging up one of those endless hills with an. A giant wad of yellow peeps just shoved into my cheek. Like, chew. It was just dribbling sugar water. It was a good time.
Yeah, trail running, man, it's a thing. Uh, I mean, in that. On that note, I will say one of the upsides to trail running, something to keep in mind is that Especially in races. I see it.
But in general, a lot of people just walk the uphill. So don't get into trail running and think you gotta run all that elevation gain.
Colin True
00:08:37.190 - 00:08:38.270
No, it's prescribed.
Shawnté Salabert
00:08:38.270 - 00:10:39.380
Yeah, do whatever the hell you want out there. I remember once talking to Hillary Oliver, who is an amazing writer editor. She's made some films. You may know her.
She used to do the outdoor research blog. Anyway, Hillary, I was writing a piece for O R at the time, and she and I were talking and I was having a hard time, and I'm like, I got.
I need something to look forward to. I need something to do. And she said, oh, well, a friend and I are going to run the Teton Crest this summer. Do you want to run it with us?
I was like, what does that mean? She said, oh, it's like 42 miles. I was like, what if I don't run, I don't run. And she's like, oh, well, you know, you can.
We'll walk the uphills and we'll jog everything else and then we'll eat a lot of donuts. I was like, running might be cool. I might get. That's how I started running, actually.
It was because Hillary tried to get me to run the Teton Crest Trail, but it was literally her saying, oh, we just walk the uphills. And it just all made more sense to me. I was like, this is a great endeavor. I would love to trail run.
So there's always going to be some dude who thinks he's, you know, the second coming of Killian Jornet. But the rest of us mere mortals are, I promise you, just shuffling ever upward, silently cursing our commitment to type 2 fun.
And I'd say, Ray, final thing about trail running, just beginner tip here. I've run on streets and sidewalks that make me question whether a single public works dollar is being spent on their upkeep.
But trail running introduces near constant unevenness. You got rocks, roots, lumps, bumps, ruts, branches, pine cones, like the whole shebang.
And all of these mean that you're going to be engaging different muscles with each football, each push off. So you're also going to be running at a slower pace than you run on the streets or on the sidewalk or at the local high school track.
So keep that in mind. Be a little humbled out there. And on that note, prepare to biff. You're gonna biff and you're gonna biff hard.
You are not a real trail runner until you navigate, like, a mile of rocks and branches. Absolutely Successfully and then just face plant after tripping on air.
I remember the first time it happened to me, it was up somewhere near Tahoe and I just felt really vindicated, like I was upset. And then I was like, wait a minute. Now I'm a real trail runner. So carry some. My, my last pro tip is carry a.
Carry a small first aid kit when you're trail running for that exact scenario.
Colin True
00:10:39.540 - 00:10:56.980
What is the peak? What do you feel about running as in terms of demographics? I have a feeling that 98% of people who run are somewhere between the ages of 34 and 44.
And before that it's like, eh, running. And then after that it's like, eh, I've done running.
Shawnté Salabert
00:10:58.100 - 00:11:13.780
Is this when we're all having our pre midlife crisis and we're like, you know what I'm gonna do is I'm gonna run ultras. Because I'm not gonna lie, I've absolutely thought I was like, what if I did a rim to rim to rim? Absolutely. I'm sure I could do that.
Even though the longest I've ever run is 17 miles, I absolutely can smash it, I think.
Colin True
00:11:13.780 - 00:11:31.580
So I had my second knee surgery, which made me feel like I probably am done running now. I feel like if that had happened in my late 30s, I would have been really crushed about like, oh, my God, I can't run anymore. And it's such a.
And it's like, what I need to get engaged in the world and be who I am. I was like, you know, my late 40s. I'm like, yeah, it's all right. I can ride my bike.
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:31.580 - 00:11:44.700
It's so funny. I will say I've slipped into that. I started, I started weightlifting this past year and I'm like, oh, I really like this.
But I'm like, oh, well, if I'm weightlifting, I don't want to run because isn't that going to be too hard on my joints and I need to preserve them for deadlifting.
Colin True
00:11:44.700 - 00:11:48.220
Yes, Whatever it means, absolutely.
Shawnté Salabert
00:11:48.220 - 00:11:58.820
I'll just do a light jog from here, you know, every once in a while. But somehow, still in the back of my mind, I think I'm going to run an ultra. So we'll see how that goes. It'll probably keep falling.
I'm just gonna put a 50k.
