The following is an unedited, stream-of-consciousness personal journal used to experiment with different subjects outside of assignments and to practice free-writing. It shouldn't (at all) be viewed as a portfolio of polished work.

To see examples of my professional writing, please visit ginabegin.contently.com. For photography, please visit eyeem.com/u/ginabegin or my Instagram channel @ginabegin.

Gear Giveaway! Celebrate with Columbia and Teton Sports


You may notice things look a lil different around here. For the past couple of weeks, I've been preparing the site to celebrate a big event and today is the day:

* 250 posts and a five year birthday! *

Not only have I been preparing the site, but I've also been talking to my friends at Columbia and Teton Sports who are stoked you guys are celebrating with me. These guys were two big sponsors of The Most Epic Trip and are ready to throw gear your way for MY site's birthday. Awesome, yeah?

The Gear: 
Columbia is giving away a super-technical lightweight (and personal fave!) Compounder shell (check out men's or women's) while Teton Sports is giving away their Outfitter Tent which I can single-handedly set up in less than 30 seconds.

How to Get It:
Want to get your hands on the gear package? I bet you do... all you need to do is subscribe. Which, by the way, did you notice is a new feature on my site? That handy little "subscribe" text in the upper right-hand corner of the blog is a button that will get you entered for the gear. All you gotta do is fill out the parts marked with a star (Name, Email, you know, the usual...) and submit. Leave a comment below to give me a heads up that you've subscribed and you're in! 

Winner:
You're all winners. But by subscribing, you're even closer to being a winner of the gear package. The gear winner will be chosen randomly on Friday, May 18th (this week!), so make sure to get your subscriptions in!

Please play nice- I'd appreciate only one entry per person to give everyone a fair chance.

88 comments:

  1. Congrats again on your site's 5th birthday. My subscription worked smoothly this time ;)

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    1. Thanks for the heads up and glad to have you along!

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  2. I've subscribed. Happy birthday!

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    1. I really wish I had a slice of cake to share with everyone for this birthday. :) Thank you!

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  3. I subscribed too. Happy blog birthday!

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    1. Can't wait to check out your site! Thanks for joining here and for the kind wishes. :)

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  4. Yeah! Congrats Gina! Keep the great posts coming :-)
    I'm subscribed.

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    1. My dear Twitter climbing friend! Thank you- I will try my darnedest!

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  5. Congrats! I honestly don't remember either of my sites birthday's. Just trying to keep readers is hard enough for me. Ha!

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    1. :) I cheated a lil- I went back in the archives to find out. Now you know my secret. Shhh...

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  6. Thanks for a great blog and putting together this giveaway. Congrats on a successful 5 years and here is to many more.

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    1. Adam, that was an awesome wish and a big compliment. I couldn't have done the giveaway without my friends at Columbia and Teton... they are the ones who pretty much put it together for me. Rad companies and I'm glad you all get to reap the benefits! :)

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  7. I think I'm all subscribed now! Congrats on the anniversary! I hope I make it that far myself!

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    1. Keep on, keep on! I didn't know what this would turn into when I started and it's constantly evolving. Takes dedication, sure, but worth it with all the great people I get to meet and connect with. Thank you for the congratulations, Dave!

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  8. I subscribed. Keep up the great posts Gina!

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    1. One of my favorite Twitter chicas. :) Thanks, Whitney. Can't wait to actually CLIMB or ski with you!

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  9. 'Grads on the birthday! I'm a new subscriber :)

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    1. Love new subscribers- what blogger doesn't? ;) Thanks for coming along for the ride- let me know what you like or don't; I'm into vocal commenters!

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  10. subscribed! thanks for the giveaway!

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    1. I like your @ name, Julie. Is that also your Twitter name?

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  11. Done and done. Subscribed! Hyvää syntymäpäivää, Gina-blog!

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    1. OK, Paul... you now need to find a way to record the audio of that so I can hear what it sounds like. :) Thanks for the ... birthday wish? Stoked to see you on here and thanks for the great photos on ClimbChat this past week!

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  12. email subscriber johnmains10@yahoo.com

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    1. Good to have you, John! Not sure if you'll come back to check the comments but if you do, I'd love to know if you have a Twitter or a blog I can check out?

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  13. I'm subscribed! :)
    Happy Birthday to your blog!

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    1. Hey Marci! Thanks for joining! I hope you'll enjoy being part of the community. I'd love to hear what you like to do outdoors?

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  14. Replies
    1. Yes, you have, and you RT'd my tweet, you wonderful woman! Thank you and stoked to have you on board. :)

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  15. Happy happy blog bday, congrats!

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    1. Lucas, it is a happy happy day, week, year! :) Thank you for sharing it here, hope to see your name in lots of comments in the future!

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  16. Congrats on ur Bday.. I have subscribed :)

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    1. Why, thank you! So you just joined blogger, too?

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  17. Congrats on the blogiversary! I subscribed of course (and totally meant my tell you anything comment, lol). So let's get out climbing asap so I don't have to unsubscribe ;) Oh, and AWESOME giveaway btw!!!

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    1. Ha ha, your comment made me laugh right out loud, Haley. Ok ok ok ok. For fear of losing a precious subscriber (since you are also a Twitter friend, don't want to lose both! ;) I'll come climb with you- if you have to twist my arm. ha ha! Looking forward to it! And I've always loved your comments here. Thanks for joining legitimately!

