Since my surgery in June, I’ve been able to get out more and get back into walking and longer bike riding.  It’s been great being able to wander off and not worry about being near a toilet.

With my new freedom, I’ve been using some new-to-me personal gear in my outdoor activities.  Some are clothing items and some are just personal carry items to make things easier.  In this post, I’ll share some of my favorite items.

Insulated Water Bottle

Ever since my surgery, I have to drink more water than a normal person.  I don’t have my colon to squeeze water out of undigested food residue.  So I have to make up for that by drinking lots of water.  I use a Takeya Stainless Steel Insulated Water Bottle.  I actually have two of them – an 18 0z model and a 24 oz model.  What I like about them is that they’re rugged and are great at keeping water cold.  I fill it with some ice and it keeps the water cold for hours.  For me, these are just like an American Express card – I don’t leave home (or the RV) without one of these.

Road ID

A Road ID is a wrist bracelet with my name and key contact information.  I always wore a Road ID when I was into long-distance bike riding.  If I was ever in a biking accident and knocked unconscious, having my ID info readily available for the EMT’s was important.  I still have the old Road ID, but I recently got a new one. When I’m in Fl, I either ride my bike or walk everywhere.  The wallet ID I carry shows my home address in New England and my phone is locked.  So, if I get smacked by a car, fall down, or have “the big one”, I have a new road ID bracelet that will help the EMT’s know where I live in FL, know who to call, and know where to send the body 😉

Keen Walking Shoes

With my newly created freedom, I’m training to see if I can get in shape for walking the Camino de Frances.  The Camino is an ancient 500-mile walking trail in northern Spain.  It’s been on my bucket list for a long time.  To walk the Camino, I have to be able to walk 12-15 miles per day.  To do that my body needs to be in shape to handle the mileage and I need a good pair of time tested walking shoes.  After much research, I bought a pair of Keen Targhee II Hiking Shoes.  These shoes aren’t very stylish, but they are rugged and so far, after two months of walking in them, I love them.

They have a thick sole so I don’t feel every bump or rock on a path.  They are also wide at the toe end to avoid cramping the toes.  These shoes run small so it took me a couple of pairs to get the right size.  I usually wear a size 9.5 shoe, but for these, I’ve got a size 10.5 and they fit perfectly with enough room to let my feet expand after miles of hiking.  So now I have the shoes and I’ve built up the stamina to handle the miles.  I just have to see if I can get my knees in shape to handle all the miles on the Camino.

Chill Boys Underwear

When I ride or walk for several miles, I tend to sweat.  This is especially true down here in Florida.  Up north, I’m normally a boxer cotton underwear type of guy. But when I sweat the cotton gets wet and stays wet which is not good for developing rashes.  So, I did some research and tried a pair fo Chill Boys Breathable Soft Quick-Dry Boxers.  These are great boxers.  They’re made of a microfiber mesh with a wide waistband that doesn’t get wet or chaff.  They perform just like their ad – cool, breathable and quick dry.  They’re a little pricey at $18 per pair, but they work for me.  I wear a pair every time I’m going to ride or walk several miles.

EMS Hiking Pants

When I started walking again, I needed some lightweight breathable hiking pants.  I had a couple pairs of these in the past when I was into mountain climbing.  The ones I had 20 yrs ago were badly shaped and wrinkled beyond belief when washed.

In my new quest, I found a good pair of EMS Camp Cargo Zip-Off Pants.  The paints are made of nylon and are very light.  There are zippers on each leg so the pants can be turned into shorts.  They’ve got 6 mesh pockets, a built-in belt, and they don’t wrinkle up like my old ones did.  They’re great for when it’s cool down here in FL or when the bugs are out.  I wear them walking and have worn them to church.

Osprey Day Pack

A couple of years ago I had a great day pack from Cabelas.  But in 2017, it got stolen from me when my RV got broken into.  Cabelas no longer makes the pack and I’ve tried and tried to find a suitable replacement.  This spring I found one.  An Osprey Daylite Day Pack.  It holds 13 liters and is perfect for holding my cameras, library books, water bottles, and emergency ostomy supplies. It’s slim and cool on my back.  It can also hold a hydration pack.  It goes with me when I’m on most bike rides.  I also use it as my new bug-out bag,

So there you have it. Some new gear that I’m using in my outdoor activities and that’s working well for me.  Please feel free to ask any questions in a comment.