Colin True
00:11:58.820 - 00:12:01.220
You don't need to. The 50k is the perfect distance.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:01.380 - 00:12:05.700
Yeah, that's my thought. I'll just pick a trail that's only uphill so I can walk the whole thing.
Colin True
00:12:06.410 - 00:12:07.730
I will crew for you, by the way.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:07.730 - 00:12:08.450
Oh, Would you?
Colin True
00:12:08.450 - 00:12:19.450
I am. No, no, I. Yes, of course I am. I am an excellent crew mom. I will crew the shit out of you. You will be fed and out there.
Dude, I am great at aid stations.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:19.450 - 00:12:21.210
Oh, hell yeah. I'm signing up tomorrow.
Colin True
00:12:21.370 - 00:12:21.850
All right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:22.010 - 00:12:25.250
To run next year, but only 50k.
Colin True
00:12:25.250 - 00:12:27.810
I don't want to do overnights anymore, so it's gotta be done in a day.
Shawnté Salabert
00:12:27.810 - 00:12:46.580
That's good. Me neither. Yeah, we're good. 50k one and done. Thanks, Colin. All right, Amazing. I can't wait to.
Now, apparently I've committed to running a 50k on a podcast that other people hear, so that's happening at some point. Colin, save me for myself and ask me another question, please.
Colin True
00:12:46.820 - 00:13:04.600
Okay, this next one is from Daddy Warbucks. Okay, so apparently not a fictional character, but a real person. Dear Gear Abby. All right, hopefully this is a fun one for you.
If I gave you a hundred dollar gift card to rei, what would you buy with it? Signed Daddy Warbucks.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:05.240 - 00:13:06.680
All right, hook me up, Daddy.
Colin True
00:13:08.920 - 00:13:10.680
Oh, wow, Gary. Abby's one of those.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:10.920 - 00:13:31.830
Yeah, listen, I'm ready, willing and able to gold dig at this point in my life. All right. For real though, this has. Somebody has, in fact actually once given me an exact amount $100 Rei gift card.
My friend Brooke found one in her house when she was moving to Denmark and she just looked at me, she's like, you're outdoorsy. Can you use this? Of course I can.
Colin True
00:13:32.070 - 00:13:32.950
You bet I can.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:32.950 - 00:13:37.510
You bet I can. I actually used it towards my first GPS watch, which we talked about in episode two.
Colin True
00:13:37.750 - 00:13:39.430
Wow. Full circle moment here in gear.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:39.430 - 00:13:43.910
Full circle because that's the watch I took over to Denmark and she's what I ran the 5k relay with.
Colin True
00:13:43.910 - 00:13:46.230
It's still stained in cheese and beer today.
Shawnté Salabert
00:13:46.310 - 00:14:16.370
Yeah, it's just slathered and Gouda.
But no, if you're going to give me 100 bucks, my quick and dirty rule is that I tend to maximize my spend whenever I have a discount or, you know, free money of any sort. So going to do a few things first.
I'm going to look at what's on sale and if I can, I'm going to try to time my buy to one of those sweet 20% off member coupons or, you know, Labor Day sale or one of their garage sales. Next up, I'm looking at the things that never go on sale. So pricey electronics and hokas. Can. Can your girl get a pro deal, please?
Colin True
00:14:16.850 - 00:14:18.610
Do they not have pro deals those Hokas?
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:18.610 - 00:14:22.850
I'm sure they do, but I don't have one yet. Hoka, you're con.
Colin True
00:14:22.850 - 00:14:25.650
We're media. We don't pay for girls.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:26.580 - 00:14:54.200
Yeah, Hoka's man, they don't ever go on sale. That's one of their things. So I would. I've absolutely put re. I've put like my REI refund towards hocus in the past.
And then I'd say the final thing, if nothing in those two categories stands out, I just put it towards a big ticket item to kind of lessen the sting.
Although I. I don't know why this popped into my head, but I think it would be kind of hilarious if someone used that 100 bucks to just buy those Tony Chocolonely bars that are always sitting at the checkout for some reason. I think you could probably get what, like four of those for a hundred bucks?
Colin True
00:14:55.310 - 00:14:55.710
Maybe.
Shawnté Salabert
00:14:55.710 - 00:15:24.320
They're so good, right? I don't know. Anyways, listen, Daddy, if you want to Venmo me right now, that is Shantae-Salibair on. On Venmo you.
I would put your generous gift toward a goal zero power station. Mostly because I feel like I should be doing a little bit of a better job preparing for the apocalypse. So that's my pick.
