GetTheFunOut

Courthouse at Christmas in Prescott It's hard to imagine the desert being Cbristmasy, but Arizona knows how to enjoy the season.  Whether you're in Phoenix enjoying Zoolights in 60 degree temperatures, or in Flagstaff enjoying a true winter wonderland, there's a little something for everyone. 

A GTFO guest post by Sharon Wagner on budget traveling for Seniors. One of the best things about retirement is the freedom it provides. Now that you are free of a regular work schedule, you have more time to do the things you have always wanted to do.  One of the most popular activities for newly retired seniors is to travel the world . However, travel can be expensive if you do not plan in advance. The expenses of hotels, meals, and transportation gradually stack up, particularly when combined with things such as an operational cell phone. Here are some ways seniors can travel the world without spending too much money. Before You Leave Believe it or not, there are ways you can cut costs before you set foot outside your home. Although you won’t reap the rewards right away, you can save money on utility bills by unplugging appliances, turning off video game consoles and computers, and turning down your thermostat. It’s also a good idea to avoid buying a lot of groceries

The 2018 GTFO gift gear guide!  The best items I can think of for you to buy for the traveler, hiker, biker, backpacker, hunter, fisher, camper, or person who likes things that I list!  (sorry that this list tends towards guy's items...I don't have a female gear editor to contribute).  Will be regularly updated as I think of more awesome gifts. Electronics Kindle Paperwhite .  You might think this an odd choice, but having the ability to read any of thousands of stored books in a waterproof, 6oz container, is a real treat for backpacking and camping.  While many speak of "backpacker's midnight" to denote the fact that you tend to sleep earlier in the backcountry, chances are solid that you'll still spend hours at camp awake, even on a backpacking trip.  Having something to read is a great way to enjoy your time. Garmin Fenix 5 Plus - the latest in the incredible Garmin Fenix series has a rare discount, currently $150 off any model, including the

Glassing in my rock recliner. Last month I went on my first elk hunt, looking for bull elk in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness Area outside of Flagstaff, Arizona.  It was an amazing experience that didn't go as anticipated from the day I got drawn.  And even though I didn't punch my tag it was still one of the best hunts I've ever been on. After living in Arizona for 13 years I finally put in for elk this year, expecting nothing more than earning a preference point.  Two weeks after the draw a coworker asked if I was pulled, but I was so resigned to the notion that it was a preference point year that I hadn't even checked.  Sure enough...I drew a tag! For bull elk!!  I was happier than a kid on Christmas morning and immediately shifted into planning and preparation mode. Yay hunting! I put in for the Peaks Hunt Area because I've hiked there and knew that I could manage a solo hunt if I defied odds and was drawn.  But I'd never hiked it with the intent t

Massdrop.com is a great place to find great gear at discounts when it's not on sale elsewhere. Join the drop to help meet the next price break, or to take advantage of the discount achieved from everyone else's commitment.  Every Monday I'll bring you the items that I think will help you Get the Fun Out!  Drops are available for a limited time only, those below are currently available but could end soon.

This year I was lucky enough to get drawn for a bull elk tag in Arizona on my first ever time putting in for elk.  It was an 8 day (1 scouting day) hunt out of a dome tent base camp and hiking 5-12 miles per day up the slopes of the tallest mountain in the state, in weather ranging from bluebird 50 degree days to fierce wind to constant rain to 6 inches of snow.  That required some adjustment to my hunting gear from my usual whitetail deer outfitting and here are the things that made my hunt more enjoyable.

Massdrop.com is a great place to find great gear at discounts when it's not on sale elsewhere. Join the drop to help meet the next price break, or to take advantage of the discount achieved from everyone else's commitment.  Every Monday I'll bring you the items that I think will help you Get the Fun Out!  Drops are available for a limited time only, those below are currently available but could end soon.  Darn Tough hiker socks  - Darn Toughs are the only socks I wear while hiking or biking.  They have a lifetime warranty.  Socks...with a lifetime warranty!  My oldest pair is about 10 years old and still going strong.  Sierra Designs dry down jacket  - I haven't used it myself, but a light weight down coat for $55 ($100 off) is an attention catcher...especially when it features water resistant dry down. LuminAid inflatable solar and USB powered lamp  - I love this product for camping and backpacking.  It lights a backpacking tent like a luxury, with the weight of

Oh, the sights you will see GTFO is funded in part by commissions earned through Gaia GPS subscriptions.  Subscribe now for a discount!   Gaia GPS (sign up here with a discount). GTFO brings you another guest post by M ichael Bourke, the co-creator of SciCamps, which is currently in its very early stages, but aims to provide people with learning resources outside of the classroom. More info can be found at  http://scicamps.org /.   Any parent who has spent an extended car trip with their kids are likely familiar with the question, “Are we there yet?” This ubiquitous outcry can be found in movies and television shows, highlighting how quickly a child can grow bored when stuck in the back seat on a several-hours-long journey. To avoid having to deal with hearing this question every other highway exit, here are five tips to make your next family road trip easy and fun for everyone.

