As any reader who has frequented the site over the years knows, I prefer backpacker style travel. Luxury first class is great and all, but let’s be real, majority of us can’t afford that. Besides, I’d rather have a backpacker month than a luxury week-long vacation. A few years back when I spent 9-months in Europe, I stretched my budget several times over what I had originally intended. Besides, I love the feeling of being free, weighted down by nothing more than a rucksack strapped over my shoulders and the clothes on my back. I can handle sporadic hikes with a rucksack and no additional luggage. I can change from place to place on a whim.
For deeper wanderings of natural places, where I tend to find my best photographs, I can fit a small backpacker tent and sleeping bag on my pack, and live on the wild side. This style of travel opens me up to have experience life has to offer, freeing me up to go with the flow. I’ve had some of my nearest and dearest memories while flying by the seat of my pants and going where the moment takes me. I travel to experience, rather than travel to simply see.
Most people who travel to see tend to not see much of anything at all. Many see the attractions but miss the charm of the details, marking each highlight off the list with a crude checkmark as soon as the first snap is captured. For what? To prove to others they were there? Pfft! I prefer to experience the people and the cultures, and to taste the many flavors life elsewhere has to offer. To find and understand the human spirit of a place so you can grow by reaching a level deeper than most travelers do is my goal, each and every time. Melding with the heartbeat of a people, and to connect with the Nature of a destination is what I’ve learned to do for the richest travel experience, and it’s served me well.
On my last trip, I experienced Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier National Park, and instead of the people, or tourists rather, I delved deep into the natural world. My wife Leah and I hiked several trails alone in the wild and we often found a private place and sat still, waiting and watching through binoculars for the first sign of wildlife. Our waiting and watching yielded fantastic results in that we saw 16 elk, 1 bear, 3 moose, 2 fox, 54 pronghorns, 20 sandhill cranes, 8 mountain goats, 12 hawks and 7 bald eagles.
Most people who travel to see tend to not see much of anything at all. Many see the attractions but miss the charm of the details, marking each highlight off the list with a crude checkmark as soon as the first snap is captured. For what? To prove to others they were there? Pfft! I prefer to experience the people and the cultures, and to taste the many flavors life elsewhere has to offer. To find and understand the human spirit of a place so you can grow by reaching a level deeper than most travelers do is my goal, each and every time. Melding with the heartbeat of a people, and to connect with the Nature of a destination is what I’ve learned to do for the richest travel experience, and it’s served me well.
On my last trip, I experienced Yellowstone, Grand Tetons, and Glacier National Park, and instead of the people, or tourists rather, I delved deep into the natural world. My wife Leah and I hiked several trails alone in the wild and we often found a private place and sat still, waiting and watching through binoculars for the first sign of wildlife. Our waiting and watching yielded fantastic results in that we saw 16 elk, 1 bear, 3 moose, 2 fox, 54 pronghorns, 20 sandhill cranes, 8 mountain goats, 12 hawks and 7 bald eagles.
Backpacking for most of the trails, we had to choose to forgo taking our larger bird watching binoculars for our compact BluHorizons 10x26 by Steiner Optics. A quality pair of binos goes with me on every trip, no matter what, because you never know when you might come across something amazing like an adult bald eagle diving hundreds of feet to snatch a fish from a river, or to see four moose running from nearby hikers. I tour the cities at times when I’m traveling, but I prefer to go to where I’m surrounded by the local natural wilderness, far away from any sound or sight of humans. That’s where I feel the spirit of a place, and how I can connect with it most.
The BluHorizons 10x26 are small, lightweight binoculars with some very nice features, like 10X AutoBright adaptive lens technology that cuts glare down so you capture every detail. Beyond adjusting to the brightness of the sun, the BluHorizons offer a reliably sharp, clear picture, while also magnifying to 10x. So when you’re searching for glimpses of big game, you don’t miss a thing, no matter if you have to cut down on weight and space in your pack. I like the size at 4.5”x3.25”x2” and weight of 13oz, for as a notorious backpacker, every inch and ounce matters greatly. My back thanks me for choosing slimmer options like the BluHorizons.
If you would like to learn more about Steiner Optics, click here.
The BluHorizons 10x26 are small, lightweight binoculars with some very nice features, like 10X AutoBright adaptive lens technology that cuts glare down so you capture every detail. Beyond adjusting to the brightness of the sun, the BluHorizons offer a reliably sharp, clear picture, while also magnifying to 10x. So when you’re searching for glimpses of big game, you don’t miss a thing, no matter if you have to cut down on weight and space in your pack. I like the size at 4.5”x3.25”x2” and weight of 13oz, for as a notorious backpacker, every inch and ounce matters greatly. My back thanks me for choosing slimmer options like the BluHorizons.
If you would like to learn more about Steiner Optics, click here.
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