After a week of some pretty rough weather around the continent (both too hot and too rainy), thought I'd throw some link love out. Here's some of the best outdoors posts found in the blogosphere the past month or so:

sierra trading post's blog has a great read of important safety tips to consider when hiking outdoors. Even (or maybe especially) in summer, sudden weather changes can leave us in trouble, and no matter what part of the world you're hiking in, it's best to know what types of weather you might encounter. Check out Mt. Rainer Tragedy Reminds Us To Be Prepared (especially helpful is the section on being caught in a lightning storm).

Speaking of lightning, ever tried to start a campfire in the pouring rain? Mungo Says Bah! talks us through the secrets of starting a fire when the world around you is soaking wet in How To Start a Campfire in Wet Weather - and Pictures of Lightning.

From last month, but still a great read, the Camera-Trap Codger writes about what happens when your camera trap is discovered by a large, thoroughly annoyed bear. The photo of just the bear's eye is especially impressive. Camera Trap Codger: Back on the mountain

Finally, SectionHiker lists their current lineup of gear in Gear List: Long Trail Section Two. Focusing on lightweight gear, this list comes in at an astonishingly light 12.2 pounds, not counting food and water. When you see how much gear that actually entails, your jaw will drop.