Now that I have a new hunting rifle and scope the most important thing to do to prepare for hunting is getting them sighted-in and familiarizing myself with the new gun.  While many people target shoot in the desert, I wanted a more stable and dedicated destination.  Luckily, in North Phoenix we have the largest publicly operated shooting ranges in the country--Ben Avery Shooting Facility! Ben Avery is right off the I-17 a few miles south of Anthem.  From central Phoenix it's about a 30 minute drive that conveniently takes you past a Sportsman's Warehouse and Dicks Sporting Goods for any last minute ammo, target, or shooting accessory needs.  It has ample parking for shooters and spectators; much more than they need, actually...the lot was maybe half full this Sunday when I went, but the range was on a brief wait. This is a bring your own gun and ammo range, so make sure you're prepared.  Don't be like me and forget to buy new target rounds and have to resort to $2

Snow covers the mountains and the trail, in May. Five years ago I was reluctantly celebrating my 30th birthday.  As with most birthdays, I kind of didn't want much attention...actually, even more so since it was going to be a milestone birthday.  To avoid attention I cashed in a groupon for a flea motel in Flagstaff, stopped at Chileen's on 17 for a chicken fried steak, then went by Babbit's to buy a birthday hammock ad hike recommendation.  I wanted something solitary, beautiful, and relaxing.  They came up with the Abineau Trail / Bear Jaw Trail loop on the north side of the San Francisco Peaks.  I've been back many times since and haven't stopped being impressed.

Backpack in action, camo so good you can hardly see the pack against everything else A couple years ago I picked up the Ridge Reaper 1800 Backpack to use on my whitetail hunts.  I needed something with decent capacity that wasn't split between multiple pockets to carry my insulated and outer layers on the walk to my deer stand, and being 6'5" that takes a decent sized backpack.  Unfortunately, Under Armour doesn't appear to make this pack anymore...so why am I talking about it?  Because it's a great pack that you should pick up if you find one used--and because recent marketing material has shown this pack--or one similar--in the Ridge Reaper Forest pattern, which didn't exist on the market, at least, when UA stopped making this pack which makes me believe that it could make a reappearance on store shelves. If you want to see this backpack come back as badly as I do, consider contacting Under Armour--they're @underarmour and @UAhunt on Twitter and

The 7E Chronicles, sponsored by  Gaia GPS (sign up here with a discount).   Some camo gear provided by Under Armour Ridge Reaper ( shop here on Amazon ). $249.99 on Amazon This weekend I finally had the opportunity to get back up to the Kachina Peaks Wilderness sub-unit of 7E after months of closure due to drought and fire risk.  It was great to get back up in the woods, even greater because I was wearing my new Under Armour Ridge Reaper Infil Ops boots .  This review is based mostly on just one day in the field, so there's more to experience; but based on how well they worked without being broken in they're going to be great.

Backpacking with a good group is a great way to avoid temptation and enjoy nature! Getting out and having fun is good for everyone, but can be especially helpful for those in recovery from addiction. This post is from guest author, Michelle Peterson, who wishes to eliminate the stigma surrounding people who struggle with addiction. Her mission is aligned with that of RecoveryPride , which is to celebrate sobriety and those who achieve it. In Recovery? It May Be Time for a Getaway After a stretch of living sober, you’ve earned the right to treat yourself, and the best way to do that is with a vacation. A little bit of sunshine and fresh air will help you shake off some stress while enjoying the good things in life, but there’s just one little problem: temptation. Resorts are typically filled with people who came to party, hitting the beach with beers in hand and dancing all night at the local club. Don’t despair, though. There are ways of planning your getaway so that you

I know I gush over Under Armour Ridge Reaper, but look at this photo...can you find me?  It's that good! The 7E Chronicles, sponsored by  Gaia GPS (sign up here with a discount).   Camo gear provided by Under Armour Ridge Reaper ( shop here on Amazon ). I went to the Sportsman's Warehouse customer loyalty sale last night intending to just grab a few things for sighting and cleaning my new rifle and on the way back to the shooting section I walked right past the camo and saw that they have all sorts of new UA Ridge Reaper gear, so I got stuck there for about 45 minutes marveling over the new items and trying things on.  Let me tell you, it takes dedication to try on a down coat layered under a Gore-Tex coat when it's still over 100 outside and you've spent the day moving furniture.  The pictures aren't great since I just took some quick shots as I tried to wrap up my shopping, but they still give a good sense of what's new! Raider pants. The UA webs

The 7E Chronicles, sponsored by  Gaia GPS (sign up here with a discount).   Some camo gear provided by Under Armour Ridge Reaper ( shop here on Amazon ). Part 2 of a 3 part subseries of the 7E Chronicles dealing with the gear I'll be using this October during my bull elk hunt.  This edition will focus on my firearm and optics. Last time I wrote about the basic necessities I'll carry , and the final part will discuss my camo clothing.

The 7E Chronicles, sponsored by  Gaia GPS (sign up here with a discount).   Camo gear provided by Under Armour Ridge Reaper ( shop here on Amazon ). Unfortunately, due to the drought my hunt unit is still closed off from access, but that's not keeping me from planning and strategizing my gear (clothing will be a later post).  For most of my life, the gear choices have been pretty easy--whatever cool stuff I can fit into the backpack I carry on the half-mile hike from cabin to deer stand.  But this time it'll be a backpacking hunt at 9,000' and higher, several miles from my car and a half-hour drive from town, so I'm going to have to be more diligent and discerning with what I carry.  This is the first of a three-part subseries of the 7E Chronicles dealing with the gear I'll be taking for my hunt.  This will deal with the basic necessities, the next will review firearm and optics, the final will feature the camo clothing I'll wear.