thruhiking
Wild Women Don’t Clip Your Wings: How to Adventure Solo Safely
WILD WOMEN, DON’T CLIP YOUR WINGS: HOW TO ADVENTURE SOLO SAFELY “The wild woman has a deep love of nature. A love for the ancient Mother. Though possibly misunderstood, it...
Colorado Trail: Internal Terrain of Thru-Hiking
Dark spruces interspersed with slender Aspens adorned with silver, grey, and sage green leaves fluttering in the wind. Columbines appeared in dense patches, swooning softly as though their silken white...
From Neuroses and Anxiety to Routine and Monotony
I’ve been noticing some internal shifts. They happened slowly, then all at once. I love that quote, or misquote, from The Sun Also Rises. “Gradually, then suddenly,” is the actual...
Why Are We Doing This? Why Am I Doing This?
I was almost at the top of a ridge. I picked my way over rocks. The scent of honeysuckle and wildflowers surrounded me, filled my nostrils. Buzz of bees and...
So Far, My Favorite Places to Hang Up My Boots.
Take those boots off, baby. Because I came into this adventure sans YouTube, it has been a truly organic experience for me. The lion’s share of thruhikers I’ve met “followed”...
Days 61-64 The Trail Days Vortex
In hiker language a “vortex” is when you get stuck in a town or hostel for longer than expected, drawn in by the temptations of non-hiking activities. Our vortex was,...
Serendipity: Evolution of a Trail Name
I first heard the special language of the Appalachian Trail in the White Mountains. It was the early 2000s. A dear friend and I were hiking the Presidential range and...
I Recommend Camping on the Side of a Hill for at Least One Night
I reached Cosby Knob shelter at about 6pm. One of my first 20+ mile days. I started the day at Icewater Spring shelter. The tenting area at Cosby Knob is...
And Then, Terror
“I think I have to come home with you back to NY. I don’t think I can do this alone.” My section hiker friends, Janet, Brian, and Peter, were going...
Finding My Rhythm, Aligning with the Rhythms of Nature
Rain and grey dominated the drive from NY to GA. Moments of blue and light peeked through, then rain again. During my shift at the wheel I fine tuned the...