Colin, if Daddy Warbucks reigns his pleasures upon you, which sounds so disturbing, I don't know why I said that, what would you buy with it?
Colin True
00:15:24.710 - 00:15:32.950
That's a good question. I think my temptation is almost go to that accessories spot like you mentioned, where the chocolate is at the front of the store.
Shawnté Salabert
00:15:33.030 - 00:15:35.190
Tiny hot sauces, a lot of the.
Colin True
00:15:35.190 - 00:16:00.310
Maybe the snacks, the maps, the books, that kind of area. You know, do I load up on a couple of backup Nalgene bottles or something like that?
Or is this the, you know, maybe it is, you know, a third of a tent, a third of a sleeping bag kind of thing. Right. It's kind of like put it towards a big ticket item. I don't know. It's kind of hard.
I mean, and this is going to sound like such a shitty thing to say, but it's like when you do kind of work in the space for a while, you kind of get used to getting stuff for free.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:02.070 - 00:16:05.830
So, you guys, I'm not used to it, so feel free to send me things.
Colin True
00:16:06.550 - 00:16:10.310
Oh, you're going to be. Once people realize who Gear Abby is, I think.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:10.630 - 00:16:10.990
Yeah.
Colin True
00:16:10.990 - 00:16:27.090
I don't know. I mean, the thing is too, like, as much as I complain about you, we're on the rock fight about, you know, the amount of stuff we're making and Even.
But I think if you look at the apparel section at a REI is a lot of stuff that kind of matches up with my sensibility. So, you know, maybe a couple of pair of like, you know, pants, you know, not okay.
Shawnté Salabert
00:16:27.090 - 00:16:53.090
All I want is for Colin to wear a pair of overalls.
When we were at Switchback Spring earlier this summer, we were at the Lipson booth and they had the overalls there and I, I a, I want a pair for myself. They looked amazing and I loved the collab with NARA B.
There was this just ongoing back and forth about Colin wearing a pair of overalls and he has decided he's a staunch non overall person. But I told you, the REI overalls actually fit really well.
Colin True
00:16:53.540 - 00:17:22.500
I'd like to hear from the Gear Abbey listeners, Andrew at Lipson, who I just love, dearly love what they're doing at Lipson. He's such a good person and great brand and friend of all the shows that are on the Rock Fight podcast network. I think I just, I'm not sure. I think.
I think overalls, unless you're really using them, like in a, in a, like a situation that requires them, it shouldn't be worn. I don't think they're casual. They should be worn casually.
You're working on a farm and you need like, you know, whatever you're out there, you need to be covered up for whatever reason. No shirt underneath. You're on a sweaty with your overalls.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:22.500 - 00:17:24.580
No one said you didn't have a shirt on underneath.
Colin True
00:17:24.580 - 00:17:32.080
Kind of I walked. You know, maybe that's. Maybe that's what I need.
If I need to just like, wear it without a shirt and feel like that that was socially okay, then maybe I'd be more into overall.
Shawnté Salabert
00:17:32.880 - 00:18:00.220
Wow.
The email again is my rock fight gmail.com and listeners, please, I would like to start a, I guess a listener poll, the most awkward listener poll of all. Just respond whether or not Colin should wear overalls, and then we can put it on the Rock Fight Instagram. That's all I want.
That's all anyone wants, really. All right, so far, I'm kind of into this episode. I am excited to see what comes up next. Colin. Colin, who should wear overalls?
What do you have for me?
Colin True
00:18:00.220 - 00:18:19.780
Dear Gear Abby, I'm a huge backpacker. It's actually become such a big part of my life that I've already hiked the AT and I'm thinking about completing the triple crown.
I've been dating a really amazing guy for about 6 months and I feel like this One might actually last sort of a hard transition from the backpacking into the guy. But it's okay. We're using some brevity here.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:19.780 - 00:18:21.580
Hopefully there's something tying in here.
Colin True
00:18:21.660 - 00:18:38.740
Yeah, he's not a backpacker, but because he knows how important it is to me, he's open to trying it out. So the boyfriend might be open to trying backpacking. Do you have any tips for how I can make it a really positive experience for him?
It would be so amazing to go on trips together. Signed, Sam R. And Ben.
Shawnté Salabert
00:18:39.140 - 00:21:12.650
Aw. I am such a softie for sharing my favorite things with my favorite people. All right, I got you, Sam.
