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Clay Bonnyman Evans

To paraphrase Steve Miller, I'm a writer, I'm a runner, I'm a long-distance hiker, sure don't want to hurt no one.... I got my trail name, Pony, in 2015 when I hiked the Colorado Trail. In 2016, I hiked the AT and I have literally thought about it every day since. In May 2017 and 2018 I gave back to the trail by working on the ATC's storied Konnarock Trail Crew. I've got a new book coming out in July 2018, 'Bones of My Grandfather: Reclaiming a Lost Hero of World War II' — which means no long hikes this summer (though I hope to climb some Colorado 14ers ... I've got just eight to go). But come 2019, who knows ...?

Posts

Gear Review: Altra Timp 1.5

Gear Review: Altra Timp 1.5

In just a few short years, Logan, Utah-based Altra Running shoes has taken the American long-distance hiking world by storm. I had never heard of

Aug 15, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Meet the Thru-Hiking Artists Inspired by the Appalachian Trail

Meet the Thru-Hiking Artists Inspired by the Appalachian Trail

Rebecca “V-Dub” Harnish One spring day in 2018, Tina Tempest, owner of the Quarter Way Inn hostel near Ceres, VA, noticed one of her guests sitting

Jul 7, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
The Truth Behind 9 Common Appalachian Trail Myths

The Truth Behind 9 Common Appalachian Trail Myths

Whether you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail, are in the planning stages, or simply dreaming, chances are you’ve heard a lot of “facts” about the AT

Jun 24, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Examining the Real Numbers Behind Violent Instances on the Appalachian Trail

Examining the Real Numbers Behind Violent Instances on the Appalachian Trail

Note: This story has been updated to include new information regarding the total number of murders on the trail. According to Brian King, publisher

May 24, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Freedom and (a Little) Frustration: Sandal-Wearing Thru-Hikers Explain Themselves

Freedom and (a Little) Frustration: Sandal-Wearing Thru-Hikers Explain Themselves

In more than 2,100 miles of hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2016, I never got a single blister on my feet. That was thanks, in part, to the miracle

Apr 15, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Gear Review: Granite Gear Blaze 60

Gear Review: Granite Gear Blaze 60

Granite Gear Blaze 60 Granite Gear’s Blaze 60 isn’t the lightest pack around—but then, it’s not supposed to be. It’s designed for hikers who need to

Mar 25, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Bears, Noro, and Lyme: What to Worry About (or not) on Your Thru-Hike

Bears, Noro, and Lyme: What to Worry About (or not) on Your Thru-Hike

So, you’re planning to head out on trail for a long walk. Maybe even a thru-hike of one of the Triple Crown trails — the Appalachian Trail, Pacific

Feb 25, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
After Tens of Thousands of Miles, Has Hiking Legend “Nimblewill Nomad” Finally Retired?

After Tens of Thousands of Miles, Has Hiking Legend “Nimblewill Nomad” Finally Retired?

At age 80, one of the most accomplished long-distance hikers in the world has settled atop a mountain in eastern Alabama. Has Nimblewill Nomad's long

Jan 2, 2019 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
New 250-Mile Segment Beckons Hikers to the Great Plains Trail

New 250-Mile Segment Beckons Hikers to the Great Plains Trail

GPT Pilot Trail At-a-Glance Trail: Pilot trail of the Great Plains Trail Distance: About 250 miles Location: From Scottsbluff, NE, to Bear Butte,

Dec 6, 2018 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
The Foothills Trail: A 77-Mile Taste of the Southern Appalachians

The Foothills Trail: A 77-Mile Taste of the Southern Appalachians

The idea for the Foothills Trail, a National Recreation Trail located in far western South Carolina, began in the 1960s as an effort to preserve and

Oct 19, 2018 : Clay Bonnyman Evans