I didn't grow up outdoorsy...

from not knowing how to set up a tent, to outdoor guide :)

I used to wake up at 5:45 am in high school to curl my hair before class. I had a small library of dresses. I liked the outdoors, but I certainly wasn’t “outdoorsy”— I didn’t know I even wanted to be yet.

Now things look a little different. I work as an outdoor guide and writer, and most of my wardrobe came from REI and thrift stores. And there’s nothing wrong with how I was before, and one version of me isn’t better or worse than the other (though it’s an objective fact that I’m happier now) but I think a lot of people assume that to become outdoorsy as an adult is really hard.

modern day me, enjoying my two favorite things: time out side and things i knit

And don’t get me wrong, there are things that make accessing the outdoors harder for some people than others, but for the most part the biggest barrier to being outdoorsy is just… starting.

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i didn’t grow up outdoorsy

When I started working as an outdoor guide in 2018, I had gone camping three times. When I started working as an outdoor guide in 2018, I had gone camping three times. The first time I was 16 and my uncle took me backpacking. I remember really loving it, but the bugs were brutal. Before my senior year of college right after I got my first camera, I went on a small road trip camping with some friends. That same summer I went camping again with my uncle, this time out of a kayak, and I loved it. But beyond that, my camping experience and time in the outdoors was biking through the forest to soccer practice, or setting up a tent outside Grandma's house before coming inside halfway through the night.

I was 22 when I graduated college and cold-emailed an outfitter up in Northern Wisconsin asking if they needed any sea kayaking guides. I had teaching experience, am athletic, and a good learner, but those were my only qualifications– I’d hardly been in a kayak before. Before moving up to Bayfield, I practiced setting up the tent I’d bought so it didn’t look like I’d learned in my parent’s basement.

And full disclosure: I wasn’t naturally good at sea kayaking.

But I really, really loved it and had the luxury of some patient teachers.

a perfect moment from paddling British Columbia

Since summer 2018, I sea kayaked for 70 days straight in British Columbia. I lived in Armenia for a year teaching English, and went on, objectively, my wildest backpacking trip to date (impossible to top, if you ever run into me ask me about it sometime!). I’ve backpacked in the Grand Canyon, and paddled with orcas.

Where I’m going with this is that the best way to get into something is to just start.

weekend adventure car camping packing guide

Things are starting to thaw way up north, which means weekend adventure season is truly nearly upon us! For me, spring is the season of heading outside to soak up the sun and a little weekend car camping trip is perfect for that. :)

At the end of last April, I headed out on a three-week car camping road trip through Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky, and then Michigan. My first stop was Perrot State Park along the Great River Road near La Crosse. It was fully spring, with little purple flowers and just a hint of green, and though it wasn’t classically beautiful, that first stop really reminded me that sometimes a weekend camping adventure at a local state park is just as rewarding as a big trip.

From car camping in early spring along the Great River Road

Weekend adventure ideas in the Great Lakes & Midwest:

• Madison, WI / Chicago / Minneapolis : Driftless Region

• Twin Cities: North Shore, Duluth

• Madison, Twin Cities: Northwoods Waterfalls Road Trip

• Detroit: Upper Peninsula, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Bellaire

• Detroit, Chicago: Red River Gorge (longer drive time but will feel like summer when you get there)

Rain and camping in the Shawnee National Forest in early last year, May

Weekend car camping packing guide:

• Pillows from home to sleep with and pad out the car to make the bed set up more even.

• A sleeping pad: I own a Nemo Tensor and have only good things to say

• A sleeping bag: Pay close attention to the temperature of when you plan on car camping. Compared to tent camping, sleeping in your car is more subject to temperature changes. This might seem counterintuitive, but a tent often traps heat better than a car and is more breathable.

• A camp stove like a Jetboil with the pot support attachment

• A small cooler

• A variety of clothes both to hike and sleep in.

• Solar powered lights like Luci Lights (string lights!) + headlamp

• External battery for charging phone

• A large cutting board and knives for cooking and plating

• Pots, pans, and dishware

• folding camp chair

car camping set up

While there are lots of great ways to build out your car for car camping including making custom shelves and a sleeping platform, realistically that takes a lot of time, can be expensive, and is often just overkill for what the average car camper needs.