And, you know, all of this is just my general advice. But remember, at the end of the day, we cannot make people like the things we like.
So I'm gonna try to give you some tips from my own experience that will help you open the door to your Bo Possibly liking what you like. So think about it that way. So I once had the opportunity to take my bestie Brooke, who we just mentioned, with the REI gift card.
She's really done a lot for me, so I had a chance to give back to her. I had a chance to take her backpacking for the first time.
You know, many summers ago, I'd been working kind of day and night on this PCT guidebook that I'd written. And after ripping me a new one for spending more time with my.
What she called my guidebook boyfriend than my human friends, she said she wanted to know what all this backpacking fuss was about. Like, she wanted to know why I was so drawn to being out there.
So, being a creature of habit, I took her up to the Sierra, my favorite place on the planet, and I planned a short trip on the Bishop Hess Trail. So we were going to hike in a few miles, camp near a lake, and then alpine wonder would commence. As it does, the hike up was tough for her.
You know, there's actually quite a bit of elevation gain up front on that hike, which I conveniently forgot when I was planning it. But I carried the shared gear. You know, she wasn't used to being up at altitude or hauling around a pack and dealing with that elevation gain.
But then we got to this spot, and this is where the magic happens, is you kind of come up, you're almost to the first lake, and you turn a corner, and boom, you just see mountains. And she stopped, and she was quiet for a second, and she turned around and had tears in her eyes, and she just said, okay, I understand it now.
You made up the tears part of her. No, her eyes. She. Her eyes were watery. Dude, it was amazing. I was like. You get it? Yeah. It was just. Honestly, I'll relive that moment forever.
It was so special. Like, she may never backpack again, even though she. We have talked about it now she lives in Denmark.
A little harder to backpack with her, but I just, you know, it was such an incredible experience that. Sam, if we can make this happen for you, I want to help it. Make it happen. You know, you didn't mention, though, here's.
Here's one piece of information I don't have is if your baby is a hiker or camper already, and if he's not, you want to start with things like day hikes, camping trips at front country campgrounds, you know, just to see how he feels about extended time in nature, sleeping on the ground, you know, before you get all Cheryl straight on him.
So when he is ready to get a little bit more feral, maybe then that's when you strap a full pack on him, walk around with it, even if it's just in the neighborhood or up and down some stairs.
Colin True
00:21:12.810 - 00:21:20.650
Just repeat that last part with a more sexual connotation. You know, you want to get feral, strap a pack on him, walk him around, even if it's in the neighborhood.
Shawnté Salabert
00:21:20.650 - 00:25:10.550
Hey, listen, Sam's really into backpacking, and. And if we can get Sam's boyfriend into it too, you know, hey, yo, we'll get to there.
I feel like that's gonna come back and make an appearance, but let's. Let's move into cleaner pursuits. Cleaner, dirty pursuits.
So I'd say when you're planning this initial backpack, just stick to something that isn't going to be a total grind. The mileage for that trip with Brooke was five miles. Like maybe just under five miles one way.
And it meant that we could hike as slow as we wanted to, take as many breaks as we needed. And we.
Stephan, you know, definitely still got into camp with daylight, so we didn't have the added stress of being in an unfamiliar place when it's dark and trying to set up. Also choose a location that you think might blow him away.
I mean, just like any drug, if you want to get them hooked on backpacking, show him just how amazing it can be from the jump. Bonus points if you work in any sort of feature, you know, thing that, you know, he digs. Maybe he's a lake guy, Maybe he likes hot springs.
You know, try to work that into the trip, too. That's something like, do you want to See, stick your nose in a pine tree, go camp in the forest.
Um, and since you mentioned you're a through hiker, you're probably used to lightweight gear, more minimalist gear. But I'd say make sure you outfit him for comfort first.
That might mean renting or borrowing gear because maybe you don't have extra gear to loan or you don't have heavy, you know, like more comfortable gear until you get him hooked on the good stuff and then he can start splurging and spending those hundred dollar REI gift cards. You can also commit to. I'd say this is what I did with Brooke. Carry some of the load, carry the shared gear at the very least.
It's not that he can't and you know, maybe tell him this, that you're not questioning his ability to carry things, but it's more about letting him really just enjoy the experience. This kind of new experience that can be sort of freaky for people if they haven't done it before.
And, and he can just focus on the beauty instead of how much he's sucking wind. Like, I think that's a great idea. It's also nice if you want to pack a few surprises, a few things that'll make it extra fun.
