Guy Lines: Aaron Carerra

Photo courtesy of A. Carerra.

Guy Lines: The dudes we love, sharing their love for us. Also: A rope that keeps a tent from blowing away.

The Guy: Aaron Carerra has my dream job as social media editor at Surfer Magazine, where he rubs shoulders (and Instagrams) athletes like Kelly Slater.

The Girl: "When I was four, I really wanted a little brother. Instead I got a little sister. By default, Megan became my bro-sister. Growing up, whatever sport or outdoor activity I did, she did. And she was good. Really good. She beat people in my age group. I used to think she wanted to do whatever her big brother was doing, but now I think she just loved being outdoors and never accepted 'you can't' as an answer. She's 5'3" but will tell you she's 5'5"...and acts like she's 6'10." A titanium bracelet holds together the collarbone she broke in three pieces snowboarding, but she still walks up to an increasing swell or a challenging mountain with the same grin. She's what I hope my daughters will be someday. Love you, Meggers!"

See Aaron's work at surfermag.com or on Instagram @surfer_magazine.

Rock Climbing 101: Talk the Talk

Photo by Dirtbag Darling

One of the biggest hurdles a person faces in life is overcoming a fear. Climbing was mine—I felt inept about where to begin. Do I want to "belay on" or "belay off" when I'm ready? Wasn't Gaston the smarmy charmer from Beauty and the Beast—and why is my guide book telling me it's the name of a grip? There are 40 different types of carabiners in front of me—which one do I use?

My first introduction to climbing was back in 1999 during summer camp, but I'll admit at first I was more interested in the Zach Morris look-alike climbing instructor. But once I got harnessed in and tapped out on the top of the indoor rock "mountain," I was hooked. So if you're ready to climb on, first thing's first: Learning the lingo.

Belay
A manner in which two people aid one another while scaling a climbing route. Once person is the anchor, the other is the climber. Anchor-man stays on the ground while the climber scales the wall. Each person wears a harness, and they are connected to a shared rope, with the anchor using a belay device to assist during a fall. That anchor is responsible for catching the climber if she falls, and for aiding her in getting back down to the ground once she's reached the top.

Guy Lines: Christopher Clark of Shaper Studios

Christopher Clark shaping a board. Photo courtesy of Clark.

Guy Lines: The dudes we love, sharing their love for us. Also: A rope that keeps a tent from blowing away.

The Guy: Christopher Clark, aka Clarky, is the founder of Shaper Studios surfboard workshop in Southern California, were he gets to spend time with some of surfing's top female talent on a regular basis (and just be an all-around stand-up guy).

The Girl: Clarky may spend his time surrounded by many water women, but the adventurous lady with his admiration? Liz Clark, a Patagonia surf ambassador and dedicated sailer who travels solo aboard her 40-foot boat named Swell. "The thought of navigating the planet's oceans all alone would bring discomfort to even the most adventurous swashbuckler. Liz Clark (no relation) has been a bold inspiration in my navigation of the great outdoors."

Learn more about Liz at swellvoyage.com!

Stocking Stuffers: Mountain Pillows

Photo courtesy of Mountain Pillows

There are gifts that make you smile. Then there are gifts that make you smile so hard you feel like your face is going to fall off. Such said gift is a handmade bundle of love from Mountain Pillows.

Sewn by designer and adventurer Simone Drucker, each pillow is hand-signed and dated by the Venice, CA dweller (hey, my old stomping ground!) and looks like patchwork perfection for more rustic abodes.

Goal 1: Buy a house. Goal 2: Fill it with awesome pillows.

"I was inspired by rock-climbing trips I've taken this year, mostly in the Sierras and in the Bishop/Mammoth area," says Drucker. "The first pillow I made was a gift for my boyfriend, who is an obsessive climber. Everyone loved the design so much, I was encouraged to start a collection."

Simone Drucker.

If you have any doubts about what to get the gear-lover in your life, ditch REI and head to Drucker's website esty.com/shop/mountainpillows or  www.mountainpillows.com. Oh, and send me one while you're at it!

Why I Love the Aark Wildlife Rehab Center

B. Scherzberg

This post originally appeared as a guest blog for Free People.

An injured fawn on the side of the road. A bird with a broken wing. A nest of baby rabbits your dog found. Chances are if you live in an even remotely suburban or rural area, you've encountered wildlife in need of some help. For your own safety and the health of the animal, it's not a good idea to try and tend to it yourself—so what can you do? We visited the Aark Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center, a Philadelphia area wildlife shelter, for their open house, where we talked with volunteers to find out the best way to take care of lost or injured wildlife and what we can do to support the centers nursing them back to health.

When you find an injured wild animal:

•Remember that caring for the animal is dangerous and most often the animal needs professional help. Diet, temperature, humidity, medications and human contact have to be controlled.

• It's actually illegal to care for the animal yourself!

Find out more on the Free People blog.

DIY: Bird Seed Bombs

Photos by Dirtbag Darling

This post originally appeared as a guest blog for Free People. 

Going on a winter hike can be magical: the snow falling all around you, cozy mittens on your hands, hot cocoa in your thermos. But it can be disheartening watching winter animals search for hard-to-find food. Give them a hand by mixing up a batch of birdseed bombs before you head out—tie them on trees or drop them behind you as you walk.

What you need:
Pears or apples, wild birdseed, biodegradable string or twine, peanut butter, lard or suet, wooden skewer or long toothpick.

To see how to make these bombs, visit blog.freepeople.com!