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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 Appalachian Trail; 2018, Foothills Trail and Alabama Pinhoti Trail; 2019, Great Plains Trail pilot trail in South Dakota and Nebraska; I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from April 7-Aug. 7, 2021; I completed the ~240-mile Cape Wrath Trail in Scotland in May 2023; I hiked the first 1,060 miles of the Continental Divide Trail in 2022 and will start SOBO to complete the CDT on July 6, 2023. My most recent books are "Bones of My Grandfather: Reclaiming a Lost Hero of World War II," "The Trail is the Teacher: Living and Learning on the Appalachian Trail," Adrift on the Pacific Crest Trail," and "I See by Your Outfit: An Unexpected Cowboy Odyssey."

Posts

[Book Review] First Book Dedicated to Shelters is a Gorgeous, Informative View of the AT and its History

[Book Review] First Book Dedicated to Shelters is a Gorgeous, Informative View of the AT and its History

The Appalachian Trail: Backcountry Shelters, Lean-Tos, and Huts Author: Sarah Jones Decker Publisher: Rizzoli International, 304 pages with color

Jun 3, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Socks Appeal: 8 of Our Favorite Backpacking Socks for 2020

Socks Appeal: 8 of Our Favorite Backpacking Socks for 2020

When it comes to planning a long-distance trek, choosing socks may not seem like a big priority on your gear list. Socks are socks,

May 26, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Gear Review: Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket

Gear Review: Patagonia Nano Puff Jacket

In 2015 I bought a puffy for a hike on the Colorado Trail that weighed in at 12 ounces at the time of this writing. It’s a great piece, still going

May 21, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Backpacking in America as a Person of Color: Hikers Share Their Experiences

Backpacking in America as a Person of Color: Hikers Share Their Experiences

Just a couple miles past the Mason-Dixon line during his Appalachian Trail thru-hike, Daniel White, aka The Blackalachian, and a female hiking

May 14, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
[Book Review] “Hiking from Home” – Chaunce’s Primer for Hikers *and* the Homefront

[Book Review] “Hiking from Home” – Chaunce’s Primer for Hikers *and* the Homefront

Hiking from Home: A Long-Distance Hiking Guide for Family and Friends Author: Juliana Chauncey Publisher: Self-published, 228 pp. $16.95. MSRP:

Apr 15, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Should You Exercise Outside During the COVID-19 Epidemic?

Should You Exercise Outside During the COVID-19 Epidemic?

As of April 5, 42 US states and the District of Columbia had issued stay-at-home orders, affecting about 90 percent of the population, some 300

Apr 7, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Trail-Related Closures, Reopenings Due to COVID-19

Trail-Related Closures, Reopenings Due to COVID-19

(Updated 7 a.m.. MT, May 28) The Trek is committed to providing the latest news on trail-related closures, postponements, and cancellations due to

Mar 18, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Hiking in the Age of Coronavirus: What to Consider

Hiking in the Age of Coronavirus: What to Consider

(Updated 2:41 p.m. ET, March 19) On March 11, Barney and Sandy Mann—aka Scout and Frodo—sent an email notifying hikers who had signed up for their

Mar 13, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
Gear Review: BioLite HeadLamp 200

Gear Review: BioLite HeadLamp 200

Thanks to LED lighting, night-hiking has become a much more viable option than the days when your only choice was gripping a heavy flashlight that

Feb 17, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans
When Hiking a Long-Distance Trail Is the Road to Recovery

When Hiking a Long-Distance Trail Is the Road to Recovery

While serving in Iraq in the early 2000s, Will Robinson was rummaging through a box of books when he found an unlikely distraction: A guide to hiking

Jan 9, 2020 : Clay Bonnyman Evans