hiking gear I have two sets of hiking gear; one I use when I'm hiking alone and the other when I'm going with others, no matter how small the group. When I go alone, I bring along hiking poles for tricky trails because one of my eyes is has some retinal damage and I have a tough time with perspective, and I also bring along a flashlight in case I can't get back to the car in time. This doesn't happen often, but it's something I need to be prepared for. Sometimes the cell phone doesn't work in the back country, so a flashlight is indispensable in the hiking gear even if there is a lot of moonlight.

My hiking gear for group hikes is a lot simpler. I only bring along one hiking pole and if I forget the flashlight, it's no big deal. I always bring a little more food along, though, because in my group, it's polite to share. I'm a good cook and I think that people enjoy the treats I bring along in the hiking gear. I try to bring as much solar baked goodies as I can. I like that full circle sense of having cooked our food in the sun the day before we go hiking in it.