What are your 2018 outdoor goals?

[Prediction? Pain.]

Since my outdoor time in 2018 will be just as limited as it was in 2017 -- my kids turn 4 and 2 next year -- my goals are pretty modest:

1. Find a way to hike more often and visit some of the waterfalls and vistas I've been neglecting

2. Do No. 1 without screwing up my prematurely aging knees

3. Spot a salamander or two on a trail, preferably with a kid in tow

4. Figure out a way to skew my kids' hiking:carried-by-dad's-out-of-shape-carcass ratio in my favor.

[BeastMan]

Since my outdoor time in 2018 will be just as limited as it was in 2017 -- my kids turn 4 and 2 next year -- my goals are pretty modest:

1. Find a way to hike more often and visit some of the waterfalls and vistas I've been neglecting

2. Do No. 1 without screwing up my prematurely aging knees

3. Spot a salamander or two on a trail, preferably with a kid in tow

4. Figure out a way to skew my kids' hiking:carried-by-dad's-out-of-shape-carcass ratio in my favor.

Man I’m right there with you on the finding time issue b/c of kids. I have an 11 month old and an any day now.

[BrunswickDawg]

Man I’m right there with you on the finding time issue b/c of kids. I have an 11 month old and an any day now.

Been there Beast and Pain. Mine were a little farther apart at 20 months, but it ain't easy. My wife made up a song about it - "Two kids under the age of 2, two kids under 2; Oh, my God what the **** did we do? Two kids under the age of 2!"

I'm on the other end of that now. Spent this past year driving to Starkville too many times for Senior testing, band tryouts, orientation, and moving my daughter. I'll spend 2018 taking my son on college visits. He can't decide between MSU, UGA, GT, or MTSU and can't decide on computers or music. I spent exactly 1 day on the water this year.

The trick is finding the right way to get your kids hooked on fishing, hiking, or whatever you do outdoors. Some love it, some don't. The thing I found with fishing was that the first 2 real trips I took them on - one for Rainbows in North Georgia, the other an in-shore charter here on the coast - the fishing was amazing. I spent all my time baiting their hooks and pulling fish off the line. They caught their limits, it was exciting, and they had fun. As well all know - that ain't always fishing.