Lightweight camp chairs, special food, his beverage of choice, just to bougie up the experience a little bit, you know, and I'd say also be sure, talk about expectations, talk about worries before you get out there. A lot of times, no matter, you know, people of any gender can be afraid of things in the outdoors.
You could be afraid of going to the bathroom outside for the first time. Bears, you know, being outside in the dark, sleeping in a tent. Any of that is normal.
People of any age, age, any gender, any background can have those fears. So you're somebody who's super experienced. Open up that conversation.
Make sure that he feels like he can ask you things without feeling shame or guilt or anything. Also, open up space for him to not like it.
You know, he just may not have a plan B, like running back to the car and steering towards the nearest hotel with a Jacuzzi.
You know, the whole point of this is that you want to share something you love with him, not that you want to force him to do something he doesn't like. So keep an eye on it as you're out there. And to that end, just let go of all your expectations of what it's like to go backpacking.
It's gonna be completely different with somebody who's never done it before, and it's gonna Be completely different to share it with someone who's special to you. So on that note, don't expect to get busy out there your first time. Like, this is not the time to be busting out the lube.
Backpacking is a lot to take in for a newbie.
And honestly, being covered in dirt, having two shit in a hole in the ground, all of that is not going to be terribly libido enhancing for most people the first time around. So you don't know their kinks. That's true. You may discover some new things out there. I have absolutely on that trail.
Actually on a different trip, I encountered two people filming a little personal only fans vid. So people do absolutely get it on outside. I have not.
Not in view of anybody just pointing that out to those people who are on the Bishop Pass trail that day. But.
But yeah, maybe not your first time out or who knows, maybe your boo gets out there and he's like, oh, yeah, baby, I love seeing you all caked in dirt. Let's do it. So, you know, that's a whole nother. Someone can ask me a question about that. We'll talk about that on a different episode.
Colin True
00:25:10.550 - 00:25:12.390
Oh, I'm sure those questions are coming.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:13.030 - 00:25:14.390
They are. No pun intended.
Colin True
00:25:16.390 - 00:25:23.750
Wow. Didn't even. I'm a little disappointed myself that I, that I said that and then didn't even realize that I had said it until you pointed it out to me.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:23.750 - 00:25:27.110
You could have walked right through that door. I'm so, I'm so sad for you, Colin.
Colin True
00:25:27.750 - 00:25:31.730
I think I'm taking the opposite approach with Sam here. Gear. Abby, wait.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:32.050 - 00:25:32.850
What is your approach?
Colin True
00:25:33.490 - 00:25:41.410
Yeah, just don't do it. Let him find his own thing to do. This is your thing. Let this be your thing.
I think it's too much pressure on people to like, you know, have to like, do things together.
Shawnté Salabert
00:25:42.290 - 00:25:47.570
Sam saying that, he's just being nice. You don't know. Were you in the room? Do you know this person?
Colin True
00:25:48.850 - 00:26:03.510
I just like, after being married a long time, I've come to appreciate that it's nice to have everybody have their own thing.
But I think you gave all the right advice to exactly kind of accommodate like what I'm saying, if he did ask and it's like, hey, we're gonna do this, then like if he wants.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:03.510 - 00:26:05.070
To, definitely don't force him.
Colin True
00:26:05.070 - 00:26:12.510
Right? I mean, yeah, the danger here is you being like, oh my God, he's going to be as into this as I am. Right? And it's like, nah, shit, we have.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:12.510 - 00:26:13.150
To do it all the time.
Colin True
00:26:13.150 - 00:26:13.790
Necessarily.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:14.670 - 00:26:15.630
Yeah, exactly.
Colin True
00:26:15.630 - 00:26:18.390
If he, he could just be being nice. Yeah, exactly.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:18.390 - 00:26:43.420
Yeah. Get out there and do it. I do read a lot. I feel like it's often men trying to force their girlfriends to hike and camp and stuff with them.
And it's like at any point, if anybody expresses interest, like Brooke did with me, open that door up. Do what you can to introduce them to this thing, you know, communicate with them about what to expect, things like that.
But yeah, never in a world should you force it. I think this kind of goes with kids too. I see so many people just signing up their kids for 900 different things.
Colin True
00:26:43.580 - 00:26:45.940
Oh, I have so many opinions on it. Yes.
Shawnté Salabert
00:26:45.940 - 00:26:53.340
Yeah, that's a whole nother podcast. That's our parenting. Parenting podcast that I will co host with you. Even though I've never had a child.