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  18. This is all very radular! ;)
    All subscribed. Over the last 2 years, I think I've read every post. Your blog is absolutely one of my favs! thanks for always sharing. Peace.

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    1. Another rad use of rad. Nice play, Andy. And that was one of the coolest comments ever. Much appreciated, my dear friend.

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  19. I'm a subscriber! 250 is a lot of posts. . . way to go!

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    1. You ARE a subscriber! Whew... and yes... and you have been there through it all. Thanks, Shannon. :)

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    1. Congratulations! It feels good, right? ;) Honestly, thank you. I am excited to have you on board- and love your name... do you have a blog you share?

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  21. Hmm, hopefully this isn't a double post. I've subscribed, congrats on the five year mark.

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    1. I took care of the double post thing- just shows that you cared enough to make it happen. :)

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  22. Just subscribed and congrats on the big milestone!

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    1. Whew! It feels awesome to be at the 5 year mark! Thanks, James- please join in the conversation freely here! Love conversations!

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  23. Replies
    1. Ryan, my Sketch-dining and one time Solitude skier friend, it is good to see you here. Appreciate you stopping in! Hope everything is going great with you and M!

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  24. I subscribed way before there were any freebies on the line!!

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    1. NC, you rockit from NY to the Wasatch. Much love, much love! (And give ol' Duke a belly rub for me. :)

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  25. OK then. I subscribed. FL adventures don't usually produce as much adrenaline as mountain adventures, but it's all good. The ocean, the bays, the everglades are a whole new world to this Colorado Front Range guy.

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    1. I could imagine getting up to some Florida adventures that would induce adrenaline... in my Florida backyard, we swim with the gators. That could do it. :) Glad to have a another Floridian along for the adventure here. Looking forward to meeting you in the homestate!

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  26. Replies
    1. Because you are... awesome? Yup. That's exactly why. ;) Thanks, Daniel!

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  27. Here's to rocking it 5 more years!

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    1. That's RIGHT! I sure the heck will! (Whew... that's a lot of writing!) ha ha, thanks, Erich- here's to keeping you subscribed for 5 more years! ;)

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  28. Happy Blog Birthday. We've subscribed, and we're keeping our fingers crossed on winning wonderful stuff.

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    1. Aw, it's good to see you guys on here! Thanks for subscribing. I love having you here. :) So glad we're now blog friends on top of Twitter- and you can write more than 140 characters here- so make use of those literary skills! :D

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  29. Happy Birthday Gina!! I subscribed and would love to win!!

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  30. Happy Blogiversary. Looks like a great site, another to add to the growing list of fellow outdoor bloggers. I've subscribed by the way. :P

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  31. Just subscribed :) Congrats on 5 years!

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  32. Just subscribed. Looks like a cool blog! Good luck on the next 5 years!

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  33. Happy to be part of the next five years! Just subscribed and glad I have! Happy Blog BDay

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  34. Just subscribed! 5 Years is a great milestone. Congrats!

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  35. Congratulations on the blog, and i have subscribed to it's awesomness!

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  36. Happy Birthday Blog! I was so psyched when I started my blog, then I got a full time job. It's so hard to find time to write. I started writing again last night for the first time in months, but ended up chatting with the Access Fund guys camped out in our family room instead. So many distractions!
    Congrats for keeping the faith and bringing climbers together with #climbchat!

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  37. congras and subscribed cjsorel at hotmail

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  38. Subscribed! Fingers crossed - can always use new adventure gear!

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  39. subscribed! (it took a few tries though!)

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  40. Congrats on 5 years, that is aweseome! I subscribed as well, definitely dig the site, Pete Flanigan

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  41. Congrats! Keeping up a blog is tough work, you're doing such a fab job! I just found you through @jonbausman and twitter. I subscribed to the blog!

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  42. Definitely subscribed! Oh and you should probably take note of the sweet comments I put in there...just saying haha.

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  43. subscribed! Thanks for the chance!!

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  44. Congrats Gina!
    Btw, subscribed :)

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  45. Wow! 5 years is a long time. Congrats on the milestone. I've happily subscribed in support.

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  46. Congrats on 5 years! Looking forward to another 5!

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  47. Subscribed! And Happy Birthday, Blog!

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  48. Woops, forgot the comment part. Happy Birthday, and congrats on all your endeavors!

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  49. Congrats on 5 years, it's definitely a nice milestone!

    I subscribed and am about to make my chances less by tweeting about your contest :)

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  50. Hey there! Subbed up, and wishing you the best! :D x

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  51. Subscribed. I need that tent! Haha

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  52. Such an awesome prize, and a great blog :) Both will definitely help me find more adventures!

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  53. I subscribed as well and Happy 5th Birthday. kind of wish i found this site sooner looks pretty cool.

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  54. Great blog! I just subscribed and I'm glad I found this site!

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  55. I have subscribed!
    Thanks
    tmc480 at yahoo dot com

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  56. Nice photos! I have subscribed!

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  57. Happy blog birthday! I never keep track of stuff like that on mine. :) sounds like some pretty awesome stuff you get to give away! I've already subscribed so

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  58. I've subscribed though I'm probably too late for the drawing. That's OK. It wasn't the main point of doing so (though it never hurts). Look forward to lots of inspiration!

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