Instead, I prefer to opt for a simple no-build setup. First, I fold down the back seats. Then, I use two or three bins behind the driver's side for storage. I keep the clothes bin directly behind the driver's seat, and the kitchen bin behind that one, but closest to the tailgate.

For a sleep setup, I first pad out the dead space on the rear passenger side of my car with pillows and add a few layers of cardboard where needed so that my sleeping pad will lie flat. Then, I add a yoga mat over the top once everything is flat to keep a clean and comfortable sitting space.

Last, I use an inflatable sleeping pad (the same one I use for regular camping), pillows, blankets, and a sleeping bag for a cozy setup.

One little luxury item I love is solar-powered Luci lights to make it extra cozy.

Obviously this system doesn’t work perfectly for every car, but it’s great for my Subaru Forester!

events this summer!

There’s lots happening this summer! Here are some upcoming events to put on your radar:

• May 2-4: Snow to Flow Weekend: Work on your rough water sea kayaking skills on Lake Superior. (I just registered! You’ll want extensive sea kayaking experience and need your own boat and gear).

• June 22: Women’s Rock Climbing at Interstate State Park, MN: Hosted by me, guided by Mason, come on a guided, beginner-friendly rock climbing adventure! (I promise to be the worst rock climber. You would have to try to be worse than me).

• June 24-29, 2025: Sea Kayaking in the Apostle Islands: Hosted/guided by me, come sea kayak for five days through sea caves, swim at beaches, and sleep under the stars! [code Maddy25 for $50 off]

• June 26-29: Freshwater Paddler Symposium: Meet other paddlers, learn, build your skills, and more at this sea kayaking weekend in Cornucopia, Wisconsin. Good for beginner-intermediate paddlers as well, and rentals are available. (I won’t be here, but it’s still a super cool event!)

• August 6-10, 2025: San Juan Islands, Washington Sea Kayak, Whale Watching, Hiking: Hosted/guided by me (and Jocelyn from Chicas Abroad, she’s a blast!) Come kayak on the ocean, sleep under the stars, watch for orcas, and enjoy the best that the PNW has to offer! [code Maddy25 for $50 off]

• August 22-25, 2025: Boundary Waters, Minnesota Canoe, Camp, Hike, Sauna: Hosted/guided by me, come and enjoy the Minnesota Boundary Waters post-bug season, hike on the scenic & remote Border Route Trail, sauna, and learn about the basics of backcountry tripping.

• July 12, August 2, August 16: Cornucopia, Wisconsin Evening Sunset & Sea Cave Paddle: Hosted/guided by me, come on a guided sea kayak adventure through some of my favorite sea caves near the Apostle Islands, a wild slough with floating islands, and have a picnic dinner on the beach! Paddling caves this route at sunset is my absolute favorite thing in the world, and I can’t wait to take you out! [Note that this is just a way to book the trips I normally guide with me, and I don’t make any additional money off these trips. Please consider bringing guide tips, especially as I don’t want any co-guide to make less for running the trip with me because it’s custom! Also please note that this trip is subject to the same polices and rules as every Lost Creek Adventures Trip. Read here before booking!]

oh hey, I’m on YouTube!!

Over the past few months I’ve had a few people ask me if I would ever make a YouTube. I make storytelling style videos on Instagram, but YouTube has always seemed really intimidating to me. Plus, I’ve already got my fingers in a lot of pots. Where would I find the time, you know?

The more I thought about it though, the more I was interested in the long-form storytelling aspect, something I usually dive into through writing essays. It’s really no different than writing an essay or story and reading it out. And of course, the best way to get into something is to just start.

Recently, Substack launched its own video platform, which made my decision for me because I really like creating content here! Most of the videos I make will air here on Substack first and be automatically cross-posted to YouTube, but probably a few (like this one!) that don’t fit into my editorial schedule will be found exclusively on YouTube. I’ll try and link them here as well as they come out so it doesn’t feel like you have to go track me down on 12 different platforms to find my content :)