Maximilian Armstrong

Maximilian "Bloodhound" Armstrong has a penchant for adventure. He's backpacked Canada, hitchhiked America, motorbiked Vietnam, and spent a winter in the Alaskan Arctic. In 2018 he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. One Wing in the Fire, his 2019 Trail Angel documentary, is free to watch on RipePearProductions.com

Posts

[Video] One Wing in the Fire: An AT Trail Angel Documentary

[Video] One Wing in the Fire: An AT Trail Angel Documentary

Rob Bird is what you call a trail angel: Someone who goes out of their way to help hikers along their journey by performing acts of trail magic. He

Sep 18, 2019 : Maximilian Armstrong
An Unruly Urge – How My Life Led to the Trail

An Unruly Urge – How My Life Led to the Trail

The morning we drove into Baxter State Park to summit Katahdin, the sky unloaded on us. First with rain, then with hail. Fat chunks of ice drummed

Apr 23, 2019 : Maximilian Armstrong
Hiking Across America Means Hiking Through a Divided Nation

Hiking Across America Means Hiking Through a Divided Nation

Last summer I embarked on a hike that led me over the hallowed grounds of the Civil War. Stone tablets marking significant sites along my route had

Dec 10, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
Your Smartphone: Torch in the Dark or Digital Pacifier?

Your Smartphone: Torch in the Dark or Digital Pacifier?

Every time I approach the issue of phone use on the trail I get a little queasy. What happens in my brain is the mental equivalent of a tennis match.

Nov 3, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
An Eerie Calm on the Eve of Florence

An Eerie Calm on the Eve of Florence

In the days leading up to Hurricane Florence the woods are saturated with an eerie sense of calm. Mist gathers into rain drops on the leaves, a

Sep 13, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
Recognizing Change: Reexamining the Rite of Passage

Recognizing Change: Reexamining the Rite of Passage

I first became entranced with the concept of the rite of passage shortly after receiving my Bachelor's degree. The diploma and the

Sep 4, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
My Six Most Treasured Pieces of Gear

My Six Most Treasured Pieces of Gear

A few weeks back my brother posed a very good question to me: "What do you think about all day?" Having just reached the 1,000-mile marker,

Aug 24, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
The Challenges and Benefits of Seeking Solitude on the Social Trail

The Challenges and Benefits of Seeking Solitude on the Social Trail

This friendship is a little different. You've hiked more miles together than days you've known each other, pushed through torrential downpours and

Jul 28, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
Zen and the Time-Honored Art of Hitchhiking

Zen and the Time-Honored Art of Hitchhiking

The thumb. It's the symbol of human ingenuity and adventure; a digit worth its weight in bus fare. The hitchhiker is an icon as quintessentially

Jul 21, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong
The Notch: What to Expect in the “Most Difficult” Mile

The Notch: What to Expect in the “Most Difficult” Mile

Hikers about to hit The Notch want to know how it is, and those fresh out of it often give the same response

Jul 9, 2018 : Maximilian Armstrong