Colin True
00:26:54.620 - 00:26:59.020
I'll just tell you if you're right or not. That'll be like good one. No, no, no. I got that one wrong.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:00.220 - 00:27:10.680
Go back to your Colin. It is almost time for you to be out of my arena. We are. We've got one question left on this episode.
Colin True
00:27:10.680 - 00:27:11.960
Oh my God, I can't believe that.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:12.200 - 00:27:13.000
Bring it home.
Colin True
00:27:13.480 - 00:27:47.130
All right, here we go. Dear Gear Abby, I started going to a climbing gym about two years ago and really love it.
I've also top troped outside a bunch with some friends from the gym and I've done a little bit of bouldering but I've never climbed on lead or done any multi pitch climbing.
Some of the more experienced people in our group invited me to go on a climbing trip to Yosemite later this year and I want to join them but I don't know if I'm good enough at this point. Do you think it's worth going for the experience or will it be a waste of my time and theirs? Signed not Honnold.
In case you were wondering, this is not from Alex Honnold.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:47.290 - 00:27:50.730
Alex Honnold, if you're listening, you too can send me your questions.
Colin True
00:27:51.530 - 00:27:57.270
I know I free soloed, you know, the nose, but I'm really worried about this country inside. Yeah, that's right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:27:57.270 - 00:28:17.950
Oh man. You know, funny enough, the only time I've actually seen actual Honnold in person was in Yosemite.
I was on the PCT and I, you know, so I've been out there for like two months at this point.
I'm in Tuolumne Meadows and he walked past the crash pad, you know, for bouldering, strapped on his back and he just high fived me with one of those giant paws. They are as big as you think they are.
Colin True
00:28:18.030 - 00:28:18.590
Yeah, right.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:18.590 - 00:28:21.070
As I walked past, it was so bizarre.
Colin True
00:28:21.310 - 00:28:27.390
I assume he's just there as like, a tourist attraction at this point. Like, well, there's Alex Honnold, because I'm here in Yosemite, you know, he's just there waving at people.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:27.810 - 00:28:54.050
You know, I wrote down my. My sighting in the wildlife register. Oh, man. Yeah, well, you know, second for you. So not Honnold. Go to Yosemite. Always say yes to Yosemite.
You know, it's not. Colin hasn't been. Which is one of my deepest, like, issues with Colin. I don't have a lot of issues with Colin, but that's one of them. It's. It's.
For him, it's me not seeing Lord of the Rings. And for me, it's him not having been to Yosemite despite living in California.
Colin True
00:28:54.050 - 00:28:54.690
It's way worse.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:55.010 - 00:28:56.130
It's so egregious.
Colin True
00:28:56.530 - 00:28:58.570
Came out in 2001, but okay, anyway.
Shawnté Salabert
00:28:58.570 - 00:29:30.140
Oh, my goodness, no. Yosemite is amazing. And even for the folks who hear, oh, the valley, it's so crowded. Whatever. Yeah, it is.
It is really crowded if you go during the height of the tourist season. But I love shoulder season. I love going in November also. Tuolumne Meadows is amazing. Go up to Hetch Hetchy.
Like, there's other parts of the park, but let's talk about climbing here. I don't think we've talked about it before or yet on the pod, but I am a climber.
Um, I used to climb a lot more than I do now, but I did some top robing as a kid back in Wisconsin. Shout out to Devil's Lake State Park, Baraboo. Oh, I like that. You know that, that I got into gym climbing.
Colin True
00:29:30.220 - 00:29:30.860
I've been there.
Shawnté Salabert
00:29:30.860 - 00:29:32.180
You have been there. That's right.
Colin True
00:29:32.180 - 00:29:34.220
Yeah. Multiple times. But not Yosemite.
Shawnté Salabert
00:29:34.220 - 00:30:48.290
About that, but not Yosemite. Devil's Lake's pretty great though. If we have any listeners who are familiar, you know what we're talking. There's some special sauce there.
It's also the first place I went mountain biking. Not. I did not do well. But we're. We're in a. Luckily not talking about mountain biking today. We're talking about climbing.
So, yeah, for me, living in Southern California, it wasn't hard to eventually, you know, get to outdoor climbing. I went to Joshua Tree. But, you know, Riverside Quarry is a local spot.
Stony Point, which is where legends like Lynn Hill, Royal Roberts, Yvonne Chouinard, like, all cut their teeth back in the day. And it's just this graffiti pile of rocks essentially in Chatsworth.
