Brandon is a guide, writer, and endurance athlete from Maine. In a previous life, he was a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of State and had the opportunity to explore over 60 countries while serving at U.S. Embassies in Egypt, Cyprus, and Pakistan. Along with a 98-day thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail, he has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, hiked the West Highland Way, fastpacked in the Himalayas, and trekked around New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.S. While abroad, he picked up an affection for endurance athletics and regularly competes in ultramarathons at 50k, 50 mile, and 100 mile distances around the globe. In addition to leading wildlife and rafting trips in the Pine Tree State, he is a guide and instructor forAndrew Skurka's backpacking trips and Plan Like a Pro course. He writes about his adventures here on TheTrek as well as TheStringbean.co and his personal blog, Fit For Miles
Posts
Merrell MQM Flex 2 GTX Hiking Shoe Review
Merrell is no stranger to the outdoors, having produced highly-acclaimed hiking shoes and boots for many decades. In recent years, hiking footwear
Gear Review: Leatherman Signal and Free T4
Leatherman multi-tools are widely regarded as some of the highest-quality and best-value appliances on the market. Since 1983, Leatherman has been
Joe “Stringbean” McConaughy Sets the Self-Supported Long Trail FKT
Updated 7/5: Due to a technicality in the FKT rule book, Stringbean now holds the "self-supported" FKT, and the previous unsupported FKT stands from
Gear Review: Somewear Global Hotspot
One of my favorite pieces of adventure technology in recent years has been the two-way satellite messenger. With its ability to provide tracking and
How to Optimize Your Research for a Thru-Hike
When I decided I was going to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2018, I threw myself headfirst into researching every facet. I wanted to know
Gear Review: The Cutaway by Nashville Pack and Equipment Company
There is an undeniable influence on thru-hiking from the ultrarunning community, as evidenced by the growing use of items such as trail running
Best Sections of the Appalachian Trail to Hike in Spring
Springtime on the Appalachian Trail—can it get any better? I submit that it cannot. Nestled between the subzero temperatures of mountain winters and
Reaching the Roof of Africa: How to Hike Mount Kilimanjaro
Towering 19,341 feet above the Serengeti, Mount Kilimanjaro is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world and the highest peak in Africa. The
Longer Hikes and Fewer Crowds: The Best of Acadia National Park
Occupying approximately 47,000 acres across Mount Desert Island and the Schoodic Peninsula in Maine lies Acadia National Park. Although one of the
How I Saved Over $2,000 On My Appalachian Trail Gear
When considering the total cost of a thru-hike, one must factor not only the amount spent while hiking but also the expenditure on gear beforehand.