Coolest Camper Ever Contest Reminder

We've had a wonderful Blogiversary celebration over the last couple of weeks, complete with sweet giveaways and several winners of those packages. We will get those out in the next few days so be on the look out for your prizes. For our fans and readers who didn't win, we're sorry but thank you so much for your loyalty and for participating, if not for you guys we wouldn't have a reason to do this as much as we do and for that a big THANK YOU to you all. And since you all love a good giveaway, we would like to remind everyone of the current Coolest Camper Ever contest that is still open at Sylvan Sport.

Five Year Blogiversary Giveaway Day 1 (Hiker)

Happy 5 Year Blogiversary to Appalachia & Beyond. We hope everyone is just as excited about this as we are. We've been anxiously waiting for this day to get here. As you all know we have decided to have 5 full days of giveaways just to celebrate the occasion. Also, just to be clear, you have a full week to enter on each day's giveaway starting on the day of each giveaway (e.g. Monday's giveaway will stay open until Sunday, Tuesday's until Monday, etc.).

5 Year Blogiversary Giveaway Teaser

With our blogiversary coming up next week, we thought we'd get everyone excited with us and let you know what would be given away on what days. So without further ado...

Monday = "Hiker" giveaway package. (Please note you don't necessarily have to be a hiker to enter.)

• A Pair of Women's GoodHew socks size M/L (These are the Lumber Janes that will be out this Fall.)
• A SportScience Smarter Short Sleeve T-Shirt (We reviewed this shirt last week, however we will not be giving away the one I wear.)
• Hyland's Poison Ivy/Oak relief tablets
• "The Way" movie poster

Gear Review: Women's Vasque Taku GTX Hiking Boots

Anyone who knows me well knows that I don't wear boots. I'm a hiking shoes girl, and have been since the mid-90's when I discovered how nimble and airy light I felt while wearing them. Plus, they take no time to break in, to dry if they get wet, and they're easy to slip on and off. I could go on, but this review is for the boots.

Tim - who is constantly on to me about wearing something "with more support" - signed up to get an opportunity to review these Vasque Taku GTX hikers and the Goodhew Medium Hiker socks over at the Outdoor Blogger Network. At the same time, he was in the running to win those Vasque trail shoes you've heard so much about.

Because he won the shoes, he thought it only fair to give up the opportunity at the boots and socks, but requested that I get them to review instead. Funny how things work out. He sort of mentioned it to me, but really kept the details a secret until he was certain I was getting them. I know what he was up to. Trying to convert me to boots... humph!

Gear Review: Goodhew Medium Hiker Socks

Recently, I was the lucky recipient of a pair of Vasque Taku GTX hiking boots and a Goodhew 2-pair pack of their Lifestyle Outdoor Medium Hiker socks thanks to the good folks over at Outdoor Blogger Network.

In the process of reviewing these socks, I have learned way more than I ever dreamed I would need to know about a pair of socks. Before these Goodhew socks - socks were socks. Now, socks are just as technical a device as the pack I carry.

I have never owned a pair of actual, declared, made-specifically-for-hiking socks. Why? Because I didn't know it would make a difference. Like I said, socks were socks. But... I was wrong.