But maybe, you know, two or three years into that journey, I also got invited to Yosemite by some of my friends who are much more experienced. And I too was thinking, do I belong on this trip? And I didn't want to bring the energy down. I didn't want them to have to babysit me.
You know, it was a lot of that stuff going on in my head. But ultimately I said yes.
I mean, they had a pair of campsites reserved in the valley for a full week, which is of course, as we know, a minor act of God itself. Seriously, I mean, just incredible.
I was teetering at the precipice of unemployment since I just quit my longtime job in order to pursue this whole writing thing. And then I just bought a butt ton of climbing gear that I needed to use, so it just didn't look like shiny on a sling.
Colin True
00:30:48.450 - 00:30:52.290
So just like smacking it against rocks like, oh, yeah, I've had this rack for years.
Shawnté Salabert
00:30:54.210 - 00:32:01.170
Absolutely. Um, but no, I'm really glad that I stopped worrying about being a burden or falling off a cliff to my untimely death.
And I just said yes, which is what you should do.
So I was definitely the least experienced climber in the group, but everybody was incredibly patient, super supportive, and honestly, some of them are pretty stoked to get somebody out there and just like we were talking about, show them something they love in a different way. So I actually completed my first multi pitch climb on that trip. And you know, I know we have listeners who probably have no idea what that means.
So it basically means that the route is longer than a length of rope. So you've got to set up anchors and keep moving up the rope. Moving the rope up the rock, you moving up the rope.
And so it's, it's a little bit more high stakes because you have transitions in there where you've got to pull the rope and you've got to set an anchor and make sure you're clipped into it and don't fall to your death like I mentioned. So it was a pretty big deal for me.
And I have never felt more dirt baggy than afterwards when my crew took me over to Curry Village for a celebratory king cobra.
I have a great picture of me, just like a super dorky picture of me holding up a king cobra, which is absolutely disgusting with, with Half Dome in the background. That was my victory shot.
Colin True
00:32:01.170 - 00:32:11.410
I guess listeners should know too, that Shantae's main experience rock climbing Was just analyzing the form of Robin Tunney in the classic film Vertical Limb. And that is where she learned to rock climb.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:11.410 - 00:32:19.910
That's where I learned all my skills. Yeah. Very, very top notch. Next level. I don't carry. What was it? Plutonium? What the hell is in their bag? Nitroglycerin? I try not.
Colin True
00:32:19.910 - 00:32:20.750
Does that make sense?
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:20.750 - 00:32:22.510
Carry nitroglycerin in my backpack though.
Colin True
00:32:22.510 - 00:32:27.950
Be sure to come back on Christmas Eve for this year's watching on the rock fight of Vertical Limit. Which is now going to be what.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:27.950 - 00:32:29.950
We'Re doing on Christmas Evil. I'll let my mom know.
Colin True
00:32:29.950 - 00:32:33.670
Here we're going to re watch Vertical Limit and pot about it. That is a new tradition.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:33.670 - 00:32:49.820
Oh wow. Okay. That's beautiful. Well, anyway, let's get back to not. Not Honnold. I can't even say it. I can only say Alex Honnold. All right, listen, not wow.
You've chosen an impossible sign off. I mean, I like the creativity. I want people to keep writing it with.
Colin True
00:32:49.820 - 00:32:52.700
I stumble on my words all the time. Shantae never does. So this is a big deal.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:52.860 - 00:32:56.060
Aw, Colin's smiling way too hard right now.
Colin True
00:32:56.140 - 00:32:59.300
This is great. I love watching you screw up gear, Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:32:59.300 - 00:34:39.790
Oh my gosh. All right, listen. N.H. go to Yosemite. It's magical no matter how much climbing you actually get in.
I would say here just a few tips for you just to maybe ease your nerves a little bit. Be upfront with your group about your experience and your skills before you head out there.
Just so they know what they're working with and they can suggest kind of a appropriate climbs for you and maybe tell you, hey, sit this one out. Um, if you can. I'd also suggest seeing if you can sign up for skills classes.
You know, anchor setting is a great one to have even if you're not the primary person setting up the anchor.
Multi pitch climbing will teach you some of those transitional skills that you would need if you choose to do multi pitches when you're in Yosemite, which is obviously with all the big walls something they're known for. But like my first multi pitch was the grack.
