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
My 2018 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Gear List
Below is the list of gear I am currently planning to take on my AT thru-hike beginning in March 2018. This is a living post and will be updated if I
The 2018 Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers You Should be Following on Instagram
Each year, dozens of The Trek's beloved bloggers hit the Appalachian Trail and, in addition to their prolific prose, also capture their journeys via
FKTs Explained: Differentiating Between Supported, Self-Supported, and Unsupported Fastest Known Times
Fastest Known Time attempts (also known as FKTs) are, in the simplest terms, speed records for trails and established routes. Instead of a typical
Five Ultrarunning Skills I’ll Bring on the AT
I've hiked more miles in my life than I've run, but a couple of years ago I picked up ultrarunning and have been borderline obsessed since. For me,
How (and Why) I’m Hiking the Appalachian Trail in 100 Days
The Appalachian Trail spans nearly 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. The average time of completion is between 4 and 6 months with a pace of 12-20
How’d You Get Time Off To Hike The AT?
When you tell people you're planning to hike over 2,000 miles in a single trip, they understandably have lots of questions. It is, after all, a
Basic Thru-Hiker Nutrition Part 2: BMR and TDEE
In Part 1 of this series, I gave a brief overview of basic nutrition elements such as calories, carbohydrates, protein, and fat. In this segment, I
HURRY: Snag a Kelty Cosmic 20 for just $68!
The holiday season is a great time to stock up on gear, and we are starting to see some fantastic deals come our way. Currently, there is a way to
Basic Thru-Hiker Nutrition Part 1: Macros and Micros
Introduction Nutrition is an essential part of life and a topic of constant conversation among thru-hikers. While the general concept is simple -
How To Save Up To 15% or More on Your Gear in 5 Seconds
Today, I am going to show you how to save up to 15% (or more!) on your gear in no time flat. To do this, you will utilize what are known as