Hey guys, it’s Metro, and in this overnight on the Pine Mountain Trail I hike in with my buddy G (from the AT) to Riffle Rocks campsite to meet up with Johnny Camper and the kid. I show you the Pine Mountain Trail map (so you can pause it and get your bearings), and I also share one of my biggest springtime habits: treating my gear with permethrin. It might be “a little bit because of me hiking last year on the AT,” but if you can avoid ticks at all costs, it’s worth it. Once we’re at camp, I break down a simple, repeatable way to pitch a trekking pole Dyneema tent—start loose, then make it tight—using my Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P. I also show my comfort setup with the Flextail Zero Pump 2 and Zero Pillow (that strap is clutch so the pillow doesn’t flip off at night). Then we get into the main event: how I cook for a group at camp using the Jetboil TrailCook 2.0L and 1.2L—pasta in the big pot, meatballs in the smaller one—plus what I like about the stability, handles, and non-stick ceramic interior. To wrap it up, I show the Flextail Tiny Repel for bug season, then we do a quick morning hike to Big Rock Falls and Cascade Falls. And as always: hike local, train often—because the more time you spend outside, the better you’ll be when you step up to bigger trails.