Katina Daanen
Slack-packing Australia’s Great Ocean Walk
(Or how to hike an iconic long-distance trail down under when you’ve haven’t packed any camping gear.) I hadn't planned on hiking the Great Ocean Walk. This trip to Australia...
The Unlikely Inspiration of Rachel Joyce: A Book Report
“There was no hiding. The rain shot at Harold’s waterproof jacket and down his neck, and even up the elasticize rims of his sleeves. The drops hit like peppercorns. Late...
No Virginia, That’s Not a Wolf
Common Loons are the siren call of summer and poster children to wilderness. They are embossed upon Minnesota license plates and appear on the eleven-sided, one-dollar “loonie” Canadian coin. They...
Paddling The Northern Forest Canoe Trail
The water trail not only attracts paddling enthusiasts, but some Appalachian Trail thru-hikers have also thru-paddled the Northern Forest Canoe, a few hardy souls even completing both trails within the...
And Just Like That, It Was Done.
And just like that, it was done. I didn’t beat the odds of finishing a thru-hike in one year, but I did finish what I started. Ultimately I proved to...
One Last Milestone Before The Finish
I hadn't planned it to be this way, but my 2000-mile milestone arrived darn close to iconic McAfee Knob. McAfee Knob and the Katahdin terminus sign are unquestionably two of...
The Zen of Hostels, Hotels, and Homes and the Power of Protein Bars
Besides shelters and the homes of friends and strangers, hostels and hotels form the trifecta of hiker refuges. Each hostel and hotel found along the Appalachian Trail is as different...
Above and Below The Mason-Dixon Line
After now hiking 1800 miles in total, I've noticed a few differences between starting almost midway versus starting at the southern terminus in Georgia.
Bugs Bunny Isn’t The Only One Who Needs A Carrot
Having people to visit, meals to be shared, places to stay, even a wedding to attend, became my metaphorical dangling carrot(s). Except unlike the horse/donkey/mule who never actually gets to...
Living A Sheltered Life
Shelters become nightly community social hubs after a long day of hiking, despite the lack of privacy, despite the snoring and despite the less than stellar accommodations.