It's a pretty chill, you know, slabby three pitch climb, you know, so you don't need to be out there on the, on the nose. Um, you know, climbing gyms will teach those classes. There's some outside classes you can look for.
But just deepen your knowledge base a little bit and you'll feel a little more confident out there, um, doing things like practicing flaking the rope, things that you can be helpful. You know how to clean gear out of the cracks and you know, out of the rock and everything.
It just will help you feel a little more confident out there. And of course in Yosemite, remember there is a whole bunch of other stuff you can do if you need to take a break from climate.
That is not the only thing you need to do there. I was there for a full week. I mean we climbed most days, but not all day.
A good chunk of my group broke off to tackle Royal Arches, which is this 15 pitch kind of classic half day route in the valley. I wandered off to go sniff some pine trees and take a dip in the Merced.
You know, maybe your vibe is more sip chardonnay and write poetry in the meadow or eat a popsicle and get blasted in the face by a waterfall. Honestly, you do you and go out there and have a great time doing it.
Colin True
00:34:41.460 - 00:35:35.490
Yeah. This is obviously a big adventure going up to Yosemite with a bunch of rock climbers, whether you're experienced or not.
I think the thing about the common thread here that I'm picking up is this is a common thing, even if it's, hey, we're going on like an after work trail run and I don't run very far and these people run more than I do and it's like, listen, if people are inviting you along then it's not going to be like, it shouldn't be a suffer fest. If it is, then they're dicks.
If I wanted to go and do something and I invited someone and whether I knew that they were, I was faster than them, they were faster than me, whatever it is, it's like I'm now, this has now become a group communal experience and if one of us shows up and just takes off and, or you know, just kind of we're gonna go try some like 5, 15 route that I know you can't climb, then like, what are we doing? Like, why did we bother to do this? I should have gone and just done this on my own. So right. You know that that is.
But so I think that is a common thing. So the point being, your advice is spot on gear Abby.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:36.530 - 00:35:37.090
Validation.
Colin True
00:35:37.090 - 00:35:45.110
You just get, you just say yes because you assume best int and go have the experience. Because actually worst case scenario here, even if they are dicks, he still went to Yosemite.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:45.110 - 00:35:46.550
He still went to Yosemite, so it.
Colin True
00:35:46.550 - 00:35:47.230
Can'T be that bad.
Shawnté Salabert
00:35:47.310 - 00:37:02.830
I really think, I mean, listen, when someone invites you along to do something, they want you there, you know, so I think I'm thinking of the first time I went hiking with Liz Snorkel Thomas, friend of the POD over at Treeline Review, very decorated through hiker who's created some own routes at a speed record on the Appalachian Trail. Liz, I had interviewed her. I don't remember if it was. Was for outside or maybe REI co op Journal back in the day. And she wanted to go on a hike.
She was working on a book about waterfalls. And she's like, oh, come join me. And I was like, oh, no, I can't hike with you. I know how fast you hike. This is gonna be bad.
And I said yes anyway, because I was like, well, all right. She did invite me. I didn't force myself upon her.
And out there, at one point, I noticed that she looked like she was walking through molasses, like she was trying to walk slower. And I'm. I'm like panting behind her. This is like during a period where I just wasn't in great shape. And at some point I said, it's okay, you can go.
You can go up ahead. I'll meet you at the next junction. And she's like, well, no, the whole point is that I invited you because I wanted to hike with you, right?
I was like, oh, yeah, that's right. You want me here. You don't care that I'm slow as shit. So it ended up being the start of a really amazing friendship.
And now, now I hike at a more similar pace to Liz and.
Colin True
00:37:02.830 - 00:37:04.070
And now Liz knows to leave you.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:04.070 - 00:37:12.230
At home because you can't keep up anywhere. But yeah, say yes. Get out there, have fun. Tell Colin all about it. So maybe he'll want to go someday.
Colin True
00:37:12.230 - 00:37:14.590
Yeah, maybe. And I'll tell you all about Devil's Like State Park.
Shawnté Salabert
00:37:16.350 - 00:37:47.120
Oh, man. Well, you know what? I'm calling it there. And I'm going to say that's it for this episode of Gear Abby.
Until next time, send your burning questions about your relationships with outdoor products, people, places and pastimes to us over@myrockfightgmail.com and I'll do my best best to answer them or find someone else who can. It probably won't be Colin. Today's episode was produced by David Karstad and Colin True. Art direction provided by the talented Sarah Gensert.
I'm Chante Salibair. And remember, there are no dumb questions, just smart advice.