Long distance hiking
Chapter 0: The Blacks
—Prologue— I’ve written 3 posts since hitting Kennedy Meadows South in late April 2022 and never truly introduced myself or my wife. We’ve simply been caught up in surviving...
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...
CDT Days 35-38: Pagosa Springs to Creede Cutoff
Day 35 16 miles We rolled out of town at 9am, catching a truck back up to Wolf Creek Pass without sticking a thumb out. Loaded down with 5 days...
Planning a Thru-Hike from Abroad
Few people realize how much time (and money) I have spent planning to hike the PCT. It feels like I can breathe a sigh of relief when the only thing...
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...
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...
Body, Mind, Spirit on the A. T.
Updates first! My body is in Harpers Ferry, my mind is recalibrating and strategizing for the rest of the way to Katahdin, and my spirit is sky high making this symbolic...
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...
CDT Days 8-11 Silver City to Doc Campbell’s
Day 8 Zero day Silver City was a great town for a zero day; food Co-op, library, coffee shops, and a brewery. What else does a hiker need? Grand...
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...